A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Wednesday,
October
27,
2021
Rural
view in Lebanon County, PA
(Click
on photo to enlarge)
"The
Prayer Of Agur Son Of Jakeh"
(Part
1)
Listen to this message on your audio player.
“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me” (Proverbs 30:7,8a).
Most of the Proverbs were written by Solomon and that's who we normally associate with the book of the Proverbs. But Proverbs 30 records the sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh. What a timeless truth he expressed with these prayerful petitions that reveal his earnest heart, “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die” (verse 7).
Today we will consider the first of the two things, "Keep falsehood and lies far from me”. (Tomorrow we will consider the second petition).
Is it my imagination or has there been a huge increase in lying in my lifetime? For certain a lying tongue has been around from the beginning, but now so many restraints to lying have been removed and it's like a pandemic, along with the corollary suppression of the truth. In fact in some matters you are more likely to get in trouble for telling the truth than telling a lie, especially in so many of the new "woke" causes of our age as truth is abandoned or re-worked as "my truth" vs. "your truth".
Indeed, telling the truth may come at a price and we may be scorned for living in obedience to God. This is increasingly the case. Those that want to live a lie are demanding that you join them but the faithful must resist.
Considering the writer's request I see two different aspects of this petition:
1) "Keep falsehood and lies far from me”
in regard to my own life and my own commitment to
truth telling and truth living, I must resist the
way of the liar.
The Ninth Commandment states, "Thou shall not bear false witness". God wants us to keep our word and speak the truth. In our day of slippery words, half-truths, and embellishments we need to keep our word even when it hurts. The pressures to violate the ninth commandment continue to increase, but by God’s grace and through His strength we can keep from doing so. God still "desires truth in the inner parts" (Psalm 51:6), not the airbrushed version many display to impress others or promote themselves. Jesus wants us to hear the truth, speak the truth, and live the truth! Let us determine to do so "even when it hurts".
2) "Keep falsehood and lies far from me” in regard to all the input coming at me from various deceptions, ultimately from the enemy and the father of lies. Bluntly in many subject matters I just begin with the assumption that I am being lied to and seek to discern if it's really the truth. Many times the lies are so blatant it doesn't even take much discernment to tell the truth from a lie! But at other times there are many subtle attempts to deceive and we must cry out to God to know the difference.
The Ninth Commandment states, "Thou shall not bear false witness". God wants us to keep our word and speak the truth. In our day of slippery words, half-truths, and embellishments we need to keep our word even when it hurts. The pressures to violate the ninth commandment continue to increase, but by God’s grace and through His strength we can keep from doing so. God still "desires truth in the inner parts" (Psalm 51:6), not the airbrushed version many display to impress others or promote themselves. Jesus wants us to hear the truth, speak the truth, and live the truth! Let us determine to do so "even when it hurts".
2) "Keep falsehood and lies far from me” in regard to all the input coming at me from various deceptions, ultimately from the enemy and the father of lies. Bluntly in many subject matters I just begin with the assumption that I am being lied to and seek to discern if it's really the truth. Many times the lies are so blatant it doesn't even take much discernment to tell the truth from a lie! But at other times there are many subtle attempts to deceive and we must cry out to God to know the difference.
Like Agur son Of Jakeh may we call out to God, "Keep falsehood and lies far from me”.
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, when
we read the truths contained in Scripture, when we
walk with those who live the truth, and when we seek
to be people of truth we honor You and become people
of integrity who can be trusted even if we're not
loved by the world. Help us to be people of truth
that live an honorable life in such a way that we
will not try to deny or be deceptive about our
words, our actions, or our principles because they
are in line with Your Scriptural teaching and
reflect the Spirit of Christ who dwells within us.
As we receive so much input into our lives may we be
able to discern truth from lies. Amen.Yesterday
we drove through rural eastern Lebanon County
following an early morning chaplain visit. We had
considered a walk on the Appalachian Trail to an
overlook but the forecast was cloudy and rain, so
perhaps next week!
A
distinction among several of the old-order groups
in our area (Lebanon County in this photo) is
having tractors with steel wheels.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
This
pond near Richland, PA is a former limestone
quarry and now a diving site.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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