The Truth Is Found In His Words

Mark 14:16-18 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

An inconvenient truth can be a hard truth to accept. I had a favorite pocket knife. Emphasis on had. It is now been declared lost. I have no idea where it was lost. But, there is no denying the truth. It is lost and not to be found. I have held out faint hope it will surface somewhere in my travels. But alas, it is gone and I must order a replacement. 😼

Are you one who was raised reading the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible? The wording is old English and can be difficult to fully grasp. One word stands out to me, and it is frequently used in the KJV. Verily is used when talking about or speaking the truth. Verse 18 of Mark 14 reads And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. Today we might say, Really, one of you who is sitting here eating with me will betray me. No kidding. Regardless of who these words are spoken, the impact is devastating. For the disciples, they quickly discounted the act of betraying Jesus as improbable. Or perhaps their thoughts ran along the line He was speaking in vague spiritual terms, allegorically if you will. Through all the tribulations they had stood together. And for Jesus to speak of betrayal was unfathomable to them. Yet He spoke the truth. In Latin, Vox Veritas. But it is more than just the truth of the moment. Vox Veritas Vita (speak the truth as a way of life) would best describe Jesus. He did not pull any punches. He spoke the unvarnished and often unwanted truth. He knew of no other way to live His life. In His truth we find love, grace, redemption and salvation. To many of His time, and our time, His words are harsh, unkind, direct and condemning. And that does not sit well for many who chose to follow their own truth. You see the world has never wanted to accepted the truth as God spells it out. The truth of the world is so much more pleasant and convenient. You can have enemies you can hate and not have to worry about showing love to. You can live as you want and not as God tells you to live. Do as you please with of thoughts to ramifications is a motto taken up by many. It is a motto that has a very dead end. Dead for all eternity as a matter of fact. For if you believe in Jesus you are compelled to live as He tells you to live. You lay down your life so that you will gain you true life. Matthew 10:37&38 has stern words for those who seek to follow their own path. “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  The truth, like it or not is found in the words of Jesus. Where you see the world try to direct you along another path, take fair warning. The words of the world are filled with deception, and ruin. Seek the words of truth dear friends and cling to those words with all of your being.

PRAYER: Lord we live in a world that is broken by sin and deception. The truth, Your truth stands out in sharp contrast to the lies of our world. Half truths we hear spoken are pleasing to the ear. But they lack the fullness of Your truth. Help us to discern Your truth and to cling to that truth when our world shouts out to do otherwise. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we might stay on Your path. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

Do For Us Whatever We Ask

Mark 10: 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

We are several days past the first day of Spring. Our long walk in the west through the cold and snowy terrain of Winter is hopefully over. Warmer temperatures are prevailing at long last. Our prayers have been answered.

I have been giving a lot of thought to my prayer life. Is my prayer life as abundant as it could be? In a word, no. Am I asking God to submit to my will?  In a word, yes. My prayer life is a spiritual growth area. I guess you could call it a work in progress. And so, what about your own prayer life? Is it ripe for growth and improvement? All to often our prayers turn into something resembling our ideas of how God needs to conform to our will. All to often we rattle off a list of needs, desires or ideas on how things should be. We are just sure God has overlooked somethings in our lives that would make things so much better. We know that God is busy with so much, and he just needs to have things called to His attention. Does this sound familiar? Is it convicting?

In the season of Lent we often look closely at the Passion Week scriptures. In the Garden of Gethsemane our Savior is fervently praying to His Father. Mark 14: 35-36 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” In this moment and in that prayer we find insight into a proper perspective in praying. Jesus acknowledges His relationship, a very close relationship to His Father (Abba). He asks, hoping the trial that stands in front of Him could go away. And He also declares that His will, the will of Jesus, is not above the will of His Father.

We may not know or understand the will of God. All too often we are short sighted in our needs while God is taking the long view. Short term or long term makes no difference. To the 

Christian, God's will has to reign supreme in our lives. Praying with this in mind serves as a reminder to us and a way of showing humility before God. He is God and in charge, we are not. Let's keep that in mind before we go feel mHim how to run things in our prayer.

PRAYER: Abba, Father, Your will must stand supreme in our lives. All to often we place You second, third, or even last. We are focused on ourselves when we should be listening and abiding by Your will for us. Forgive our weakness and help us to better than we are. Help us to become as You would have us. Let Your will and not ours be done. This we ask in the name of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Who with the Father and Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.