Category Archives: Truth

Abiding, Belief, Bible, Comfort, Deliverance, Justice, Righteousness, Scripture, Truth

HE WILL BE OUR GOD

ZECHARIAH 8:8

“‘“and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.”’”

I was raised in church. My family attended every Sunday when I was growing up. It’s just what you did. If you didn’t go to church, then you didn’t fit into the community. It didn’t matter whether you went to the Baptist church or Methodist church or whatever. You just needed to be in church. However, I knew many people (myself included) who did that but did not live like they knew God or that He was their God.

Here in verse 8 of chapter 8, Zechariah finishes God’s fifth promise in this chapter by saying that they will be His people and He will be their God. How consoling! The people probably felt protected once again. God had welcomed them home with open arms. They were secure in His embrace. They had been redeemed from exile to return to their resting place.

APPLICATION

Is God your God? Well, of course, Carl. I pray that is true. I pray you know Him fully. Jeremiah 9:24 says, “‘but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the LORD.” It is interesting that the last part of today’s verse and this verse in Jeremiah include the same references to righteousness and truth (justice).

Why is that important? Why is it important that we recognize God as the God of righteousness and truth? Because without that, anything goes. There is only one right thing and one truthful thing. I was watching an old episode of “Touched By An Angel” on tv recently where one of the characters was a shady lawyer who bent the truth to get what he wanted. You can’t bend what is right. You can’t shade the truth.

We serve a God today who promises us the same thing He promised the Israelites in Zechariah’s day. He will be our God in truth and righteousness. That is made possible through His Son, Jesus. 1 John 5:12 says it clearly. “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” Isn’t that what you want?

I am so thankful You are my God in truth and righteousness. Help me live in the same way.

Standard
Bible, Lies, Lying, Obedience, Scripture, Trust, Truth

CITY OF TRUTH

ZECHARIAH 8:3

“‘The LORD says this: “I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of armies will be called the Holy Mountain.”’”

In America for decades, everyone who was sworn in during a court proceeding was asked to “tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God.” Over the past couple of decades many courts have dropped that last phrase “so help you God.” They have no idea what they have done. There is no truth outside of God’s truth. Left to their own devices, people will tell their truth. That is not necessarily the same as God’s truth.

In today’s verse, God calls Jerusalem “the City of Truth.” What does that mean? Well, Albert Barnes gives us a great opinion on that. He says, “Truth embraces everything opposite to untruth; faithfulness, as opposed to faithlessness; sincerity, as opposed to simulation; veracity, as opposed to falsehood; honesty, as opposed to untruth in act; truth of religion or faith, as opposed to untrue doctrine.” He goes on to quote Dionysius who said, “It shall be called the city of truth, that is, of the True God or of truth of life, doctrine, and justice. It is chiefly verified by the Coming of Christ, who often preached in Jerusalem, in whom the city afterward believed.” Pretty good, huh?

APPLICATON

How do you apply this verse to your everyday life? Just tell the truth. Nothing is as clean as the truth. If you always tell the truth, you have nothing to hide. You don’t have to remember what lie you told in order to not get exposed. Jesus tells us in John 8:31b-32, “‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

You see, the simple answer is if you know the Word, you will know the truth. Period! Exclamation mark! Our problem today is so few are really interested in knowing the Word. So many Christians leave their Bible on a shelf Monday through Saturday and then pick it up, dust it off and bring it to church on Sunday. You have to apply the Word to your everyday life.

In the ministry I am serving (Every Man A Warrior), we teach our men how to study the Word but more importantly how to apply it to their lives. Memorizing, meditating and then applying God’s Word will make you into a “City of Truth.” People will be drawn to your wisdom. One of my favorite verses in found in Malachi 2:7. “For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of armies.” You are that messenger!

Lord, show me Your truth and nothing else. I know I can trust it.

Standard
Bible, Deception, Devil, Satan, Scripture, Seeing, Truth, Understanding

STILL A LITTLE GROGGY

ZECHARIAH 4:5

“So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’”

Do you know what groggy means? According to the Oxford Dictionary it means “dazed, weak, or unsteady, especially from illness, intoxication, sleep, or a blow.” Have you ever felt that way? I have been taking allergy pills this Spring. This pollen is killing me. These pills can have that effect on me. I hate that feeling.

