Together # 26
A Together that Strengthens
A Together that Strengthens
Speak to One Another Truthfully and Helpfully
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Speak only what is truthful with love and pure motive to build up one another according to their needs. Avoid all talk that is foolish, impure, or harmful.
Zech 8:16; Eph 4:15,25,29; Col 3:9-10
Christians must be careful with one another, speaking the truth only in loving ways that are helpful. We are not in each other’s lives to damage one another. We are to be building one another up to reach our potentials and complete the design God had in mind in our creation.
Christians must be careful with one another, speaking the truth only in loving ways that are helpful. We are not in each other’s lives to damage one another. We are to be building one another up to reach our potentials and complete the design God had in mind in our creation.
Eph 4:29
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We are all incomplete. We are not yet the people God intended us to be. We are being completed in Christ, each of us to be a unique expression of Jesus in this world and the next. It does not happen automatically. It happens when we let the Sculptor carve us as He wishes. Christian Inner Circles contain the chisels He uses.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son, . . .
Rom 8:29
to be conformed to the image of his Son, . . .
Rom 8:29
When we speak the truth in love to one another, we are helping to build the church to be a perfected and prepared body for Jesus in this world to do the work of God. Jesus said He came to do the work of the Father, and He wants to still do it through His church, which is His body. Speaking the truth in love to one another is critical to this growth of Christians gathered.
Instead, speaking the truth in love,
we will grow to become in every respect
the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. . . .
Eph 4:15
we will grow to become in every respect
the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. . . .
Eph 4:15
Ephesians 4 is talking about speaking truth that leads to spiritual growth, which will not always be welcomed. We might call it straightforward talk that is spoken out of loving concern in a loving way. This requires patient carefulness on the part of Christians to deal with resistance, defensiveness, or slowness in response to the truth.
It is relatively easy to see in one another what might need to change for more transformation into the image of God’s Son. But, rushing in with confrontation of truth is usually unwise. Few people are truly ready and wanting to change. We want to see ourselves as “perfect enough” and do not readily accept correction from one another, no matter how deeply grounded in truth is that admonishment. So, we are rarely open to straight-forward truth meant to help us change, even though we would all say that we want to be more like Jesus Christ. Therefore, patience in speaking the truth in love to one another is required.
Because we are sinners, we don’t readily seek truth about how we fall short in living for our Lord. Therefore, it is rare that speaking the truth in love yields fast results. Usually that truth, even though delivered gently in love, will be resisted by pride. We can resist by dismissive agreement as well as by defensive arguing. So, when we present the truth in love for another Christian to change a little more into God’s ways, we need to be patient and committed to continue speaking the truth in love until resistance wears down and spiritual growth comes.
The spiritual fruit of joy can help us be patient. Mentioned along with others in Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of joy can be defined as “contentment that God is at work” because it comes from the Greek word related to contentment. It does not come from the Greek word for “joy” that means rejoicing or celebration. (Note that the fruit of patience is the ability to resist sinning under temptation, such as in what we refer to as “the patience of Job”)
It is this kind of joy, contentment in God and what He is doing that can supernaturally give us the patience needed to deliver truth to another Christian gradually in tune with his or her ability to accept it. Yielding our spirits to the Holy Spirit to receive the fruit of joy brings patience to pursue a pace of presenting truth in step with the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction.
Before we speak the truth in love, we must evaluate another Christian from the viewpoint of God’s desires, not ours. Speaking the truth in love requires prayer to seek enlightenment by the Holy Spirit to understand God’s unique design of the person to whom we want to present truth. We must be careful to not encourage change that will go against that person’s design by God. So much damage can be done when we try to use biblical truth to make someone more of what we want rather than what God wants.
Take for an example a child in a family who talks so much that he or she is insensitive to letting others speak. Saying, “Stop talking so others can talk!” is hardly that helpful. It might quickly solve the problem of talking and interrupting, but it can also create a problem of fear of rejection. That child’s verbosity was probably designed by God for some outgoing ministry to others in the future. He or she might be the one to speak out for God in the political arena many years later, but won’t do it out of fear of being put down for being so outspoken. God’s design for that child and future mission for the Lord can be destroyed by a parent’s irritation. That parent did not obey the command of Scripture to tame the tongue and say only what is loving and helpful. If the parent had even a small grasp of why God created such a verbose child, the behavior would be handled very differently.
We need to love one another enough to help ourselves walk with God in biblical ways that are not up for question. Since everyone has irritating qualities, so we should have the humble attitude that we all are in the same boat of coming short of God’s ideal. Therefore, in preparing to speak corrective truth in love we want to prepare a non-judgmental, sensitive, well thought out plan to present truth for the other’s spiritual growth. That plan will likely begin with helping the person want to overcome whatever we are going to point out that might not be God’s will.
Let’s use as an example a “cup half empty” friend. We know that typically finding things as unsatisfactory ruins the joy in life. We want him or her to recognize God’s blessing in the midst of imperfection and be grateful instead of begrudging. We should ask our Lord if He wants us to help rescue our critical friend or relative from the “cup half empty” attitude. Is it our assignment, an assignment for someone else, or is there a group from the person’s close relationships that is supposed to speak the truth in love?
The plan for the “cup half empty” person will most likely be a long-term plan to be carried out patiently by trusted Christians. The pessimism that will be challenged did not develop overnight and probably has its origin in the person’s childhood, making it deep and well entrenched.
There will be no chance in heaven for a previously “cup half empty” person to become a “cup half full” person. There will only be full cups in heaven. But, the size of those cups may depend upon how big a cup a person could manage before death. A person who constantly complained about the things God made available out of His grace back on the Old Earth because they were not ideal, may not have the skill to hold a very big cup of graces in heaven. Not much is perfect here in this life, but we don’t deserve for them to be either. So, we don’t want our friend to miss out on wonderful things in heaven just because he or she goes there with limited ability to sense that things are good.
It is relatively easy to see in one another what might need to change for more transformation into the image of God’s Son. But, rushing in with confrontation of truth is usually unwise. Few people are truly ready and wanting to change. We want to see ourselves as “perfect enough” and do not readily accept correction from one another, no matter how deeply grounded in truth is that admonishment. So, we are rarely open to straight-forward truth meant to help us change, even though we would all say that we want to be more like Jesus Christ. Therefore, patience in speaking the truth in love to one another is required.
