The Truth Is Worth Repeating

 “Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”

 Jeremiah 7:4 (NIV)

   I was sitting in a planning meeting with some friends from high school as we prepared for a class reunion. One of our classmates had lovingly and carefully created a photo board of those in our class who had passed away since graduation. Each picture had the name, date and cause of death under it. 

    There were comments concerning how many had passed away from cancer and accidents when I noticed a mistake. Two girls had “car wreck” under their names but that was not correct. “These two passed away from a boating accident,” I commented, “and not from a wreck.” The woman who had made the board said “No, they were together in a car wreck when they lost their lives.”

   I disagreed. I was pretty sure I even knew the color of the plastic rafts that they were floating on when the accident occurred. “I remember it so clearly,” I continued. “It was right before I left for college. I was in shock when I heard they died in a boating accident.” 

   At this point, the collective group looked at me with a “Huh?” look on their faces.  Their stories were identical: the cause of death was a car accident. Up to that second I had been 100% sure of my recollection. How can something like that happen?

   I honestly do not remember why but somehow, through the years, I began to believe that my version of the accident was the right one. And when people would talk about friends in their classes at school, I would mention the tragedy of my two girlfriends and the boating accident. But it wasn’t true.  Now, I didn’t intentionally lie or deliberately change the story. But as I repeated it through the years, it became real to me, down to the color of the plastic rafts! 

   I heard a speaker state that if you repeat anything enough times, people start believing it and it becomes true. And that had happened to me. Look at  Jeremiah 7:4. God instructed the prophet Jeremiah to remind the people of Judah that just because they kept repeating a lie – that they were invincible because Jerusalem was the site of the temple - it did not make it the truth. 

   Let me ask you something: what lie have you believed about yourself because you have heard it over and over and over? For every lie directed at you, our Father has a truth to beat it back. 

Lie: “You are worthless.” Truth: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Lie: “You can’t do anything right.” Truth: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

Lie: “You do not matter to anyone.” Truth: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

   Today, as never before, guard your hearts by speaking God’s Words of affirmation and love to you. Toss those lies out now! Remember, the Truth is worth repeating.

 

     Father, forgive me for listening to lies until they became truth in my heart. You say I am more valuable to you than gold. Thank you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever had someone repeat over and over to you that you were of no value, either because of how you looked or what you did?

• Did you begin to believe the lies that were spoken to you?

Apply

• Write Scriptures on note cards that remind you how precious and priceless you are to the Lord and place them around your home.

• Every morning pull one of those Scriptures out, look into the mirror, and repeat God’s Truth to you as His beautiful child.

Power 

• Jeremiah 7:4 (NIV) “Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”

• Psalm 139:14 (NIV) “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

• Matthew 10:29-31 (NIV) “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”