TRUTH FROM THE OUTSIDE
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16, NLT
Theme: We must take the Bible seriously because God teaches and corrects us through His Word.
MY TRUTH
Frequently, I hear people say, “Well, that’s my truth.” They decide what is right or wrong, good or bad, acceptable or not acceptable. Their feelings define what seems true, but Jeremiah 17:9a (NIV) says, “the heart [on our own without God] are deceitful and beyond cure.” That’s why we need a Savior who gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) that is empowered by the Holy Spirit to gain understanding and wisdom from God’s Word.
The truth is actually outside of us, and we need Scripture to show us the truth. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, NIV). As finite humans, we need an infinite, loving, wise God to show us how to live a sane life. And it was God’s pleasure to do so when He gave us His Word, the Bible
HARD TO ACCEPT
Sometimes the truth is hard to accept. Some of the followers of Jesus listened to Jesus describe what it meant to be saved, and they grumbled saying, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (John 6:60, NIV). The word “hard” doesn’t mean they were unable to intellectually understand, but the truth was they didn’t want to follow and obey, so many left. Jesus asked if the twelve disciples wanted to also leave, but Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68b, NIV).
TRUTH AND LIES
Satan does what he has been doing since Adam and Eve. He twists God’s words, creating lies, causing us to doubt God’s goodness and love for us and making sin sound attractive so that we deny the truth and disobey. You cannot go against the truth without getting hurt. If I deny the truth of the law of gravity and jump off my house, I will get hurt. God created us, so He knows what we need to thrive and live a sane life.
If I took a unique beautifully crafted, expensive watch, specifically created by a designer for the purpose of telling time, but I decided it would be good to use it as a hammer, you would say I am crazy. And I would be! I am not obeying the truth of the creator. I will destroy the watch and lose it. You and I are beautifully created by God, but we fail to live out our purpose and choose to live against our design.
MOST BEAUTIFUL TRUTH
God’s Word is more than just a manual of “do’s” and “don'ts.” Oh! It is so much more. From beginning to end, the Bible tells the love story of a good God who made a promise, starting with Adam and Eve. The Word points us to that promise throughout the Old Testament and then keeps that promise in the New Testament: the promise of a Savior. Jesus entered our sinful world and did what we can’t - He obeyed all of God’s words. His perfect record becomes ours when we believe the truth that we are sinners and that Christ died and rose to life cleansing us. With the truth of God’s love, we can find freedom to confess our wrongs and receive the grace needed to do right. John 8:31b-32 (NIV) says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Make It Personal: We can say all day that the sky is green but believing it doesn’t make it true. What truths or lies are you letting shape your heart and life? Are you taking the time to read and study God’s Word and letting it reflect into your life, showing you the truth? As Peter says in John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Pray: Abba Father, You are the Creator of all and with You, there is truth. Give me the grace I need to read Your Word, understand its truth, and have the desire and power to follow it. Help me recognize and not believe Satan's lies and recognize where I deny any of Your truth. Show me Your love and help me to grasp how wide, high, deep, and eternal is Your love for me. Amen
Read: Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 18:30-31; 36:25-27; Proverbs 3:1-8; Matthew 5:18-19
Weekly Memory Verse: “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2b, NLT