Speaking Truth: David writes in Psalms 15:1–2: “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.” Don’t you like that line: who speaks the truth from their heart. Of course, one cannot speak truth from their heart unless they do two things: (1) hearing truth from the Lord, and (2) speaking truth to oneself. Truth matters. Among other things, hope is rooted in truth. Without a foundation of truth, hope is empty, even false. Thus, the virtue of honesty, or truth-telling—seasoned with love—is a vital part of Christian discipleship. We usually fall in one of two extremes: (1) Scared to speak up and share the truth, whether it be about our faith or in our relationships, or (2) Brash and bold about speaking the truth, but in a jerk-kind-of-way. Yet, Jesus again is our master and strikes the perfect balance: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 NIV).
Excerpts From My Reading: I am 60–70% of the way through John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Wow, has it been a timely and impactful read. Buy the book. Make it your December reading. Read to be changed. Read to be challenged. Read to be convicted. If you are an American, you need to read it. Period. Here are a few quotes and I will continue to share over the next couple of weeks:
Random Fact About C.S. Lewis: Did you know that Lewis thought that it was most likely true that the Book of Job was not a historical book, but rather a story told to help us think through suffering, faith, etc.? This would not necessarily imply that it is less divine, but that there are different genres in Scripture all meant to accomplish different—and ultimately the same—purposes. He writes in Reflections on the Psalms:
B.J. Condrey, Ph.D. 