The Truth Revealed
True belief in Jesus requires a revelation from God himself. He calls you unto himself by his kindness. He gets your attention by a preaching or a teaching and prayer. He comes in when you surrender a place in your heart for him. He sets before you a divine plan of salvation from sin and death and a journey in freedom to be set apart from the entanglements of the old sinful character in your soul. The Holy Spirit brings understanding to the Word of Truth deep in your spirit. Understanding the Bible by intellect alone is religious knowledge. Knowing Jesus Christ because he has been revealed in your spirit by the Holy Spirit is worshiping in spirit and truth. This is a step that other belief systems try to produce by teaching that you have “divine” power of your own accord. They deny that a huge sacrifice was required to open the door that we might be restored to a relationship with the Divine.
Views of who Jesus Christ is:
Buddhism – Man, Wise and enlightened man who taught similar things to the Buddha.
Hinduism – Man/god, Incarnation of God akin to Krishna, or wise man.
Islam – Man, True prophet sent by God, but superseded by Muhammad.
Mormonism – Man, Son of God, Savior, originally one of the spirit beings that all humans used to be. Has a physical body.
Universalism – Man, Great teacher, faith-healer, "incarnation of God's love."
New Age, Free Masonry, Theosophy, Kabbalah – Man, Great teacher who understood earth energy like other great religious leaders.
Christianity – Fully man/fully God, Incarnation of God, second person of the Trinity, Son of God, Savior.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1 John 4:4-6
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 1 John 2:20
Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Eph 4:15 AMP
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series #7
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series #6
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 3:3
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.
John 4:22-24
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
John 8:31-32
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth , and the truth will set you free."
John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 16:12-14
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
John 17:16-17
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John 18:37
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
If anyone has trouble believing that Jesus Christ is the true Truth, they should ask in prayer for God to reveal this in their spirit and soul. If you genuinely want to know God you should seek him by asking for that revelation even if it takes more than once or over several days. Trust and wait. The Holy Spirit will meet you and make the truth known, and believing grows deeper and deeper.
Monday, November 8, 2010
THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series #5
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:21
Let’s break down that verse because it has a great discernment message in it. We will work on the assumption that the true truth, the really, absolute true truth is Jesus Christ and a there is no other way to know the Almighty God-Creator of Heaven and Earth-who loves you with all of his massive heart.
If you “live by the truth” – This means that you know Jesus not just know about him. Even following the Bible’s commands religiously is not “knowing” Jesus, but knowing a lot about him. You get to know him by believing him; that what he says about himself is the true truth. Then you identify with him by making a commitment to form a trusting relationship with him. As you do that, by praying and asking him into your heart, he gives you the Holy Spirit to live and remain in your spirit.
“What he has done has been done through God” – Can you see that? God gives you part of Himself, the Holy Spirit, so that what you read in the Bible makes sense and then he empowers you to obey it and have your life changed by the truth from the inside out.
In other words, you don’t have what it takes in your own spirit and soul,or your own intellectual efforts to understand God or live by the truth until he, the Truth, lives within you.
“So that it may be seen plainly” – This is the value of discernment; that you see plainly or clearly. No confusion, no mixed messages, not serving two masters, and not being double-minded, just living by the truth.
The universal “truths” of Buddhism or New Age teachings would have you become one with the energy of the earth but they don’t take into consideration that you are becoming one with the Prince of the Power of the Air (Satan’s deceitfulness).
Jesus calls you to find your identity in him in order to become who God created you to be for His Kingdom purposes; eternal life with Him. You don't lose who you are but you become who you were meant to be by his powerful truth working in you.
"May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts..." Eph 3:17 AMP
Monday, September 27, 2010
THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series #4
The way that you spot a counterfeit is by being very familiar with the real thing. Then the deceit loses its sublety and becomes blatantly obvious. The same is true when it comes to knowing the Truth. False teachings become obvious, and evil spiritual motives will be detected and exposed without giving in to fear of any kind.
Is there a discipline for developing discernment of the Truth? Yes. Join centuries of Christian faithful by learning to pray the Scriptures.
Here is a place to start:
- Read Psalm 145.
- Make sure you understand the message of praise and worship.
- Pray through the psalm making the inspired words of God your words of praise back to Him.
Some other Psalms to pray through include: 1,23,24,25,45,51,84,90, and 139.
After you work through these you will discover others or portions that are meaningful to you.
Another essential method of developing discernment is to pray through Bible passages that form your identity in Christ. We need to undo spiritual hindrances from our soul and spirit through forgiving others their offenses against us, and seeking forgiveness for known and unconfessed sins. We also need to renounce hindering beliefs and lies that we have come to believe about ourselves. This is called "demolishing strongholds," (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).
