Showing posts with label word of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label word of God. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The Love of Truth

Hello to our readers,

Thank you for following our blog and studying with us as we learn more things from the Bible. It is a journey that never ends which no one will ever "arrive".. but the fact that we're on this road together, and traveling on this journey means a lot. I do not know everything, and from all our findings, we've only scratched a nick on the immeasurable depths of God and His truth. I believe that a desire to grow and a love of truth is so important because it reveals the presence of His Spirit working in us. Let our hearts be like the good soil to receive whatever God chooses to reveal to us by His Spirit and His Word.

I've received several emails from people that ask me how I know which one is truth and which one isn't. That is a hard question to answer but I will try to explain it the best that I possibly can. I'll show what has been true for me, personally.

First, truth is of God. No man can arrive to truth without Him. We can all read the same book in English but truth will not be revealed to us unless it was given to us first by Him. One example is when Peter recognized Christ as the Messiah. He realized the truth about Jesus, and then Jesus turned to Him and said,  

"Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 16:17

The key in this verse above was that the truth was revealed to Peter; not by any man, not by flesh and blood, but by God.

This also reminds me of Paul's conversion. He was a very educated Pharisee and much devoted to His religion until Christ appeared unto Him on the road to Damascus and struck him with blindness. I believe that the physical blindness was to show him how blind he really was.. like the song, "I was blind, but now I see." It was then that Paul received the revelation of Jesus Christ and went forth with His truth,

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Gal 1:11,12


"But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. " Gal 1:15-17

These men relied on God completely for truth.

Any man can claim to have truth. Look at the world today, and look at how different and divided those "truths" have been. Who can you trust? There is not many truths, but only one truth. You can believe in something, but that doesn't make it truth. What is truth? God is truth. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. If you want truth, you will find it in Him. You won't find it by any man, any self-claimed prophet, any televangelist, any pastor standing on the pulpit, or even any article online. Yes, even this one too.

I'll share a personal story but I won't use any names.

I started this journey with several people that were very close to me. We started together at the same place, but now, every single one of us has gone the completely opposite way. We have nothing in common of what we believe in anymore. Sometimes, it startles me. It also grieves me deeply too because they were my very good friends.

One friend became a Torah follower and follows Judaism. She uprooted her whole family and moved them to Israel. The other friend went the polar opposite way and follows universalism and new age beliefs. It is very hard to see good friends go to the extreme, polar opposite ways and it also makes me question myself whether I am on the right track. I have those moments too.

Pray every step of the way. Stay IN Him. Acknowledge Him in everything, and He will direct your path. Be open for God to reveal something to you, stay teachable, and verify everything by the Word that He has given you. Question everything, and find the answer for it. If it is truth, then ask God to prove it and strengthen it for you. If it is not, then ask God to show you that it isn't.

The Bible is a giant jigsaw puzzle, and truth is the pieces. Truth is a door that opens to more things. You'll know it when truth isn't a road block or a dead end, but it leads you even deeper and farther.

Another key is that the Bible never contradicts itself. People do. There is one truth which is one thread that unites the entire Bible. Keep working through the tangled ball of threads until it comes apart more and more. You'll know that you're on the right road the more it unravels, and if you find that you've made a mistake, learn from it, and keep going!

Anyone can see one part of the picture and think it is something, but when you compare it to the other part, you may realize that it was never that one thing, but actually something else because you see how it fits. A friend of mine (thanks K!) used this example: When you look at something that looks like an elephant's ear, and you've accepted it that way for so long.. but when you start comparing it and putting the pieces together, you'll realize that it was the elephant's leg the whole time!

The Bible is amazing. It is brilliant. It is a treasure map and we're supposed to dig for it like buried gold. One truth unlocks another, and so on. There will be questions.. THOUSANDS of them! But you're going deeper than you've ever imaged and because it is truth that applies to God, to ourselves, our world, and our whole lives.. it's the most amazing thing to find.

Don't forget that the enemy roams around like a roaring lion. His demons are trying to pluck the truth out of your heart and confuse you with lies. Be sober and vigilant. Keep your eyes open, be awake, and keep your eyes on God! Keep going, and don't give up. Stay humble and stay little for God resists the proud.

Ask God with an open heart for His truth (and be ready to accept the price for truth). Ask Him to give you a discerning spirit and wisdom. Ask Him for a hunger and a desire for His Word. Ask Him to teach YOU!

Truth is very important, and when we seek truth.. we are seeking HIM. Seek Him with all your heart, and you will find Him.

Here are some verses. Some are about what we need to do to abide in truth. Some tell us where we can find the truth. Some tell us about those who have no love of the truth.

