Has
anybody ever related to you something that another person supposedly said, but
the content of the words just really did not match up with the character of the
person being spoken about? In times like this a further investigation of the
actual conversation may show that the person said nothing of the sort. Even if
a similar statement was made, the context of the situation indicates an
entirely different meaning to the actual comment. For whatever reason, the
statement, “did you hear that…” was completely incorrect. Unfortunately, others
who may not know this person may actually believe this wrong information and
tarnish a person’s reputation.
If
someone were to approach me with a statement that my husband or son supposedly
made, it would be fairly easy for me to determine if the statement was feasibly
true or not. I know both their attitudes and their patterns of speech pretty
well. If something does not sound like a thing either of them would say, a
little investigation would reveal an error in either the actual words used or
the context and true meaning of the statement. For someone that I am less
familiar with this process is not as easy. Our best course of action is to try
to avoid gossip at all costs. When this is not possible praying for and seeking
out the truth about another is imperative. We cannot simply believe statements
that may be incorrect.
We may
often hear incorrect statements about Almighty God. Even in the Garden of Eden
the serpent began his attempt to twist God’s words. “Now the serpent was more subtle
and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made.
And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall
not eat from every tree of the garden?” (Genesis
3:1 AMP) Since that time man has been bombarded with lies concerning both God’s
character and the content and meaning of His Word. We must be careful when
accepting statements that may or may not be biblical.
Studying
and knowing God’s character will help us to distinguish false statements. God’s
nature is love and He cares deeply about His children. Psalm 139 tells us how
well God knows us. He knows everything we do and everything we say. And this is
the result, “How
precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum
of them!” (Psalm 139:17 AMP)
Thoughts or words of condemnation and worthlessness are never from this loving
Father. God calls us to be holy. “For
it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16 AMP) Yet King David
acknowledged that God also forgives every sin that we confess to Him. “Bless (affectionately, gratefully
praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits - Who
forgives [every one of] all your iniquities,” (Psalm 103:2-3 AMP) We are precious to the Lord.
Self-condemnation and worthlessness are a familiar twisting of God’s statements
that must not be believed but rather rejected and exposed as lies.
Our Lord
is a God of hope and desires for us to be hopeful as well. This was the apostle
Paul’s prayer, “May the
God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the
experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound
and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.” (Romans 15:13 AMP) When situations
are difficult we must always remember that nothing is hopeless. Our future is
secure and nothing that we have done or are experiencing is so bad that God
cannot bring us through. “Yet
amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory
through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that
neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and
threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans
8:37-39 AMP) Nothing we have done and no obstacles in our way can defeat us. “But thanks be to God, Who
in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] …” (2 Corinthians 2:14a AMP)
We
can be confident in all circumstances because God has promised that he will
always be with us. We are never alone. “Let
your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including
greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied
with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself
has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without
support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you
helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly
not!]” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP) Any
words to the contrary simply do not sound like something God would say.
So
whether it is thoughts in your mind or statements from others, double check
that everything lines up with the word of God. Know the Lord and His Word and
reject anything that doesn’t sound like Him.
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