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0:02 The book of Proverbs 6 verses 16 to 17 tells us a very plain truth today. It says, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him. Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood." The Lord hates a lying tongue. Scripture is very plain and clear about the things that the Lord hates. Our God is a God of truth, and he desires truth. Proverbs 12:22 tells us just about the same thing, but it also tells us something that gladdens the heart of God.
0:49 It says, "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy." The Lord delights in those who are trustworthy. So, no matter the circumstance, I believe that as believers, we should always stand in truth, even when it costs us. I have learned over time that telling the truth is not always easy. We are not always in situations that make speaking the truth easy. I have had times in life when telling the truth was equal to committing social suicide. Many times in the past, I lost those battles because I was worried.
1:35 A huge chunk of the people in my inner circle believed things that I knew were clearly not true. But at that point, I knew that speaking out would alienate me. It would make me seem different. At times, it was even because it would make me seem too holy. Standing for the truth is never easy. Standing for the truth can hurt. It can sometimes require us to pay a price we are unwilling to pay. It can sometimes cause people to alienate us, look down on us, and make us feel bad for even daring to go against popular opinion. You find many times that the world wants
2:20 us to stand against the truth and go for what is popular. In fact, the church and members of the body of Christ, church folk, and church friends will sometimes blatantly laugh at us when we make our stance known on some matters, particularly when what we believe on those matters does not agree with what they hold to be true. People will blatantly spit in the face of truth and expect you to do the same. I believe it is at times like this that we know the real cost of telling the truth. It is easy to tell the truth to someone or to a group of people
3:07 who are open to hearing it. But, when you meet people who are not willing to hear the truth, that telling can be difficult. And it does not get any easier. It makes me wonder what the prophet Nathan must have felt like when the Lord told him to go speak to David about his mistake and pronounce his judgment. Telling the truth to the king was a daunting task. David's word was law. He could have had Nathan locked up or killed. It was the truth that John the Baptist spoke to Herod Antipas about not being allowed to have Herodias, his brother's wife, that led to his imprisonment in the first place
3:52 before he lost his head. Thank God we are no longer in such times. But the fact is that the truth can be difficult. A lot of us may shy away from saying difficult things because we fear the repercussions. And believe me, that is human. But our charge today is not just to stay human. It is to stay truthful. It is to be truthful. Truthful to the world we are in. Truthful to the people around us and truthful to ourselves. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:25, "Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body."
4:39 The time for us to put off that falsehood is now. The time to put off the fear, to put off being scared, and to put off being afraid is now. And I believe there is no better place to start this than in our daily lives. Speaking the truth does not start with telling the king first. It starts with being able to tell the truth to those around us, to those who are close to us, to family, and to members of the household of faith. It starts with being able to be truthful wherever we are. At work, at home, and wherever we may find ourselves in
5:25 day-to-day living. I also believe that although telling the truth is important and very necessary, there are ways to tell the truth in love and with wisdom. Telling the truth is not about being brash rash confrontational or just plain insulting. I believe that the motive for which we speak the truth and the way we say it matter. It matters and it speaks volumes. Sometimes it even determines how the person on the receiving end reacts. When we speak the truth, I believe we also have to have the right reasons. Our reason should never be to cause
6:12 hurt. It should never be gloating. It should be for correction, for clarification, and it should edify when it can. It must not be for selfish reasons. I believe the truth should never be told in a demeaning, destructive, or insulting way such that the person you are telling the truth to loses the point or the people you are talking to feel insulted. People are less likely to hear whatever you have to say when the point is to insult them. Imagine Nathan appearing before David and going off on an insulting rant instead of delivering what the Lord told
