Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire... - Daily Devotional April 3rd, 2010

Bible Reading - Leviticus 6, Psalm 5-6, Proverbs 21, Colossians 4

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire...

Do you remember this little rhyme from when you were younger that you friends would say to you anytime they caught you lying? "Liar, liar, pants on fire hanging from a telephone wire". I am not sure what it means but I do remember how humiliated I would feel as they would do that to me. I also remember how guilty and ashamed I would feel when I was caught in a lie. I am not sure why we stopped saying that little rhyme because as a pastor working with adults it is very apparent that they lying does not stop as we get older. For some reasons as adults people either justify there lying or they ignore it all together.

In both Proverbs 21 and Psalm 5 today we find strict warnings against lying and to guard what comes our of your mouth. Proverbs 21:23 says, "Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble". Psalm 5:6 says, "You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man". These two verses together remind me of the old saying, Oh what a tangled web we weave when once we choose to deceive". It is clear that through these two verses that we should guard closely the things we say for the Lord surely will destroy those who lie. Wow, what a scary thought (I will have to use this verse next time my children lie to me).

When we choose to lie rather than just confessing to the fact that we screwed up in the first place we not only hurt those we lied to because now trust is broken, but we also bring destruction on ourselves. Telling a lie is a dangerous thing and it creates habits in our lives that are hard to break. I find that the older we get that along with our lies we will trying to justify our actions by saying things like, "well its not as bad as what so and so did" or "well I don't see that its any different from". Lying opens up the door to some many other compromises because as the Bible says in John 8:44 that the devil is a liar and the father of all lies. So when we choose to lie we are choosing to make the devil our father thus opening the door to so many other issues.

Today let's make sure we are guarding what we say and make sure we are not bringing destruction on your life. If you are or the Holy Spirit brings to your remembrance some lies you have told this week take a moment to confess them. After you have confessed them go to the person you told the lie to and ask for forgiveness. This may be hard to do but it will bring great joy to you as you will feel a burden lifted off your shoulders.

Let this devotional be your liar, liar pants on fire rhyme and go and make things right today!

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Leviticus 7, Psalm 7-8, Proverbs 22, 1 Thessalonians 1

Dream Big
Ben