Truth in a Troubling Time
Truth in a Troubling Time
This is a troubling time. We can feel overwhelmed, worried, frustrated, hurt, confused and totally distracted. It is during these times that we must pause and ask ourselves, are we abiding in Jesus? Is He our vine? Is He where we are gaining our understanding? Do we think we are wise or are we seeking wisdom that can only come from God? His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways naturally. That is why we surrender our flesh and embrace the truth of His word.
What do we know to be true?
Worth and value are instilled in us by our Creator. That means that my skin color, nationality, denomination, gender, social status, etc. does not determine my worth and value – nor do my mistakes and failures. As believers we should see value in all. We should recognize worth in all. Why? Because Jesus died for all.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
The truth of God’s word is what matters – not our opinions, our upbringing, our experiences. The world, the news broadcasts, and social media is filled with man’s opinion from every point of view. Our friends and family declare their ideas. If we are not careful, we too form opinions that may not line up with the word of God. We are not to become prideful (God hates pride). Instead let’s cling to Jesus - who is truth – and abide in Him.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Proverbs 8:13
Strongholds strangle out the abundant life that Jesus came to offer. Paul talks about these strongholds – arguments, thoughts and plans - that do line up with God’s will. Let’s not cling to thoughts that do not conform to the life and teachings of Christ. If they simply do not line up with the truth of God’s word - stop thinking it and stop saying it.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6
Evil doing is caused but the condition of our heart, not by the color of our skin. Evil is anything and everything that does not line up with God’s will. We should be first and foremost concerned with the condition of our own heart and ask God to reveal the evil within us. We do not want to do anything that grieves the heart of God.
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matthew 5:18-19
We are to love one another as God has loved us. Consider what God could think as He looks upon us. He could declare condemnation and disgust – yet He doesn’t. He sees us as His beloved, His masterpiece. He loves us, although we do not deserve it and have done nothing to earn it. Because we love God, we can love others; we just have to choose it. Spewing statistics is prideful and boastful and it is not love. Judging and condemning others is not love. Love is an action word. If we stepped up to love others with God’s love, how would the world change?
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:29-32
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. I Corinthians 13:4-8
God is just. He is in favor of justice and is against injustice. In the Old Testament, when people would present sacrifices to atone their sin, God said that obedience is better than sacrifice. God does not look favorably on those who oppress others and in Isaiah we read that He does not hear their prayers. (Isaiah 1:15). So, because His is just, in favor of justice and against injustice – we should be as well. We must not be silent as if we agree with that which is wrong. Racism is wrong. God help us have empathy for those who have experienced it. Help us no longer condone it. Help us reflect You and your love for all.
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:16-17
Jesus is everything! We don’t have all the answers and we cannot fix the situation our county is experiencing. But we can do what matters most and abide in Jesus. He is the answer. The Word tells us that when we abide in Him we remain in Him – experiencing intimacy with Him. He is the light, there is no darkness in Him. His light shines brightly and illuminates the darkness within us. We can repent and leave it behind as we continue abiding in Him.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:5-9
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [a]is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. I John 2:3-6
Do you know Jesus? Do you love Him? Then let’s pause for a moment and just consider what Jesus would do. If he were physically sitting beside us, would we have the conversations we are having? Would we declare our opinions over His teachings? Would we justify the way we see things? Or would we simply ask Him, “Jesus, what do you want me to do? How can I love and serve others – contributing to peace and unity? How can I make a difference?”
He is sitting next to you now. Why don’t you ask Him those 3 questions?
(Click here to read my post “What does God Want us to do About Racism.)
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