Because we are sinners, we don’t readily seek truth about how we fall short in living for our Lord. Therefore, it is rare that speaking the truth in love yields fast results. Usually that truth, even though delivered gently in love, will be resisted by pride. We can resist by dismissive agreement as well as by defensive arguing. So, when we present the truth in love for another Christian to change a little more into God’s ways, we need to be patient and committed to continue speaking the truth in love until resistance wears down and spiritual growth comes.
The spiritual fruit of joy can help us be patient. Mentioned along with others in Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of joy can be defined as “contentment that God is at work” because it comes from the Greek word related to contentment. It does not come from the Greek word for “joy” that means rejoicing or celebration. (Note that the fruit of patience is the ability to resist sinning under temptation, such as in what we refer to as “the patience of Job”)
It is this kind of joy, contentment in God and what He is doing that can supernaturally give us the patience needed to deliver truth to another Christian gradually in tune with his or her ability to accept it. Yielding our spirits to the Holy Spirit to receive the fruit of joy brings patience to pursue a pace of presenting truth in step with the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction.
Before we speak the truth in love, we must evaluate another Christian from the viewpoint of God’s desires, not ours. Speaking the truth in love requires prayer to seek enlightenment by the Holy Spirit to understand God’s unique design of the person to whom we want to present truth. We must be careful to not encourage change that will go against that person’s design by God. So much damage can be done when we try to use biblical truth to make someone more of what we want rather than what God wants.
Take for an example a child in a family who talks so much that he or she is insensitive to letting others speak. Saying, “Stop talking so others can talk!” is hardly that helpful. It might quickly solve the problem of talking and interrupting, but it can also create a problem of fear of rejection. That child’s verbosity was probably designed by God for some outgoing ministry to others in the future. He or she might be the one to speak out for God in the political arena many years later, but won’t do it out of fear of being put down for being so outspoken. God’s design for that child and future mission for the Lord can be destroyed by a parent’s irritation. That parent did not obey the command of Scripture to tame the tongue and say only what is loving and helpful. If the parent had even a small grasp of why God created such a verbose child, the behavior would be handled very differently.
We need to love one another enough to help ourselves walk with God in biblical ways that are not up for question. Since everyone has irritating qualities, so we should have the humble attitude that we all are in the same boat of coming short of God’s ideal. Therefore, in preparing to speak corrective truth in love we want to prepare a non-judgmental, sensitive, well thought out plan to present truth for the other’s spiritual growth. That plan will likely begin with helping the person want to overcome whatever we are going to point out that might not be God’s will.
Let’s use as an example a “cup half empty” friend. We know that typically finding things as unsatisfactory ruins the joy in life. We want him or her to recognize God’s blessing in the midst of imperfection and be grateful instead of begrudging. We should ask our Lord if He wants us to help rescue our critical friend or relative from the “cup half empty” attitude. Is it our assignment, an assignment for someone else, or is there a group from the person’s close relationships that is supposed to speak the truth in love?
The plan for the “cup half empty” person will most likely be a long-term plan to be carried out patiently by trusted Christians. The pessimism that will be challenged did not develop overnight and probably has its origin in the person’s childhood, making it deep and well entrenched.
There will be no chance in heaven for a previously “cup half empty” person to become a “cup half full” person. There will only be full cups in heaven. But, the size of those cups may depend upon how big a cup a person could manage before death. A person who constantly complained about the things God made available out of His grace back on the Old Earth because they were not ideal, may not have the skill to hold a very big cup of graces in heaven. Not much is perfect here in this life, but we don’t deserve for them to be either. So, we don’t want our friend to miss out on wonderful things in heaven just because he or she goes there with limited ability to sense that things are good.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Phil 4:8
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We want to speak the truth in love for another’s needs, both now and in eternity.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Dad Peterson knows that in a family it is tough to always speak the truth in love. Kids make exaggerated accusations and people hide their mistakes. Everyone hopes their hypocrisy in the faith goes unnoticed. To combat these sinful tendencies, Mom suggested weekly family meetings to honestly talk about things and resolve any issues or conflicts. Dad agreed and these meetings have been going on for a few years.
Today, the Peterson kids are known at church as extremely honest. But they were not always that way. At the start of the family meetings the family talked about the biblical wisdom of always telling the truth as well as speaking to one another kindly and out of love. After the usual lies, half-truths, deceptive explanations and cover-ups did not work when issues of unacceptable behavior came up, everyone learned to be honest right from the start. Soon the Peterson children would bring up complaints about one another without revenge or competition for better reputations. For example, one time one of the kids said that a sibling was purposefully acting stupid, but made it clear immediately that he did not consider the sibling dumb. It was more of a plea for the brother to be the great person he could be than a criticism meant to demean. The example of Jesus speaking the truth in Scripture to help his disciples rather than to destroy them became the motivation for the Peterson Family. They wanted to be like Jesus when they spoke the truth to one another. |
Jesus only spoke the truth, and only in love. Yet we are told by the Holy Spirit in Scripture that Jesus was tempted in every way that we are. So, when we are tempted to deceive, if instead we speak the truth in love, we are being like our Savior.
From Jesus’ teaching that we are more important than the lilies of the field to his rebuke of Peter by saying, “Get behind me, Satan”, all that Jesus said was true and it was spoken in love. Therefore, speaking the truth in love has more to do with motive and presentation than just content. In our hearts, do we want the very best for the person with whom we are speaking? Are we speaking truth with sensitivity and in a kind way, no matter if the content must be harsh? When Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan”, He was not trying to destroy Peter. In how many tones of voice can those words be said. Perhaps if we had dangerous parents, as I did, it might not come to us that those words could have been said in a non-threatening tone. But, Jesus had no need to be stern because Peter could not prevent His crucifixion. Jesus was most likely gentle but firm.
We also know that Jesus was concerned about the unity of His followers. For this He prayed.
