The Power of Truth

"On hearing it,

many of his disciples said,

'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

. . .From this time many of his disciples

turned back and no longer followed him."

John 6:60 & 66

His message was popular and spread like wildfire.  Soon, everyone in the country was talking about his plan to bring the nation back to it's former greatness.  It seemed like a positive step, so they elected Barack Obama to the position of President of the United States.  

In contrast, Jesus did not campaign, talk about His policies or tell people what they wanted to hear.  His goal was not to win an election, but to obey His Father's will.  He came to free people from the bondage of sin by dying a criminal's death on a cross.  

The message Jesus taught was intriguing, drawing those who belonged to Him but enraging those who did not know the Father. (John 8:19)  Many people followed Jesus wherever He went, but later fell away when they heard the purpose of His ministry: reconciliation of man's relationship with God through His death.

Jesus was not here to build a following or win a popularity contest.  In the same way, as a disciple of the One who called Himself "the Truth," (John 14:6) I should not be concerned with my acceptance by others.  Jesus warned us that, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19)

Following Jesus means the power of Truth in my life will work to divide, save and discern.  Living my life to please Him will not be a life of ease and luxury, but it will be a life filled with joy, peace and love.

Truth Divides

Country singer Johnny Cash accepted Jesus as His Savior after a failed suicide attempt in 1968.  He went on to experience a resurgence in his success as an artist and thus gained a platform for the message of the gospel through song.  He is known to have said, "How well I have learned that there is no fence to sit on between heaven and hell.  There is a deep, wide gulf, a chasm, and in that chasm is no place for any man."*

There is no fence-sitting when it comes to Jesus.  He came bearing a sword, not an olive leaf. (Matthew 10:34) He became the stumbling stone which came between men and their salvation.   (Isaiah 8:14)  Either you love Jesus, or hate Him; you're for Him, or against Him; you're saved by Him, or reject His message of salvation.  (Matthew 12:30)

When the Holy Spirit spoke to the people through Peter, He said, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

If I am going to follow Jesus, I cannot compromise on the Truth as He has revealed it to me in His Word.  Even though it seems harsh in this time of tolerance to say that Jesus is the only way, it is the Truth, and those who are drawn by God will accept the Truth.  (John 6:44)  I can be encouraged by those who came before me to speak the Truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

The Truth will not win me a popularity contest, but will divide the believers from the unbelievers.

Truth Saves

I have tried to live my life based on a lie.  I used to think if I could try to be a pretty good person, then I'd be accepted by God.  I thought I was a good person compared to a lot of other people I saw.  I didn't go out and get drunk, I did well in school, I was nice to people (at least to their face), I didn't intentionally hurt others.  You know; I was pretty good!

The problem with this lie is that it keeps me in bondage to my own efforts as well as to the standard I am using.  I must constantly be aware of where I stand on the "good scale".  Then, if I do something that is deemed really bad, I'm out of luck.  I've tarnished my image.  Either I lose hope, or try to be extra good in the future to make up for the naughty act I committed.

The Truth, however, says that all of mankind sins.  It also says God holds the standard for my life and His benchmark is perfection.  This Truth also tells me that every time I fall short, that is sin.  Sin could be a thought, a word, an action or an attitude.  Sin also is my nature:  In other words, I cannot help but sin because it's who I am.

Looking at my life in the light of that Truth, I find my efforts to be in vain.  Who am I kidding?  I could never hope to be perfect!  Thankfully, this Truth also tells me that there is a solution to my sin problem, and His name is Jesus Christ.  Out of God's great love for me, He sent Jesus to take my punishment for the sins I have and will commit.  Because of His sacrificial death, I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  In accepting His gift of saving me from certain death as a punishment for my sins, I am free from living the lie I used to live.

Now I am free to live my life in relationship with a perfect God who loves me.  As I walk with Him through the day, He leads me down paths of righteousness for His namesake instead of down paths of wickedness on which my natural self wants to travel.  (Galatians 5:16-18)

The Truth will not give me an easy life, but it will set me free from the law of sin and death so I can live the way I was created to live in relationship with God.

Truth Discerns

One of the things I've noticed about getting older is that I think a lot more about the legacy I'll leave.  What difference have I made in the world?  How will people remember me?  Am I doing anything of eternal value in this temporary dwelling place?

