House unscathed in Gilchrist - the rest of the neighborhood was destroyed (picture by Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle (How God can save a person in the Midst of a storm - be it a physical, mental, emotional or political storm).
Bearing False Witness by Frances M. McCrory Meservy September 21, 2008
Matt 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
"It is Written" is a phrase Jesus used a lot. He made it clear that the written word was a very powerful tool used to influence people and Satan. Satan loved and loves to take what is written out of context to get people to do his bidding. Jesus used God's word that was written down to defeat Satan. This is how truth overcomes evil.
It is written is used 79 times in 79 verses in the Holy Bible. Even in the secular world, "it is written has carried heavy weight. IE in Esther whatever was written was law. Our constitution is written and carries more weight than any other law of the land.
I heard a wise man say, "If you want to say something good about a person, write it down. If you want to say something bad about a person, say it to his face; but never write it down." The written word can not be easily erased; whereas verbal words pass in the wind. It's just the nature of man and I do believe a principle God built into the universe.
We send things over the internet all the time that are not true. Even though there are places available where we can find out if the thing being claimed is true or not, we don't check it out. We just forward, forward and forward. Snoops , Truth or Fiction or just type in a key word in the search section of your browser and find the truth.
If someone says a person said something in a speech, type in a key word and find the whole speech. See if it was taken out of context or not. Satan's favorite thing to do is take things out of context. We should never use Satan's ways to prove our point. If we can't use truth and scripture, maybe we should rethink what we believe.
In the political arena, truth and fiction can be hard to differentiate. If both parties are honorable men, maybe it's just a matter of what their agenda is or who we like the best. There is no need for slander (lies that bear false witness). When the lies are swept away, we have a clear picture of who the person really is and what he believes. Lies muddy the water for the person being attacked and make the person attacking the other candidate look bad. I personally believe that if we have to lie to get our point across, there is something wrong with our point. It's a no win situation.
When lies start, honor goes out the window. I prefer to vote for the honorable candidate. If you lie to me to win the election, how often will you lie to me to keep the office. I can't trust a liar.
I don't necessarily believe Christians start the lies; but unless it stops with us, we become part of the lie. Some things should not be forwarded.
If we hear a lie and do not refute it (e-mail the person the truth), we agree with that person. God wants us to speak up. We are to tell the truth in love. Silence is not Golden
Mat 4:4-11 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Mat 11:10 "For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.'
Mat 21:13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' ....
Mat 26:24 "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."
Mat 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
Mark 7:6 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
Est 8:4-5 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, and said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.
Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Prov 21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
Psa 119:172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Prov 12:19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Psa 45:1-2 My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever.
Psa 15:1-5 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
Prov 17:4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
Prov 17:20-21 He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil. He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
Prov 21:6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.
Prov 25:23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
Prov 26:28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.
Prov 28:23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the tongue.
Prov 6:16-19 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Hab 1:13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?
James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
1 Pet 3:10-11 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.
James 3:4-10 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
Psa 37:30-33 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him. The LORD will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged.
Psa 34:13-14 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
Psa 52:1-5 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
Psa 57:4 My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
Psa 64:2-9 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows; bitter words, That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear. They encourage themselves in an evil matter; They talk of laying snares secretly; They say, "Who will see them?" They devise iniquities: "We have perfected a shrewd scheme." Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away. All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing.
Psa 78:35-37 Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue; For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.
Psa 109:2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
Jer 9:5-6 Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity. Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me," says the LORD.
Isa 59:2-4 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.