The Truth vs Lies

Following is a continuation of my July 22 post on Whose truth?

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' " (John 8:31-32 NKJ)

"... if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

"I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

"I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your Father." (verses 36-38)

Being a descendant of Abraham does not make you a believer.
"If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham." (verse 39)

But they seek to kill Him.

"You do the deeds of your father." (verse 41)

Their father, whom they profess is God, is not. It is the devil. For Jesus says in verse 42, "If God were your father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me."

"Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

"But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me."(verses 43-45)

"He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear because you are not of God." (verse 47)

The Lord goes, comes and is

"And the Lord, 'He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Lord,

What do You want me to do?

What do You want me to learn?

Do your arms enfold themselves around me and I do not feel it?

Has the pain I feel so overcome me that I've missed your loving touch?

Have I missed whatever point you have for me?

Show me Lord how to be more aware of You, more in tune, more focused on You,

less on me.

In your name I make this petition. Amen.

Whose truth?

Religion is useless, meaningless if not based on truth - God's truth, God's word, not our own. God's word is found in the Bible, not any other book. We must base our lives solely on God and His truth. Basing it on what we personally, individually perceive as true, again is useless, meaningless, of no consequence.

Our purpose in living is found only in the Lord, "loving Him with all your heart and soul and mind." (Matthew 22:37) What I purpose to be or do or have - those individual pursuits - meaningless if not based on truth - only always God's truth!

"a thorn in the flesh"?

The apostle Paul talks about having "a thorn in the flesh." Three times he asked the Lord to remove it, but the Lord does not. Instead the Lord says to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

I have wondered, I wonder still, if it is the Lord's will for my back not to be healed, if it is my "thorn in the flesh." I do not achieve much of a degree of relief. Am I to learn ... what am I to learn from this? I struggle with the pain, yet I feel I should not keep asking for prayer for relief from the pain. If this is God's will and His grace is sufficient for me, show me how to bear under the load, show me how my weakness can be strong in You. Show me how to deal with the pain and distress without looking like I am under duress. I pray this in your name. Amen.

God in the midst of forgiveness, bitterness, time, interruptions

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJ)

Bitterness is its own prison.

Are you a victim of betrayal, resentment, self-pity, abuse ... untold hurts that keep you chained, defeated? Or have you forgiven another? Have you moved on?

You still remember the pains, but its not keeping you in bitter remorse.

You asked God for healing and He answered.

The dungeon of despair is deep and dark.

Come into the light with the Lord Jesus.

~~~~

Do you have time?

Not time to do

or go

or be

But time to

listen

To your co-workers

your neighbors

your friends

your family

To God

Time to stop

Be still

See

Smell

Wait

Do you have time?

If you only have time for yourself .... you have lost much.

~~~~

"Continue to have faith and do what you know is right. Some people have rejected this and their faith has been shipwrecked."

1 Timothy 1:19 (New Century version)

We should never take our own work too seriously, but always have room, be prepared for interruptions, particularly when it is God who does the interrupting. Be watchful - God will block our path and thwart our plans by putting people and events in our way. It is still our choice what we do, how we proceed. Getting what we want is not what counts. God's way is best. That's why, I think, He sends us an interruptions. Even in following God's way, He may send us an interruption for us to learn by.

The calm before the storm

Still.

Calm is the air
before the storm
brewing
in the morning sky
shatters all
in its path.

Cathy Orrick Luders

7.4.2010

Praying for Christ's strength

The Apostle Paul says "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:" ... to be full or hungry, rich or poor, to have or have not ... "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11a-13)

Will I too learn, especially when suffering physical pain (or not) to be content? Do I believe Christ's strength in me is stronger than the pain?

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God: and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

To not be anxious about anything that comes our way, but to allow God to guide us, keep our hearts and minds clean and clutter-free. To earnestly petition the Lord for guidance, for freedom from pain to healing.

It is hard not to be anxious, not to worry, when the pain we feel so overwhelms us and we become increasingly distraught and dismayed.

But, as a child of God, I must bury myself in His word; to overcome these feelings, I must pray consistently, listen with ear and heart, see with eye and heart.

To know what I must do and to do that ... ah, that is hard. I pray Lord, through You I can overcome my disabilities. Through You my burdens will be made light. I pray this in your name. Amen.

His compassion

"He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick." (Matthew 14:14a)

Jesus knows us. Our past, our present, our tomorrow. What we have done, are doing and what we will do, yet His compassion for us remains.

He sees our need and His heartfelt, overwhelming response is to reach out to us and heal us.

He never sends us away, like friends, lovers, neighbors may. He is ever present. He cares for us. He encourages us. He builds our faith. He questions our doubt.

He gives worshipful praise to His Father. He constantly prays to Him for us.

Oh, if we could only be more like Him.

It's your choice, but don't wait

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2)

The Lord God almighty knows all who will come to everlasting life and those who will not. We do not. We are to share the Good News of His Son, Jesus Christ, to all we meet along the ways we travel. Our job is to share, to witness to all we come in contact; their response is between themselves and the Lord. We cannot make the right decision for them.

The other night on television there was a two-part episode of "Ghost Whisperer." A plane had crashed near a city and all except one (who was not even on the plane) died. But they were in limbo land. They didn't know what happened and wanted to know; upon learning, they could make the decision to go toward the light (depicted as heaven) or toward the dark (depicted as Satan and hell).

Our decisions to do what is right are not made at our death (as portrayed in this show), but while we are alive.

At death, our souls have already moved on, based on decisions made while alive. It is then too late. Do't wait until it is too late. Don't keep saying "later, later." You repeatedly say this over and over -- later, after high school, after college, after I have some fun, after this beer, after this trip, after the surgery. Later never comes. When you have died, there is no later. You are in the later and your decision is made.

Do it now. Go into the light. Be part of the light. Live life with the Father, who art in heaven.