Resisting the Truth

Can you imagine someone who would actually resist knowing or believing the truth? It happens all the time. In fact, people say that truth in its first form is always negative. We often react negatively the first time we hear a truth.

This occurs especially if the truth is contrary to what we were taught, or have heard all of our life or falsely believed in our past. We may resist or reject the person speaking the truth, as well as the truth itself.

Timothy knew people like this. He described them as men of corrupt understanding and reprobate in the area of faith (2 Timothy 3:8). People in the 21st Century have this same problem.

We want to escape judgment or punishment, so we tell a lie. We cause other people to believe lies; and in the process, we often prevent them from knowing the truth. We tell a lie so many times that we start to believe that it is actually true.

We resist the truth of God's Word because Satan already polluted our mind with his lies. Even books, novels written for entertainment, are used by the devil to prevent people from believing God's Truth.

In today's world, comedians make a living poking fun at truth and touting lies as the more logical belief. They convince the weak in heart and mind to believe these lies as if they were truth (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

Some people regard godliness as a means of gaining material wealth. They go into the ministry as a job rather than a calling. They pretend to have an intimate relationship with God, but their actions deny any authentic union between them and our Savior.

They are devoid of God's truth and do not devote the hours of service required by the position of pastor or teacher, but do the bare minimum of work and spend the rest of their time in leisure (1 Timothy 6:5). They are actually detestable, unfit for the ministry and disobedient to God's Spirit (Titus 1:16).

Even if we have to apologize or admit that we are or were wrong, it is worth walking in the light of God's Truth. God has a place for liars in the pit of hell (Revelation 21:8). Resisting His Truth determines our eternal destination (John 3:18).

Prayer:

Father God, it is easy for humans to lie to maintain our false image or to justify our actions. Your truth tends to convict us, and many people run from conviction. They avoid admitting their faults and resist walking in Your Truth. They manufacture reasons to excuse their sin and to convince themselves that they are righteous.

You call us to walk in Your Truth in order to gain Your blessings (1 Kings 2:4). Help us to walk in Your Truth, so that as we fear You more than people, we will walk in Your ways (Psalm 86:11). Remind us to walk in Your Spirit at all times, and we will never resist Your Truth (Galatians 5:15-25).

Thought for the Day:

We delight in knowing that our children are telling us the truth and know that we can always trust them when they do; God feels the same way. - 3 John 1:4

My Soul Thirsts for God

Prayer is our method of communication with God. We pray in one of two ways: monologues or dialogues. A monologue prayer is one-sided. We recite a litany of needs and tell God what we want and how He should provide it. 

We even give Him the game plan that we think is His best alternative. Of course, a dialogue is two-sided, and we are quiet long enough to hear from God.

God calls us to be still and to know that He is our Almighty God (Psalm 46:10). His words to us never contradict His words in the Bible. 

If we think we hear from God, and it is contrary to His Biblical words, then we know that Satan, the counterfeit, is trying to lead us away from God’s Truth. God's sheep know His voice; and the more we listen, the more we recognize that He is speaking to us (John 10:27-33).

Have you ever been very, very thirsty? You mowed the lawn or cleaned all the windows or walked for several miles in the heat and your body is crying out for water. 

As we mature spiritually, our soul – our thoughts, choices and emotions - comes to this same place of thirsting for God (Psalm 42:1-2). The soul of a spiritual Saint is consumed with longing for more intimacy with God (Psalm 119:20).

We want all of our being to be filled with all of the fullness of God, to have the richest measure of His presence and to become a person entirely filled with God (Ephesians 3:19). 

Our soul yearns for God, even as we sleep; and our spirit seeks more intimacy with Him both day and night (Isaiah 26:9). Our body and soul ache for Him and cry out for our living God (Psalm 84:2).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that intimacy infers honesty. We cannot have a personal union with You without an agreement to completely expose our life to Your Holy Spirit. We cannot hide anything from You, because You already know everything about us (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13). 

Thank you that Jesus invites those of us who thirst after Him to come to His living water. Even those with nothing to offer to Him are welcome (Isaiah 55:1), and He freely gives us all things (Romans 8:32).

Thought for the Day:

Our intimate interludes with the Lord are our favorite times of the day.