Don't Lie to yourself, O My Soul!
Lying.
From early childhood we are taught that it is wrong, that we need to tell the truth to our parents.
Then, as we got older, we were taught that little white lies were okay, so as not to hurt someone's feelings or if it could get you into a bad situation.
“A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies.” ― Alfred Tennyson
Lies.
So often we believe our own lies. To ourselves and to others.
Our Common Self-Lies
—God only helps those who help themselves
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.” ― Walter Scott
Satan is known as the father of lies.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44
"As Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a gospel too; the latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it parades, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it." A.W. Pink
How can we know a deception or lie from the truth?
Sin will not come to you, saying, "I am sin." It would do little harm if it did. Sin always seems "good, and pleasant, and desirable," at the time of commission.
We need to realize that the Bible says to "test the spirits" and warns very strongly that the Last Days will be a time of "seducing spirits" and great deception.
Two things we have to do:
1. Seek to know God with all your heart, soul, and might.
2. Study the Word.
Here is a detailed article on knowing more about learning to tell the difference between ties and truth.
Counting my gifts with the September Joy Dare:
3 Hard Eucharisteo
946. Unloading boxes, after moving.
947. Preparing for construction to be done on our house.
948. Missing a friend who has moved on in her life.
3 Gifts in His Word
949. "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15(NIV)
950. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." John 16:13 (NIV)
951. "...speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
3 Gifts scented, scrawled, started
952. My scented wax burner.
953. Boxes with contents scrawled and re-scrawled on them
954. Started - Trying my hand at knitting, I recently learned how.
3 Gifts paired
955. A pair of sweet canine-friends to keep me company during the day.
956. A pair of ducks, feeding out in front of our lakehouse.(A rare occasion)
957. A new pair of boots, I got on sale at T.J. Maxx
3 Gifts shared
958. Time spent with my mother, especially since we have not been as close the last few years.
959. The moments, fishing with my hubby. No stress. No pressures.
960. The love of Christ, shared with others. Experiencing a shared faith with other believers.
From early childhood we are taught that it is wrong, that we need to tell the truth to our parents.
Then, as we got older, we were taught that little white lies were okay, so as not to hurt someone's feelings or if it could get you into a bad situation.
“A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies.” ― Alfred Tennyson
Lies.
So often we believe our own lies. To ourselves and to others.
“The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We do this because we're afraid. We fear we will not find love, and when we find it we fear we'll lose it. We fear that if we do not have love we will be unhappy.” Richard Bach
Our Common Self-Lies
—God only helps those who help themselves
—God’s love must be earned
—God understands that’s just the way I am. After all, He made me this way.(Living in sin)
—God does not know or see what I’m doing
—God sees things the way I do
—God is appeased by my giving
—God doesn’t believe in me
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.” ― Walter Scott
Satan is known as the father of lies.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44
"As Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a gospel too; the latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it parades, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it." A.W. Pink
"Any time we open ourselves up to fear, we fall
prey to his deceptions and intimidations. Yet, if we submit our hearts
to God and stand in faith, we can resist those first fearful thoughts.
As we yield to God we can master our reactions to fear and the enemy
will soon flee. " Francis Frangipane
I love many songs sung by Audrey Assad. If you haven't ever heard her beautiful Christian music, I encourage you to check her music out on the internet or even buy her CDs. The song below talks about what lies we tell ourselves, how our souls long for Truth! Lyrics are also printed below.
Rivers and stones and the trees of the field, they sing in the night
And a thousand tongues lay deep in your lungs to raise to the sky
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul - love your God.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul - love your God.
Deep in your heart you feather and tar your folly and fear:
Expose them all for the fools they are, and the world becomes clear.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul, just love your God.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul, just love your God.
Love your God.
Your worries will never love you
They'll leave you all alone
But your God will not forsake you
O my soul, my soul.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul - love your God.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul
How can we know a deception or lie from the truth?
Sin will not come to you, saying, "I am sin." It would do little harm if it did. Sin always seems "good, and pleasant, and desirable," at the time of commission.
We need to realize that the Bible says to "test the spirits" and warns very strongly that the Last Days will be a time of "seducing spirits" and great deception.
Two things we have to do:
1. Seek to know God with all your heart, soul, and might.
2. Study the Word.
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6
For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives
of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8
Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the
truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15
and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are
able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3 (New King James Version)
Here is a detailed article on knowing more about learning to tell the difference between ties and truth.
Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free!! (John 8:32)
Counting my gifts with the September Joy Dare:
3 Hard Eucharisteo
946. Unloading boxes, after moving.
947. Preparing for construction to be done on our house.
948. Missing a friend who has moved on in her life.
3 Gifts in His Word
949. "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15(NIV)
950. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." John 16:13 (NIV)
951. "...speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
3 Gifts scented, scrawled, started
952. My scented wax burner.
953. Boxes with contents scrawled and re-scrawled on them
3 Gifts paired
955. A pair of sweet canine-friends to keep me company during the day.
3 Gifts shared
958. Time spent with my mother, especially since we have not been as close the last few years.
959. The moments, fishing with my hubby. No stress. No pressures.
960. The love of Christ, shared with others. Experiencing a shared faith with other believers.
Linking over at these blog parties:
Sharing His Beauty (Beauty In His Grip)
Multitude on Mondays (A Holy Experience)
On Your Heart Tuesdays(A Pause in the Path)
Multitude on Mondays (A Holy Experience)
On Your Heart Tuesdays(A Pause in the Path)
Word Filled Wednesday(Internet Cafe')
Soli Deo Gloria (Finding Heaven)
Gathering at the Grace Cafe'(Reflections of His Grace)
Soli Deo Gloria (Finding Heaven)
Gathering at the Grace Cafe'(Reflections of His Grace)
So many gems here. Love the powerful quotes. May we embrace the truth and reject all lies, especially the ones we tell ourselves. Great post!
ReplyDeleteLinking up after you at Soli Deo Gloria - very good thoughts on being truthful, and being careful not to be deceived by the enemy's lies. So very important.
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome post.
ReplyDelete