discipleship

You Can’t Handle the TRUTH

The Lord has had me on this journey lately about Truth.  His Truth. We live in a society where, be honest, being truthful is not required. We like what you have to offer, so we are willing to overlook the inaccuracies.

We have sayings like: “You can’t handle the truth.” or “The truth will hurt.”  We also leave out portions of the conversation or story to make ourselves look better, all in the name of not wanting to hurt someone with the truth.

In Ephesians 5 it says: Let no one deceive you with empty words for because of such things Gods wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once in darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

We like to stand on our pretty verses such as Psalms 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

or even Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What we don’t care for much, is the meat that surrounds the fluff. The part of the chapter that says:

“Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.  They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29: 8b-14 (NIV)

It takes time to learn to discern what the world is saying verses what God is saying, right?

It takes time to get to know the one who is speaking.  We spend so much time in the world that we know its voice.  But how much time do you spend listening for the voice of God? I saw a church sign yesterday that read,

” What if God listened to you, like you listen to Him?”

This got me thinking. Back in the day we would spend hours getting to know someone.  We would talk, talk and talk some more. There was no texting and social media.  There was “snail mail”, phone lines, bike rides, and lunch hours. We also would get to know the person, NOT so that we could get ahead in life, but because we truly wanted their friendship. We could even tell you what our best friends “love language” was.

Do you even know what your friends likes and dislikes are?

Today, we look at a social media page and decide if knowing this person is going to further my popularity or hurt me?

This whole conversation that I had during my quiet time with God today, then took me to a startling question: I wonder how many people decide to be a “Christian” because they don’t want Hell?

The truth of the matter is, just because you disobeyed, and you don’t want the consequence, doesn’t mean you will NOT have to deal with the consequences.

Jesus said “drop your nets, leave your boats, and follow me”.  boat in Sea of Galilee

He did not get out the Bible and read scriptures from Romans and ask for a prayer. He asked for a response that would require them to get up out of their boat and walk away from the “truth” that the world was offering. He told them to follow Him, the unknown rebel who was stirring up conflict where ever He went.

He did not promise comfort, popularity and security.

He did promise a life full of tough choices between all the things the world offers and a RELATIONSHIP with Him.

This is the same TRUTH He offers today. How will you respond?

What… You didn’t know me?

My heart is HEAVY…

This week I finally watched “God’s Not DEAD”. After that I was doing a word study and it took me to Psalms 78 (which by the way had NOTHING to do with the word study) and then on Facebook I saw this picture

highway

So why is my heart heavy? In watching “Gods Not DEAD”, the Professor got all but ONE to write “God is DEAD” on a piece of paper in order to have an easier time in class. People may say “its not that big of a deal. Its just a piece of paper in a college class”. Mark 8:38 says:

If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 

Not a big deal, you say. Well sometimes God gives you a verse that means a lot to you. Its not a part of a famous sermon or one we quote often when we are looking for a “make me feel good about myself” verse. The verses that rocked my world were  Matthew 7:21-23

 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’  But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

I  will not write down all of Psalms 78 but instead I will paraphrase it:

Verses 1-8 Talks about how God issued laws to Jacob to teach His instructions to his children.  He also commanded our ancestors to teach them their children. Why?

So each generations should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracle and obeying His commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors —  stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

Verses 9-16 talks about how they forgot all the miracles He did as they turned their backs and fled the day of battle.

Verses 17-20  talks about how they kept sinning and tested God in their hearts saying: “God can’t give us food in the wilderness. Yes, He can strike a rock so water gushes out, but He can’t give his people bread and meat.”

How many times is this us; We try to use reverse psychology on God?

Verse 21-30 God becomes furious. The fire of His wrath burned. His anger rose. They did not believe God or TRUST Him to care for them. Even though God commanded the skies to open. It rained down manna.  It rained down meat as thick as dust, birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore.  The people ate their fill.  He GAVE them WHAT THEY CRAVED. BUT GOD… but while the meat was YET in their mouths…..

Verse 31 says:  the anger of God rose against them, and He killed their strongest men. He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.

Verse 32-33 says but in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite His wonders, they refused to trust Him.

Verse 34-38 says: When God began killing them,they finally sought Him. They repented and took God seriously. Then they remembered that God was their rock, But all they gave Him was LIP service. They LIED to Him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal. They did not keep His covenant. BUT GOD… was merciful and forgave and DID NOT destroy them all. He did not unleash His fury and anger. He was merciful and forgave their sins

Verse 39 ends with: For He remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns.

So why did Psalms 78 hit me so hard?  I see we do this a lot in our culture.  We are taught.  But we walk away, grumbling and complaining when we don’t get what we THINK we need.  We start doing things on our own then complaining that God isn’t big enough to fix our problems we created by walking away  from His commands  or by breaking His laws.

So whats really eating at me? As I have been praying for Wisdom, I have added discernment to that prayer.  And one thing I keep hearing God say is: TRUTH matters.

The picture earlier in this post ends with: “says a lot about the anticipated traffic numbers”.   Now lets look at the scripture reference that backs that picture up. Matthew 7:21-23

 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’  But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Please do not let another day go by and think that your spiritual resume, your attendance in church, or your work in the church will get you your ticket into Heaven.

John 17:3:And this is eternal life,that they know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

 

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