The Power of the Truth

Last week, I reconnected with a man I’ve known for years. In his youth, he was entangled in drugs and crime. But then he encountered Christ, turned his life around, and built a future many would consider blessed. He married, started a business, and lived in a beautiful home. Yet, after decades of stability, addiction crept back into his life. Over time, he lost everything—his marriage, his business, his home, and his self-respect. Witnessing the wreckage of his present life shook me to my core, and I wept for my friend’s self-inflicted suffering.

I do not judge him because I understand the power of temptation. While I may not fully grasp the grip of addiction, I know that each of us faces our own unique lures. For some, it is pleasure; for others, pride or greed. The truth remains: if we listen to the seductive voices of "the world, the flesh, or the Devil," the outcome will never be good.

In Genesis 3, the story of temptation unfolds as humanity encounters a Beautiful Liar. Twisting God’s words, he entices Eve by suggesting that God is withholding something good from her. He plants doubt: “Did God really say…?” When Eve clarifies God’s command, he boldly contradicts it: “You won’t die! God knows that when you eat it, your eyes will be opened. You will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The deception works. Eve sees the fruit as desirable and eats. She shares it with Adam, who also eats. Instantly, they realize their nakedness and cover themselves in shame (Genesis 3).

I want to scream—“He lies!”—because this same deception plays out millions of times every day. People hear the enticing voice of temptation and ignore the truth.

Are you listening to the serpent’s whispers?

• Is he telling you that another car, a new house, or a trendy pair of shoes will fill your emptiness?

• Is he offering a shortcut to success, asking you to compromise your integrity?

• Is he luring you with fleeting pleasures to escape life’s difficulties?

He lies!

Luke records Jesus’ encounter with the Devil in the wilderness. After fasting for forty days, Jesus was hungry. Then, “the Devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ But Jesus answered, ‘No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone’” (Luke 4:2-4, NLT).

Jesus countered every lie with truth. He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3: “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (NIV). Every temptation Satan presented was met with the power of God’s Word.

When questioned about true discipleship, Jesus declared, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32, NLT). Truth may be hard to accept, but it is always liberating.

Admitting our failures and sins is difficult. No one enjoys confronting their shortcomings. But when we meditate on God’s Word and allow the Spirit to shape our understanding of Him, the world, and ourselves, we experience true freedom.

Need a place to start? Here are truths about you, declared by your Heavenly Father:

• You are more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)

• You are the apple of God’s eye. (Psalm 17:8)

• You are a joint heir of with Christ of Heaven's riches. (Romans 8:17)

• You are a beloved child of God. (1 John 3:1)

Silence the Liar with the Truth and find 'life abundant.'

Here’s a word from the Word:  “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:9-11, NIV)

Choose life and truth today. Let Christ, through the Spirit, defeat sin and death for you.

Love Endures!

Tomorrow, I have the privilege of consecrating a marriage, officiating the wedding ceremony of two wonderful people I have known since they were children. What we will do in that sacred moment is holy work—the beautiful creation of a new family. As I anticipate their special day, my thoughts drift back to when I first fell in love and became a young husband 50 years ago.

I first saw her on a Sunday morning in June 1974, in church. A week later, when we shared our first kiss, a surge of emotion left me delirious with desire. On January 10, 1975, we were married. Our early days were filled with the bliss of new love. Then, life happened. Within two years, we had a child, then another. By our seventh year, she was a tired mother of toddlers, and I was a young minister consumed by church work.

During the 41 years I had the privilege of being Bev’s husband, I discovered a dimension of life I could never have known as a single man. Together, we were stronger than we could have been alone. The wisdom of Solomon rings true:
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up." (Ecclesiastes 4)

Too many marriages end when passion matures into a deeper love that isn’t always recognized or appreciated. Some prioritize the thrill of being "in love" over love itself. When the heart-stopping emotions of early passion fade, they assume love has died. But that doesn’t mean marriage must settle into dull routine.

Despite what our culture portrays in songs and movies, love extends far beyond desire and roses. The older couple who finish each other’s sentences, who sit together in silent understanding, have discovered a love that newlyweds don’t yet know exists.

The Bible often uses marriage to illustrate God’s relationship with His people, and for good reason. Many come to Christ in a moment of crisis or deep searching, experiencing a spiritual "honeymoon" filled with relief, love, and purpose. Yet, over time, that initial excitement can wane. Scripture verses that once stirred deep emotion may feel routine. Prayers may seem to echo unanswered in an empty room. Worship can become more about habit than heartfelt adoration.

