From The Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

Did you ever hear people say they just “stretched” the truth a bit? Sorry, folks; that is still lying! When God speaks of ethical principles, He’s not speaking in the terms of the moral relativism of today. When God says to speak the truth, He means the pure truth. Everything God says and does is pure; it is not tainted in any way. That is what we must strive for--His truth, not our flawed interpretation of it.

Be cautious though, deception is Satan’s playground, so make sure your lips are flowing with truth and not lies. Remember, lies take many forms:

• Outright falsehoods
• Saying something not in itself false, but intended to convey a false meaning
• Telling only part of the truth and concealing the rest
• Exaggeration-something is presented greater than it really is

So be careful now when you say you’re not lying…you just may be lying! Endure the fire—it’s producing pure gold!

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