Thursday, July 29, 2010

What is the Real Truth Anymore?

I watched Neil Cavuto yesterday and listened to his rapid-fire enumeration of many of Obama's lies to the American people (transcript here). Obama promised us the world and all that hope and glorious change; some people actually believed him, in spite of his actions that completely negated everything he promised. Because the media was responsible for Obama's rise to fame and election by completely omitting any bad news about him, they remain invested in him and support his lies, lest they look as stupid and inept as they are. We have a lying president and administration who are working hard to keep us in the dark while telling us how transparent they are. We have a media that is lying so we won't realize that they were lying and covering up before. There appears to be no truth anymore! But truth is one of those absolutes you can depend on. Just because there is an absence of truth in our country today, it doesn't mean there is no truth. There is one absolute source of genuine truth:

Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true. (Romans 3:4, from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible)

Normally, I'm a King James Version gal, but I love the way that scripture reads. It really tells it like it is: EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS A LIAR, but GOD is true. And He NEVER changes!

For I am the LORD, I change not...Malachi 3:6a

God is a constant, a steady rock we can ALWAYS count on! When all else fails, He NEVER fails!

Well, sure God is true, but that doesn't mean so-called Christians are true, one might say. So how can we know God's truth? By reading His Word!

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Psalm 119:60

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17

When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. John 15:26

We know truth from God's Word and from the indwelling Holy Spirit that we receive when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. Isn't it wonderful? Only God is true, and we can know truth through God's Word and His Spirit. We CAN know TRUTH! And we can then see and know the lies! Because....

Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true.

Many people say they believe in God and believe in Jesus. Satan believes in God and Jesus! It takes more than belief. It takes truly accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior and following Him. He then sends His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, to guide them in following Him.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. - John 16:13

Unfortunately, many well meaning people can be easily led astray. Even Christians! That is because there is not only the truthful Holy Spirit, but there are also many deceiving spirits in the world today.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils...1 Timothy 4:1

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. - Matthew 24:11

For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. - Matthew 24:24

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. - Romans 16:18

There are many scriptures about those purposely deceiving us! The only way we can truly arm ourselves against the lies is to know the truth. We have established that only God is true, so we must know God personally. Jesus Christ has given us that gift when we make Him our Lord. If there are other spirits trying to deceive us, how can we know we are listening to the Spirit of Truth and not the deceiving spirit? It's not as easy as you might think, because....

Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. - 2 Corinthians 11:14

The Bible says Satan can look like an angel of light! And Satan believes in God and he believes in Jesus. And Satan knows the Word of God well! See how he knew scripture and used it to try to deceive Jesus:

(Speaking of the devil) And said to Him "If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you' and 'In their hands they shall bear you up Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" - Matthew 4:6

The devil was quoting Psalm 91:11 and 12 from the Bible!

Even back in the Garden of Eden, before the Bible had been written, the devil knew the Word of God:

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman "Has God indeed said 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said 'You shall not eat it nor shall you touch it lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good and evil." - Genesis 3:1-5

The devil and his spirits have been cleverly deceiving people since the beginning of time! I can just hear them now. "Did God really say that homosexuality is bad? You will not surely die. After all, it is written 'God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him'. God knows that you are as He created you, and you are like God!"

Eve was deceived, but how did Jesus handle the devil's deceit?

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him he said "If You are the Son of God command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said "It is written 'Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took Him up into the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, And said to Him "If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you' and 'In their hands they shall bear you up Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him "It is written again 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" Again the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him "Away with you Satan! For it is written 'You shall worship the LORD your God and Him only you shall serve.'" Then the devil left Him and behold angels came and ministered to Him. - Matthew 4:1-11

Every time the devil tried to deceive Jesus, He used the Word of God to rebuke him. Even when Satan used the very same Word out of context, Jesus knew the context so well, He was not deceived! Of course, He is Jesus and He IS the Word!

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. - John 1:1

All scripture is written for our learning, so Jesus was giving us an example of how to fight the devil's deceits and temptations. After all, what other purpose was there in Jesus being tempted of the devil?

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. - Romans 15:4

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Bible was written for our learning and we must know it WELL to combat the evil deceits. The Word is our weapon against evil.

For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand. Stand therefore having girded your waist with truth having put on the breastplate of righteousness, And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God; Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. - Ephesians 6:11-18

The scriptures above give us the full prescription for fighting evil. Note the source of evil; it's SPIRITUAL! We need truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer. I believe it can be summarized even further by saying we need salvation, prayer and to read the Bible. After all, salvation in Christ is having faith in Him and the gospel; truth comes from the Word of God; prayer is our communion with God; and righteousness results from all of the above.

We must read our Bible and read it continually if we are to know the Word of God as well as the enemy. And if we don't know it, then we look it up! The Bible tells us to try every spirit and make sure it is of God. The Bereans of the Bible were commended because they looked up things they were told to be sure it lined up with the Word of God and was so.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

(Speaking of the Bereans) These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. - Acts 17:11

People would not have been fooled into electing this current president if they had been armed with the sword of truth! They would not have been fooled by the mainstream media if they had been properly armed. That is a fact that cannot be disputed, but many people who call themselves Christians would get their feathers very ruffled at that notion. They need to get rid of the ego and just get back to the basics of God and they will know truth and will not be fooled. I believe there are two types of people who are deceived, those who won't see the truth and those who can't. Those who won't just need to get over themselves and their sense of importance and intelligence, and just get back into the Word of God, and they will be shown the truth. But to be one of those who CAN'T see the truth is a scary thing.

We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. - 1 John 4:6

(Jesus said) "And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you." - John 14:16-17

If you are not of God and have not the Holy Spirit, you CANNOT understand those of God! My plea for those who are wrong in their thinking has always been, "Just read your Bible!" Don't listen to me, don't listen to conservative talk radio, don't listen to your preacher in church; just read your Bible! I KNOW that God will reveal His truth to anyone who honestly seeks it.

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deuteronomy 4:29

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. - Isaiah 55:6

A word of warning lies between the lines - seek the Lord WHILE He may be found! I believe that scripture indicates that He may not always be available, so please, SEEK HIM NOW and know the real truth!

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