What Is Truth?

 Can you tell truth from an illusion?

It seems simple enough, most times. Like the picture above. At first glance it seems straightforward. The image of a tree is being reflected on the water. But look closer, and you start to see some issues. The sky doesn't look quite right. The tree is distorted. The top half of the picture is out of focus, or something.

A more careful inspection reveals people sitting on the underside of the bridge, upside down. At that moment, it all makes sense. The picture is inverted, with the reflection on top, and the original underneath. Pretty clever, really. Without the people it would be even harder to realize the truth.

Our world is like that today

On so many issues, in so many ways, a distorted version of reality is being presented to us as truth. Another way to say this is that truth is being perverted--very effectively. So effectively that those perversions are now widely accepted as being in fact true and truth itself is seen as the perverse ideology of a misguided minority.

Our world is upside down.

God's instructions, such as Love one another (John 13:34); Judge not, lest ye be judged (Matthew 7:1) ; and Live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18), are taken out of context of His other commands, such as Be holy, because I am holy (I Peter 1:16 and Leviticus 11:44, 45); Hate what is evil (Romans 12:9); and Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character (I Corinthians 15:33).

All of these are Biblical. All are true and truth. The illusion is that they can be separated and therefore applied separately. That's what the world would have you believe.

What is truth?

That's the question Pilate asked Jesus when Jesus told him, "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me" (John 18:37, 38). So what is truth?

Jesus is the truth. God is the truth. In I John 4:2,3 John tells us, "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God." A couple verses later, in verse 6, John explains further when he says, "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." 

What is truth? It is what God says it is. How do you know what truth is? You know God. You listen to Him. You understand what John means in I John 4:1 when he warns us, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). To know truth, you have to know God.

Test what you see, what you hear, what you think against what God says. Ask Him to help you discern truth from lies. God is the truth--He will never mislead you.

As for the world?

Look at the picture above again.

That's the world's version of truth.

What Is Your Testimony?

Could you step up to the microphone?

Have you every been asked to give your testimony? For some, this is a terrifying and intimidating proposition. Public speaking is one of the most common fears. Couple that with trying to articulate, in a short time, such a complex issue as faith, and you have the recipe for shaky knees and sweaty pits.

That's OK. You're not alone.

Our testimony is our statement of faith, or the story of how we came to faith. We can also have testimonies (statements of evidence) of how we have seen God working in our lives. For some, it is easy to get up and talk about these things. Then again, some can get up in front of people and talk about anything! For others . . . not so much.

It's important to know what you would say.

Being able to talk about your faith is important. We are supposed to go and make disciples, to be lights unto the world, to teach the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we cannot talk about what we believe, how are going to do those things?

That doesn't mean you have to face large crowds. That is a calling for some, but not all. What is important is that you have a testimony that you can share with people you know, or strangers you meet. This doesn't have to be some fantastic story of how God saved you from the depths of despair (although that is true), or how you nearly died and found God. Those testimonies are powerful, but so is yours. The more ordinary your testimony, the more people will be able to relate to it.

Our testimony is very simple.

In I John 5:10, John says, "Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart." In verse 11, he identifies the testimony as this: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."

That's pretty simple, isn't it? Our testimony is that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. That's our statement of faith. That's what we believe. Sure, there are layers upon layers of supporting evidence for why we believe what we believe, but boiled down, our testimony is just that simple. God has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Being able to speak this is important. Memorize that verse, or put it in your own words. Know what you believe. Be confident in it. That way, when opportunity comes, you will at least have a starting point for a conversation. You don't have to be a great speaker. Moses wasn't. But he got the job done. So can you.

You will have the chance to share your testimony

Those opportunities abound. We are called to take advantage of them. That means being prepared. We tell each other about what has happened in our lives all the time--what our kids did yesterday, how the date with our spouse went last night, what we thought of the ballgame, or the election, or whatever. Talking about our faith is no different. It's about what we've seen, heard, experienced, and felt. You can talk about that. I know you can.

When that opportunity comes, take it. If you are sharing with an unbeliever, it's not on you to convince them. All you are called to do is speak the truth. Their reaction to that truth is on them. They can accept, or decline. Either way, you have been obedient. And you just might be an instrument God uses to bring them to eternal salvation. How cool is that!

Having a testimony about God is an incredible honor. No matter how plain you might think your story is, it's a powerful statement of God's work in your life. People are amazed by the amazing, but they relate to the everyday. Your story of how you came to know God, and how you see God working in your life, may just be what they need to hear to come to know Him.

