LIAR, LIAR . . . by Ellene Meece

LIAR, LIAR . . .

by Ellene Meece

Living in a world of lies and deceit can take its toll on us. It seems the brown cloud of lying has thickened across our world and sometimes it's impossible to discern truth. We not only have the media slanting their stories to suit their views but we have advertisement exaggeration taking us into fantasy land with their false promises, manipulating us into thinking we need their product to be happy.

 

In the marketplace, business integrity and ethics are being compromised. In our homes, parents are covering their mistakes with a fabrication of excuses and children are routinely deceiving their parents.

 

Lies hurt people, so how did we get here and can we stop the lies?

 

To expel the lies that swirl around us day to day, we must first of all recognize where those lies originate. Satan is the deceiver, the accuser, the one whom Jesus calls the Father of Lies, and is the one who is the cause of all anguish, deception and suffering in this world.

 

Secondly, we must know the truth. This comes from knowing God - His character, His intentions for us. Know that His words are inerrant and timeless.

Garrett Kell wrote on his blog, All Things for Good, a wonderful synopsis of identifying the enemy lies and overcoming with God's truth.

William was facing the most excruciating season of his life.

He and his wife were finalizing a divorce. He'd lost his job. He was potentially going to lose his son in a custody battle. His financial foundation was dissolving. He couldn't sleep. He wouldn't eat. He could barely breathe.

The darkness of William's days turned into the Tempter's paradise. Every waking hour brought with it a call to turn from the Lord. The flaming darts of the evil one sailed in without mercy and his heart became a pincushion for his lies. Everything he believed was being called into question, down to whether God was even there anymore.

William said that one of the things that God used to pull him through the deep valley was a journal that became a lifeline for him. On the left hand side of the journal William wrote down how he was feeling and the lies that he was being called to believe. On the other side of the page he countered the lie with what God said was true. Line after line of lies combated by line after line of truth. William was in a battle for his soul and he learned that his only hope was to fight fire with fire.

What follows are some of the most common lies we face as believers and some helpful truths that expose those lies and put them to death.

The liar says . . . God isn't there and God doesn't care.

The Lord says . . . "Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me." Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands . . ." Isaiah 49:14-16

 

The liar says . . . You have nowhere to turn to; no one loves you.

The Lord says . . . "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest . . . I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" Matthew 11:28-29  "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3

The liar says . . . you are unlovable, unworthy, undesirable, and good for nothing.

The Lord says . . . "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing" Zephaniah 3:17. This amazing love is seen supremely in the fact that "God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses ... raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . ." Ephesians 2:4-6

 

The liar says . . . Just give in this time, you can just ask for forgiveness later. You deserve to feel good after all you've been through.

The Lord says . . . "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 6:1-2 ". . . what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death" Romans 6:21

 

The liar says . . . God's holding out on you. Fun and freedom and real life are found apart from him.

The Lord says . . . "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11

 

The liar says . . . You are never going to get God's plan going for you. You will always be a loser.

The Lord says . . . "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Psalm 32:8

 

The liar says . . . God is not pleased with you and because of that He will never give you your deepest desires.

The Lord says . . . "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37:4. "Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be put to shame." Psalm 34:5

 

We may not be able to control the lies being spoken in our workplace or on the news or in some of our relationships, but we can for sure take charge of the lies being spoken in our heads! When the liar opens his mouth, it's time to open yours . . . with God's Word.

 

The liar says . . . These lies that I am feeding you will never stop.

The Lord says . . . "But the king will rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him [honoring the true God, acknowledging His authority and majesty] will glory, for the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped."

 

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Written by Ellene Meece, Director of FMIN Workplace Leaders Network

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Workplace Leaders is a group that is designed for you. We are here, as Workplace Leaders Network, to edify, build up and inspire you to inspire others as we live out our lives in the workplace. FMIN provides the ministry organization for Workplace Leaders Network to thrive and grow as marketplace leaders. We also provide a Workplace Leaders Network Facebook page - join us to share stories, photos and discussions around the workplace Christian life.

 

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