As a believer in Christ, I can't just mark time while I wait for Jesus to return.  It would be easy just to hunker down and enjoy my time with Him as I wait in peace and seclusion for His return.  The problem is, Jesus Himself spoke harshly about those who do not use the gifts, talents and resources God has so generously given to do something which has eternal value. (Matthew 25:14-30)

Before Jesus left, one of His most powerful directives was what we now call "The Great Commission."  Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19)

The question I must ask myself daily is, "Who is God placing in my path that needs to hear the Gospel?"  Another thought is, "Who is God positioning in my life so that I can disciple them?"  We all are missionaries and mentors.  I may feel I'm not qualified to evangelize or come alongside a new believer and teach them the basics but it's not about my own abilities.  

The Truth I must remember is that God's Spirit dwells within me and works to guide me and supply the words I need to spread the message He has called me to tell. (Luke 12:11-12)  It is not based on my own preparation, other than to be in a right relationship with Him.  As I follow His lead, I will find that He will equip me to share the Gospel and disciple others.

The Truth will not keep me where I'm comfortable, but it will turn me loose to be a mouthpiece unto salvation for all those who will listen.

As a follower of Christ, I must expect to receive the same treatment He did.  I should not expect the world to accept me, to live my life based on a lie, or to be able to fit in with everyone else.  Instead, I can expect that the Truth divides believers from nonbelievers, saves me from the futility of living based on my own standards, and discerns the ones who truly take His teachings seriously from those who are just posers.  The power of the truth will alter the landscape of my life from here on out.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can stick to the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, so help me God.

When am I more concerned with pleasing others than in saying what's true?

How can I live my life as a testimony to the love of God?

*http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnnycash188002.html#tZRlWsTAG5h2OoaV.99 

Think Spiritually

"When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd

coming toward him,

he said to Philip,

'Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?'

He asked this only to test him,

for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him,

'Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!'"

There were way more people than anyone ever expected to show up.  As the masses gathered in around the hillside to listen to the lesson they hoped would come, the disciples marveled at the scope of the crowd.  

"I never imagined this many people would be interested in what He has to say."

"Well, I think they're more interested in seeing some more miracles."  Word of His mind-blowing feats had drawn the attention of many: the water changing into wine, the healings, not to mention the powerful teachings that no one can explain coming from an uneducated, carpenter's son.   

Jesus drew crowds wherever He went.  God was drawing people to the Truth in the same way He does today.  Once I begin to follow Him, however, I will discover a dichotomy within myself: my fleshly mind naturally focuses on the obvious and physical side of situations, like Philip did above, while God's Spirit prompts me to see things with His eyes.  If I only focus on what I can see with my physical eyes or comprehend based on past experiences, I will miss out on all He is doing behind the scenes that can only be seen with spiritual eyes.

Oswald Chambers puts it all in perspective when he wrote, "Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual: of impulse and inspiration.  Nothing Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, it is revelation sense, and it reaches the shores where common sense fails."

Following Jesus means I'll need to shed my rational and reasonable side and begin to look at things from His perspective. 

Problems

I used to be fond of quoting Murphy's Law which states, "If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong."  Besides being a pessimistic approach to life, this way of thinking also expects the worst out of every situation.  I imagine that A.A.Milne's character, Eeyore, from the beloved world of Winnie the Pooh carried this kind of attitude.

Although it is quite easy to see all the difficulties that creep up within the parameters of a normal day, a simple change in my outlook can make a world of difference.  Instead of looking at troubles as problems which wreak havoc, I can see them with spiritual eyes.  

God can use any situation for His glory. There is nothing so big and difficult that He wrings His hands as He wonders how He'll work it all out.  As Jeremiah prayed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you."  (Jeremiah 32:17)

Whenever a problem or snafu creeps up in my day, therefore, I have the option of viewing it as an opportunity to trust God and a chance for Him to show His might and power.  When I make that choice, instead of dreading the difficulties, I'll find myself looking forward to the display of His supremacy and sovereignty that will soon follow.

God will use bad for good.  The only question is: To which will I pay attention?  The bad, or the good?

Choosing the perspective of Christ requires that I consider every crisis to be a vessel of His goodness, grace and mercy.

Delays

There is nothing more frustrating than driving in rush hour traffic when I have an appointment.  As I creep along the interstate, my mind calculates how much time I have left before my meeting and ultimately, how late I will be in arriving at my destination.

