“And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 NKJV
In “12 Crucial Truths of the Christian Faith,” Josh and Sean McDowell summarize truth number one, God exists: “Because we believe the truth that a personal God exists and created us in His image, we can enjoy the benefits of His creation, especially loving relationships. Our ethics, morals, social and civic responsibilities, and the capacity to love and be loved come from the fact that we were made in God’s relational image.”
“Created to Dream” by Rick Warren is based on 2 Bible promises: Jeremiah 29:11-12 NKJV: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” And Ephesians 3:20 NKJV: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”
Jesus preceded His promise about truth: “‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.’ As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.” John 8:28-30 NKJV
But of those who did not believe in Him, He accused them, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44 NKJV
Jesus continued contrasting the lies of the devil with God’s truth. Then Jesus said: “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.” John 8:45 NKJV
In his book “Forward – Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow,” David Jeremiah wrote: “Almighty God is holy, absolutely and perfectly holy. He wants us to spend eternity with Him in heaven, but He couldn’t bring us into His presence as sinful creatures. The only way He could bring us to heaven and satisfy His holiness and justice was to send Jesus Christ into the world. Jesus Christ took our sin upon Himself, bled and died, and was buried and rose again. He purchased for us a place in heaven. He compressed the suffering of an entire world of humanity into the few hours that He suffered on the cross. It was suffering to a magnitude we’ll never know. To get out of emptiness and into purpose, you have to go through Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. And when you receive Him as Savior, eternal life begins at that moment for you.”
Next Friday, listeners to 63 radio stations in 17 states will hear me say on “Telling The Truth”: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.’ John 3:21 NKJV. The truth will always win. Tell the truth. That’s what this ministry is all about. Telling the truth to and through teenagers. To share God’s Word with people everywhere who need to know the Lord. Remember what God’s Word says: “He who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” That’s what God wants to do for you and for me. He wants us to be the truth tellers. To be the Gospel sharers. To let people know that Jesus loves them. That Christ did live perfectly, born of the virgin Mary, was tempted but never yielded, and then went to the cross, crucified because of your sins and mine. Not only did He die for our sins, but He was buried, and He rose again the third day. And the Bible says He’s coming back. So we need to be sure that we’re telling everybody we possibly can the truth that Jesus loves them. He died for them. And He’s willing to receive them unto Himself if they will believe on Him and tell others about Him. Who will you reach for Christ? This weekend, go with the Gospel. Somebody is waiting for you to tell the truth. Christ through you can change the world!”