Taming Your Tongue - Day 1

Taken from the book of the same title by Deborah Smith Pegues (she is friends with Judge Ephraim!!)--

Let's Go On A Tongue Fast! 2 Jan - 1 Feb, try, try, try as we might...

"The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season." Isaiah 50:4

Day 1 - The Lying Tongue

"The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful." Pro 12:22

Oh my, I suffer from this every day. How does the tongue become so used to the bitterness of lies? The gravity of this world pulls me down into a stinking mire and there I go again--people pleasing to get approval and attention.

I am working on that one with D, my life coach. I have such a need to be noticed and please people and have them be "awestruck" by fill in the blank...

Forms of lying:

1. Deceitfulness "whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech." 1 Peter 3:10
2. Half-Truths, any intent to deceive is a lie. The word "integrity" derives from integer. The mathematical term integer is a whole number, not a fraction! We must tell the whole truth "the Truth, the WHOLE Truth, and nothing but the Truth!"
3. Exaggerating, okay, this is one I need LOTS of prayer to overcome. When is it art and when is it just plain lying? For years I told myself that it was just my creative side coming out. However, this is a real danger. It is like the boy who cried wolf...people must be able to distinguish the art from the "real world". Enthusiasm is okay, embellishment--not so much :)

"All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Rev 21:8. First, death separates the spirit from the body; the second separates the spirit from God!

Ugh, how exhausting. I just need to leave it to Jesus as He paid it all. He never opened His mouth to defend against the lies, He never spoke a Word that wasn't focused on the Father and Truth. I pray for that heart. I pray that God cleanses my tongue and forgives me my sins of lying. Humble me Lord, teach me to see the world as it revolves around You and not me!

PRAYER: My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse" Pro 8:7-8