Your chance is coming.

Don't waste it.  

The Reality Of Evil

Evil is real.

It surrounds us every day. You cannot watch the news, read the newspaper, or look at your newsfeed without realizing this sobering reality. Even were you to try to cut yourself off from the events of the world, you cannot fail to witness evil in your own community. Theft. Murder. Abuse. Neglect. Deceit.Terror.

Evil is real. It's out there. It's everywhere. It's here.

You cannot avoid it. You cannot hide from it. You can ignore it, but not for long. One day, some way, evil will touch your life.

Evil is powerful.

Don't kid yourself. Evil isn't some caricature of Satan dressed in a red suit carrying a pitchfork. Evil is a real, powerful force threatening to consume our world. Evil is not confined to a certain religion, a particular people group, an isolated party of philosophy. Evil is ubiquitous and enduring. Evil is found everywhere, every-when.

Such a force, one that is found in every nook and cranny of the world, is inevitably and inherently powerful. Evil drives men to commit atrocities unthinkable on their own. It controls, it manipulates, it overwhelms. 

Evil is a force to be reckoned with.

Do not be afraid.

Facing such a terrible and terrifying force, it would be easy to lose heart and faith. Looking around, we may think we stand not a chance against the tides of evil befalling our world. Hearing yet another report of someone cheating, someone killing, someone terrorizing the world, it would be easy to become frightened. It seems reasonable to hide ourselves, to seek safety, to cover our heads and wait for the storm to blow over.

It's not going to. Evil is here to stay. It has been here, and it will remain until the end. Evil is not new. As does the tide, evil waxes and wanes, but it never goes away. To give in to the fear of evil, to hide away and wait for it to pass, is to give up on living. If you're waiting for evil to disappear, I've got news for you: It's going to get worse before it gets better.

Do not be afraid. I know how the story ends. Evil will not win.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The latter half of Romans Chapter 12 addresses the reality of evil, and how we are to live with it. Paul tells us to hate what is evil, and cling to what is good. He tells us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. He reminds us to bless those who persecute you, and do not repay anyone evil for evil. 

"Do not take revenge, my friends," says Paul, "but leave room for God's wrath."

Pulling from wisdom of old, Paul quotes Proverbs 25:21, 22. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.

In summary, Paul says this: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We are surrounded by evil

We do not have to be overcome by it. Recognize what is evil, and hate it. Joyfully consider the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Be patient when evil afflicts us, pray faithfully. Do not seek revenge--let God take care of that.

Follow Paul's advice; it is God's recipe for victory.

We cannot help but be inundated by evil--that's out of our hands. What we can do is avoid being overcome by it.  

   

What Does God Want From Me?

How am I supposed to know what God wants?

Given that I make dozens, if not hundreds, or even thousands of decisions every day, how am I supposed to know what God wants me to do in every case? Does God care what I eat for breakfast, what I wear to work, which route I drive? Does it matter if I mow the yard today, or tomorrow? Does God have an opinion about what time I should go to bed, or what time I need to get up? Does the mundane matter to God?

If so, how am I supposed to know?

And if He cares, how am I supposed to know what He wants?

Some things are simple.

God wants us to honor Him and His Word. Marriage is sacred. Lying is wrong. Anger must be controlled. Do not steal. Do not murder. The big issues are fairly straight forward.

But what about the rest of our lives? What about that job decision? What about that house we might buy? Should we get a dog? A new car? That outfit? Sure, some of these are bigger than others, but none of them are spelled out in the Bible. Of course, the answer to each question depends on the circumstances surrounding them, but all else being equal, does God really care?

Of course He does. He tracks each hair on our head. He cares about everything we do, say, and are. No part of our lives escapes His attention, so everything matters. We are to do everything as though doing it for the Lord.

So I repeat: How am I supposed to know what God wants?

I have to get my head in the right place.

In Romans 12:2-3, Paul says it like this: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Paul says that in order to know what God wants, you have to get your head on straight. Stop thinking like the world thinks--stop being conformed to the pattern of this world--and instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In other words, don't think like the world; think like Christ.

How? What does that mean? It means passing everything--and I mean everything--through the filters of God's word, Christ's Gospel, and the influence of the Holy Spirit within you. A mind renewed is one focused on God, not on ourselves or the world around us.

To do that, you have to spend a lot of time with God. Going to church on Sunday is just one step. That's not enough. You have to read His word. Pray. Think about God. Talk to God. Listen to God. Every. Single. Day.

Then you'll know.

