6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.’ 8 “Now therefore, my son, listen to me as I command you. 9 “Go now to the flock and bring me two choice young goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves. 10 “Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” 11 Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man. 12 “Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” 13 But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.” 14 So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made savory food such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 She also gave the savory food and the bread, which she had made, to her son Jacob.
18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. Get up, please, sit and eat of my game, that you may bless me.” 20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the LORD your God caused it to happen to me.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that aI may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” GENESIS 27:6-22 NASB

I have to understand the consequences of lying

Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. PROVERBS 12:19 NLT

Lying will:

• Destroy my business
Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap. PROVERBS 21:6 NLT
• Cost me my closest friendships
• Wreck my family
• Lead to tough times
The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble. PROVERBS 17:20 NLT
• Bring on the judgment of God
You will destroy those who tell lies.The LORD detests murderers and deceivers. PSALM 5:6 NLT

I have to value honesty like God does

The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. PROVERBS 12:22 NLT *
• Care more about truth than *consequence
• Speak truth like people’s lives depend on it

I need to develop friendships that encourage honesty

Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. PROVERBS 27:6 NLT
To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet. PROVERBS 29:5 NLT

I must understand the benefits of speaking the truth

Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! PSALM 34:13 NLT
• God will bless me
• Others will respect me

Community Group Discussion Guide

1. When have you ever been a relationship with someone who was untruthful?
2. How did their dishonesty make you feel? About God? Them? Yourself?
3. We’ve all been dishonest at some point. When you lied how did it make you feel?
4. What makes it hard for you to be honest with people?
5. When someone has been honest with you about something painful but true, how did you respond to them? What happened?
6. What can we do as a group to make speaking the truth to one another easier?

Prayer Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place where you can be alone with God. Take a few minutes to quiet your body, mind and heart. Begin a conversation with God about seemingly small places in your life where you might be less than truthful. Ask some questions like, “Lord, where are there places in my life where I’m self-deceived? Where I deceive others? What do I profit from my deception? What truth do I need to embrace?” If you’re willing, share with your group about what came out of your prayer reflection.