Dear Ones,
Hope you had a great weekend and time to get refreshed. This morning I am off to Aldi’s and my exercise class and
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  How honest are we? Do we speak the truth, or do we say what others want to hear so as not to offend them?  Our culture needs honesty and for all those who know the Lord, let us be lovers of truth and speak it and live it. We are to be people of integrity that others can trust. We are not doing others a favor by condoning ungodly behavior that brings them down a road that leads away from the Lord. But when we love someone, we want what is best for them even if it means telling them the truth that they may be trying to avoid.
  I was reading what Aaron D Anthony Brown had to say on Crosswalk.com about why we should be honest. He writes about our culture today as being so sensitive about not offending and wanting everyone in agreement, that people no longer call a spade a spade. People lie to avoid consequences when the truth needs to be told. In the Message translation it says in Prov.12:22, “Lying lips are detestable to the Lord and faithful people are His delight.” Jesus certainly did not worry about offending the Pharisees and He spoke truth even though it would one day have cost Him his life. We should not expect everyone to applaud us for telling the truth, and many times our words are challenged. We can expect that! Jesus said because we are not of the world, it would hate us as it did Him.
 The stronger our relationship is with another, the more open to correction they may be. But it’s important to tell the truth in the right way so it can be best received. Sometimes it may just mean asking them a question so they can think about what they are doing and the consequences of it. But as Aaron said there may be a time when we say no to affirming things that are not of the Lord; or when asked we share the truth and not enable sin.
  We don’t want to live two faced for honesty brings delight to the Lord. Let us be honest and speak truth and live truth! As we do this our own relationship with Him, it brings us to a deeper level of love and trust.
Challenge for today: Be honest and real and open with the Lord and others!
Blessings on your new week and prayers and love, Judy