6:57 him to say. He would be imprisoned faster than he could finish saying what the Lord sent him to say. This is not to say there still will not be people who would be insulted to hear the truth. This is not to say the world or whosoever you are speaking to will always be receptive. But we must always trust God for wisdom so that we can always say what we need to say in a way that will not cut people off. We must also know and be ready to deal with the fact that the truth, no matter how good, no matter how necessary, does come with repercussions. However,
7:42 we also must make a silent vow in our hearts that we will speak the truth today and every other day of the week, even if it will cost us. Today, if you are ready to do away with lies, if you are ready to do away with a fearful heart, if you are ready to stand for truth, no matter the cost, then I invite you to join me and many other believers on here right now who are believing for the same things. If you are ready, let us pray together. Heavenly Father, I have heard your words. I have heard what you have to say about
8:29 the truth. I have heard what you have to say about a lying tongue and how you detest it. I have come before you today, Lord, because I know that I am guilty of this. I am guilty of a lying tongue. I am guilty of steering clear of speaking the truth, particularly when I know that it can cause ripples that I don't want, particularly when I know it can cause people to alienate me, particularly when I know that it can cause people to look down on me or cut me off. I have been so scared of what people might think. I have been so scared of how they would see me, how they would look at me,
9:15 particularly after saying what I know to be right. So, I have shied away from saying it because I didn't want the consequences. Father, today I ask that you forgive me. Have mercy on me, because many times these situations have also caused me to agree to things I don't agree with. They have caused me to lie. Please forgive me, Lord. I ask that you deliver me this day from a lying tongue. I know you despise it, Lord. And I don't want something you despise so much to have a place in my life. I have taken it for granted for far too long.
10:01 I have let it fester in my life for long enough just so people can accept me. Just so I can agree with the world and with popular opinion. No more, Lord. Today I stand against it. And I choose to live a life that does not encourage lies. Instead, I choose to step into the truth. I choose to live mindful of and telling the truth. I also pray against fear today. I know one of the foremost things that has caused me to not speak the truth is fear. Fear of what others would say. Fear of how they would see me. Fear of what they would think of me.
10:48 I know fear is not of you, Lord. I know you have not given me the spirit of fear. Right now, I stand against it. I cast it out. I decree that fear shall no longer rule in any part of my life. I break free from fear right now. I break free from its hold and step into freedom. I break free from its torment. I break free from fear of what people will say. I break free from the fear of what the world would say. I break free from the fear of being cut off now. In Jesus' name. Finally Lord
11:34 I pray that you give me the grace to be truthful and stay truthful. I am committed to this, Lord, but I know that I can't do it on my own. I know that I can't win on my own because I know that days of doubt will still come. I ask that you help me to stand in truth even when I know that there will be consequences. Even when I know that the backlash will be bad. Even when I know that it can lead to people turning their backs on me. Even when I know, Lord, that it will cost me. I also ask for wisdom today. Give me wisdom to communicate the truth in the right way every time.
12:19 Wisdom not to be brash, insulting, or confrontational. Wisdom to know the right way to speak even when the words I have to say aren't nice. I also ask for boldness, Lord. Boldness to speak the truth no matter the cost. Boldness to speak the truth even when the people around me don't seem to agree. I want to be courageous, Lord. I want to be bold. I don't want to cower because that is what the world expects of me. Your word says it is the wicked who run when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as lions.
13:04 I choose to be as bold as a lion. I choose to be bold even when it costs and the cost is painful to bear. Again Lord I say thank you for today. I say thank you for these intentional words today. I say thank you for pointing out my weakness. And I say thank you for giving me the courage to stand against it. Thank you also for answering my prayers today. Thank you for taking a lying tongue away from me. Thank you for giving me the grace to tell the truth. Thank you for boldness, for wisdom, and for the ability to speak the truth in
13:49 love from today. To you be all the glory. In Jesus' name, amen. I hope this prayer strengthens your heart to walk in truth, reject every form of falsehood, and speak with courage, wisdom, and love even when it costs you. May God deliver you from fear, give you boldness to stand for what is right, and help you live in a way that honors him. If you have any prayer requests, share them in the comments. We would be honored to pray for you. May the peace of Jesus Christ be with you always.
