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

Making Plans

Our salvation was paid for by the work of Christ on the cross. It is a free gift from God for anyone willing to humbly admit their sins and truly submit to Him throughout their lifetime (Romans 3:23; 6:23). This results in a relationship rather than religion. Most of the world’s religions are based on teachings, which require good works to procure salvation. Anyone caught up in religion is not Born Again.

Nothing in this world exists of its own volition. God started and maintains it all (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:17). No one can come to Christ without God’s Spirit drawing us, and we are not perfected without the Spirit’s work in our soul (John 6:44; 2 Timothy 1:12). We do not wake up one morning and decide to go to church or to live a holy life. Those desires come to us from God.

We can never do enough good works to deserve heaven. Unless the Spirit of God leads our efforts, we have no hope of achieving Godly results. Our union with Christ leads us to perform only those acts, which His Spirit leads us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Regardless of our vocation in life, God will use us in this calling to fulfill His work (Exodus 31:1-6). It is only as we choose to walk in God’s will that we live in success.

We often disregard the elementary teachings of the faith (Hebrews 6:1-2). We slowly slip back into a carnal lifestyle, and are in danger of walking back into sin as a reprobate and denouncing the name of Christ (Romans 1:28, 8:9). However, if we start our day in prayer, acclaiming our faith in God’s faithfulness, He will keep us steadily maturing in Christ.

We repent of our sin as God convicts us, and we walk in His Spirit each moment of our day (Galatians 5:16,25). We connect with God through the constant practice of prayer, rather than living according to our own plans. Our life is then a demonstration of God’s Spirit and power. The One who promises is able to minister through us and to use us to deliver the lost world around us (2 Peter 3:9).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for sending Your son to pay the penalty of our sins, in order to give us confidence to approach Your throne (Hebrews 4:16). We have a personal relationship with You that transcends the body and soul and rebirths our spirit. We have true fellowship with You, the creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1), every moment of every day of our life.

Thought for the Day:

The Bible is not a decoration for our home, but a source of life to our body, soul and spirit.