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Ephesians 4:25-27
Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
5 comments:
It is now three days after Errin's post about the flu and I have been praying that things are calming down at their house. We all know the mounds of laundry and disinfecting that comes in the aftermath of the flu. Big hugs to your family, Errin.
(And hopefully everyone got it all at once so you don't have to wonder when the next one will fall.)
This morning I read verses 20-27. It seems Tuesday morning quiet time always gets squished out of the day. :( I was truly captivated by us being "created like God in true righteousness and holiness." WOW! I desire to have that verse ring true in my life. But how often I fall short of God's righteousness and holiness. Not righteousness compared to the world or our fellow church goers, but GOD'S righteousness. That's a HUGE standard with which to be compared. But it is possible in the strength of the Lord. "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, as we wait upon the Lord." (There's always a song that pops into my head) WOW! How often do I live my daily life in that kind of victory? He CREATED my new self to be like HIM. Thank you, Lord. May my day today be one filled with YOUR righteousness and holiness.
I pray the same for you all today!
Sonja
What a challenging piece of Scripture this morning! Lying and Anger. Just examining these 2 areas in my life makes me cling to the Holy Spirit's leading and convicting in my life that much more.
I already know that I struggle with anger in my life sometimes but thought I was a fairly truthful person. As I was digging into the lying, I was convicted. I was reminded this morning that lying is more than just telling something that is just not true...it is exaggerating and adding fabrications to a truth, it is cheating, making foolish promises (do I do this with my hubby? my kids? my friends?), making false excuses, and betraying a confidence. YIKES!
I thought of a game of Monopoly we were playing here just this past weekend and how I essentially cheated by not being honest in paying rent to someone who was not paying attention which is a part of the game BUT it shouldn't have been the way a Christian plays. Do I do that in my "real" life? Not just the BIG things in my "real" life but in the small, seemingly minute details of my life? Whoa! I am humbled!
Lord, I want to honor You in everything...in ALL areas of my life - big and small. Holy Spirit, thank You for continuing to work and convict me in these areas of lying and anger. Lord, thank You for the GREAT lessons learned in this silly little game of Monopoly. Thank You for revealing how gross my flesh really is and how I need You that much more in my life. I love You, Lord. Amen
Have a wonderful Wednesday to all of you, ladies!
Kim
I definitely felt similar things to Sonja and Kim with the last few days verses. Convicted, feeling the "yuckly flesh"! I got to a point, that I was like, I want to have the new self in the likeness of God's righteousness, but how am I going to do that?!? And then it was plain as day...I can't do that. It's the Holy Spirit guiding me and allowing me to be a part of what God has in store for us. Thank you Lord that it's not in my power, because I continually fail. Help me learn to rely on your Holy Spirit daily and not "lean unto my own understanding."
Kim, I'm not sure on breakfast yet. If the hockey team wins tonight I'll be going with Andy and his Dad to Manchester Saturday for the championship game...it's been our tradition to travel down for those. Not sure what time the game would be, but as far as breakfast...the earlier the better I guess!
As all of you ladies have mentioned how difficult these simple things can be. Even with the holy spirit we constantly have to battle our own flesh. Be Honest, be truthful. Sounds so simple, but as Kim said, this can be the small stuff~ leaving something out can be a lie by omission! Another thought I had was about the anger. I thought it was interesting how Paul says to be angry but do not sin. So the emotion is not bad, we have to allow for honest feelings, its just what we do with it. Are we going to lash out at another person? Or have a peaceful discussion with them? And then in the end we have to take that emotion and just give it to God!!!
Looking at these verses is bringing us to the nitty, gritty of life.
Lying, which I am reminded is one of the 7 things God hates! Even though I do not lie as we think of lying...but...lying is more then telling an untruth. I know in retelling a situation or story I cannot remember the exact words or facts. Do I add to it or exaggerate?
I think, no, I do know I am most likely GUILTY of FALSE EXCUSES! Why is it so hard to just say no or I don't want too do it?
A confidence...I try very hard not to betray a confidence. Thinking on the subject of LYING, I wonder if this is why James urges us to "be quick to hear and slow to speak". Lord, slow me down with my speaking, help me to especially be quick to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit. Help me to be more careful in speaking especially in repeating. ( the little song Oh, Becareful little tongue what you say). Forgive me Lord for being careless!
Anger!! I wish I could say I never get angry but that would be an out and out lie.
Oh, I do get angry because of ALL the immorality,ungodliness, unfairness and this game of tolerance. However, I have to be careful not to allow bitterness to grow in my spirit. That would be so easy to grow! Holy Spirit guard me!
What about selfish anger at home? I know Kim and Steph know Arlyn, that would be my husband. He is one of the most patient, kind, honest and quiet men on this earth...yet...he can frustrate me so much. One evening not long ago he frustrated me to the point of tears! I was so frustrated I actually put my little hands around his throat and yes, I said, "I hate you"! What was his reaction? He kept laughing and repeating what was getting to me.
Of course we both ended up laughing... but... ANGER...I was guilty and I was humbled and yes, the Holy Spirit called me to apologize. Father help me to learn how to handle this very real emotion.
Stealing...Kim, I am sorry I took some GUM with out asking! There is one thing I remember from the colonist which they took from the scriptures "You don't work,you don't eat"). We are given opportunities to help those in need. When we do we both receive a blessing especially when it is done in the right spirit!i
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