Podcast Transcripts

The Bible is real clear that lying is a sin and is displeasing to God. And yet I know we know this. So why do we keep doing it? Why do our children find it so easy to lie? Aren’t words important to us?  

Please enjoy this podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Although efforts were made in editing, this transcript may include a few typos. It’s difficult to catch some minor errors. Enjoy! 

Introduction 

Saints, welcome to Hanging Out With Jesus Podcast, I’m Lyvita Brooks, Christian author, Bible teacher, and founder of The Me Project Academy bringing you interviews, book reviews, Christian news, reminders about who you are and whose you are in Christ Jesus, so you can go and do what God’s called you to do.  

You can find this episode transcript, our free Christian Blueprint and much more at www.hangingoutwithjesuspodcast.com. 

Now on to the episode 

--------------------------- 

46.0 – Saints, why do we lie? Why do our children find it so easy to lie? Aren’t words important to us? So why do we lie? Are we wishing bad things on other people or just trying to protect ourselves from bad things happening to us? What does God say about lying? Shouldn’t we be fighting for the truth, regardless of the outcome? 

1:25 – This is episode 66. You’ll need might need tissues, knee pads and a sturdy chair because is going to be a self-reflection type episode, for us both. 

1:42 – If you enjoy this episode then check out episode  43 called What Can Challenges Teach You? Because after this episode you might feel like I’m challenging you but it’s all good cause this podcast is about building you up to be whom you were designed to be.  Now if it gets too deep check out episode one of Silence because you may need to take some alone time with the Lord.  

The discussion is coming up  

--------------------------- 

2:24 – So in Christian news … 

Saints, did you read the amendments on your ballots a couple weeks ago. Did you know anything about there being an amendment to in essence take the he, she and any gender words out of MD’s legislation?  I couldn’t believe it. How did I miss that one?  

3:06 – Then the next thing you know they are passing The Respect for Marriage Bill. Saints, we have got to stand together. Too much is happening because we aren’t standing against what is wrong. 

3:54 – Sometimes, I think I feel like Jeremiah, “Crying in the Wilderness”. I pray someone hears this plea, but we need to write another bill that respects our rights to marry the opposite sex. When people start changing the amendments in the constitution, Saints, it’s always going to be an attack against our freedom of choice, our freedom of speech, and/or freedom of religion. 

The time of saying, “Well it’s going to happen any way,” “It’s the end times, what do you expect?” Statements like these are over. It’s like you consented to the devil having his way while you do your own thing, even if it’s not what God wants you to do.  

Saints we are to spread the gospel, advance the kingdom of God, and truth be told, stand up for what is right. The battle is on. Whose side are you on? I mean really, whose side are you working for? 

--------------------------- 

5:43 – Some personal updates: 

Three things: 

1.   6:04 – I am so much closer to keeping my word to my mother. Right now, it’s November 2022, the editor has the book in hand. I’m having difficulty finding a name for it. Presently, we are going to call it Ma & Me: Poetry, Flash Fiction (short short stories), and reflections. I had my Auntie review it. She kept saying, “Where do you get these ideas from for these stories?”  One of the flash fictions, I have a future book telling you about me, her writer. She was amazed. I was also. God has His way of showing me what to write. Prayerfully, the book will be ready for publication in January 2023. Please stand with me in asking the Lord to help me meet the deadlines. 

2.   7:25 – We are an insightful bible study around Psalm 91. Saints, it’s not too late to join in. Registration is still on hangingoutwithjesuspodcast.com website. We are talking and digging into scripture about the 8 stumbling blocks that hinder us from moving forward in Christ and what armor we need to use when these stumbling blocks rear their heads. We are giving practical ways of doing this. 

3.   7:59 – This month I am participating in a poetry contest with Writer’s Digest. Every day in November they post a poetry prompt. It’s awesome. Here’s one I did for Day 6 which was about looking at the news for inspiration. Well I heard about a teens shooting. This is what I wrote.  

 

Morning of Her Return by Lyvita Brooks 

I wring out the water

watching the splashes in the sink 

red eyed, now dry

my heart is silent 

my breathing is on its own 

I take my bonnet off, locks not yet reaching my shoulders 

weighty and worn

 

Dawn peeks through the curtains, 

Philly noises, ghetto stench,

even the curtains can’t keep the world out. Can’t keep the intruding world out. Can’t keep it out 

listen, hear, the squeak, soft steps of my wayward child

returning 

Now remember it’s my first draft. I’ll tighten it up later. So if you like poetry and want to write, go to writersdigest.com. They have a lot of support on their sight. 