From Jesus’ teaching that we are more important than the lilies of the field to his rebuke of Peter by saying, “Get behind me, Satan”, all that Jesus said was true and it was spoken in love. Therefore, speaking the truth in love has more to do with motive and presentation than just content. In our hearts, do we want the very best for the person with whom we are speaking? Are we speaking truth with sensitivity and in a kind way, no matter if the content must be harsh? When Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan”, He was not trying to destroy Peter. In how many tones of voice can those words be said. Perhaps if we had dangerous parents, as I did, it might not come to us that those words could have been said in a non-threatening tone. But, Jesus had no need to be stern because Peter could not prevent His crucifixion. Jesus was most likely gentle but firm.
We also know that Jesus was concerned about the unity of His followers. For this He prayed.
“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
John 17:22-23
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Thus, another reason that we are to speak with one another truthfully is to prevent the division that can come from falsehood. Our “oneness” can be threatened by falsehood and be built by truthfulness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood
and speak truthfully to your neighbor,
for we are all members of one body. . . .
Eph 4:2
and speak truthfully to your neighbor,
for we are all members of one body. . . .
Eph 4:2
How much damage has been done by preachers who said they were living good lives and then were found to be unfaithful to their wives? How many church conflicts are not able to be resolved because the truth of matters cannot be determined?
However, damage through deception and lies is most disastrous in Christian friendships, families, and marriages. It is in these close relationships that truth must be maintained to establish and protect trust. Any kind of deception and untruthfulness can lead to division and destroy relationships.
For example, if a man comes home late because he stayed at work to talk to a female fellow worker, he must volunteer that information as the reason he was not home at his usual time. And, when asked if he has any romantic feelings for the workmate, he must also be honest. If he does not and his wife knows him to always be truthful, there will be no problem. But, if he does have dangerous affection for the female at work, he should also tell the truth so that steps can be taken to deepen the relationship and stop things from getting worse. It might even be necessary to bring Christian friends and relatives into the discussion, and for this help to arrive, truth had to be told.
Truth needs to be expressed so that those we fellowship with know where we stand on things, especially on faith. Otherwise, how can we help one another grow spiritually? How can the church be built into a beautiful bride for Jesus if we are not truthful with our doubts, our waywardness, and our lack of loyalty to the Lord?
It is dangerous, in the way of our faith, to give trite answers to significant questions. If someone asks us how is our faith doing, “Fine” is not a responsible answer. “Let me think about that before I give you an answer” is much better and more honest.
We must make it acceptable to be honest with one another, as long as what we say is not meant to hurt. We are to speak the truth in love, but we must also be willing to be spoken to in love. The health of relationships depends on both.
Sometimes people take our truthfulness the wrong way, even if we are kind and non-judging. Many times when honesty is expressed gently and lovingly to solve a problem, it leads not to dialogue but defensive attack. Whenever we try to correct one another’s behavior or beliefs defensiveness is likely. However, we cannot hold back speaking the truth in love just because it might be uncomfortable at times.
A husband or wife might tell the other that something said hurt feelings. All too often this is met with anger rather than questions to understand how the truthful words were mistaken. If what was said and how it was said could be discussed calmly, it would become clearer how to say things to one another and not trigger misunderstanding. How to speak the truth in love would become clearer.
There are a few fragile people who will be hurt by any criticism or disagreement. But if the truth was delivered in love and for the purpose of helping but not offending, then their hurt is their problem. Perhaps the truth that most needs to be told in love is that they need to stop feeling threatened when those who love them most suggest they change, that being loved so much that people challenge them is more valuable than having to be seen as perfect.
We should admire Jesus for being truthful with us, even if it hurts a little. Out of love, we should want to speak truth to those in our Christian Inner Circles and be like our Lord.
Opportunity to Worship God
However, damage through deception and lies is most disastrous in Christian friendships, families, and marriages. It is in these close relationships that truth must be maintained to establish and protect trust. Any kind of deception and untruthfulness can lead to division and destroy relationships.
For example, if a man comes home late because he stayed at work to talk to a female fellow worker, he must volunteer that information as the reason he was not home at his usual time. And, when asked if he has any romantic feelings for the workmate, he must also be honest. If he does not and his wife knows him to always be truthful, there will be no problem. But, if he does have dangerous affection for the female at work, he should also tell the truth so that steps can be taken to deepen the relationship and stop things from getting worse. It might even be necessary to bring Christian friends and relatives into the discussion, and for this help to arrive, truth had to be told.
Truth needs to be expressed so that those we fellowship with know where we stand on things, especially on faith. Otherwise, how can we help one another grow spiritually? How can the church be built into a beautiful bride for Jesus if we are not truthful with our doubts, our waywardness, and our lack of loyalty to the Lord?
It is dangerous, in the way of our faith, to give trite answers to significant questions. If someone asks us how is our faith doing, “Fine” is not a responsible answer. “Let me think about that before I give you an answer” is much better and more honest.
We must make it acceptable to be honest with one another, as long as what we say is not meant to hurt. We are to speak the truth in love, but we must also be willing to be spoken to in love. The health of relationships depends on both.
Sometimes people take our truthfulness the wrong way, even if we are kind and non-judging. Many times when honesty is expressed gently and lovingly to solve a problem, it leads not to dialogue but defensive attack. Whenever we try to correct one another’s behavior or beliefs defensiveness is likely. However, we cannot hold back speaking the truth in love just because it might be uncomfortable at times.
A husband or wife might tell the other that something said hurt feelings. All too often this is met with anger rather than questions to understand how the truthful words were mistaken. If what was said and how it was said could be discussed calmly, it would become clearer how to say things to one another and not trigger misunderstanding. How to speak the truth in love would become clearer.
There are a few fragile people who will be hurt by any criticism or disagreement. But if the truth was delivered in love and for the purpose of helping but not offending, then their hurt is their problem. Perhaps the truth that most needs to be told in love is that they need to stop feeling threatened when those who love them most suggest they change, that being loved so much that people challenge them is more valuable than having to be seen as perfect.
We should admire Jesus for being truthful with us, even if it hurts a little. Out of love, we should want to speak truth to those in our Christian Inner Circles and be like our Lord.
