Word for Today, Wed, 10 Jul 2002: Truth
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
My friend Larry Davies holds a writing contest every year for his
devotional series. This year's devotional winner is an excellent
message about being honest and telling the truth. In addition to
an important message about truth, the message contains additional
messages about setting appropriate relationship boundaries. I
recommend that you read this and consider all of the themes that
are in the message.
Your Brother in Christ,
Brian
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Oops! Last week I announced a big sale on "Breaking the Peanut
Butter Habit" and then discovered that the web page to purchase
it was malfunctioning. Please forgive me. The page is now up and
running and the sale price still applies. More than 25% off for
the purchase of one book or buy two books for what you would
normally pay for one. This is to encourage you to buy two and
give one away as a gift to someone special. As a special bonus, I
am signing each book. Thank you for your patience. Click here to
read more about the book:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm If you experience
any difficulties with this page or with the shopping cart, please
email me at sowseeds@nesbeonline.com Thank you for your patience.
I am very excited to introduce the winners of the annual Sowing
Seeds Ministry Writing Contest. The winner in the devotion
category will be this week's column. You can click on the web
site address to read all of the winning entries. Listed on each
page are also other notable entries. Our congratulations to
everyone who entered the contest. Our prayers and our
encouragement go with you. If you have a desire to write you can
always enter next years contest. Click here for information:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/writing.htm
Devotion: "Truth" by Lana Straub from Stanton Texas
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/2002_devotion.htm, also
listed below.
Poetry: "Wake Up & Pray" by Debbie Toker from Brampton,
Ontario http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/2002_poetry.htm
Sermon: "The Shattered Glass" by Cynthia Kretschmar from
Minneapolis, Minnesota
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/2002_sermon.htm
Sowing Seeds of Faith...
2002 Sowing Seeds Devotion Winner: "Truth" Lana Straub (Stanton,
Texas)
As she sat in her cubicle at her desk, she realized a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was about to slip through her
fingers. She had just hung up the phone with her husband Rick. He
was very excited because he had finally found the house of their
dreams and wanted to buy it right away. He had already called the
banker. All he needed was the current amounts in Jill's checking
and savings accounts and they could be in the house by next
weekend.
Jill began to cry. There was no money in the checking or savings
accounts; at least not the amounts that Rick thought were
there. Moreover, to make matters worse, there was a ton more
credit card debt that Rick knew nothing about. He knew nothing
because Jill kept it a secret: A secret that only she and Sarah
shared. She had secretly been funneling their savings to her
mother, Sarah.
Sarah lost her job sixteen months before and had been unemployed
for four months. It should not have been a major problem; except
Sarah had expensive tastes, and her lifestyle reflected those
tastes. She lived in a fancy house that she could not afford. She
had many fancy toys that she did not need but could not live
without indulging in. Then there was the fine furniture. Sarah
loved to indulge in the finest wood-grained ensembles that money
could buy.
In other words, Sarah had bills to pay and since she was out of
work, she expected Jill to pay them. Therefore, Jill did. It was
expected of a loving daughter. She did what Mother expected at
whatever cost. It was about to cost Jill, the future. Just before
being busted, Sarah moved out of town earlier that month,
effectively leaving the scene of the crime.
Jill called her mother and explained the situation, and asked
Sarah, "What am I going to do now"?
Sarah replied, "I don't know dear. If he loves you, you'll be
fine. If not, come live with me. I wish I could pay you back, but
the move cost me everything I had. I'm flat broke."
As she hung up the phone, Jill felt even more devastated. She had
called for advice and gotten her mother's usual runaway
response. Jill pondered her options. Was there any possible way
out of this mess that would not ruin her life? She decided to
call her father and ask his advice.
"Dad"? asked Jill. "I've done something very wrong and I need you
to hear me out. I desperately need your help." She went on to
explain the situation to him, to explain how she had loaned Sarah
over $30,000 over the past year and a half and how she had done
it all behind her husband's back.
Disappointed her father replied, "You've broken the sacred
marriage vows. Lending you money will not help the problem. You
have to come clean. The truth is your only salvation. You have to
tell him. Today. Now. Tell him Jill. Throw yourself on his mercy
and maybe he will not throw you out. If he does, I would not
blame him. You lied. You have to pay the consequences."
Jill when home with a listing of all her bills, she laid it all
on the table for Rick to see. He was flabbergasted. Much to his
embarrassment, he called off the deal on the house, and did not
speak to her for the rest of the night. He did not have much to
say for the rest of the weekend. On Sunday night, Rick came to
Jill with a little piece of paper in his hand. On the paper was
written the word, "truth."
"Today is the new beginning of our marriage. I want you to carry
this in your pocket. Everything you do from this day forward must
be based on this word or our marriage will be a failure. I love
you and I forgive you."
"Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil
nature and all its wicked deeds. In its place you have clothed
yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being
renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this
new nature within you." Colossians 3:9-10 (NLT)
Lord, help me to always be truthful with others, especially my
spouse. Amen.
You can send a note of encouragement to Lana Straub through this
email address: lanastraub@masterfreelancer.zzn.com
If you like this devotion you will love the book: 'Breaking the
Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better Life'
now on sale only through this website. Click here for more
information: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm
Join our prayer ministry by clicking here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm
Jesus said: "You are the light of the world-like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine
for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)
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Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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