My Truth

Revelation 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Two valued brothers in the Lord read the same passage and one says it means this. The other says I have studied this to the fullest and I disagree and it means this. It matters not the scripture or who is right or wrong. Now you may begin by telling me it does matter and disagree with me. That’s OK. I do not need you to agree with me. I need you to agree with God.

Why men see truth falls under three categories for me. I am talking about me here, this is my truth.

We accept things to be true at times because they make us feel good. We will seek comfort and settle for peace. That is fine as long as the issue under dispute isn’t foundational. Foundational truths affect individual salvation. God cares enough to make the simple gospel truth easy to understand and accept. It is when we start making attachments to salvation and making it conditional salvation where we go wrong. God corrects those errors.

We accept things to be true because we can see the reasoning behind it. Paul reasoned in the synagogues with the Jewish believers based on the Old Testament revelation of Jesus Christ. It is within the realm of salvation to be reasoned with to come to the truth. When it comes to non-essentials it is not only possible but even likely that reasoning will take two educate men in different directions. It does not matter who is right or wrong or even what the truth is over the issue. The important matter is are you going to allow your opinion stand in the way of loving your brother? Agreeing to disagree isn’t loving, but you are free to disagree with me.

My truth is that I can be wrong. I leave room for God to reveal what He wants me to believe, for whatever end He has purposed.

Relationship has to come first.

The Enemy

Joshua 10:13c So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Sometimes God does a miraculous thing and only mentions it once. So many things are exampled over and over again in the bible so that we do not miss those important details. But what about those things He does once and doesn’t make a fuss over it? Do you glaze over it as if God doesn’t have a message in it for you?

Joshua is doing battle here and it important to Joshua to have the light to finish the battle. So he prayed that the sun should not set until the battle was won. God granted that prayerful request. What I see in it that is simple. There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all that needs to be done. We divide the day into portions. We give ourselves just so much time to accomplish a task and then move on to the next. We often put off things until tomorrow, but what if tomorrow doesn’t come?

Lately I have had that nagging feeling that the real enemy is time. Satan is a defeated foe. Christ won on the Cross. Yet time keeps creeping along unhindered by battles or needs or circumstances. Time stops for no man. Well not since Joshua anyway.

We who believe in Christ order our lives according to God’s plan. God has shown us what is important. God has ordered our lives and seen to it that we are satisfied in it. That bodes well for us because we found the time to do the important things. I don’t even have to tell you what they are, do I?

But what of the lost? How much more time do they have to say yes to that free will offering that is Jesus Christ? Will they get another day or another hour to make Jesus the Lord of their lives?

1 Kings 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.