That's what Paul says. If you do not conform to the pattern of this world, but are rather transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will know what God's will is, what He wants. The answer may not come like a bolt of lightning, but it will come. When it does, do it, even if it's not the answer you wanted.

God will tell us what He wants. It's up to us to do it.

What Is Love?

It might be easier to say what love isn't.

I am talking about agape love, the highest order of love. This kind of love isn't what the world thinks it is, or wants us to believe it is. It is not tolerance of anything or everything that makes someone feel good. It is not support for any and all actions or beliefs, no matter how self destructive. It is not letting someone do whatever they want to do. That's not love. That's not caring. That's apathy.

Nor is love a warm, gushy feeling. It's not teddy bears and chocolates. It's not negligees and candlelight. Love is not lust. Love isn't just words. Love isn't just actions. Love is, as much as anything, the motivation behind what we say and do. Saying or doing the right words or the right actions for the wrong reasons isn't love. That's hypocrisy.

Love is what we do and why we do it. Love is having another person's highest good in mind. The kind of love the Bible talks about is alive, because God is love. Without God, we can't love, because we're dead inside.

The picture above is what you get when you try to play at love without God. Kind of spooky, isn't it?

Love is life.

Love is how you live with other people. If you treat others the way you'd want to be treated, you love them. If you love others as you love yourself, you're on the right track. If you are willing to lay down your life for a friend, you know what love is. That's how you are supposed to live with all people. Christ didn't just tell us to love our friends; He told us to love our enemies as well.

Love is about what you are supposed to do, not whether or not the other person "deserves" your love. Love is a command we are given. We are supposed to love each other. We are not supposed to earn love, or wait for love to be earned; we're just supposed to do it.

Love is what we are called to do all the time. We are supposed to live in love. Love is supposed to define our lives. Love isn't a sometimes thing. Now these three remain: Faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love. 

Love is powerful.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Love is so powerful that God gave us Jesus. According to Paul, love is greater than even faith, or hope. According to I John 4:16, God is love. That's powerful.

There is nothing soft and squishy about love. God disciplines those He loves. God is jealous for those He loves. God's wrath burns against those who try to harm those He loves. God is a consuming fire, and God is love.

What is love?

Love is everything. It's what you do or don't do; it's what you say or keep to yourself; it's what you think, or keep yourself from thinking. And most importantly, love is what makes all of those things either right, or wrong. Love is less about the what, and all about the why.

Follow God, and you will love.

What is love? All you have to do is ask yourself that old phrase: What would Jesus do? The answer to that question is love.

Love Is Not Optional

I have been studying the topic of love for a couple of months.

This weekend, I will be speaking in church about the topic of love from the book of I John, Chapter 4. In my studies, I have come to a few conclusions that opened my eyes a bit. The one I want to write about today is this:  Love is not optional.

Of course, love is optional, you might say. It is something we choose to do, or not. Love is voluntary, you might insist. Love is what we do, and why we do it; of course we have a choice in who we love, and who we don't, right?

I say wrong.

The Bible says love is not optional; not for Christians.

I John 4:13 says this: We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His spirit. I John 4:8 and 16 both say, God is love. If God lives in us (Christians), and God is love, how is love a choice? Again in verse 15: If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. Verse 16 again: God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

Tell me again how love is optional? Tell me again how we get to choose whether or not we are going to love?

Not convinced?

Let's try verse I John 4:19 and 20: We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

If you don't love your brother (fellow Christians), you cannot love God. If you say you do, John says you are a liar. You cannot love God if you do not love your brothers and sisters. Why? Because God is love. Without God, you cannot love. On the other hand, with God, you cannot help but love because God is love.

The Greek word that English translates as "love" used in I John is agape. Agape love is a selfless, giving kind of love that seeks the highest good of the other person. It is not brotherly love. It is not friendship love. It is putting the good of the other person above your own. It is Do unto others as you would have done unto you. It is Love your neighbor as yourself. It is a love we are not capable of on our own because God is agape love. Without God, there is no agape love. 

If, however, you are a Christian, then God lives within you. God, who is agape love, indwells you. If agape loves lives within you, you will have agape love for others. We love because He first loved us.

Love is not optional.

Love is a command.

The last verse of I John Chapter 4 says this: And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. In case you're not aware, the "He" spoken of there is none other than Jesus Christ.

Love is not a choice. Love is not an option. Love is something we are compelled to do if God lives within us. Love is something we are commanded to do by our Lord and Savior. Love is something we are called to do throughout the Bible.

