The Power of the Spoken Word

By Gina Stinson 

We’ve all done it. Said something we didn’t mean to say.  Whether we said it thoughtlessly or in anger, or even if it was said in jest, it just didn’t come out the way we intended it to.  And there were consequences—a friendship hurt, a relationship severed, a spouse’s silence, a child’s tears. Boy, if we’d only thought through the words we said out loud before we said them.

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Serving Real Butter

“Your life was saved by a miracle for a reason.” Ashley explained. A man who’d killed four people in an Atlanta courthouse shooting now held Ashley Smith hostage. As she gained Nichol’s trust he untied her and they began talking. Later she cooked him breakfast.
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Tumbleweeds

Tumbleweeds are nature's welcome wagon to New Mexico. It has taken me a while to understand how a tumbleweed tumbles! I've come to realize that it takes a certain set of circumstances to create a tumbleweed. First, the tumbleweed candidate has a shallow root system—not much anchoring the plant to the earth. Second, the shrub gets dried out, due to lack of moisture. Third, a high wind blows and uproots the bush, launching it on its way through fields, and across roads, until it eventually lodges in a fence row.
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My Life Belongs to Jesus

There are a lot of books and movies and songs “out there” that declare our lives belong to us and we can do whatever we want with them. The problem with that popular concept is that it simply isn’t true; particularly if we have received Jesus as Savior and are trusting Him to one day get us into heaven.
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100% Pure

By Cindy Martin –

Would you believe me if I told you I was a long lost daughter of Queen Elizabeth’s, and that I was banished from the royal family because I slurped my soup rather than sipping it? I probably can’t fool you on with that lie.

Would you believe me if I told you I once handed Queen Elizabeth a bouquet of flowers, and as I curtsied she nodded her head and said thank-you? Is this the truth? It’s a bit more difficult to discern if this is a lie or truth, isn’t it?

Like this example, the messages we hear from culture, our family and friends and even those that whisper inside of us are often difficult to discern between truth and deception.

If you had her size, you’d be beautiful too.
Your marriage would be better if your husband treated you like that guy does.
You’ll never get that job; you’re not smart enough.
If your co-worker liked you, she’d invite you out for lunch.

The most dangerous lie is the one that is closest to the truth. But there are no half-truths. Truth is pure, which means it has no contaminants. Truth is 100% true. Satan, the Father of Lies, takes truth and injects it with a lie and this deception wreaks havoc with our souls and minds.

God calls us to truth. God is the author of truth and His desire is for us to be so familiar and submersed in truth that we can spot a counterfeit. Deception kills, destroys and tears down. Truth builds up, holds fast and gives life. Our ability to discern truth comes from a relationship with God and He infuses us with wisdom and truth.

PRAYER: Lord, give me a passion for truth and may I cast off anything that is deception. Help me to know the difference.

“Keep me from deceitful ways; I have chosen the way of truth” (Psalm 119:29 – 30 NIV).

P.S. I did hand flowers to the Queen, just as I described. That’s the truth!

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