“An Inside Perspective”
Christmas 2014
My Family in Christ,
Ever precious greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ! Have you considered the Truth about this world’s Christmas? In Jeremiah
chapter nine verse three he is lamenting, via the Spirit, that there is no one
that is “valiant for the Truth in the earth.” He is saddened that he can find no
fellowship among his people Israel. As a matter of fact, the exact opposite is
true---the Lord declares that His people “go from evil to evil.”
Truth is the Rock on which we must stand or we will
fall. Jesus said, “I am…the Truth” (John 14:6). Personally, I have taken my
stand on Truth and I endeavor to do so at every juncture of my life. My life is
ruled and governed by Truth. I praise God for the straight edge of truth that
exposes my error. I desire to one day marry a woman of God who joyfully stands
on Truth. Marriage must be rooted and grounded upon Truth for it is earthly
shadow of the Son’s eternal heavenly bliss with His Bride.
I am consumed with all of my family standing securely
on the Rock of Truth. Nothing hurts me more than to see error command their ways
because I know the terrible consequences thereof. If I may personify, error is
always the criminal. The trouble with error is not that he is ignorant, but that
he just knows so many things that are not true.
Once my family is established, fixed, centered, even
dependent upon Truth, I need not be concerned when the storms of life rise up.
When the people I care about are camped out on Truth, blow as they may, the
winds will only sweep these loved ones into the Father’s bosom.
The Bible is Truth, but not the entire Truth. It is
simply the portion of Truth that God has chosen to reveal to us. The Bible
declares that hell is a real place. It is full of people right now, and is
filling up more and more each day. That is grievous Truth. Therefore, I am
obsessed with sharing the gospel of Truth. Shall we be silent, only fulfilling
our selfish daily desires? Are the silent really saved? Or maybe they just don’t
believe the very gospel they themselves profess?
Truth is reality and apart from it we will stumble.
When my thinking opposes Truth, I am wrong. I must submit and bow as I adjust my
thinking and my ways to its plumb line. When it gets into my business, I must
conform. Truth was sent from our Heavenly Father. Truth became flesh and dwelt
among us as a gift to guide us to our heavenly home. Consider this: smooth seas
don’t make sailors, even so, storms do produce faithful men.
It is written, “My Word is Truth, sanctify them
(believers) by the Truth” (John 17:17). Truth is the moral straight edge by
which we see where we are crooked. Truth saves in the He redeems me from sin
forever. Truth is not just something we believe, but something we must do. It is
written, “If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples and you shall
know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free” (John 8:31).
Truth is living and active, it is sharp, it penetrates
(Heb. 4:12), accomplishing what the Lord desires and achieving the purpose for
which God sent it (Isa. 55:10-11). It is spirit and it makes those spiritual who
drink from its most holy fount (John 6:63). As you drink, Truth transforms you
into the likeness of your precious Lord (Rom. 12:1-2). Some may say I am
brainwashed concerning the Truth, yea more so, I say praise God I have been
brainwashed by the Truth! Lord knows, I need a good washing.
Truth fills you with compassion and is long suffering
as it waits for God’s desired end to come to pass (Matt. 9:36-38). Truth is
watched over by God so that He may perform it (Jer. 1:12). Truth is like a fire,
like a hammer that breaks the rocks (error) to pieces (Jer. 23:29). God also
desires Truth in the inward parts, meaning in our hearts (Psalm 51:6). Truth has
an attitude of no compromise as it flees from the very appearance of evil (1
Thess. 5:22). If I may ask, what place does Truth hold in your life?
The world’s Christmas is the antithesis of Truth.
These are the stages. First, a person believes in Santa. Then they don’t believe
in Santa. Then, they are Santa. Then they look like Santa. Finally, Lord
willing, they get saved and realize that Santa is actually Satan spelled with
jumbled up letters. Notice how truth brings clarity.
The world has perverted the birth of our precious
Savior. Do we struggle every year with all the covetousness? Do we ask ourselves
the hard questions? Should we take a stand or not? Should we give gifts? Are we
compromising and partaking of the world’s perversion of Truth? Should we have a
tree? If so, what are we proclaiming by it? It is written, “Blessed is he that
does not condemn himself by that which he approves” (Rom. 14:22b).
I’m not a humbug, I love Christmas too, but only for
the opportunity it provides to share Truth. I am compelled also to challenge
your thought process to see if it lines up with Truth. However you see it, in
the midst of all the world’s hoopla, tell people about the Christ! He is the
real gift that was on the Bloody tree, not under it…
“That is Truth”
Merry Christmas,
Love,
Philip