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6


"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105


"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." Psalm 25:5

"Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name." Psalm 86:11


"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. " John 4:23,24


"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32


"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. " John 14:6

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:17


"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17


"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess 2:10-12


"Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:7


"And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim 4:4

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15


"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." 1 John 2:27


With much love to our brethren in Christ,







A Voice in the Wilderness

Monday, April 19, 2010

To Be Present with the Lord

Here is a verse that is the first one that most Christians will give in order to support that souls are gone to be with the Lord, or to be in hell the moment they die. We are here to show you this one verse for what it really is, and to debunk the popular belief. Hear us out, and let us use scriptures to prove this.


"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:8


Before we begin, let us read the whole context first.

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 2:5-8



Paul begins to speak of an earthly tabernacle and a heavenly tabernacle which is not made with hands, and that we are clothed with which refers to our bodies. He expresses his desire to receive the heavenly tabernacle and to be released from his earthly tabernacle (body).

This heavenly one is the one we shall receive at the coming of Christ. We shall be transfigured into a celestial body that is incorruptible. (Read all of 1 Corinthians 15 for an in-depth description)

"So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. " 1 Cor 15:42-44

Paul stated above:


"..that mortality might be swallowed up of life." 

This aligns with 1 Corinthians 15 again. He is speaking of mortality putting on immortality and that death shall be swallowed up in victory.




"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor 15:52-55


The grave shall be defeated at His coming.


Finally, Paul said that we would rather be absent from this body and to be present from this Lord. We all should desire to receive these things and look forward to these earnestly.

But, does this occur before the coming of Christ? It does not.

Because of Adam and because of sin, we all must die.


"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

But in Christ, he shall make us alive. Jesus was the firstfruits of the resurrection, and we shall be at His coming. Not before then.


"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." 1 Corinthians 15: 22,23 


But can we enter heaven before then? Do we receive our spiritual bodies before then?

"Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die." 1 Cor 15:36

We cannot receive these things for we are mortal and we will die. We cannot enter the Kingdom of God; not until Jesus comes to transform us and redeems us at the Second Coming.

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor 15:50

The Bible also tells us that no man has been to heaven except Jesus,


"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." John 3:13

We cannot receive these things on our own. We are simply mortal and await for that promise when Jesus shall come and give us immortality. Until then, we wait in our graves. We await to be released from our earthly tabernacle and to receive the new heavenly tabernacle.

The dead in Christ shall be raised up incorruptible, their graves shall be broken and death shall be defeated.  That is why the Bible calls us "sleeping" for we shall awake again.

Paul's desire is to be with the Lord and he shall be when Jesus returns.We will all be caught up together in the air, and then there we shall be with the Lord for always.

"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Let us comfort one another with these words.





A Voice in the Wilderness

Monday, April 5, 2010

How to Understand the Bible

In the past, I would read the Bible and nothing ever really stuck to me. I would read it and it would pass over from me with none effect. Although the Bible was written in English, I could not understand.

I also heard that the King James Bible is in the sixth grade reading level, so I couldn't exactly say that it was too hard for me to read. I realize that now while I look back is that I was in the carnal mind and could not understand the Spiritual things.

We can take classes, go to Bible college, attend church for years and still not understand the Bible fully. Yet, the Bible is the living Word of God, and excruciatingly important for all Christians to read. We try to get the Word out of alternative sources like through a sermon, or a Christian book, and so forth... yet none of these things can ever take the place of the Saviour speaking to you directly in His Word.

The Bible is most certainly the living Word, for God speaks to us in His Word. It is a book that will never be finished even if we read from Genesis to Revelation. God reveals His truth in His Word as He chooses to do so. He hides the others, and even goes as far to blind those from His Word. He deliberately chooses to confuse wise men and scholars.

It is as a veil covering our eyes that we cannot see the truth, and we are blind unto it. Only Christ Jesus can lift up the veil and allow you to see.

"And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." 2 Corinthians 3:13-16

God blinds whom He chooses to, and He reveals His Word and truth unto whom He chooses to.

"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." John 12:40

Let us turn to Him and ask for the Spirit of truth which is a gift unto us from God.

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:17


"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13



And when we receive this Spirit, it is an anointment from God. We need to abide in God and He shall teach us all things.


"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." 1 John 2:17

And the Holy Spirit will help us see God's Word clearly. Think of the Holy Spirit as a pair of glasses to help us see clearly what was blurry to our eyes. We need not any man to teach us or instruct us in the Word, for once we have the Spirit, we also have the mind of Christ.


"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Philippians 2:5

God  desires us to worship Him in Spirit and truth. If we want to worship Him, we must do it with Spirit and truth.


"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. " John 4:23


"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."John 4:24



Let us ask God for wisdom and understanding in His Word. Let us ask God for the Spirit of Truth to guide us. Let us ask God to give us a deep hunger for His Word and to remove the veil from our eyes that we may see.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5

And lastly, in this world so many are deceived daily. All Christians must know the Word well to distinguish between truth and deception. So many are led astray into false doctrine, churches and by false prophets because they know not the Word. Let us make that a priority in our lives.






A Voice in the Wilderness
 

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