Zechariah seems to be a little groggy. Now, I am not being unkind. Remember, the angel woke him back in verse 1 of this chapter. Perhaps Zechariah is still a little fuzzy-brained. This new vision wasn’t sinking in. The angel wasn’t being rude to him when he questioned his understanding. And I love the fact that Zechariah openly admitted he did not know. We could learn a lesson from that.

APPLICATION

But for our application today, I would like to focus on that picture of being “groggy.” Before Christ, we are walking around in that state of mind. We may think we are thinking clearly, but we are not. Satan has our minds blinded to the truth. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that. “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Spiritual blindness is a result of people simply refusing to hear the truth. In John 9:39-41, Jesus explains this. “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, ‘Are we also blind?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, “We see,” your guilt remains.’”

Those Pharisees thought they saw the truth but were blind to THE Truth right before their eyes. They refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah because they knew better. Do you know better than Jesus? Do you think you can walk life’s journey without Him? Let Jesus open your eyes today. Get rid of that groggy feeling, that fuzzy-brain. See clearly through Jesus.

Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.

Standard
Accountability, Accused, Bible, Confession, Forgiveness, Lies, Repentance, Scripture, Truth, Witnessing

TELL NO LIES

ZEPHANIAH 3:13

“‘The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; for they will feed and lie down with no one to frighten them.’”

How many lies do you think you have told in your lifetime? Come on, be honest. We have all told lies for one reason or another. As a child, we would tell lies to our siblings, our friends and even our parents. Some lies are told to stay out of trouble. Other lies are told to brag or boast. Whatever the reason, lying is lying.

Can you imagine then that Lord says here in verse 13 that the remnant that He lives in the land will “tell not lies”? How is that possible? Remember where this remnant was. They were in the land that had been devastated by God’s judgment, yet they had been saved from death or exile. Surely, they were desirous of living to please Jehovah.

APPLICATION

Psalm 34:12-13 says, “12 Who is the person who desires life and loves length of days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” Peter repeats this verse in his first letter, 1 Peter 3:10. It’s obvious the Lord does not approve of lying. Why is that?

The Lord is truth. Anything deceitful is abhorred by Him. Here in the U.S., any witness in a court proceeding is sworn in for their testimony. They have to swear to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God.” The whole legal system is built on telling the truth, being honest. I wish that were always the case, but many have told lies while on the witness stand.

Listen carefully, beloved. When you are on the witness stand before God, there will be no lie which you can tell that will get you out of His judgment. Because God is THE truth, He exposes all deceit. Won’t you come to Him today and lay down your lies? Confess your deceit. Repent before a holy God and receive His forgiveness and grace. Instead of lying, lie at His feet.

Father, forgive me for lying to You and others. Let truth reign supremely in my life.

Standard
Allegiance, Allies, Battles, Bible, Choices, Consequences, Enemies, God's Will, Scripture, Truth

BE CAREFUL OF YOUR ALLIES

ZEPHANIAH 2:12

“‘You also, Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.’”

In the ministry I am a part of, Every Man A Warrior, we speak a lot about the importance of having allies. Men need men in their lives to hold them accountable and also to encourage them to walk with God. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, he has a friend who can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.”

The Ethiopians’ error was in choosing the wrong ally. They allied with Egypt against God’s people. They may not have invaded on their own, but they were part of the army that did. God speaks against them in Isaiah and Ezekiel. Their destruction was prophesied. However, they did not heed any of the warnings. They persisted in their hostilities toward Israel.

APPLICATION

We must be careful who we choose as allies. What may appear to be a good idea can prove to be a disaster. Many a person has lost fortunes due to partnering with a dishonest man. Promises made were not kept. Lies were told to get them to join in. Not everything that glitter is gold, right?

The same holds true for us in our spiritual walk with Christ. Not every church out there is teaching the truth. Not every preacher is living what he is preaching. Not every “Christian” brother or sister is a true believer. We must check these things by the Word of God. Through it, God will show us truth from error.

