Why the title?

"Pioneers take the arrows"

Oh, wait. I should be upbeat and taking arrows doesn't sound like an upbeat thing to say.

So, let me amend that statement.

It was courage and vision that led the pioneers to leave behind a comfortable, settled life and trek West to begin a new life in a new place. Many of those from the East that went West found a strength within themselves that they didn't see while they were in their old life. Instead of being one of those that just kind of went along with the others in the old life, they became leaders and visionaries in their new lives.

The sentiments of that last paragraph come from a favorite author, Louis L'Amour, in many of his books. So, I can't really say that it is an original thought from me. However, what he said is truthful.

Welcome to being a pioneer. Look ahead and ignore the "barking dogs" that give you negative opinions and comments. Louis L'Amour also spoke of the barking dogs.

In some of his stories, it was usually a father or older man telling a young boy how it was that when the Westward bound Conestoga wagons rolled through towns, the dogs came out to bark at them. His character then told the young listener that the barking didn't stop the wagons from going on to their destinations.

Following the advice of the Louis L'Amour characters, may we all forge ahead with our plans, after carefully considering all consequences and leave the "barkers" behind.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Importance of Truth

I have again begun to watch the video series from Focus on the Family that is called “The Truth Project.” If you ever get the chance to view this 13 hour series of lessons, it is likely that your beliefs will be transformed. Each time that I view it, I learn something new and for this reason, I make this posting with a haunting question:

“Do you really believe that what you believe is really real? “

When Jesus stood before Pilate, he informed Pilate that He was a King and that he was born into this world to testify to the Truth. Pilate’s reaction was more of a sarcastic return with the question, “What is Truth?”

The Bible teaches to the Truth in many areas, many of which are not even considered by many today. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the phrase “I tell you the truth” over 75 times. In the book of John alone, he uses the double emphatic “Truly, truly” 25 times.

In John 1: 17, the Bible says, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”

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

In John 17: 17, this is stated, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

John 4: 24 tells us of worship: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 8: 31-32 states, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

John 14: 16-17 then makes a promise from Jesus towards Truth: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

And John 16: 13 states: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

After all the above scriptures, do you suppose that God might think that Truth is important?

But, how does man react to Truth?

II Timothy 4: 3-4 brings a point up that has a chilling perspective: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

Romans 1: 18-19 even speaks to man’s active role against the truth: “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

Acts 20: 29-30 carries man’s evil further by distorting the Truth: “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

More from Romans, in chapter 2 and verses 7 and 8, the Bible speaks to man actively rejecting truth and following evil: “to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”

And finally, Romans 1: 25 give us this: “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

It is not enough to believe what we hear from man….unless what man says is verified by the Bible. The Bible speaks of false prophets and teachers and that we are to be cautious of them. God’s truth is what is important.

As for the truth of the philosophies of mankind, especially in the sense of faith, we must be very cautious. Mankind is full of those that will speak of faith, and political philosophy, in a way that is not seeking truth, but trying to convince us with lies. Politicians and the news media are prime examples of those that would deceive us.

It is important for us to search for the truth by constantly questioning what we hear and read. Politics should be questioned with the goal of finding results and not believing rhetoric. Seeking for religious truth must be done with the Bible. Let us be certain that our beliefs and actions are based on truths that are fully confirmed with ALL of the Bible.

Open Door Policy

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