This week I have been challenged by the lies we believe. This verse came to my mind as I was thinking on it:
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” – John 8:44
The NIV says that when Satan speaks lies that he is speaking his native tongue. The NASB says that he is speaking from his own nature. Either way, lying comes naturally to him.
Things that come naturally to us are easy. I have a friend who can play the piano that way. He doesn’t have to practice for church or family gatherings. It comes easy. He can manipulate those keys with ease. That is Satan. He doesn’t have to tell whoppers to prove that he can lie any more than a native English speaker has to use big words to prove that he can speak English.
What catches us is all the half-truths that are around us. There are half-truths that declare to us that we aren’t really any good unless we are performing or are beautiful (whatever that means!). Other half-truths say that forgiveness must be earned. All of these lies are not big ones. They are partial truths that confuse and manipulate us. To Satan it is as easy as tickling the ivories.
Which lie is enticing to you? For me, it is the lie of performance. I go through seasons that I unintentionally begin trying to impress God. As if. What about you? Is it a lie about forgiveness or worth that sucks you down? Is it a lie about grace or rules that trips you up?
There is only one way that I know of to deal with a lie: break it off and replace it with the truth. We can’t accept part of the lie and think that we can build truth upon that. Truth must be built from the ground up. So, which lie will you tackle today?
Something to think about,
Pastor John
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