Opportunity to Worship God
Chloe saw in her husband Brayden a continual resistance to respond to their church’s pleas for leadership. She knew he was more than qualified, but lazy when it came to taking on any extra responsibility anywhere. While Chloe had stepped up to fill needs at church and in the community for years, Brayden always resisted doing any more than he had to. Even with the kids, he does not do anything unless Chloe puts on the pressure.
Chloe has known for years that she should speak up. Sometimes she has wanted to blast Brayden away with hostile confrontation. What held her back was her desire to honor God and handle things like He would handle them. She wanted her treatment of Brayden to be worshipful. For some months Chloe was convicted to speak the truth in love with her husband, but at a loss as to how to do it firmly yet kindly. Eventually it dawned on her that speaking the truth in love was a command for the church. So she turned to her friends in her Christian Inner Circle, leaving out relatives who needed to keep a positive attitude toward Brayden since he was a part of the family. These Christian friends made some very good suggestions. In time Chloe made a tender presentation that affirmed her husband’s talents and then asked him why he was so hesitant to live for God’s glory. When Brayden became defensive, Chloe backed off, promising to keep bringing it up because she wanted the best for Brayden and he needed to take his faith more seriously. |
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, our one God, always speaks the truth. Whenever we speak the truth in love with one another, we are being like God and it is worship.
God does not hold back telling us truth. He loves us too much to allow us to go down the wrong path and bring destruction upon ourselves. He says things in the Bible to us that we probably would rather not hear but certainly do need to hear. It is out of love that God tells us things to change, a way of living that does not fit in with our self-centeredness but has long-term (think: eternal!) rewards.
We need to love one another enough to speak the truth in love to one another and be like God. Whenever we hold back some truth that might not be welcome but is definitely needed, we are so much unlike God.
If we have a married friend who dangerously flirts, do we speak up or just hope that he or she will stop without being warned? If we want to be like God and worship Him, we speak up with loving concern, not in a judgmental way, but in a way that shows we are scared he or she will bring pain upon himself or herself and the kids and family. Like God, we speak up because we love the friend, the kids, the spouse, the extended family, the family’s friends and the person’s church. Like God, we don’t want anyone hurt by sin.
This is worship!
If we have a brother in our Christian inner circle who is neglectful of his family and doesn’t pay much attention to the needs of his wife or kids, do we speak up lovingly and tell him he needs to do more? Do we keep coming back with the topic in a kind, yet uncompromising way, until our brother loves his family biblically and earns heavenly reward?
This is worship. It is what God does. It is like Him. It reflects God’s character back to God.
If we witness an argument between two Christians we are close to and see a lack of open honesty, do we speak up and nicely tell them to be more truthful? If we see a friend lie to get out of some commitment selfishly, do we point out that he or she will be disappointing the person betrayed as well as God Himself? What if someone in our Christian Inner Circle tears a new garment by mistake and is taking it back to the store to claim it was damaged when purchased, do we speak up?
Done lovingly, these would be worship.
Scripture must guide our speaking the truth in love. God makes clear His way of handling life. To correct someone God’s way, we need to handle Scripture carefully. Because of love we need to not make a biblical issue out of everything, only basic doctrine and the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
God does not hold back telling us truth. He loves us too much to allow us to go down the wrong path and bring destruction upon ourselves. He says things in the Bible to us that we probably would rather not hear but certainly do need to hear. It is out of love that God tells us things to change, a way of living that does not fit in with our self-centeredness but has long-term (think: eternal!) rewards.
We need to love one another enough to speak the truth in love to one another and be like God. Whenever we hold back some truth that might not be welcome but is definitely needed, we are so much unlike God.
If we have a married friend who dangerously flirts, do we speak up or just hope that he or she will stop without being warned? If we want to be like God and worship Him, we speak up with loving concern, not in a judgmental way, but in a way that shows we are scared he or she will bring pain upon himself or herself and the kids and family. Like God, we speak up because we love the friend, the kids, the spouse, the extended family, the family’s friends and the person’s church. Like God, we don’t want anyone hurt by sin.
This is worship!
If we have a brother in our Christian inner circle who is neglectful of his family and doesn’t pay much attention to the needs of his wife or kids, do we speak up lovingly and tell him he needs to do more? Do we keep coming back with the topic in a kind, yet uncompromising way, until our brother loves his family biblically and earns heavenly reward?
This is worship. It is what God does. It is like Him. It reflects God’s character back to God.
If we witness an argument between two Christians we are close to and see a lack of open honesty, do we speak up and nicely tell them to be more truthful? If we see a friend lie to get out of some commitment selfishly, do we point out that he or she will be disappointing the person betrayed as well as God Himself? What if someone in our Christian Inner Circle tears a new garment by mistake and is taking it back to the store to claim it was damaged when purchased, do we speak up?
Done lovingly, these would be worship.
Scripture must guide our speaking the truth in love. God makes clear His way of handling life. To correct someone God’s way, we need to handle Scripture carefully. Because of love we need to not make a biblical issue out of everything, only basic doctrine and the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.
2 Tim 2:14-17
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Note the prohibition of quarreling and irreverent babble which have the opposite effect from truth. We can take this to mean that if we are not absolutely sure of some truth in the Bible, we should not speak of it with certainty. Baptism is a fine example within evangelical Christianity. We don’t generally quarrel about sprinkling or immersion. Those who do argue about it need be careful because two thousand years has not resolved the issue.
The church is so much more important in the kingdom of God than we realize. Faith has been so focused on the individual as to give us a heightened sense of privacy. And so it is not unusual to find Christians not telling the truth when there is conflict in a church. When this happens, the individual who lies, deceives, leaves out details, or in some other way compromises the truth of what happened denigrates the honor of the church and thwarts its power. Honesty out of love for all in the church and every relationship is critical. There is a kind of judgment allowed to the church. Truth is essential to that process of justice.
The church is so much more important in the kingdom of God than we realize. Faith has been so focused on the individual as to give us a heightened sense of privacy. And so it is not unusual to find Christians not telling the truth when there is conflict in a church. When this happens, the individual who lies, deceives, leaves out details, or in some other way compromises the truth of what happened denigrates the honor of the church and thwarts its power. Honesty out of love for all in the church and every relationship is critical. There is a kind of judgment allowed to the church. Truth is essential to that process of justice.