It's hard not to see delays as inconveniences or disruptions to my plans.  If I could see with a heavenly viewpoint for just one day, however, I would be amazed at all the accidents a setback diverted, how the time spent waiting in traffic was used to align the schedules of those who He purposed for me to cross paths with later that day, or when I was spared from heartache because of a delay.

Part of trusting God means I can choose to see delays and slowdowns as a part of His plan.  His timing is perfect, but it does not always meet up with my timetable.  Just because I have an appointment or a task to finish in a certain allotment of time does not mean that God's got the same plan for me that day.  When I stubbornly stick to my own agenda despite the fact that nothing seems to be going my way, I will live a frustrated and stress-filled life.

If, however, I choose to divert my attention away from the traffic creeping along all around me, the cashier moving as slow as molasses or the customer service agent who insists on going through all the troubleshooting steps, and focus on God as the giver of all good things, peace will fill my soul. (James 1:17 , Psalm 4:8)

Choosing the perspective of Christ requires that I perceive delays as divine adjustments in my schedule to more closely align it with His.

Suffering

I go out of my way to avoid suffering.  If I had a choice between bearing a sinus headache for a day and teaching a class of preschoolers the day after gorging on Halloween candy, I'd definitely choose the children, as challenging as that would be.  Enduring pain is never something I desire.

God, however, has a different plan.  He uses suffering as a tool to mature and purify my faith. (Hebrews 2:10, Malachi 3:3)  Going through painful situations works to humble me and weaken me to such a point that I become desperate for the Source of my strength.  When I am down on my knees with nowhere else to turn, I cry out to Him.  It is then that I gain a wider view of God as He comforts as only He can.  (2 Corinthians 1:3)

How else will I experience that tender side of God unless I'm wounded and in need of care?  How else will I get to see His healing power unless I'm in need of healing?  How else will I begin to understand His mercy unless I experience it firsthand?  

Joni Eareckson Tada, who knows a little about suffering, said this: "The world has a philosophy that says, 'What can't be cured must be endured.' Christians have a philosophy that says, 'What can't be cured can be enjoyed.'"

Only someone who has reaped the benefits from suffering would be able to say such a thing.  When learning to accept where God has place me, I begin to see the fruit that is produced in my life:  Benefits like a greater dependency on God, a more acute awareness of His power in my life, a mind like Christ's, a better understanding of how Jesus suffered for me, and more wisdom and discernment from God.  

Choosing the perspective of Christ requires that I look forward to suffering as precious times of purification.

I'm naturally rich in common sense, but many times lacking in spiritual perception.  Purposefully deciding to see things through spiritual eyes, however, while increase its acuity.  I will find that problems become opportunities for God to show His power, delays are adjustments in my schedule to more closely align it with His, and suffering is a tool used to mature and purify.  With this kind of point of view, there is nothing in this life that will get me down.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will choose to see things from God's perspective.

How often do I react negatively toward delays instead of thinking about how God may use them?

When do I avoid suffering instead of seeing it as one of the most powerful tools God can use in my life?   

  

God's Voice

Jesus said:

"No one can come to me unless the Father

who sent me draws him, 

and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'

Everyone who listens to the Father

and learns from him

comes to me."

 John 6:44-45

"My sheep listen to my voice;

I know them,

and they follow me."

John 10:27

A friend once said to me, "Too bad God doesn't communicate via text message.  Then at least I'd know exactly what He wanted me to do!"  We laughed because it is common to feel unsure about God's will in many areas of our lives.  

I want to follow God's lead, but many times I'm unsure of where He is located.  It's like I'm playing a game of "Marco Polo."  I call out "Marco" to Him, then I listen for Him to respond, "Polo," but I don't always hear anything.  I call out again. . . nothing.  I feel frustrated.  Where is He?

I know His voice because I heard Him when I first came to Christ.  He called me and I responded, but He was the one who called. He initiated.  I didn't ask Him, "Is this something You want me to do?"  I simply responded to His calling.

Maybe that's where I get mixed up.  I try to put the cart before the horse and ask God if He's calling me.  In reality, He is calling me but I am getting distracted by all that's going on around me.

How does God call me?

His Word

When I read, study and meditate on God's Word, I am not merely learning important truths.  I am taking God Himself into my being and letting Him change me, guide me and teach me.  

God uses scripture to call me to let go of harmful habits, attitudes and actions, and to take up godly ones instead.  He speaks through His Word.  If I merely study His Word and then go about my day without another thought as to what I read, I am doing what James taught about when he said, "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."  (James 1:23-24)

God's Word is meant to be dissected, analyzed and searched as I look for His message to me.    It is meant to be applied to my life; I should constantly be asking, "What is God saying to me here?"

