What Is The Truth?

John 8:31&32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

 We had an interesting discussion last night at our small group bible study. The talk was about scams people try to run on the unwary or unsuspecting. Sound advice is if it just does not look right, it probably is not right. That is closely followed by if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true.

Being able to discern the truth, in our world today, can be a challenge. We are bombarded by so much information and from so many sources. It can be likened to trying to drink from a fire hose. And amidst all that data, is the truth. And by the truth I mean the "whole truth and nothing but the truth." And not some mere 'version of the truth.' (For the source of 'version of the truth' check out the movie "Somethings gotta give". When it comes to faith and Christianity we are in no better condition with regards to the information out there. There are many versions of the truth.  So many claim to preach 'the bible truth'. Yet on closer examination all they really profess is some version of the truth.  But what is really the truth, the whole truth? We can look at John 8:31&32 for that truth. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." When we hold to the teachings of Jesus we are on the right track. When we try something other than His teachings, we are lost. We remain slaves to sin and are captured in the death that comes with sin.  Some will chose to follow the 'salvation by works' in a vain attempt to earn eternal life. Some with be drawn by greed into the dead end that lies in the 'prosperity gospel'. Still others will be completely lost on the 'do what ever modern society tells you because it's all good' road to wreck and ruin. When we stick to the teachings of Jesus we are in the groove. We follow Jesus to the Father, and to the salvation we desperately need. We do this because we alone are totally unable to get there by ourselves. Sorry to disappoint those who think otherwise, but we are just not able to achieve righteousness without Christ. We are lost in sin and desperately need a Savior. The words of Jesus from John 14:6&7 tell us the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus answered,  "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Friends of the Risen Savior, that is the whole unvarnished truth. Jesus is the way, the truth and the light.  All other paths lead you astray and straight to spiritual death. That is the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.

PRAYER: Lord and Giver of Light and Life we look to You and You alone for our salvation. The world around us screams out to look away from You. But without You we know we are lost. Father, let Your light, Your Son, shine brightly as a beacon in the night. Help us to stay on course in the fog of our lives. This we ask in the name of Jesus who with the Father and the Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

What Have You Been Told?

Galatians 3:1-3 You foolish Galatians!  Who has bewitched you?  Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.  I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit  by the works of the law,  or by believing what you heard?  Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

The proliferation of news sources out there for us to draw our information from is simply staggering. The Internet and social media have added a totally new dimension to how we, as believers, consume our information. And this is regardless of whether it is part of our Christian study of the Word, or just catching up on the news of the day. It is liken to drinking from a fire hose.

The Apostle Paul raises a very important point in his letter to the Galatians. What is great about this point is this one, like so many others he raises, is this point is just as valid today as it was back in Paul's day. We are bombarded with so many of our information sources telling us that grace is too simple to be true.  There are too many people in our world who seek to earn grace.  Their efforts are noble, even if they are completely misguided.  "After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?"  Many who first started as believers who followed grace by faith have fallen into the trap of grace by means of the flesh.  The lure of that false doctrine is strong in that it feeds a basic need exemplified by trying to apply logic where faith is all that is called for, or needed.  What is completely ironic is this age of entitlement should feed the desire to accept grace by faith.  And yet, this is not the case.  Many have been "bewitched" into believing the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was not enough for some people to accept.  It is disturbing, but that is the case. They are saying 'Thanks Jesus, but You were not enough to save me.' Friends of the risen savior, grace by works is a dead end.  And that has to be our response when confronted by those who seek to divert us from our grace-filled path.  We must speak the truth.  And we must do so in love.  Our imperative is to reach out to the lost and share the words of grace with love, and not anger or hate. We must share the love of Christ with those who do not know that love, or have been "bewitched".  We can make a difference, and do not let anyone tell you anything different.


PRAYER:  Father, we are beset by many who seek to draw us away from Your grace. We are inundated by the noise of grace by works.  Many in our world have fallen into the trap of that line of reasoning.  Help us Dear Lord.  Send Your Spirit to fill our hearts and minds with the faith we need to stay strong. And send Your Spirit to fill our mouths with Your words of grace by faith. Let us be Your voice of love to the world we live in. We ask this in the name our our risen savior Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

What Do You Believe?

Psalms 119:113-114 I hate double–minded men, but I love your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Our back yard abuts to a park. Our little park has recently become the home to 14 Northern Bobwhite Quail. The birds stop by our yard almost every day to feed on the bugs and the seeds dropped from our bird feeders. They have been a joy to watch when they come to visit. But we never quite know when the will show up.

I am beginning this series of devotionals after running into an editorial from a Non-Christian writing about what the Apostle Paul believed. The editorial professed to show, based on a very isolated verse in scripture reference, a drastically different version of "grace". On the surface, what was in the article, to the casual reader may have been accepted as sufficient in depth and theology to be taken as factual. A rebuttal article written a few days later piled scriptural reference upon scriptural reference in an attempt to dispute the conclusions offered by the author of the original author. It was very good information that was offered in the rebuttal. It was compelling in the sheer volume of the references that were given to refute the previous thinly evidenced article. Yet, the reader is left with the fundamental question. Which author is correct? This is a question we often face in our faith walk. We encounter conflicting information every day. Discerning the truth can be a challenge. Judging the validity by weighing the sheer volume (or lack of volume) of references can be misleading. So, what is a believer to do? Our two verses from Psalms 119 give us some insight. Reject the double-minded, and put our hope in the true word of God.  We can also turn to Galatians 1 for additional insight into what has happened in the past, and  how Paul counseled the church in Galatia. Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 

You have the faith, given to you through the Holy Spirit, to know what is the truth. Be wary of those who chose to "pervert the Gospel of Christ" and lead you astray. Prayer is a huge tool in helping to discern the truth. I encourage you to delve deeply into prayer when presented with "another gospel." And know what you believe and the basis for that belief. That way you will not be blown back and forth by the winds that seek to tear you way from your roots in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER: Father, we are like grass in the wind. We are blown about by the winds of our lost and sinful world. We are exposed to all manner of half truths and deceptions that seek to uproot us from Your love and the gift of grace in Christ Jesus. Help us to stay rooted in the only truth that matters. Help us to stay strong in Jesus against all the elements of this world that shout for us to walk away from You Father. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and the Spirit are one God in Heaven now and forever, Amen.