Great Command

Wednesday 25 November
READ: Gen. 37:25-36
MORE LESSON: Zech 8:16-17

Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,..: Eph.4:25. God's commandment and basis of every good relationship is found in Eph. 4:25. When truth, honesty and trust are lacking in a relationship, either with God or man, such togetherness is weak and will not be long lasting. High on the list of God's tough commands for us is telling the truth.
Telling lies can be so easy. It often seems like the best way to avoid a problem or to protect ourselves from the results of our bad choices. Note however thar it always backfires. Lying covers a multitude of sins but only temporarily. In Jewish culture and belief, it was a common thing for the heathen teachers to declare that a lie is better than the truth when it is profitable and less hurtful. Lie seemed profitable for the brothers of Joseph, that was why they sold their brother and lied to their father that an evil beast slayed him. But it is very clear that they spent the rest of their lives worrying about the consequences of their lie (Gen 37:31-33; 50:15).

Not telling the truth about things or people has great consequences as it did for the brothers of Joseph. Let us consider some of them.
I) Psa. 62:3-4 - How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
ii) Psa. 101:7 - He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
iii) Prov 19:5,9 - A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

iv) Jer.14:14-15 - Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD ... By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
v) Ezek. 13:9 - And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
The instruction, ‘Don't lie’ looks like the toughest commandment from the Lord, but it is the best way to please Him and win the respect of other people.

Prayer/Action
* Today, I repent of all forms of falsehood I have been involved in, in Jesus’ name.
* Let the spirit of truth and uprightness fully possess me now, in Jesus’ name.
* I am not a liar; I refuse the spirit of lies and I will always tell the truth, in Jesus’ name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I command every resistant wall to my joy to lose its strength and collapse now, in the name of Jesus.