Truth (Do you really want it?) by Julie Sheppard

     People claim to be seeking the truth, but most of what we hear is lies. Yes they sound good, and it may even be what we wanted to hear, but is it true? Do we actually desire to know the truth or just what makes us feel good? News stories once had to be factual, and they were accountable for reporting the truth. Today if you read a news article or watch the news does not mean it is true. At least half if not more of what you read on the internet is not true. Our opinions have become fact( at least that is what we want to believe), which does not make it true. We even have a term to make lies sound nice; they are called ‘white lies’.

      In the movie “A Few Good Men” Jack Nicholson’s character states “You can’t handle the truth!” I hate to say this, but it looks like the world fits this statement. We do not want the truth, and I believe this is one of many reasons the world rejects Jesus. He is the Truth. No lie or deceit is found in Christ. (1 Peter 2:21-23 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;…)

To be truthful we must be accountable. Let’s face it, we live in a world where we would rather blame someone else for our actions than be accountable for what we do. A few years back I took a course titled ‘Life’s healing Choices’ and one of the things I learned about, was being accountable for my actions. This did not mean that I had not suffered, been abused and a list of other things that were done to me was not wrong. What it meant was there were things that I did in response that furthered the damage done, and to find healing from these things I had to recognize that I had done my fair share of things that were wrong. I had to be honest with myself. Yes, the truth hurts, but it also brings healing to a wounded heart.

     With truth we learn trust. Trust is a necessity in a healthy relationship. We have a God who wants a relationship with us and He is worthy of our trust. He sent His Son Jesus to pay for our sins. He does not want to condemn us for our actions as sinful as they may be but forgive us. This truth is something I cannot deny. Yet I struggle with trust even in my relationship with Him. Not because of Him but because of all of the lies I have lived with. The ones spoken to me, about me, and that I have spoken. I have been deceived but I have also been deceptive. Thank God, He forgave me and because of His love I have changed and continue to change into the woman He created me to be. There is a song from the 80’s titled ‘I’ve never been to me’ and one verse stays, ‘That is truth that is love’. I like that because Jesus is Truth, and He is Love. I want the truth that can only be found in Him to be what lives in me. It may hurt at times, but I would rather suffer some pain for a moment than ever live with out Him.

 

I did a search to see how many times the word ‘truth’ is mentioned in the Bible and the answer I found was 224 times in the King James Version. I am not going to list all of them but here are some from that list. Please let me know which ones speak to you or add a comment with a scripture not on this list that you like.

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. KJV

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. KJV

Romans 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; KJV

John 16:13

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. KJV

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. KJV

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. KJV

2 John 1:2

For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever. KJV

John 4:23-24

23 but the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.KJV

James 1:22

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. KJV

John 15:26

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: KJV

1 John 1:8

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. KJV

Ephesians 4:15

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: KJV

1 Timothy 3:15

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. KJV

3 John 1:3

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.