These are the things you are to do:
Speak the truth to each other,
and render true and sound judgment in your courts; . . .
Zech 8:16
Speak the truth to each other,
and render true and sound judgment in your courts; . . .
Zech 8:16
In our sinful culture, telling the truth is no longer ingrained. Lying, deceiving, and partial truths are everywhere. “Misdirection” has come to be an acceptable term when before it was called “misleading”. Misdirection might occasionally have a place in law enforcement and athletics, but in most other areas it is just dead wrong. Unfortunately, the “truth in advertising” law was reversed many years ago. When a car company claims that it was the most awarded in the past year, we have to wonder if it gave those awards to itself or if the company giving the awards was bankrolled by the car company.
God does not communicate that way, and if we want to worship Him by reflecting back to Him His own character, we cannot use misdirection in our lives. It is sneaky and it is wrong. How often do we spoil opportunities to worship by not speaking the truth out of love? Every time we look out for ourselves and alter the truth in any way, we are not operating in love, since biblical love is self-denial for another’s good.
Let’s worship by speaking with one another truthfully for one another’s benefit – just like God does.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
God does not communicate that way, and if we want to worship Him by reflecting back to Him His own character, we cannot use misdirection in our lives. It is sneaky and it is wrong. How often do we spoil opportunities to worship by not speaking the truth out of love? Every time we look out for ourselves and alter the truth in any way, we are not operating in love, since biblical love is self-denial for another’s good.
Let’s worship by speaking with one another truthfully for one another’s benefit – just like God does.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
Friends Beth, Claire, Violet, Jackie, and Olivia have gotten together once a month since they graduated from Christian college three years ago. One day Claire declared that she was falling in love with a man named Tom and wanted to marry him. However, when the others asked about him, they began to glace at one another with concern.
Claire was a person they had known for six years who served the Lord wholeheartedly and enjoyed it immensely. But they were hearing that Tom did not encourage or affirm Claire’s ministry to others. The friends learned that while Tom was a Christian who went to church regularly, he was not involved in any other church programs and was not involved with any other Christian group or activity. He lived for one adventure after another. When he was not working out in the gym, he wanted to be doing something recreational. Claire had already dropped a once-a-week commitment to be someone’s Big Sister that she had always enjoyed. She did so to be more available to do things with Tom even though they spent four of the five weekday evenings together. It was so very unlike Claire to abandon the at-risk Little Sister, and all four friends took notice. They all communicated with body language that it was time to speak the truth in love. They began by reaffirming that they would die for each other’s happiness and then went on to point out that the relationship was warned against in the Bible. They explained that being unequally yoked in marriage went further than just not marrying an unbeliever. Claire got angry, then argued that she would bring Tom up to the level of her commitment to Christ, and finally began to listen to friends who had earned the right to lovingly confront by years of friendship. The friends knew that Claire had done so much good for the Lord that Satan was trying to stop her by bringing a handsome, polite, uncommitted Christian man into her life. They began fighting the devil by speaking the truth in love to Claire that very lunch. And they worked together to have constant rather than just monthly contact until Claire broke off this seemingly Christian romance that would be disastrous to Claire and her work for God. |
The devil specializes in lying outright and thrugh various forms of deception. We fight his schemes by telling one another the truth.
Imagine a better outcome in the Garden of Eden.
Imagine a better outcome in the Garden of Eden.
But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Genesis 3:4-5
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How would our lives be different if Adam had spoken up and told Eve that the devil was wrong and what she was about to do would be disastrous? Don’t we wish Adam had presented the truth in a loving but firm way with Eve?
How many schemes has Satan gotten away with because we did not speak up in love in the following two critical ways? It is pure love to speak up and help another Christian live God’s way. And it is pure love to speak up in a way that is kind and gentle and not offensive – yet unyielding.
There are so many battles the devil has won because we did not love other Christians enough to bring up truth that they ignored or of which they were uninformed. We did not present the truth or the challenge needed for others to become more obedient and holy because it might have been uncomfortable for them or for ourselves, or both. We likely paid attention to the world’s concept of political correctness and avoided saying anything that another could claim offensive even though it really was not. We allowed other believers unholy autonomy and called it love by “giving people their space.” And they lost something valuable for all eternity because we did not speak up.
The devil has also won many battles because we did not want to take the time to learn how to carefully present something that needed to be said. It truly is a lot of bother to speak up in love when we see someone we care about off track and behaving the world’s way rather than God’s way. Taking scarce time, placing another’s situation at higher priority, and sticking our neck out after much prayer and thought and planning is called – true love.
How much will our lives be better if we assertively speak the truth in love in our Christian Inner Circles about everything that is important, not just those things that will receive a comfortable reception? Much good will come to our Christian friendships, families and marriages.
We have a part in the great battle against Satan. Let’s fight. Let’s speak the truth to one another in love to see everyone walk more faithfully with God.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
How many schemes has Satan gotten away with because we did not speak up in love in the following two critical ways? It is pure love to speak up and help another Christian live God’s way. And it is pure love to speak up in a way that is kind and gentle and not offensive – yet unyielding.
There are so many battles the devil has won because we did not love other Christians enough to bring up truth that they ignored or of which they were uninformed. We did not present the truth or the challenge needed for others to become more obedient and holy because it might have been uncomfortable for them or for ourselves, or both. We likely paid attention to the world’s concept of political correctness and avoided saying anything that another could claim offensive even though it really was not. We allowed other believers unholy autonomy and called it love by “giving people their space.” And they lost something valuable for all eternity because we did not speak up.
The devil has also won many battles because we did not want to take the time to learn how to carefully present something that needed to be said. It truly is a lot of bother to speak up in love when we see someone we care about off track and behaving the world’s way rather than God’s way. Taking scarce time, placing another’s situation at higher priority, and sticking our neck out after much prayer and thought and planning is called – true love.
How much will our lives be better if we assertively speak the truth in love in our Christian Inner Circles about everything that is important, not just those things that will receive a comfortable reception? Much good will come to our Christian friendships, families and marriages.
