What Is Truth?
According to Webster’s Dictionary, truth is “(1) the body of real things, events, and facts; (2) the state of being the case; (3) often capitalized: a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality.
It can also mean “a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true; the body of true statements and propositions; the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality.”
Further, it can mean “fidelity to an original or to a standard; sincerity in action, character, and utterance.”
Let’s consider this specific definition: “the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality.”
What is your reality as a believer? We talked about his before. What is your reality as a follower of Christ? Not just a “Christian.” To be a Christian means you know Christ as the Son of God! Merely going to church does not make you a follower, believer or disciple. If this were so, then sitting in a garage would make you a car!
Is God really your reality? Or does your reality revolve around where you are in your life, relationships and career? Your plans and agendas? Do we really believe we were put here by God for His plans and agenda to be carried out?
Do we look at the bible as a standard to be followed or as a historical book to read? This is very foundational. If we don’t truly believe the bible, and God’s promises as truth, as a standard, we will be swayed further and further into the world. We will lean more and more on our own understanding and devices. We will move further and further from truth and God! This is very serious and has intense spiritual consequences.
Proverbs 3:1-8 (TPT) says: “My child, if you truly want a long and satisfying life, never forget the things that I’ve taught you. Follow closely every truth that I’ve given you. Then you will have a full, rewarding life. Hold on to loyal love and don’t let go, and be faithful to all that you’ve been taught. Let your life be shaped by integrity, with truth written upon your heart. That’s how you will find favor and understanding with both God and men—you will gain the reputation of living life well.
“Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong. Then you will find the healing refreshment”
Will you be a seeker and speaker of the truth like the Bereans? The Bereans were not those who would swallow every wind of doctrine but searched the Scriptures on their own for truth.
How can you discern a lie without first knowing the truth?
More importantly, do you really want to know the truth? Many of us have been in denial, or we think ignorance frees us from responsibility. This is a lie!
At the end of time, when we stand before Him, and He asks why we did not do something, we may say, “I did not know.” His response might be, “You were told to read My Word. Why didn’t you?”
Or we might say, “I did not want to offend someone.” He may ask, “But you offended me; you denied Me?”
The Bible also says we will be responsible for every idle word we say, as well as, perhaps, every word we do not say. Consequently, we will answer for every truth we failed to speak. In many cases, we are the only Bible people may see or hear. That, to me, is an intense responsibility. Parents are required to teach and train up their children to His way. This also applies to leaders. If they don’t, God will hold them accountable for not speaking truth, and some may miss an opportunity for salvation because they aren’t exposed to the gospel truth.
We must examine our own motives if we fail to search for and spread truth. Self, flesh and fear of not being accepted or of offending someone can lead to such compromise
What Is Compromise?
Let’s look at one Webster’s Dictionary definition: “a concession to something derogatory or prejudicial, a compromise of principle.”
People want to hear truth! In today’s society and with what is going on, some are too lazy to search for the truth and swallow hook and sinker lies from the enemy. When people who are not saved disseminate their version of truth, it reveals who is “driving their car.” We need to know the evil one’s strategy. The Bible says the enemy roars about seeking those whom he can destroy. The Bible also has a counter Scripture to that. It says, (author paraphrase), “The eyes of the Lord roam to and fro about the earth seeking to uphold the ‘righteous.’ Those in “right standing” with God.” Are you confident you are in right standing with God? If not, how do you get there?
Obedience and diligence to believe and follow His Word is a great start. It says in Genesis that righteousness was accounted to Abraham because he believed God. Abraham did not argue with God. He knew His voice and obeyed. He became the father of many nations for his faith and obedience.
God is just not looking for servants! He is looking for friends!
My feeling about this is that when we don’t believe God at His Word and are not obedient to follow it, we inherit a bullseye on our back for an arrow from the evil one to stab us. We become targets for the evil one and open doors to not be truth seekers and speakers, much less a game changer.
Does speaking the truth about God or the Bible threaten to put us in a vulnerable place of possible rejection from others? Possibly. But that is no excuse. Jesus is our example. He knew what was at stake if He did not speak truth: our salvation.
Game changers are never going to speak anything but the truth, regardless of any consequences. Game changers are more worried about stepping on God’s toes than the toes of others. Someone’s spiritual life and their accountability before God depends on that. Game changers for God are uncompromising.
In the last podcast episode of Game Changers for God on the Charisma Podcast Network, we talked about the temperature God wants us as followers and believers to be: hot and passionate. The Bible says lukewarm gets us vomited out of His mouth.
Jesus, Himself, was the most truthful and uncompromising person in the Bible, and He was rejected and crucified for it. Is that our fear? There will be consequences for us in the afterlife if this is truth for us now.
Game changers are bold. We can ask God for boldness to be able to walk this walk. Myself, I have not always been. I was a fearful, bullied person as a child. God transformed me!
The Bible also says in Proverbs 28:1 (KJV): “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
Jesus is looking for game-changing, truth-seeking, uncompromising and truth-telling people!
There are things that are being told us these days by so called experts. Using my medical background and through personal research, I’ve found that these so called truths are not entirely accurate. They don’t even match the science I learned as a medical professional. I recognized the lies because I searched out the truth for myself. I am doing my own due diligence. I don’t want to follow the crowd when the truth is readily available. It is very naïve for us all to believe that all leaders have our best interest in mind. The only one we can rely on in that vein is God! He will talk to us via the Holy Spirit! Do we listen? Do we want to listen? Scripture says in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.”
The word vision there is translated as “prophetic revelation,” being able to hear God’s heart on any given matter. We need to be trained to hear His voice immediately.
Although all of us are not called to office of prophet, the Bible tells us we are all called to prophesy. Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy, and we as believers have the embodiment of the fullness of Christ within us. Remember we spoke about those “greater things than these” Jesus said we would do in this day and hour” (see John 14:12). In fact we are told “not to despise prophecy.”
Are we really listening? Is that you? And if not, and you call yourself a Christian, follower or believer, why not? You don’t have to answer to me, but we will have to answer to Him.
A game changer for God is not some elite group or squad. We are all called to be His hands and feet. We are all called to be game changers for God and do those greater things than He did in this day an hour. Are you unhappy with what is happening in our world and nation? Then you can be a game changer and ask God what your part is. If you choose not to, then don’t complain. You are now part of the problem, not the solution.
When I get to heaven, I don’t want Him to say to me, “Why didn’t you want all that I had for you?” Instead, I want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of the Lord.”
There is still time. Repent if you are not what and where you should be in Him! Please remember, eternity is a lot longer than the time we have here.
Lord embolden us to follow you in Spirit and in truth, no matter what! Father, remove compromise and fear of man from our lives. Make us spiritually hot in Your sight. In Jesus’ name, amen. {eoa}
Josephine Marie Ayers is the president and founder of Flames of Fire Ministries Inc. Visit flamesoffire.us to learn more. She also hosts Game Changers for God on the Charisma Podcast Network.
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