You will love.

If you are a Christian, you will love. You will love your sons and daughters, your spouse, your mother and your father, and all your brothers and sisters in Christ. And then, when you get that all figured out, you'll deal with Christ's command to love your enemies.

If you are a Christian, you will love.

And that is not optional.

One Of God's Incredible Gifts

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

That, from Proverbs 18:22, pretty much sums it up. When I found my wife, I found what is good. When God brought us together, I received, for whatever reason, favor from the Lord. Not because I deserved her, not because I deserved His favor, but because our God is gracious and good. I am blessed.

I am blessed with a wife of noble character. I am blessed with a wife who is patient and kind, generous and giving, loving and compassionate. I am blessed with a mate who compliments, who completes, who betters me. I am blessed with God's favor, and a large portion of that favor is the wife He has entrusted to me.

I have found what is good. I have received the favor of the Lord.

Guys, we take them for granted.

Our wives are not just some other person. When we entered into the covenant of marriage, we entered into a sacred agreement. Our union is not just emotional, not just legal, not just physical, but spiritual. In the mysteries of God's workings, we are no longer two, but one. She and I, we are one.

It's easy to take that for granted. There is an assumed security in marriage which is at once reassuring and dangerous. It's reassuring in that we all crave security and stability. It is dangerous when we forget that security and stability are not self sustaining. It is dangerous when we become lazy. It is dangerous when we take them for granted.

Our wives are precious.

They are gifts from God, evidence of His favor upon us. They are priceless treasures which should be, deserve to be, must be guarded and protected with our very lives. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friend. If my wife is not my friend, then who is?

My wife is noble, elegant, beautiful. Proverbs 12:4 says, A wife of noble character is her husband's crown. She is my crown, my gift received from my gracious, loving Father. She is worth more than all the treasure, all the pleasures, all the temptations of this world. I would not, I will not trade her for any of them.

She is precious. She is priceless. She is a treasure.

I love her.

As my wife, I love her more than words can say. As the mother of our children, I respect her more than I show. As my mate walking side by side through the mountains and valleys of this life, I need her. Christ is my cornerstone and foundation. She is the gold which adorns the palace of my life.

If there were more to say, if I knew how to speak what I truly feel, I would. But I cannot. Words are not enough. To thank her is so little, but thank her I do. To love her seems insufficient, but it is all that I have.

Happy Birthday, my Dear Sweet Girl.

May God speak to you what I cannot. May He bless you as you deserve. May He guard you, watch over you, and make His face shine upon you this day, and every day yet to come. 

The Clock Is Ticking

Yes, our time is short.

Everything in this life is limited by time, if for no other reason than our mortality. God has measured out for each of us a certain number of days, and though I know not how many you or I have left, I do know we have one less today than we did yesterday. I don't want to discourage you, but here's the reality: The clock is ticking.

Every second of every day brings us closer to that which comes next. Be it the Rapture, the Second Coming of Christ, or our mortal death, the pages of this chapter will close.  It's important we realize that, not so we are afraid or overwhelmed, but rather so that we are motivated to act. Whatever it is we are going to do, we can't wait for tomorrow, or next week, or next year. If it needs to be done, it needs to be done now.

Our time is short. Use it wisely.

Even still, it's not over til it's over.


The world, and Satan himself, want you to believe time is too short. They want you to believe you've missed you're chance, that the opportunity to do whatever it is you wanted to do has passed.  They want us to think we've already waited too long. It's too late to change, to become better, to do what you want to do. Your kids are too far gone, your marriage is beyond repair, your life is an unsalvageable disaster. That's what they want you to believe.

That's a lie.

As long as you have breath in your lungs and a will to act, it's not too late. You can do something. Nothing is over til its over, and its not over til God says its over. Our God is unbelievably patient with us. As a parent with a stubborn child, He affords us opportunities again and again to do what we're supposed to do. Its amazing, really. If you're reading this, you still have time.

Think about that.

What are you going to do?

That thing you know you should do, that change you know you should make. The apology burning a hole in your conscience, the forgiveness you've been holding back. The work that needs done, the words that need spoken, the love that needs given. You're still here. There's still time.

What are you going to do?

Will you wait another day? Will you put if off yet again? God is patient, but the clock is ticking. A chance not taken is an opportunity lost. Idle hands are the devil's workshop. There are hundreds of cliches I could write here, but you get my point. You know what you need to do.

What are you going to do about it?

God's Justice Is Real

People don't get what they deserve.