God promised that I will find Him when I seek Him with all of my heart.  This applies to His Word, as well.  I must approach the Bible with a seeking heart. . . then I will find Him!

God calls me through the careful and intentional incorporation of His Word into my life.

Opportunity

Dozens of opportunities present themselves to me weekly.  Activities, missions, group studies, outreach, service, etc.  The list can go on and on.  But surely God does not mean for me to be involved in all of them!

Henry Blackaby and Claude King described it this way in their powerful study Experiencing God:  "If you keep your life God-centered, you will immediately put your life along side His activity.  When you see God at work around you, your heart will leap within you and say,'Thank you, Father, thank You for letting me be involved where You are.'

The key is to pay attention to God, not all the opportunities that constantly pop up.  Then, I will recognized His Hand at work around me and I can join in with confidence, knowing that it is where God wants me at that moment.  

The Apostle Paul teaches in Philippians 2:13 that, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."   God initiates!  He gives me, "the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (NLT)

God calls me when I pay attention to Him and what He is already doing around me.

Heart

We sing a powerful worship song called, "Hosanna" by Hillsong during corporate worship in our congregation.  While the entire song is moving, there is one line in particular that stands out like a beacon.  "Break my heart for what breaks yours."

I can't hear God's voice when I am only concerned about my own welfare.  Seeing things from God's perspective gives me a tender heart that breaks when I see suffering around me, and I am drawn to action.  But that kind of perspective is a supernatural work of God on my heart.  

David was considered to be a man after God's own heart but he fell away into sin for a time.  When he came back to the Lord, He asked God to, "create in me a clean heart, O God." (Psalm 51:10 NLT) 

It is easy for my heart to become corrupted by the beliefs of this world, hardened by the difficulties of life, and jaded by all the disappointments I have experienced.  But God can cleanse, soften and readjust my heart so that It is more closely aligned to His. 

Oswald Chambers points out that there is a difference between possessing the heart of God, and acting out of human compassion.  "Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in blaspheming the love of God."  

God calls me when my heart is intimately associated with His.

Hearing God's voice is not like playing a game of "Marco Polo."  Instead, it involves studying and applying His Word to every part of my life, focusing on Him and recognizing His work around me, and inclining my heart toward Him.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will let God's Word infect every part of my life.

How do I act out of natural human sympathy instead of with the heart of God?

What can I do to help myself focus on God throughout the day?

.

This is the Day

"The stone the builders rejected
   has become the capstone;
the LORD has done this,
   and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24



There is a lot of rejoicing going on at Christmastime.  The angels brought good news of great joy to the shepherds culminating in a concert performed by a choir of angels singing praises to God.  Rejoicing in this news, the shepherds joyfully visited the baby lying in a manger and left glorifying and praising God for what they had seen and heard.  Simeon, a man at the temple who was filled with the Holy Spirit, praised God when He held the Christ child eight days later,  as did the prophetess Anna when she recognized the Messiah and told everyone about the redemption that was coming through Jesus.  Magi from the East were overjoyed when they saw the star which heralded the birth of our Savior, and they followed it until they came to the place where He lay in order that they could worship Him.

Many of us are joyful at this time of year, but most of the reasons we use to celebrate have nothing to do with that first Christmas, over 2000 years ago!  The best motivation for a party lies hidden in filthy borrowed stable, visible only to those who are watching and paying attention. 

A capstone is the final piece laid in the making of a stone wall or structure.  It is formed to certain specifications in order that it can be placed exactly according to the blueprint, thus completing the masonry project.  There is surely great rejoicing as the final stone in slid into place, bringing to an end months of planning and labor. 

In Luke 20:9-17, Jesus revealed himself as the capstone referred to in Psalm 118.  After years of prophecies telling of the coming of a Messiah, and of countless deaths of those who came to tell, the time had finally come to complete God's plan by sending His own Son to take the punishment for the sin of all mankind; a reason to rejoice, indeed!

Rejected  Not everyone rejoices at the fulfillment of so many prophecies in the birth of a baby born to a young girl.  But, as Paul taught in I Corinthians 1:18, ". . . the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  Jesus is rejected by many as the rightful King of all Kings.