10:17 – Thank you to everyone for supporting this ministry which contains the podcast, academy, blog, books and purchasing journals, Bible studies on Pinterest and Amazon.  

I enjoy receiving DM’s with comments and pictures on Instagram, the blog, podcast transcript, YouTube and through email in which everything can be found in the transcript or www.hangingoutwithjesuspodcast.com. I’d love to hear from you because then it makes this feel more like a conversation. 

10:56 – Now come walk with me where we intentionally and daily hang out with Jesus. 

--------------------------- 

11:07 – Let’s pray (See Prayer- A- Week) 

Key Topics With Time Stamps / Transcript With Time Stamps 

14:15 – Saints, what’s up with this lying? Have you notice an increase in people lying to you? Have you notice how lying seems to be the norm, lately? What about our youth? They can come up with some crazy stories and look at you crazy for thinking that their story doesn’t make sense. 

14:50 – As a Middle school Administrator, it was a regular occurrence, being lied to. I was always on guard, even with the good children, they can surprise you, dissecting what they were saying as they were saying it. If not, the wrong information can get you in hot water. 

15:20 –  I was researching about the importance of our words, because this episode was supposed to be about “The Power of Your Words”. Well, as life happened, my research took a different path. I started talking to the Lord about the topic of lying. Next thing I knew, this is what came of the Lord and I hanging out. 

15:58 – I wondered, when did lying begin. Well, immediately I started thinking about the snake and Eve. The snake kept talking until a thought popped up in Eve head, a lie, that caused her to be disobedient. She questioned God’s command, without asking Him about it first. Adam joined in and that’s the beginning of sin. Ya’ll lying is a sin. 

16:41 – The Bible is real clear that lying is a sin and is displeasing to God. And yet I know we know this. So why do we keep doing it? 

16:55 – I remember throwing a surprise birthday party for my mother in New York City. Everyone came. Even family from down south and Philly. Our hardest problem, meaning my cousin Brenda and mine, our hardest problem was convincing Ma that she did not need to go visit Aunt Bagley. Every time Ma sets foot into New York, to Aunt Bagley’s house she goes. This had us exaggerating, lying, and being sneaky. One time I told my mother she can’t get out the car. The problem was that people were arriving to the hotel and she might run into them. Well, we got to fussing and she finally turned to me and said, “I’m the mother!”  

18:38 – Well, that threw me for a loop. I was doing everything right and she wasn’t even appreciating what I was doing. The thing was, I kept putting roadblocks into her getting where she wanted to be. Now that I think about it. Man that was hard. Lying is hard. She had a ball. You should have seen her face when they surprised her. Man did she have a good time. The problem was I was too stressed out to enjoy it as much as she did, because of the exaggerations and lies I had to tell. I kept telling myself that it was OK. Then saying Lord please forgive me. Saints, lying isn’t OK. It’s draining. You are always looking over your back. You are always on guard. Always trying to be a step ahead when if you tell the truth, you can live a relaxed life. 

Bible’s View on Lying 

20:27 – Saints, I couldn’t find in the Bible where lying or exaggerating was considered to be the right thing, at any time. We find in the 10 Commandments, where Exodus 20:16 reads, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” 

20:48 – Then in Proverbs 6:16-19 we read a lists of the 7 things that are an abomination to the LORD. Two of them are, “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies”. There are more scriptures that speak against lying, like Ephesians 4:25 and Revelations 21:8. Something to think about, huh? 

Examples of Lying Mentioned in the Bible 

21:36 – Remember Jacob’s deceiving his father just to get Esau’s birthright in Genesis 27. And what about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 lying about their donation and in return God’s judgement was swift. They lied, then immediately they dies. Check out Acts 5:1-11.  Makes you think about some of the things you’ve said?

22:16 – Saints, lies, falsehood, little white lies, untruths, only lead to misery, loss and judgement, every time. 

