NOVEMBER 12 2014 “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Galatians 4:16 “For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:12 I still remember those days when God began opening up my eyes to all of the lies I had believed for so many years. One lie, in particular, had been the cause of many of the problems in my life and I didn’t know it until God showed me. And it seemed to be the one belief that everyone I was in relationship with believed as well, friends and family alike. As a result, all of our relationships were extremely dysfunctional and ungodly. The lie was that it was wrong and “mean” to address someone’s bad behavior and hold them accountable for it. So instead, we accepted the behavior and the dysfunction it caused. Never correcting anyone and never encouraging them to walk in line with God’s will. There was no grace, no truth, and no true love in my “support” system. Once the Lord opened my eyes and encouraged me to challenge this lie, I was liberated, but I also found myself in an odd predicament. In sharing the wisdom I had been given, I felt compelled to speak the truth in love to my peers, many of whom are Christians. And they didn’t like it. Someone even said to me, “we are not called to correct and judge each other!” So essentially, they were fighting against God’s word and what God had revealed to me because they still believed in this lie and could not see it for what it was. My mind was blown. For the first time, I could relate a little to how Jesus must have felt when he came bearing the truth and God’s people denied him. Love is to be the mark that identifies us as Christians. And in order to love, we must speak and accept the truth. We cannot have love, the love that God wants us to experience, without truth. It is impossible. Challenge yourself today to heed God’s correction if you sense it. And if you feel compelled to address something that is contradictory to God’s word, ask Him for help to speak the truth in LOVE. Without truth and correction, we make ourselves and others vulnerable to the enemy’s schemes. Speaking in love means using a Christ-like attitude when speaking truth. Not by yelling, condemning, or attacking a person, but by using words of compassion and kindness. Remember that the Bible is more than a book of rules, it is a guide to life that gives us insight into God’s heart and living with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. The truth lies in that book and it is our responsibility to learn what it says and apply it to our lives. Prayer: Father I want to thank you for continually revealing the truth to me. As I accept more and more of your truth, I grow closer to you and closer to becoming the person you desire for me to be. I ask for grace to speak the truth in love and grace to accept any correction that I may need as your beloved child. In Jesus name, Amen.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 16:02:35 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015