"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ... John 8:32
******
Uh-oh! During 2017 I believed a lie. Which one? The one that said I needed a different house, one which I could decorate with energy I believed I still had (way to go, Debra. Er hem.).
And oh dear. Instead of experiencing an average of 90% daily peace-of-mind like a normal year, it dipped to around 70%.
Not good, especially since part of me knew exactly where I was erring. But oh Honey, it's excruciating to release forever our longest seasons, isn't it? Especially when they last decades and express our strongest giftings/talents/delights/joy.
But what's harder? Believing lies, then speaking them to our friends. That makes us, uhm, liars (and have you read what the Bible says about those? Eegads.).
Finally, though, I gave up--the good kind. I surrendered what I (believed I) wanted and chose what God wanted for me now, instead. And then the 90% daily peace returned. Whew. It even carried along new dreams and visions, delightful ones. (But yes, being human, I grieved during my healing in 2018. Alas.)
We cannot be and feel free while we're believing lies. (Did you check out the Bible verse, above?) God would have to erase some Bible truths and although oh how He loves us(!), He cannot do the opposite of what His Book says. He literally cannot. Not for any of us.
So today let me encourage you with this: if we wish to have daily peace of mind? We must loose, release the lies from our soul. Especially any popular lies like these:
Jesus believes 'love is love'. That God's creation of marriage can be tweaked by people and He's fine with it. (Go here to clear this up.)
Abortion is not murder.
It's okay with God when we blast ministers whose doctrines differ from ours.
"It is in hoarding that we receive what we need."
Our words don't matter. We can express all our feelings/opinions.
We don't need to confess our sins after we're born again.
Someday God will forgive everyone and we'll all be in Heaven.
God never uses a person/king/president who doesn't know Him to do His will.
Gossip is funny.
Anger/hate can be justified and used to accomplish God's will.
As Christians we're free to sin: Grace will cover it.
God understands when we choose not to forgive certain people who did terrible things.
Hmmm.
Yet if we crave peace badly enough? We'll choose to release all lies to the wind and instead, grasp and hold onto the truth which, for the rest of our days, will set us free to fly.
"They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!" ... Romans 1:25
We expect to feel well and whole while we're believing and expressing lies. Kinda shows how blind we can be, right?
Having a problem with speaking against ministers? I hope you'll go here. This was awesome. Dare I say, life-altering.
"Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm." ... Psalm 105:15
"The devil wants us to be fault-finders focusing on all the faults of others and being blind to our own faults. If a believer sees nothing wrong with himself and a great deal wrong with others, then the devil has won." --- Joyce Meyer
"When we're deceived, we don't know we're deceived." ---copied (This is why we need to willingly receive God's correction.)
******
Valentine's Day is coming! Are you preparing for it yet?
This French country farmhouse tour--what a delight!
"You cannot carry offense and a cross at the same time." ... Todd White
******
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
Another well thought out and written post. My only caveat would be that if a preacher is stating things that are clearly in contridiction to God's word, we MUST be aware for ourselves what the Bible says and stand firm on that. So many people take what a preacher says as truth and never check it out for themselves. There are a lot of false teachers out there in the world right now, twisting the Word of the Lord to say what they want it to say.
ReplyDeleteThank you for standing for the Word my friend.
Blessings,
Betsy
Hi Betsy! As always, I appreciate your comment. But I would add that it's one thing to stand upon what we believe, but it's another to verbally condemn a minister--and that is what God hates (and that's what I was speaking of by the word 'blast').
ReplyDeleteAlso, we must be careful to never think we have the 100 percent truth on any scripture--that's actually pride to believe so. We need to consider that God gives others deeper understanding, revelation, of verses we've always been taught only one way. It's that same repetitive 'I've always heard it this way' stuff that stunts our growth and actually keeps us small-minded, missing out, and never growing deeper in God the way He intended. At least, this is all what I believe 100%: this subject is a passion of mine, and what has helped keep me not in suspicion and fear of new-to-me truth, but rather, growing in the Word, in God and in His love these past decades.
Thanks again for reading here so faithfully! Blessings, Debra
I remember when you hoped for a different home, Debra, and I identified with you. Goodness, when I look back, I remember looking at the real estate guide every week, to plan our treks out to look at open houses that were for sale. Now there's nothing wrong with that, but what WAS wrong was my attitude. Back then, I wasn't satisfied with our home. I wasn't grateful, even though it met all or our needs (and still does!).Then in 2016, I had a health crisis and ended up having major surgery, followed by chemotherapy. I remember coming home from the hospital and weeping with joy to have such a wonderful, comfortable home. If I had been able, I would have knelt down and kissed the worn floors. From that time forward, the Holy Spirit has taught me to simply say YES to whatever he has planned for me and my family. I am so grateful that God didn't give up on me. It's downright embarrassing to admit that there have been eras when my stubbornness truly stalled spiritual growth. Now I know that nothing matters as much as true peace and joy that comes from trusting God instead of myself. Thank you for such a stirring post, Debra!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Pam, for sharing another wonderful testimony! You have many and I always appreciate them and their lessons. Continued grace and healing be to you! Blessings, Debra
ReplyDelete