If you find yourself in that place, don’t abandon your faith. Instead, seek a deeper intimacy with God—one built on commitment, gratitude, and the anticipation of His eternal promises. True spiritual maturity is found in faithfulness, even in the silence. Some, mistaking the absence of emotional highs for a lack of faith, search for another church or abandon spiritual practices altogether, falling into apathy or worldly distractions.

Having been raised in Pentecostal traditions, I now recognize that much of what we called “revival” was, at times, a longing for the emotional intensity of early faith. But true renewal doesn’t look backward—it reaches forward. Yesterday may be a sweet memory, but we cannot relive the thrills of the past.

As we walk through this season of Lent, take time for silence. Seek God beyond the ways you have known Him before. Be open to a fresh experience of His love. Let go of the expectation that church services must always leave you tingling with excitement. Instead, rededicate yourself to serving Him and to being part of a church community—just as in marriage, through both the joys and the challenges.

I am overjoyed for the couple who will stand before God and their families as I lead them in their vows. Their love is beautiful, but I know they will face trials that will require them to renew their commitment again and again. Likewise, I rejoice for the person who has just found faith, glowing with the thrill of discovering God’s love. And I pray that they, too, will remain faithful when trials inevitably come.

Put your hope in God. Here is a word from Scripture—one you may have heard before, but take time to reflect on its call to mature love. Then, go love God and live in the fullness of His joy.

"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless. When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."
(1 Corinthians 13:7-13, NLT)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

How do you see?

It’s a new week. How are you entering it?  Are you groaning, sighing, seeing only the piles of obligations that stretch in front of you?  Did you wake up with a sigh or a song?  Let’s be reminded that we can choose our perspective and our responses. 

Let me offer a little homely illustration. Yesterday, I picked up my container of recyclable cans as I left for church, planning to empty the container into the bin alongside the garage. Just as I opened the door, the container slipped in my hand, spilling cans onto the floor, making a mess. As irritation began to rise, so did the recall of the Word that counsels “in everything give thanks.”  I repeated the phrase like a mantra while I cleaned up the mess and then drove off to church with a much better attitude than I might have developed if I gave in to the temptation to feel annoyed over a trivial incident.

I realize that the circumstances of life are often much more challenging than a mess on the kitchen floor, but the principle remains the same – we can choose joy and thanksgiving, opening up to the Spirit of God and letting Him reshape our problems into possibilities, what we perceive as an obstacle into an opportunity to experience His grace.

As you look over those responsibilities of the week are you seeing only the weight of obligations that others are imposing on you, or are you seeking out the opportunities that life and the Holy Spirit have prepared for you?

A great prayer is for ‘new’ sight. A story from the Old Testament book of 2 Kings teaches us the importance of seeing with eyes that are informed by faith!

Elisha, the mighty preacher in Israel, was pursued by the armies of Syria. He and his servant were in a village called Dothan. One morning the servant went out to see those soldiers surrounding the town and knew that capture and death were inevitable! For good reason, he was terrified. He reported to Elisha - “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?”

Elisha saw the problem and because he had eyes of faith also saw the solution. He told that fearful man - "Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than on theirs!" Then Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, "O Lord, please make them blind." So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked." (2 Kings 6:16-18, NLT)

Take that ‘impossible’ person to the Lord and ask for insight to deal with the relationship.
Present that situation that stands in your way like a mountain and pray to ‘see’ the way through.
Carry your broken heart to God in prayer and ask that He will give you courage to let it heal.

God does not ask us to ignore the reality of our lives, but He does teach us that reality is not just what we see with our natural eyes! 

George Barna writes this about the kind of Christians that gain a God-shaped insight for life.

• People of prayer.
Visionaries don’t stop praying about their calling. They keep at it, striving to remain sensitive to God’s leading as they seek to carry it out.

• People of action.
They carry out a plan by organizing it into manageable steps. As they seek God’s provision along the way, sure enough, God grants them progress one step at a time.

• People of perseverance.
Regardless of obstacles, they are driven to follow God’s leading. They are unshakable in their resolve to do His will.

• People of excitement.
Life is no longer a grind. They know God has called them to a special outreach. This is an electrifying experience: why shouldn’t they be excited?  (Discipleship Journal)

Do you dread tomorrow? 
Pray this simple line - "Lord, open my eyes and let me see!"

Trust God with that situation that you see as a problem. Ask Him to turn obligations into opportunities in which His power and His honor shines through you, where you are, at this present time.

The word from the Word is a familiar promise. Spend a few moments meditating on this passage as you start this new week and let God show you the opportunities that are all around you and the power that He will pour into you.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”  (Philippians 4)

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(Video of this blog at this link)