If you missed the last one here are the notes from the message shared by Jill Palmer.
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I started off by sharing an experience I've had in the past couple years where I was in a situation with someone and I was really frustrated with it and wanted to see change. I felt compelled to speak truth with this person even though it was stinkin' scary! What happened as a result was better than I could've thought. So many times we don't speak truth because we're afraid of the outcome.What is a lie?
*It's an exaggeration of the truth, an embellishment, an over-dramatization to make the truth seem better or worse than it actually is.
*It's a half-truth, an omission of part of the story.
*It's a full out untruth.
Why do we lie?
*We're afraid of the outcome.
*We don't want to show a yucky part of ourselves.
*We want people to like us.
*etc........
We live in a society saturated with lies. Saturated with exaggerations, half-truths and total deception. We even categorize lies to make us believe that it's OK to lie {ie. white lies}.
Who is truth? Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth and the Life...The name of Jesus is synonymous with Truth. Jesus=Truth.
How did Jesus speak truth to people? It was a combination of grace and truth. He never spoke one without the other. Ever.
Truth+Grace over time = change
Speaking Truth brings Jesus into our conversations and into our relationships. It brings change.
The enemy's only weapon against us is lies. All our issues can be rooted in belief in a lie.
Are you sad, lonely, bitter, feeling isolated or worthless etc....? What lies are you believing about yourself or others?
How do we stop it?
*We meditate on truth/God's Word to us. Philippians 4:8 says "Whatever is true.......think on such things"
*We study it so we can know what is truth.
*We speak it. Even when it's tough. Because we want to see change.
*We receive it when it's spoken to us.
I crave hearing Truth and I crave relationships with people who will tell me the truth and not what they think I want to hear. I can't change if I don't see the truth about myself or others. Good friends love you enough to speak grace and truth into your life and I am very blessed to have friends like this.
Speaking Truth:
*shines light and God into our darkness
*it removes Satan's foothold
*builds trust and healthy relationships
*challenges us to say what we mean and mean what we say
*proclaims Christ
*it heals and changes us
*it sets us free!
Proverbs 12:22 says "The Lord detests lying lips but He delights in those who are truthful"
I want the Lord to delight in me and in my relationships with others! I want to be set free by His Truth in my life. I want to experience all He has for me and not settle for anything less.
Will you speak Truth today?
