Facts of Life vs Truth of God's Word

God's Word is truth, as we learn in John 17:17, when Jesus Christ said to God, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

John 8:31,32:
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

As someone once said to me, "that's a mighty big IF." IF we continue in God's Word and believe it, this great truth of God's Word makes us free, even when faced with daunting and defeating facts that life throws at us. It makes us more than conquerors through life's toughest situations, truly making us free.

Let's look at some examples.

Suppose the facts of life tell you that the economy is lousy. Right now, that is a fact. Maybe jobs are hard to find; maybe bills are hard to pay.
BUT the truth of God's Word tells you in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." That is the truth!

The competition is on between the facts of life and the truth of God's Word! Which one you choose to believe is up to you.

The facts of life may tell you that an illness is untreatable or perhaps that it is manageable but incurable.
BUT the truth of God's Word tells you in 1 Peter 2:24, "Who his own self [Jesus Christ] bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

"By his stripes ye were healed" it says, a promise for you accomplished by Jesus Christ, and it's the truth! The challenge is on...which to believe, the discouraging facts or the bright and shining truth of the promise of God?!

The facts of life may tell you that you can't sleep at night. After all, you had trouble all those other nights.
BUT the truth of God's Word tells you in Psalm 4:8, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. " And in Proverbs 3:24 it says, "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." Peace and safety and sweet sleep are promises and the truth!

If the facts of life are leaving you anxious and concerned, the truth of God's Word tells you in John 14:27 that Jesus Christ said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

This is not given as man gives: no strings attached here; no changing his mind and wanting it back. The truth is that he has given us peace. So which to believe? Facts or truth?

And God urges us in I Peter 5:7 to cast "all your care upon him; for he careth for you." God will never leave us or forsake us!

So day by day we have the choice: the facts of life vs. the truth of God's Word! Which will we believe? Each one of us gets to choose for himself. I'm going for the truth; how about you?

In the next post, we will look at some keys to make this happen in our lives.

What a joy to be able know God's promises and to know that the truth shall make us free!

Believing the Truth!

What a statement Jesus Christ made when he said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

There is breadth and depth to that statement that I could not begin to cover here. If you asked me how that statement could be practical, I would immediately think of the great deliverance that comes with believing in Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9, 10: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved [delivered or made whole].
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

What could be more practical than being saved, made whole, receiving everlasting life, and being made righteous! Good-by condemnation, hello joy and peace!

You can also look at that John 8:32 and know that no matter what life throws your way, God's Word is truth (John 17:17) and God's promises will come to pass when you believe them.

Mark 11:12-14: And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he [Jesus Christ] was hungry:
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

Jesus would have known it was not time for the fully developed figs. Jesus Christ went to that fig tree looking for the small sweet edible buds that precede the full fruit. Snacking on the buds was considered a delicious snack. If the buds were not there, then there would be no fruit later that year. But Jesus Christ made a bold declaration! Let's watch as the story unfolds.

Mark 11:20,21:
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

The tree dried up and died from the roots up, overnight! Peter was astounded, and Jesus Christ taught him a profound truth about believing God.

Mark 11:22,23: And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God [other translations could be "believe in God" or "believe God"].
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

In the context of these verses, we know that Jesus was referring to believing God, even if it is as huge as saying to the mountain, "Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea."

This is too amazing! Could that really be true? Yes! Then, what are the keys? Look back at the verses, and you will see: Believe God. Say it. Do not allow yourself to doubt in your heart, but rather believe that those things which you say, according to the truth of God's Word, shall come to pass. And you shall have them. Just keep it in the perspective of God's Word and what God says is available, because that is the truth.

The record continues.

Mark 11:24:
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The word translated "receive" is the Greek word lambano, meaning to receive into manifestation or to take or get hold of. "What things soever ye desire" in this context refers to"believing God." So it only applies to what God has made available. But how can we know this? By going to His Word, the Bible, and learning what He has made available to us.

It's like walking up to the teller window at the bank and withdrawing some of what has been deposited in your account. God has already made the deposit--that would be what He says is available in His Word! And when we pray and believe, without doubting in our hearts, we "shall have them."

So no matter what life throws your way, the truth of God's Word will make you free. Learn the promises of God to you, believe them, say them, refuse to doubt in your heart--and you "shall have them!"