There are people out there who don't get what they deserve. Liars. Cheaters. Murderers. Rapists. Some get caught, some don't. Even if they do, they all too often seem to get off too easily. Some even walk away seemingly scot-free.

Where's the justice in that? How is that right? How is it possible that a just, loving, protecting God would allow some of these things to happen? Why would He not stop them? Why would He not punish those responsible for even thinking such things? It's in His power. Why doesn't He do it?

Is God just at all?

What is justice?

 Justice is just behavior or treatment.  So what is just behavior or treatment? The definition of "just" is based on or behaving according to what is morally right or fair. My definition of justice is getting what you deserve. Fairness. Righting a wrong, or at least paying for it.

All too often, I don't see that happening. People commit legally and morally corrupt crimes, unspeakable, unthinkable, unbelievably evil acts. According to my definition of justice, their repayment would be some equally unspeakable and unthinkable punishment. An eye for an eye. What comes around goes around. In my justice system, no murderer, no rapist would go to jail. You don't want to know what I'd do.

That, to me, is justice.

But I'm not God.

God is just. That is a concrete fact that I accept and believe. That doesn't mean I understand it. That doesn't mean I comprehend how someone can--through an act of willful, intentional evil--kill or brutally assault another person and not face the wrath of an angry God right then and there. If I were God . . . But I'm not.

I believe God is just. I have to trust that His justice is real. I have to faithfully hold to the understanding that His ways are above my ways, and His thoughts above my thoughts. His very character is justice and righteousness. He is perfectly moral, right, fair, and just.  Everything He does, how He responds to every word, thought, and deed of ours will reflect His justice.

He is God. His justice is real.

No one will escape His right hand.

The right hand of God is powerful and mighty. Nothing escapes His all-seeing eyes. No one can hide, no one can run, no one can avoid His reckoning. God is just, and all things will be made right. Every crime, every sin, every misdeed will be paid for in full. God's scale of justice will balance.

What is really hard for me is God's patience. When I think of justice, I think in terms of the immediate. I think of now. You did this? Then you deserve that. Right now.

Apparently, that's not how God works.

Thank God for His grace and mercy!

Grace is an undeserved gift. Mercy is the withholding of deserved punishment. Somehow, in God's perfection, grace, mercy, and justice are all exquisitely combined. Though I cannot begin to explain it or understand it, God executes His grace, His mercy, and His justice simultaneously through His Son Jesus Christ. And how thankful I am!

In my justice system, I'd be damned. I, just as all others, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That means, according to justice, what is fair and right is that I have to pay. Falling short of God's glory means being unworthy of His presence. The only alternative is a real place of separation and punishment we call hell. That's what I deserve.

God's justice is different. God gave His only Son as a payment for the sins of all who accept Him. I cling to that, and so should you. God's justice demands payment for sin. God's grace and mercy gave Jesus Christ to pay for the sins we commit. All sins. No matter how big. No matter how small. Paid in full. If you have Jesus.

God's justice is real.

When administered at the hands of men, justice is imperfect. God's justice is real. It's perfect. It's beyond our understanding. Whatever we've done, whatever anyone has done, will be repaid, either through the blood of Christ, or through eternity in hell. And though we may not understand it, that's right, fair, and just, because God's justice is the only justice that really matters.

O! Say Can You See . . .

Do you know what these words are?

 O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation.
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust!'
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

It's our national anthem.

Or at least the fourth stanza. Didn't know there were four stanzas? There are. Let's take a closer look at this little known last one.

The first two lines speak of the bravery of freemen standing in the gap between their beloved homes and the desolation of war. That is the brave men and women of our military yesterday, today, and tomorrow standing between us and destruction at the hands of our enemies. Never forget them.

The third and fourth lines speak of being blessed with victory and peace, and of being rescued by Heaven. Who are we blessed by? God, of course! Because, no matter what we are being told, we are a country founded, and preserved by that Power who is God Almighty. Never forget who was and is in control of our destiny.

The fifth and sixth lines speak of winning the battle in our just cause, and always gaining strength from our motto, 'In God is our trust.' One nation, under God. It's our pledge. It's our anthem. It's our motto.  Never forget. Never let go of that.

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!

Just thought I'd share that with you.

Something to consider as we celebrate our Independence Day. We once gave the credit to God for making and sustaining us as this great nation. Let's get back to that.

I am forever thankful for our veterans who have and do protect and preserve our rights and freedoms. I am eternally thankful to God for giving us a nation to protect, and praying that He continues to preserve it.