We have a part in the great battle against Satan. Let’s fight. Let’s speak the truth to one another in love to see everyone walk more faithfully with God.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
It was really interesting this morning in heaven. I was leaving with a few others to hike the Elijah Trail. It takes you through deep forest to high mountains and boulder fields where ravens live. As we were leaving, a group of my neighbors came to wish us well on our four-day jaunt. The different levels of lovingly sending us on our way was quite intriguing.
A few neighbors did not say much of anything. It was clear on their faces that they wanted us to have a great time, but it seemed they were not able to put it into words, that they did not have the mental or spiritual ability. We appreciated their non-verbal well wishes even though they could not put words to their intentions. A few others were able to get out simple, and also very appreciated, greetings. They said things like, “Have a great time.” or “Way to go!” Sort of like cheering us on. But, then there were others who expressed loving wishes and added more substance. One person counseled us, “You need to keep your eyes open to see that rare flower growing among the boulders.” Another told a friend that the shoes she was wearing would not hold out and asked if she had any boots more appropriate. I find it interesting that here in heaven citizens seem to have different innate abilities to speak out in their loving concern for others. There seem to be different levels in the ability to speak the truth in love. |
Speaking the truth in love is the language of heaven. No other kind of conversation is possible. Therefore, we want to learn it fluently.
No unwholesome or hurtful talk will occur in heaven. The ability to talk outside of the boundaries of love was crucified in Christ and thereby put to death in us, even though we wait for dying to separate us totally from our old sinful selves. So, how does avoiding hurtful and unwholesome speaking now prepare us for heaven? It is not to avoid such sinful, unloving talk in heaven, since such will be impossible. We are not preparing ourselves to avoid talking harmfully in heaven.
Learning more and more to speak the truth in love now will help us learn the language of heaven under urgency and distress so that it becomes a part of our spirits – ingrained, habitual, and dependable. We can best learn the language of our eternity here on earth where it is challenged by sin. Then, when we get to heaven, we will be natural in the only speech that will be there – truth spoken in love. We will have added this desired quality of life for all eternity.
Even though in heaven everyone will speak the truth in love because there will be no sin, those of us who really worked at speaking truthfully without any deception will better know this language of heaven. Since there will be no resistance of sin there in heaven, there will be little further growth possible – just as without weight to lift, muscles will not get stronger.
Thus, it is quite possible that how much we talk in heaven will be proportional to how we used speech before death, during the time we were preparing for heaven. If in heaven every word out of our mouths will be guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit, will the Holy Spirit either withhold the right to speak or be limited in the amount of talking He can give us because we did not develop the ability to think lovingly? Will some of us have spirits more able to handle the depth of what the Holy Spirit has for us to say to others?
Imagine a man who criticizes his wife unkindly much of the time. God has given him his wife as both a gift and a responsibility. Regarding the latter, the husband is responsible to build up his wife, to say only those things that are helpful. Since derogatory criticism is not God’s way, its use will prove to God that husband’s inability to speak to people properly, in a Kingdom way. It is very possible that such a man will not be given responsibilities in heaven dealing with people. And, when he is with people, the Holy Spirit might not set such an untrained tongue to voice.
Home health social workers like my wife Jean run into married people in their last years of life who are Christians and still mean when they talk to each other. The time for them to have learned to speak to each other lovingly and truthfully was when they were younger – before their brain cells began to die. In the same way, we need to learn the language of heaven now before we get there.
Think of a parent’s encounter with a rebellious and defiant teenager. The father’s or mother’s response is most likely not very well polished at the start. But, as time goes on, that parent learns to respond calmly and firmly with more truth and love. At first there will often be a power struggle, but with time the parent can learn to make it a love struggle.
Likewise, when we at first begin to let the Holy Spirit control our language and actions (non-verbal communication), we are not accomplished at speaking the truth in love. Oh, we do it when it is easy, like saying what flavor of ice cream we want. But it takes effort to develop our spirits to be able to speak the truth in love all the way to when we are provoked. All along this path we are gaining greater control of the language of life in heaven.
We should aspire to this verbal and non-verbal language of heaven. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to its glorious phrases and behaviors.
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
No unwholesome or hurtful talk will occur in heaven. The ability to talk outside of the boundaries of love was crucified in Christ and thereby put to death in us, even though we wait for dying to separate us totally from our old sinful selves. So, how does avoiding hurtful and unwholesome speaking now prepare us for heaven? It is not to avoid such sinful, unloving talk in heaven, since such will be impossible. We are not preparing ourselves to avoid talking harmfully in heaven.
Learning more and more to speak the truth in love now will help us learn the language of heaven under urgency and distress so that it becomes a part of our spirits – ingrained, habitual, and dependable. We can best learn the language of our eternity here on earth where it is challenged by sin. Then, when we get to heaven, we will be natural in the only speech that will be there – truth spoken in love. We will have added this desired quality of life for all eternity.
Even though in heaven everyone will speak the truth in love because there will be no sin, those of us who really worked at speaking truthfully without any deception will better know this language of heaven. Since there will be no resistance of sin there in heaven, there will be little further growth possible – just as without weight to lift, muscles will not get stronger.
Thus, it is quite possible that how much we talk in heaven will be proportional to how we used speech before death, during the time we were preparing for heaven. If in heaven every word out of our mouths will be guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit, will the Holy Spirit either withhold the right to speak or be limited in the amount of talking He can give us because we did not develop the ability to think lovingly? Will some of us have spirits more able to handle the depth of what the Holy Spirit has for us to say to others?
Imagine a man who criticizes his wife unkindly much of the time. God has given him his wife as both a gift and a responsibility. Regarding the latter, the husband is responsible to build up his wife, to say only those things that are helpful. Since derogatory criticism is not God’s way, its use will prove to God that husband’s inability to speak to people properly, in a Kingdom way. It is very possible that such a man will not be given responsibilities in heaven dealing with people. And, when he is with people, the Holy Spirit might not set such an untrained tongue to voice.
Home health social workers like my wife Jean run into married people in their last years of life who are Christians and still mean when they talk to each other. The time for them to have learned to speak to each other lovingly and truthfully was when they were younger – before their brain cells began to die. In the same way, we need to learn the language of heaven now before we get there.