Examples of Positive Results After Telling a Lie

22:30 – Now I know you are wondering, well what about the Hebrew midwives whose story is shared in Exodus 1:15-21 where they told Pharaoh that the reason they were not killing the Hebrew babies, when they are born, as he has ordered them to do, is because “the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” They did this because they feared God more than Pharaoh. This resulted in many Hebrew baby boys being saved and the midwives having families. Huh? So it sounds like in instances like this it is OK? Let’s be for real, it didn’t say “lie”. The midwives could have arrived too late. I know you are saying that that’s were being sneaky. Humph. 

24:25 – But I have another one where it seems like lying produced a favorable result. Remember Joshua 2:5 where Rahab lied to protect the Israelite spies so that they in turn would protect her family from dying but also feared the LORD knowing that He had given the Israelite their land. She and her family was saved. 

25:00 – Let’s be clear. Yeah, you will probably do anything to save your family, protect your love ones, or stand up for what you believe. Even if that means the only thing you can come up with immediately is a lie. But remember this, The Hebrew wives and Rahab feared the LORD more than what would happen to them because of those in office, people over them.  

26:07 – Let’s be for real, things like this are rare. Most of the time our lying is due to, according to the American Counseling Association:  

• Sometimes it's to protect the liar from being punished,  
• to protect someone else from punishment, 
• to avoid being embarrassed,  
• to hide an awkward situation,   
• to simply have others think better of the person telling the fib, or 
• to feel like you are in control.

 
26:59 – Those are the leading ones. This isn’t cool. Lying doesn’t look good on a Christian. Lies distorts people’s views not only of you, but of God.   

27:15 – No where do you see God condoning those lies. Even though there was a positive outcome, the Bible at no time praises the lies themselves. Again, the Bible nowhere states that there are instances where lying is the right thing to do. And yet, the Bible does not declare that there is no possible instance in which lying is an acceptable option. Sounds like double standards? 

28:01 – On the one had you should never lie but when put in a tight spot where you are standing up for God’s principles it sounds like it might be OK to lie. Saints, don’t get it mixed up God hates liars. Lying is a sin and it displeases God. Don’t let satan trip you up. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you will have to lie. 

28:29 – Our words are powerful. Our words are, as they say our bond, meaning that whatever you have just said you will keep of do. So if you lie, people will think of you as a liar. Don’t do it. 

28:50 – We are followers of Jesus Christ. John 14:6, Jesus calls Himself the way, the truth, and the life. Therefore, he expects those who follow Him to be a person of truth. We are to express truth in love, with hope to anyone seeking redemption from the lies of this world. (Ephesians 4:15) 

29:14 – A Liar is a person who doesn’t speak the truth. They lie. They can also lie easily and sometimes without a reason. As a follower of Christ this isn’t good.  

30:24 – I don’t want you to feel bad, but what I want you to recognize is the severity of the issue. Try not to lie. It’s that simple. But if you do. Let’s face it, you probably will because we live in a fallen world.

32:03 – What should you do? 

• Immediately ask for forgiveness from whomever you lied to  
• Ask the LORD for forgiveness 
• Tell the LORD what you did and why you did it 
• Own up to it. You did it. Don’t lie and say you only did a piece of it because so-and-so did worse than you. Own what you did and be sorry about it, for real. 
• Then ask God to help you not do it again. 
• Then forgive yourself. 

33:08 – It’s interesting how powerful our words are. Are words are so powerful until we can repeat something to ourselves so much until our memory becomes unreliable on that topic, so much so, you try to tell another lie to make whatever that other lie sound believable. Because you may want the lie to be the truth so badly until it becomes your actual truth. The American Counseling Association, term this type of person as a repetitive liar.  

33:59 – Think about it. The snake must have been saying some really enticing words to get Eve to eat, share the fruit with Adam and they both disobey God whom Adam? 

34:20 = Life and Death are in the tongue. Truth and Lie are in the tongue Let’s be careful which side we choose. 

34:54 – Let’s Pray – (See second Prayer- A –Week) 

Thanks for listening today you may also find it helpful to receive the Me Project Academy newsletter with episode updates, reminders of who you are and whose you are, tips on living a purpose-full life and much more. All this and more can be found, including my contact information, on www.hangingoutwithjesuspodcast.com or in the show notes. 

So until we meet again over the airwaves, intentionally and daily, hang out with Jesus. 

Lyvita: Shalom!