I have several men I consider my allies. Some are my partners in our ministry. I trust these men completely. I know they have my back. More importantly, I know they will call me out if I am wandering from the truth. I need that. You need that. Do you have allies? Do you have people in your life who will confront you if needed? If you don’t, get some. You don’t want to walk this path alone.

Lord, I know the strands of cord are strongest when they are woven together. Give me allies who will make me stronger.

Standard
Bible, Deceit, Deception, Scripture, Truth

SUPERSTITION

ZEPHANIAH 1:9

“‘And on that day I will punish all who leap on the temple threshold, who fill the house of their lord with violence and deceit.’”

Are you superstitious? Do you cross yourself if a black cat crosses in front of you? Do you eat greens on New Years? People have all sorts of superstitions. Most of these were handed down through parents or family members. Sadly, none of these superstitions are true. None of them can affect you. So, why do we do them?

It is believed that Zephaniah was referring to the superstition of not treading on the temple threshold which came from Ashdod when the people would not walk on the threshold of the temple of Dagon. Isn’t it funny how things get passed down? These same people, it is said, fills the Lord’s house with violence and deceit.

APPLICATION

Superstitions are not based on truth, only fables or old wives’ tales. As believers in Christ, we should not have any part of these beliefs. Our hope is only in Christ. He is the one who shows us all truth because He is truth. Anything that points to anything else is not proper for us.

Now, you may think I am nitpicking. Maybe I am, but if we believe these superstitions, it opens the door to other unbeliefs. We are susceptible to falsehoods disguised as meaningless superstitions. All we need to know can be found in His Word. It is the only source of truth and the only thing we can rely on.

Jesus tells us that the truth shall set us free. Do you want to be free from all those manmade superstitions you have believed for so long? Let His truth set you free. Allow His truth to cleanse your mind and purify your heart. Then you can walk in freedom.

I will believe only in Your truth, O God. All else is falsehood.

Standard
Accountability, Allegiance, Belief, Bible, Idols, Scripture, Truth, Worship

SPEECHLESS

HABAKKUK 2:18

“‘What benefit is a carved image when its maker has carved it, or a cast metal image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols.’”

My wife and I are opposites when it comes to morning conversations. I am a morning talker, and she is not. After her second cup of coffee, then she’s ready. By then, I am ready for a nap, lol. I am not often accused of being speechless. I guess that’s okay for a preacher, right?

God is telling Habakkuk to remind the people of the hopelessness of their false gods. Carved images don’t answer prayers. Carved images can’t even hear their prayers. Think how foolish it is to make something and then pray to it. But the idol worship of Habakkuk’s day was full of such practices.

APPLICATION

You probably don’t have carved images sitting around your house. Maybe I’m wrong. Perhaps you do. Sometimes, believers go to another country and buy a trinket that they think is cute, not knowing it is some idol sold to worship a false god. That’s only inviting evil spirits into your home. Be careful of that.

But this verse isn’t about us doing that. Instead, it is about us worshipping anything other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He should be the only object of our worship. Nothing else is real. Anything we put on a pedestal intended to bring us happiness will fail us. Simply put, don’t waste your time.

I will commit to worshipping the one true God. How about you? Will you join me this Christmas season in spreading the good news of a God who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to die for it? The world needs Jesus so badly. What better time than now to spread the true meaning of Christmas?

You are the only true God. There is none beside You. There is none like You.

Standard
Accountability, Bible, Holy Spirit, Missionaries, Scripture, Service, Truth, Witnessing

SLEEPING ON THE JOB

NAHUM 3:18

“Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; your officers are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains.”

I have had a couple of jobs that required me to work the night shift (10 or 11 pm until 6 or 7 am). Those shifts can be tough if you are not used to them. I was never a regular on those shifts, so it was hard to stay awake unless I stayed busy. If I sat still, I was a goner – snooze city.