Think of a parent’s encounter with a rebellious and defiant teenager. The father’s or mother’s response is most likely not very well polished at the start. But, as time goes on, that parent learns to respond calmly and firmly with more truth and love. At first there will often be a power struggle, but with time the parent can learn to make it a love struggle.
Likewise, when we at first begin to let the Holy Spirit control our language and actions (non-verbal communication), we are not accomplished at speaking the truth in love. Oh, we do it when it is easy, like saying what flavor of ice cream we want. But it takes effort to develop our spirits to be able to speak the truth in love all the way to when we are provoked. All along this path we are gaining greater control of the language of life in heaven.
We should aspire to this verbal and non-verbal language of heaven. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to its glorious phrases and behaviors.
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
I just don’t quite understand why communication for me is so easy here in heaven. I see others around me not quite so fluent. It is not that they are unable to communicate, just not so naturally, like stuttering was in the old life.
Just the other day my friend and I were walking in an area of the New Jerusalem new to us, and we met some folks originally from Haiti. It was a joyous time of getting to know one another, sharing truth in such a loving way. Sometimes my friend had trouble participating, as did some of the Haitians. My friend could not find the right words, and at other times my friend seemed to not be totally conscious of what was going on. Yet, both I and my friend enjoyed the experience to the maximum of our spiritual abilities. |
Before death releases us to heaven’s glory we have to struggle against evil. We have to learn to manage what we say to be more and more able to speak the truth in love in more and more difficult circumstances. This training under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit makes it easier and easier to find the thing to say in a loving manner. Although now we have to do that in the face of sin, often to help one another avoid sin or turn from it. None of that will be necessary in heaven.
Here in this life before death we learn to speak in love in a corrective way. If a Christian wife sees that her Christian husband is in love with making money, she will hopefully speak up. Perhaps she will begin by telling him what the Bible tells her about the right attitude about income. Then, if necessary, she will warn her husband that he is off the path of heaven, which is seen in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment. Finally, she might have to tenderly put her foot down and say that she will not cooperate with his insatiable desire to earn money and own more and more luxuries.
In heaven there will be none of that necessary. Hooray for that!
What will be so wonderful in heaven for those of us who let the Holy Spirit teach us superior truthful love before death will be more spontaneity in communicating with others. Just as now, we will in heaven speak the truth in love and point out something good we want so bad for another to see and take advantage of. This kind of speaking the truth in love is what will transition to heaven and make up so much of our interaction with others. It will be enjoyable to easily speak up then because we speak up more often now.
In this life before death we can speak the truth in love in a thousand brave ways that are not corrective. We can speak up truthfully when someone does not recognize their good qualities. We can point out that someone in our Christian Inner Circle can step up and help someone, knowing full well that he or she wishes we would not point it out. We can want people to see more of God’s creation and out of love for them point out how a tree has grown in such a way as to capture more sunlight to grow and thrive. We can tell a person how to drive more defensively. And the list can go on forever.
In heaven there will be a lot of need for this particular kind of speaking the truth in love. And the more before death we spoke lovingly to correct sin or to help guide others on the journey of their lives, the more in heaven we will have the joy of speaking truth in love.
Won’t it be wonderful to not be at a loss for words in heaven? Such will be for those whose tongues were not tied before death.
Having become quite familiar with loving speech, won’t it be great in heaven to recognize more acutely the love that is in the statements of others? Haven’t we ever seen a child who loves a parent and says really nice things to that parent and the parent does not “get it” and is unable to respond? Haven’t we felt sad when seeing someone who just cannot receive love? They have trouble receiving gifts from people who care so much as to take time to get them something special. They don’t know what to do with compliments. In heaven, if we pay more attention to speaking the truth in love now, we will better sense the love others have for us.
Let’s look forward to enjoying heaven more by growing now in our ability to speak the truth in love in ever more challenging circumstances.
Imagine how good it will be to talk more spontaneously in heaven and to keenly sense another’s love for us.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
Here in this life before death we learn to speak in love in a corrective way. If a Christian wife sees that her Christian husband is in love with making money, she will hopefully speak up. Perhaps she will begin by telling him what the Bible tells her about the right attitude about income. Then, if necessary, she will warn her husband that he is off the path of heaven, which is seen in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment. Finally, she might have to tenderly put her foot down and say that she will not cooperate with his insatiable desire to earn money and own more and more luxuries.
In heaven there will be none of that necessary. Hooray for that!
What will be so wonderful in heaven for those of us who let the Holy Spirit teach us superior truthful love before death will be more spontaneity in communicating with others. Just as now, we will in heaven speak the truth in love and point out something good we want so bad for another to see and take advantage of. This kind of speaking the truth in love is what will transition to heaven and make up so much of our interaction with others. It will be enjoyable to easily speak up then because we speak up more often now.
In this life before death we can speak the truth in love in a thousand brave ways that are not corrective. We can speak up truthfully when someone does not recognize their good qualities. We can point out that someone in our Christian Inner Circle can step up and help someone, knowing full well that he or she wishes we would not point it out. We can want people to see more of God’s creation and out of love for them point out how a tree has grown in such a way as to capture more sunlight to grow and thrive. We can tell a person how to drive more defensively. And the list can go on forever.
In heaven there will be a lot of need for this particular kind of speaking the truth in love. And the more before death we spoke lovingly to correct sin or to help guide others on the journey of their lives, the more in heaven we will have the joy of speaking truth in love.
Won’t it be wonderful to not be at a loss for words in heaven? Such will be for those whose tongues were not tied before death.
Having become quite familiar with loving speech, won’t it be great in heaven to recognize more acutely the love that is in the statements of others? Haven’t we ever seen a child who loves a parent and says really nice things to that parent and the parent does not “get it” and is unable to respond? Haven’t we felt sad when seeing someone who just cannot receive love? They have trouble receiving gifts from people who care so much as to take time to get them something special. They don’t know what to do with compliments. In heaven, if we pay more attention to speaking the truth in love now, we will better sense the love others have for us.
Let’s look forward to enjoying heaven more by growing now in our ability to speak the truth in love in ever more challenging circumstances.
