By David Stahl
Our words should matter more than what they do, but sadly today people (even Christians) tell us things they never intend on doing. Now I can kind of understand someone who in not saved and filled with the Holy Spirit after all I expect ungodly behavior and am not offended too badly, they can only be what is in their heart, but I cannot understand Christians who claim to be born of the Spirit of God, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, who lie through their teeth. Something my friend is not right here, something just does not add up. Either lying is a part of the Spirit of God (which it is not) or the Christian who tells lies is not born of the Spirit of God. Oh they may be saved and may be on their way to heaven, but unless they are born of the Spirit they may not make it. There is a is a big difference between being saved where we have asked Jesus to forgive us of our sins and being born of the Spirit where we are walking in the Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit. Today there seems to be a lot of interlopers saying they are born of the Spirit, but have not really allowed Jesus to work in their lives thus working on their character. Do you know how much God is concerned about our character? More than taking us all to heaven. We make it to heaven because we have seen (by the Holy Spirit) the need to have our sins dealt with, but that is just the beginning. Most “Christians” want nothing more to do with the Holy Spirit when He comes calling to draw them the more They have their fire insurance no need to give any more of themselves. Well I am here to tell you there is more much more God is after and if He does not get it well our future with Him may not be as rosy as we think. We sing songs about heaven and tells stories to each other what we think heaven is like, but in reality we do not know. I know it is going to be wonderful because Jesus will be there and that is enough for me. One thing I do know is no liars will be in heaven. John tells us in the Book of Revelations those who do these things shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but will end up hell. John says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelations 21:8) Notice John lumped the liars with the abominable, murders, whoremongers, and idolaters. Is lying as bad as all of these? Oh come on a little white lie doesn’t hurt anybody does it? I would say yes and more. Do you mean when I say I am coming over at 1:00 pm and do not make it till 2:30 (or not at all) I am lying? Yes and even more. Your know we do what we want to do. Do you mean when I say something like you can count on me and not do what I said I will do God is concerned? Oh I just miss spoke, no it is a lie and God is listening. God is concerned about our words, our words do matter. Karen and I often go to a really nice local church and one Wednesday after services we were standing around and talking about chicken eggs and I made the statement chickens have ears and the color of their ears tell what color the egg is going to be. Well you would think I told everyone the biggest lie in the world. They all (most were raised in the country) laughed at me and told me I did not know what I was saying. Even the pastor thought I was pulling their legs. I could have shrugged off the ridicule and went on about my way, but my word matters to me and God. How could I say I speak the word of God one moment then tell people lies? If given another chance to minister at church will my words that may seem strange in their ears because they (my words) may be deeper than what they have heard before or will they be cast aside as a lie? I had no choice but to provide the truth. I found the proof easily on the internet and provided copies Saturday at a church function to those who laughed at me. My word matters to me and God. The next Sunday the Sunday School Teacher apologized (which speaks well of her) for laughing at me. The laugher did not matter I have big shoulders, but what mattered was my word as a man of God. My friend God is concerned about our character flaws, especially when it comes to our words. James helps us here with this need in our lives, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12) In other words let your word be yes to the things you say you will do and no to the things you say you will not do, “lest ye fall into condemnation.” If we cannot keep our words we will be condemned by God AND man, thus not make it to heaven. Here God’s word is clear, but there is still much more here I would like to share that will really help us with our walk with the LORD and will help with our prayer life.
All of my childhood my parents drilled into me and my siblings the importance of honoring our words. Maybe it was my father’s military service and when I joined the U.S. Navy it just resonated within me the importance of keeping my word. I knew (even as a child) there was a spiritual significance other than we are lying when we do not do what we say we are going to do, but I never could put my finger on why these seemingly little falsehoods or white lies really mattered after all they seem so insignificant and n o one is really hurt. Well that is so far from the truth. As I held this before the LORD recently He opened it up to me where little falsehoods and white lies greatly harm us spiritually. When we do not do what we say we will do we are teaching our heart and spirit to believe we really do not mean what we say. We are teaching our heart our words do not really matter. How can we convince our heart we are serious over big things in our lives when we lie about the little things? When we lie we are teaching our heart our words do not matter. How can we believe in our heart for great things of God when we say things to our brothers and sisters not meaning to fulfill them and expect great things from God? How can we engage our faith with God in situations believing we will speak in the name of Jesus to the mountains (trouble, circumstances, and situations in our lives) and they will be removed (Matthew 17:20 and 21:21) when we cannot keep our word. We only deceive ourselves and sadly the truth of the word of God is not in us. And it happens so subtly without anyone or anything telling us what to do. Remember in God things are automatic. If we are not drawing towards God then we are automatically rejecting God. There is no neutral ground or half measures. It is 100% in either direction. Either we are 100% saved or we are 100% lost. Either 100% in heaven some day or 100% in hell some day. The world’s system of distractions, influences, indulgences, and selfishness has trained the youth of the world through technology not to be able to hear the voice of the LORD, not to be able to hear that small still voice. Karen and I go to the gym usually three days a week. One day last week we arrived early having to wait about 15 minutes, well there were five younger people who beat us to the gym and all five were plugged into social media on their cell phone, As I sat there the LORD spoke to me and said, “they will never hear my voice.” I thought, they have been conformed to this world through observation without anyone telling them what to do. A few years ago Karen and I were up in Pinhook, VA a town way way back in the kountry (that is further back then in the country) during the week of the 4th of July at Scotty’s fertilizer warehouse and church. Every year over the 4th they have services all week with different speakers each night. While I was ministering I asked who puts their cell phone in their back pocket? Now the congregation of about 300 was made up with folks mostly in their 40s to 50s, but 70% of the congregation raised their hand. I asked them who told you to put your cell phone in your back pocket? They quickly dropped their hands. Then I said you all have been conformed to this world without anyone telling you what to do. It happens that easy. Mark Zuckerberg founder of Facebook wants to replace the church with a “Facebook Community” and many pastor say it will never happen, well I am not so sure. Today many churches (many I know personally) use Facebook to communicate church events, programs, donations (PAYPAL), and use it to facilitate personal relationships with those on Facebook in the church All others well, they are catch as they can. In Proverbs we read, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:120) The “death” is not immediate, but all along the way the life of God contained relationship is lost and without relationship the body will die. Facebook all seems right, smells right, even feels right, but in the end (as Zuckerberg and others want to see) is death. Oh I know it sounds like I am over blowing the evil tentacles of Facebook and other social media platforms (and you can poo poo me if you want), but many were right when they sounded the alarm over TV yet were called crazy. Sadly today many Christians have their favorite Hollywood driven TV and computer games that have snared them pushing God’s voice further and further away. God will not be in competition with the world, He will let you go until you wake up one morning dead in your sins. Take heed my friend the more we go after technology the less of God will be in us. The less our words matter to us (we lie) the less God will be able to flow through us and out to the world and our heart will know the truth. Tell me no lies my friend.
