The Embassy of God church continues to delve us into the urgent topic “Loving the truth”. Everyone who is present here “looks intently and continues in it” examining themselves on the subject of slyness and love to the truth. There is so much to think about and reevaluate.
Pastor Sunday called the audience to watch attentively the movie «Between Hitler and Stalin» that demonstrates how dangerous it is to keep silent and not tell the truth; and how important it is to highlight and know the history of our country in order to avoid the same faults in the future. The movie shows what a huge price Ukrainian people had to pay for getting their independence. After watching the movie many people shared their impressions and repented for the lack of knowledge of history. The audience prayed for Ukrainian and Russian nations for God to be merciful and forgive the faults of our history.
Then pastor Sunday continued his teachings – “Hush Things Up” Mentality.
Mentality is based on historical, cultural, social and economical development of a community. Features of mentality are revealed in the behavior of people and become apparent when a person comes into a different cultural environment. Thus, mentality is a communal feature, not an individual.
“To hush up” is to suppress development of something. To hush up a case is to intentionally stop something that has already started; to hush up a conversation, change unpleasant topic to another one, or distract attention from undesirable topic (Explanatory dictionary by D.Ushakov).
The main goal of a person is to impress, not to achieve a positive result.
What is the focus of a person with the “hush things up” mentality?
A person worries more about the looks of the matter, and not about what is really going on. That is why the main goal for such a person is to create appearances and hide unpleasant facts and moments under the carpet, thus closing eyes to the existing problems.
Typical behavior of someone with the “hush things up” mentality:
- Always makes excuses
They explain reasons why something has not been done instead of doing it.
When they defend themselves trying to find an excuse, they humiliate themselves.
- Calms down the other side (party)
They speak eloquently and long presuming that such talks will eventually calm down the other side.
- Refuses to admit their fault
Such a person considers explanations as a solid ground why they must be forgiven and understood.
- Accuses the other side.
Life consequences of the “hush things up” mentality:
- avoiding forgiveness,
- do not receive mercy,
because you do not even see your mistakes and the need to be forgiven.
“IF A PERSON DOES NOT ADMIT THEIR FAULT, IT MEANS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE”.
”If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10: 26-29)
The only condition when God can accept us is acceptance of our mistakes – repentance. «IF YOU KNEEL, IT WILL HELP YOU NOT TO FALL»
Everyone commits sin – “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1 : 8-9)
Algorithm of the right behavior:
- Do not make excuses
- Admit your fault
- Do what was supposed to have been done
Steps for changes:
“Successful people change themselves, the rest are changed by life” (Jim Rohn)
1. Take responsibility.
First of all you need to realize that you are responsible for your life. Do not accuse other people or your surrounding if something goes wrong or not the way you desire. Your situation does not matter, only you decide how it will influence you.
2. The principle of the mirror
Before judging others, look at yourself.
3. Learning precious lessons from your life experience is necessary for your personal growth. Learn these lessons every day.
4. Keep a diary
Irrespective of the lessons you have learned, make a note about it in your diary. A diary will save much of your precious time because you will not repeat the same mistakes again and again.
5. The principle of the upper road
We are going to a higher level when we begin to treat others better than they treat us.
6.The principle of boomerang
While helping others we help ourselves.
7. The principle of exchange
Instead of setting people down, we must put ourselves in their shoes.
8. The principle of patience
Travelling with others always takes longer time than when you travel by yourself.
9. The principle of friendship
With all other conditions being equal people will strive to work with whom they like; with all other conditionsbeing unequal, people will still do just that.
10. Do not expect immediate results.
Your expectations must be real. When you expect too much as a result you may be disappointed. A person grows step by step, that is why we should not despair if we first will fail in becoming the person we wish to become.
11. Create positive habits
Even the most insignificant habits influence on your personality and life generally.
12. Invest only the best in yourself
Everything that you take from the surrounding world is directly connected with what you give to this world. That is why you should fill your brain only with positive and beautiful things.
13. Surround yourself with people with positive attitude
People who are next to you have a huge influence on you. They can either improve your life or destroy you. Positive people can help you grow, and they can become the source of energy and inspiration to you.
14. Find an example for imitation
It is easier to achieve something if you have a model of what you want to achieve. Instead of abstract ideas follow this specific example.
15. Find leaders/mentors
A leader is more important than an example for imitation. While you may not be personally acquainted with the example for imitation, you need to have a personal relationship with your leader. A leader is the person whose experience and advice will help you to succeed; saving you from a great number of mistakes and showing you the right way.
Questions for home work:
1. Make a list of the points of view of those people who are the product of Soviet Union’s upbringing, and also a list of stereotypes of Ukrainian people from the aspect of discordance with the truth. Please give from 10 to 100 points.
2. How do you understand the notion of the “hush things up” mentality?
3. Why accusations are the sign of a person with the “hush things up” mentality?
4. Please name the negative consequences of the “hush things up” mentality.
5. Hebrews 10: 26-29 – what does this scripture say about the love to the truth?
6. How should we behave if we have committed a sin or fault? What is the right reaction as opposed to hushing one’s fault up?
7. Explain please how you understand the following principles and give specific examples for each principle. Prove the correlation between them and the topic “Loving the truth”:
- principle of the mirror
- principle of the upper road
- principle of exchange
- principle of patience
- principle of friendship
8. Why free rides are an unworthy way of life? How do such behaviors as “shortcut” and free rides connect with loving the truth? What is bad in it?
May God bless you abundantly!
From the Summer fast
The 31st of July 2013
Press center of the Embassy of God church