Nineveh’s shepherds and officers were slumbering, according to Nahum. They were sleeping on the job. They were nowhere to be found when it came to fighting or resisting the enemy. So, the people were scattered on the mountains. They fled! There was no one to protect them.

APPLICATION

Don’t be accused of sleeping on the job when it comes to Jesus. Time is short, and we need to be spreading the word. But so many Christians are asleep when it comes to being bold with their witness. They leave all that up to the “paid” Christians. You know, the preachers or evangelists or missionaries.

Surely, God doesn’t expect every believer to be proclaiming the message of truth. Well, I don’t see Jesus singling out any one person when He said, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” He didn’t say, “Peter, you go!” He didn’t name anyone. It applies to us all.

I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to witnessing. It has to be a conscious effort on my part. I pray each day for the Holy Spirit to open a door of opportunity with someone I cross paths with. I want to be ready at all times. Will you join me? Wake up.

Lead me, Lord, to a place each day where I can share Jesus with someone.

Standard
Bible, Deceit, Deception, Lies, Salvation, Scripture, Truth

FULL OF LIES

NAHUM 3:1

“Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage; her prey does not leave.”

I have talked about lying before in one or two of my blogs, but this verse today brings us right back to it. Our world is so full of lies. It lies about what a family is. It lies about how a person should see themselves. It lies about what success really is. The world will not tell you the truth. Don’t look to it to guide you.

Albert Barnes says this about lying. “‘Lie’ includes all falsehood, in word or act, denial of God, hypocrisy; toward man, it speaks of treachery, treacherous dealing, in contrast with open violence or rapine. The whole being of the wicked is one lie, toward God and man; deceiving and deceived; leaving no place for God who is the Truth; seeking through falsehood things which fail.” That pretty much summarizes what Nahum was saying about Nineveh.

APPLICATION

You know it is so easy not to lie. You just tell the truth. But what do you do when everyone around you is not telling the truth by either what they say or how they live? You keep telling the truth. You keep living the truth. You keep pointing to The Truth – Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 14:6 that He was the way, and the truth, and the life. If He called Himself the truth that means all other “ways” to God are lies. Don’t believe the lie that we all go to heaven. That’s not how it works. There is only one way – through Jesus.

I am sure you have people in your lives who deny that truth. They truly believe they are okay. They believe as long as they are good to others and really try hard, they will go to heaven when they die. If you care about them, do not let them get by with that. They may get upset if you keep pointing them to Jesus. That’s okay. Better mad and the possibility of them getting saved than not mad and headed straight to hell. Just tell the truth, my friends.

I am so glad that I can live in the truth rather than hide in the lies.

Standard
Accountability, Bible, Commands, Consequences, Counsel, Encouragement, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Scripture, Truth

A WICKED COUNSELOR

NAHUM 1:11

“From you has gone out one who plotted evil against the LORD, a wicked counselor.”

In our lifetimes, we are going to receive some wrong counsel. Friends who think they know best will offer advice that they are sure is the best for you. You may even receive some advice that you know is not from God because it goes against what His Word says. You have to be careful from whom you receive pearls of wisdom.

Nahum states it plainly. There is bad counsel coming from Nineveh. Listen to what Isaiah said about this in Isaiah 10:5. “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hands is My indignation,…” The nation God used to judge Israel thought it had done this on their own. Pride, once again, raises its ugly head.

APPLICATION

How do you know you are receiving good counsel, godly counsel? Simple, measure it against God’s Word. Does it agree with what God says? If it doesn’t, leave it alone. My rule has been if I know it’s bad, don’t do it. If I’m not sure, don’t do it. That has kept me out of a lot of tight jams.

A word of warning – people will think you are crazy for basing your decisions on an ancient book. Come on, Carl, times have changed. It’s 2022, not 1962. I don’t care if it’s 2050. God’s Word is timeless, and its truths eternal. I will never go wrong by choosing to live by it.

God’s counsel, through His Word and His Spirit, will never steer you wrong. It may not make perfect sense all the time but just trust it. It will see you through. I truly believe every problem we face in life can be solved simply by trusting His Word. Try it today.

Your Word is faithful. I will turn to it as my counsel.

Standard