God's Handiwork  Only a Master Planner could formulate a blueprint in which the final piece would fit perfectly.  This is what God has done in sending Jesus to take our punishment so that I might live forever with Him.   It is completely a work of God's mighty Hand.  We cannot even recognize our need for Jesus without God's work in our lives.  Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." (John 6:44)   Additionally, salvation is offered freely to us by God.  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)  The Lord has done this!

Marvelous  George Gershwin penned a song called "s' Wonderful" whose chorus goes like this:

'S wonderful ! 'S marvelous !
(That) You should care for me !
'S awful nice ! 'S paradise !
'S what I love to see !

As you listen to the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald sing this classic, think of how marvelous it is that God should care enough for you that He sent His Son!

This is the day when I can celebrate that the One who was rejected by many has been sent by God to save us.  How marvelous: that gives me something to rejoice about!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will remember to rejoice in all that God has done.

How often do I forget the miracle of Jesus?

When do I find myself replacing the humble manger with other things at Christmastime?

Bread from Heaven

"Jesus said to them,

'I tell you the truth,

it is not Moses who has given

you the bread from heaven,

but it is my Father who gives

you the true bread from heaven. 

For the bread of God is he who

comes down from heaven

and gives life to the world.' " 

John 6:32-33

Imagine what it must have been like for the Israelites as they wandered in the desert for 40 years.  Each morning, slipping out of their tent, they took a basket and gathered the fine flake-like stuff that fell to the ground each day like dew.  They were instructed to only gather enough for each day, trusting that God would provide for the needs.

Jesus compared himself to this manna and then went on in this passage from John 6 to call himself the Bread of Life.   As Christmas draws near, let's examine how Jesus is the "Bread from Heaven."

Source  When the Israelites first saw the manna, they must have felt amazed and also a little confused at this stuff whose name literally means, "what is it?"  I wonder if they swapped recipes as they tried to figure out how to prepare this new food.  It is the same with Jesus.  He came down from heaven, and even though the coming of the Messiah had been prophesied for years before, many didn't recognize Him when He came.  He was in a form unfamiliar to them and of their expectations of how the Messiah would come.  Jesus told those who did not believe His message that they do not know Him because they do not know the Father.  To recognize Jesus, I must let go of all preconceived notions about who I think He is, and get to know Him personally.  He is sent from heaven to be my Savior!

Life-Giving  Wandering in the desert gave the Israelites quite the appetite.  They began to long for their life back in Egypt where, even though they were slaves, at least they had food to eat!  It was then that God provided the life-giving manna and quail.  Just as food consumed in freedom tastes better than that served in slavery, we now have the Bread of Life, Jesus, who offers liberty from the bondage of sin.  No longer am I bound to do things that come naturally, but I have another way.  Paul instructs us to, ". . .live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5:16)  Before I met Jesus, I was headed on a path of destruction, having no other option than to follow my own evil desires.  Evil, because anything I think and do naturally runs contrary to God's holy ways.  But when I met Jesus and entered into a relationship with Him, He gave me another option.  I can now surrender my will to Him and let Him work through me, which yields much of His Fruit .  Jesus gives me the hope of eternal life, but also the anticipation of a fruitful life of purpose.

By Faith Even though God instructed the Israelites to only gather what was needed for each day, there were those who tried to store some manna for the next day, just in case God didn't come through.  When they awoke the next morning, however, their stash was covered in maggots and stunk to high heaven!  It took faith to believe that God would provide for their needs each day.  There was nothing the Israelites could do to generate more or less of the food God provided; it was received by faith.  Likewise, we are dead in our sins and powerless to save ourselves from the cycle of sin and it's inevitable consequences. It takes faith to believe that Jesus will clean me up and make me presentable to stand before a holy, perfect God.  When I trust Him, He does just that, and now I can live forever with Him!  Faith in Jesus gives me life.  Not just any life. . . but an abundant life!

Christmas is many things in America.  It is about shopping for gifts to give the ones I love, spending time with family and friends, sharing delicious treats and spreading goodwill.  But this Christmas, I want more.  I want it to be about the One whose birth we celebrate, and how He came from heaven to give life to those who accept His gift of salvation by faith. 

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will treasure my Gift from Heaven.

How is my life abundant; overflowing with the good things that God has given me?  Not so much the physical stuff, but what about His love, grace and mercy?  What about seeing His mighty hand at work every day?

Where do I try to hoard blessings He has given me instead of using them all up by spreading them around to those around me?