Lies and Confusion Abound, but God is a God of Truth and Peace

Earlier tonight, I watched as a news anchor and a former congresswoman discussed the "innocent until proven guilty" assumption.  This is the assumption we are supposed to live by in our country.  We are supposed to assume that someone is innocent of an accusation until they are proven guilty of said accusation.  I sat in disbelief as I heard the former congresswoman state that the burden to prove someone's innocence is only valuable if the person accused of a crime or some kind of terrible act is in jeopardy of losing his or her freedom.  In other words, truth is only valuable if the accused is in danger of going to jail.  She went on to say that in any other situation, such as a job interview, it is only the accusation that matters, not the truth.

Image Credit:  Abdulhalim Yusuf - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

By her standard of truth, if I am applying to teach in a local school and someone FALSELY accuses me of harming a child, I am to be considered guilty and should be turned down for the position.  As a result, I would be stripped of my teacher's certification and would never be allowed to teach again.  All this simply because someone SAID I did it.  The truth doesn't matter.

We live in a society where boys pretend to be girls and girls pretend to be boys.  People want to "identify" as a person, race, gender (or someone or something else) that is different from who or what they actually are.  They are pretending because the truth of their real identity doesn't matter to them. 

We have become a people who would rather live in the confusion of lies.  We would rather live a lie than live in the joy of the person God created us to be.  We would rather believe lies about good people than demand the truth be uncovered so that men and women of integrity can redeem their reputations.  We would rather believe the lies being spewed out all around us than demand that false accusers be held accountable for the hurtful lies they've told.  All this because truth is no longer valuable.

God is a God of Truth and Peace

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:33 that "God is not a God of confusion, but of peace."  If God is not the God of confusion, then who is?  Satan - and he's dishing out a whole lot of confusion, resulting in the opposite of peace.

What are we to do in the midst of all the confusion?  We are to be the salt and the light.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. - Matthew 5:13

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

How to we be the salt and light?  By representing Truth.  What is real truth?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. - John 14:6

Jesus is truth.

We point people to Jesus.  When people know Jesus, they know Truth.  The more they know Jesus, the more they will want to be like Jesus and truth will be valuable to them. 

The Bible tells us in John 14:6 that no one goes to the Father except through Jesus.  

In the midst of all the fighting, confusion, and lies, I can rest assured in one absolute truth.  It is a truth that was true yesterday and all the days before yesterday.  It is a truth that is true today.  It is a truth that will be true tomorrow and all the days after tomorrow.  This is the truth of God's love for me.  It is the truth of God's love for you too.

If you would like to know more about God's love for you, more about the God of peace as mentioned above in 1 Corinthians 14:33, then click here.  

It is my prayer that you will know that God is a God of truth, not lies; that He is a God of peace and not confusion; and that He loves you utterly.  It is my prayer that you will know Him and know Him fully so that you too will be the salt and light in the midst of a very confused world.

 

Christ's Love is Long (Christ's Love Series)

This is the second installment in my pastor's series titled "Christ Love."  You can find the first one here.

The scripture passage is Ephesians 3:17-19.

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know that the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to the fullness of God. - Ephesians 3:17-19

Image Credit:  Tim Mossholder - Public Domain Image - via Pixabay

Christ's Love is Long

It goes on forever. 

Long means endless, patient, everlasting, permanent, full-length, outstretched, and infinite.

We usually measure length with distance and time.  How do we measure the length of the love of Jesus Christ?

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you with lovingkindness." - Jeremiah 31:3

Get your Jeremiah 31:3 wall decal here.

When we think of the love of Jesus, we should think, past tense, present tense, and future tense.

God always was so love has always existed, even before time began on Earth as we know it.  In eternity past, God was.

In eternity past, Jesus was.

In eternity past, love was.

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. - Ephesians 1:4

Get your Ephesians 1:4 wall decal here.

Now Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was. - John 17:5

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. - 1 Peter 1:20

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. - John 17:24

God does not change.  His love does not change. 

Of old You founded the Earth,
And the Heavens are the work of Your hands.
Even they will perish, but You endure;
And all of the will wear out like a garment;
Like clothing, you will change them and they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end. - Psalm 102:25-27

 Jesus loves everyone.

There is not a person or a home that Jesus will not go to.

He was the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. - Hebrews 13:8

Get your Hebrews 13:8 pendant necklace here.

Christ's love is not conditional.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8

Christ's love is not based on height, weight, race, etc.

Christ's love runs all the way through eternity future.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us that we would be called children of God; and such we are.  For this reason, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.  We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. - 1 John 3:1-2

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.

And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."   And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."

His Word is trustworthy and true.

1.  Christ loves me without conditions.  His love for me is endless.  It does not fail.

2.  Christ's love is so long that I can't outrun it.  You can never be so far away that Jesus' love cannot reach you.  His love is always behind you, beside you, and ahead of you.

Consider the story of the prodigal son.  If you've never read it or you are not familiar with it, you can read the whole story in Luke 15:11-32 here.

3.  Christ's love changes me.  The more we dwell on His love, we become selfless.  We learn to love others unconditionally because His love for us is unconditional.  We begin to sacrifice .  We give.  We share.

When we realize Christ's love for us, we can't stop loving others.

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever.  His faithfulness continues for all generations. - Psalm 100:5

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.  His love endures forever. - Psalm 136:1

Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning.  Great is Your Faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22-23

You'll find all my posts about this Bible stud series here.