February
9, 2003
THE
TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
"Jesus
said to the Jews who believed in Him, 'If you abide in My
word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free' " (John 8:31,
32, NKJV).
God's
truth is everlasting truth. Satan cannot change the truth
of God into a lie. Our safety is in believing the truth that
God and Jesus have revealed to us in Scripture and act on
it.
The Lord
has made us subjects of His wonderful graces and mercy. Shall
we choose that which is alien to God's instruction and values,
or the plainly stated Word of God? Shall we join the transgressors
of God's holy law? Rather, may it be our prayer, "Lord,
put enmity between me and the serpent." If we are not
at enmity with the works of Satan, his powerful delusions
will enfold us and we are no match for His crafty and poisonous
traps that sting and bring heartache and sorrow.
Everything
that God asks of us in Scripture is for our protection, safety,
health and happiness. Satan insinuates that God is withholding
pleasures from us. But Satan's "forbidden pleasures"
end in deceit, heartache and death.
The truth
of God ennobles, refines and sanctifies those who live by
it. When the truth of God is an abiding principle in the heart,
it will be like a living spring. It will gush forth and cannot
be repressed. The truth in the heart is a wellspring of life.
It refreshes the weary and restrains vile thoughts and action.
What
is more worthy to engross the mind than the plan of redemption?
The love of God, salvation offered to fallen men and women
through God's infinite gift of Christ, His unselfish heart,
enabling grace, the precious saving truths of Scripture--these
are subjects that boggles the mind, animates the soul and
causes men and women to feel the joy the disciples must have
felt when they walked with Jesus and observed His lovingkindness,
healing and teaching the people the values and blessings of
knowing God.
Those
who center their affections on God and the values that He
brings to their lives will relish that relationship. They
will gather divine strength from knowing that In God and Jesus
Christ, they are family, sons and daughters of God and brothers
and sisters of Jesus. Job could testify, "I know that
my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth;
and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh
I shall see God" (Job 19:25, 26). Paul also had this
hope, "There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that
Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His
appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).
The truth
is that eternal life is in knowing God, and Jesus whom He
sent (John 17:3). Only in God and Jesus Christ is there saving
truth and freedom
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