Proverbs 19 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

Proverbs 19:5, 9

A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free…A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.

“It’s only a little white lie,” “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” and “It was half true” are all lies we as a society have embraced from time to time. I know in my own life I have believed these were acceptable at times and fallen into the web deceit spins. But let God be true and every man a liar! God’s Word tells us that any alteration of truth takes it from truth to lie. That even leaving out a part of the story is, in fact, being deceitful and is itself a sin. Most of us know this, so this isn’t anything new, but I do feel led to remind us of the penalty for those who refuse to speak truth.

Proverbs teaches us that the penalty for pouring out lies (living a life built and flooded with deceit) will not go free and, in fact, will perish. Now, it is not the lie itself that kills us but the heart behind the lying tongue. For Christ taught us that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. So if our mouths are full of lies, then our hearts are full of sin. But if our mouths are full of Christ’s love, then our hearts are full of His Spirit!

We’re all guilty of lying at some point in our lives, but do we make a habit of it? If so then let me encourage you in this: there was a time in my life when almost everything I said was either embellished, altered, or just down right false. My lips couldn’t keep from boasting in the flesh… but God! He came in and gave me a new heart and in this new heart, He placed truth! Now my lips speak what is right (more of the time but not all the time), and it’s all because of Him. What you or I would deem impossible, God does effortlessly and effectively for His glory and our good! Praise His name! If He can change a wretch like me, then trust me, He can change you too!

1 Timothy 1:15,16- This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life.

God bless! I love you all, but His love is the house of truth we must live in! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!