Imagine how good it will be to talk more spontaneously in heaven and to keenly sense another’s love for us.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
I don’t understand why I can’t hear God as easily as others. I know it is my spirit that is less perceptive than that of others. I receive God’s message, just not with the impact some others sense.
There are a lot of people just like me, and we are all content. But, we are still curious why some have a stronger sense of God’s whispering in their ears and feel a closer relationship with Him. |
God is speaking truth to us all of the time because He is Love and He loves us. Loving truth will be the language of heaven and God will be speaking it to us all the time. It makes no sense that He will only be telling us things we will know from the Bible. There will be lots of new things from the lips of God.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.
1 Cor 13:12
1 Cor 13:12
However, now before death an surrounded by sin, it is much more difficult to hear Him above the interference. Sometimes it is like we are in a valley hidden from cell phone reception, or a basement where reception is very weak. We don’t sense God’s talking to us, not because we don’t have ears to hear, but because His voice is drown out by other things.
But, in heaven God’s messages of love and truth will be unhindered from outside competition. Sin will no longer interfere. But, what will our receptors be able to hear and understand?
How well we have developed ourselves (our spirits) to speak and to hear loving truth, will open our heavenly ears to hear God and learn new things from Him. This may determine a lot of our relationship with God for all eternity. Those believers who did not always speak the truth in love and thereby develop stronger affection for truth will likely be hindered in understanding the depth of God’s messages. The language of heaven will be one they did not learn well.
So, in this matter of closeness with God in heaven, we want to be like expensive cell phones that receive signals clearly. We will no longer be in valleys or insulated basements, but we should still want the best reception. We want our spirits to be able to pick up as much of God’s spoken truth as possible. What we hear from God’s love will be the most valuable thing in heaven.
This might be difficult to imagine. We are talking about heaven here, so it is all speculation, although not contrary to truth in Scripture. This is like looking through the hole in one of those old-fashioned Easter eggs to see a world within. We peek and we hope we understand what we see.
Clearly, God will be sending His message out so that all can hear, like the strongest cell phone signal possible. Hearing it will have to do with our spirits which will be our receptors. Have we learned the language of heaven well enough to process God’s voice and, hearing it, feel really close to Him and Him to us? Let’s understand the deeper significance of speaking the truth to one another in love now. Let’s develop the senses in our spirits to better hear God’s voice speaking loving truth throughout all eternity.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Our Loving and Truthful God, thank You for talking openly and honestly out of love in the Scriptures. I do appreciate Your loving explanations, Your loving warnings, and Your loving invitations.
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to be truthful and helpful when we talk to others. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory by speaking the truth in love to help others.
Please help us all to resist any temptation to deceive or hurt others with our speech and become more like Jesus Who never is untruthful or unhelpful. Aid us in becoming loving in all that we do, speaking only truthfully and helpfully. With those in our Christian Inner Circles, give us the wisdom to speak the truth in loving ways when there is a chance that what we say will not be welcomed.
May our lives worship You more because, like You, we tell others truthfully and helpfully how to live for You. Keep us silent and prayerful until we hear You validate through Scripture and/or with Your silent voice felt in our spirits how we are to say the truth so that it has a good chance to be helpful. Then empower us through the Holy Spirit to speak up truthfully and helpfully.
Satan lies and deceives and hurts. Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by correcting the devil’s lies, deceit and hurtfulness, usually with those in our Christian Inner Circles. Help us to speak the truth in love and helpfully to see that we all walk more faithfully with You.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by growing in our ability to speak the truth in love – which is the language of heaven. Help us to not be short of words in heaven because our spirits developed only a little in just speaking truthfully and helpfully.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.
But, in heaven God’s messages of love and truth will be unhindered from outside competition. Sin will no longer interfere. But, what will our receptors be able to hear and understand?
How well we have developed ourselves (our spirits) to speak and to hear loving truth, will open our heavenly ears to hear God and learn new things from Him. This may determine a lot of our relationship with God for all eternity. Those believers who did not always speak the truth in love and thereby develop stronger affection for truth will likely be hindered in understanding the depth of God’s messages. The language of heaven will be one they did not learn well.
So, in this matter of closeness with God in heaven, we want to be like expensive cell phones that receive signals clearly. We will no longer be in valleys or insulated basements, but we should still want the best reception. We want our spirits to be able to pick up as much of God’s spoken truth as possible. What we hear from God’s love will be the most valuable thing in heaven.
This might be difficult to imagine. We are talking about heaven here, so it is all speculation, although not contrary to truth in Scripture. This is like looking through the hole in one of those old-fashioned Easter eggs to see a world within. We peek and we hope we understand what we see.
Clearly, God will be sending His message out so that all can hear, like the strongest cell phone signal possible. Hearing it will have to do with our spirits which will be our receptors. Have we learned the language of heaven well enough to process God’s voice and, hearing it, feel really close to Him and Him to us? Let’s understand the deeper significance of speaking the truth to one another in love now. Let’s develop the senses in our spirits to better hear God’s voice speaking loving truth throughout all eternity.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Our Loving and Truthful God, thank You for talking openly and honestly out of love in the Scriptures. I do appreciate Your loving explanations, Your loving warnings, and Your loving invitations.
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to be truthful and helpful when we talk to others. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory by speaking the truth in love to help others.
Please help us all to resist any temptation to deceive or hurt others with our speech and become more like Jesus Who never is untruthful or unhelpful. Aid us in becoming loving in all that we do, speaking only truthfully and helpfully. With those in our Christian Inner Circles, give us the wisdom to speak the truth in loving ways when there is a chance that what we say will not be welcomed.
May our lives worship You more because, like You, we tell others truthfully and helpfully how to live for You. Keep us silent and prayerful until we hear You validate through Scripture and/or with Your silent voice felt in our spirits how we are to say the truth so that it has a good chance to be helpful. Then empower us through the Holy Spirit to speak up truthfully and helpfully.
Satan lies and deceives and hurts. Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by correcting the devil’s lies, deceit and hurtfulness, usually with those in our Christian Inner Circles. Help us to speak the truth in love and helpfully to see that we all walk more faithfully with You.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by growing in our ability to speak the truth in love – which is the language of heaven. Help us to not be short of words in heaven because our spirits developed only a little in just speaking truthfully and helpfully.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.