Then we need to form our new identity as one set free by the Savior. So pray through passages that fill you with the truth of who you are in Christ.
- Read Ephesians 3:16-21
- Make sure you understand, or at least accept, that Jesus wants to form this in you through the Holy Spirit.
- Pray through the passage and let those words soak into to your mind and heart.
Look at how powerful these verses sound in the Amplified version:
16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series #3
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6
In recent news a pastor in Florida had announced he would burn copies of the Qur’an on September 11. He wanted to announce to radical Muslims that their hatred and violence toward the US would be met with the sharp rebuke of destroying what they held in high value. He did not follow through in the end.
In my point of view, that pastor, was not making a statement of faith in Christ but a political statement and perhaps at the same time making a declaration of faith in a civil religion. Basically what he did was use his position as a Christian minister to voice a sense of injustice. But he ended up reducing his faith to the level of the radical hatred of his opponents.
Here is a look at a more effective response:
(Love) is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 1 Cor 13:5-6 (Amplified)
Note that the word “love” is described as “God’s love in us.” This is a good translation from the Greek word agape which can only be expressed by the Holy Spirit within us.
On our own strength as people we fall short of this class of prevailing, truth-producing, hope-satisfying, peace-making love.
A better response than burning Qur’ans would be to build a school for Muslim children or give wheelchairs to their disabled. The military has the duty through the government officials to confront the terrorists. Therefore we must pray for our national and military leaders. We must also pray for our enemies. We must pray that the Church represent the Kingdom of God effectively and not be bound up by political and personal agendas.
Discernment of truth and righteousness requires knowledge of the Word of God, inspired by the insights from the Holy Spirit, and confirmed in the Body of Christ. That is when the love we express will prevail.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series #2
“But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth).” John 16:13 (Amplified)
When you commit your faith to Jesus Christ you receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Truth-giving Spirit. That means He reveals the full Truth of God to your spirit, soul and mind as you cooperate with Him. Now that is amazing grace!
It is very important, vitally important, that you understand this relationship. Because there are many vendors of the “truth” out there and you might be deceived if you cannot discern the Truth.
Listen to these warnings:
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3
“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Galatians 5:7-8
If you have read popular self-help books (like “The Secret”) and have been tempted to come into agreement with it, you are risking being misled into believing that you have “truth” and “power” within yourself to generate wisdom, health and prosperity. This teaching has ancient roots through Gnosticism, argued against in the New Testament, and clear back to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; “you will be like God,” (Genesis 3:4).
Jesus Christ came to correct that massive, cosmic error because He is the Truth. You can only know God when His Truth-giving Spirit remains in you.
“We are [children] of God. Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us; and he who is not of God does not listen or pay attention to us. By this we know (recognize) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6 (Amplified)
Follow the steps to increase your discernment of truth:
- Study the Bible for yourself.
- Confirm what you learn with other faithful followers of Christ.
- Ask for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you so that it makes sense.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT Series
Can you taste the difference between a deluxe pizza and a Hot Pocket? What about the difference between sugar and Splenda or some other artificial sweetener? Can you taste the difference between the message of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of the world?
As a pastor I sometimes encounter what I see as the lack of discernment for real trust in Christ and trusting one’s own thoughts. The risk is making an authority out of your own opinion, rather than trusting the greater authority of the Bible. If you have ever been tempted to doubt the value of the Bible because someone says, “the Bible is full of contradictions,” then you are giving in to an argument that is superficial and has no authority. Or if you give in to the world’s wisdom that the Bible is the same as other religious books, than you devalue what Jesus did to save the world.
The message of the cross must never be seen as “just another religious option.” It must be our passion. This series, “The Need for Discernment,” will try to teach how to increase your passion for the One who deserves it.
"Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.” Job 34:2-4
Some essential steps to discerning the Truth include:
• Understand that asking Jesus into your heart brings you into the covenant of grace.
• Living in that covenant includes receiving God’s blessings and responding in a life of worship and trust (Heb. 9:15 and Heb. 13:20).
• Make a personal declaration of faith that you believe the Bible to be the Word of God (Psalms 119:105).
• Test other teaching sources in light of the Bible and sound doctrine (Rom. 12:2).
• Learn to listen to the insights of the Holy Spirit to understand the deeper meaning of the Bible, (Ephesians 1:17-18).
These first steps to increase discernment will put your heart and mind into the position of believing and not falling to temptation of unbelief by agreeing with the cheap wisdom of the world.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.” Phil 1:9-11
Monday, July 19, 2010
"REASON FOR HOPE" TEST
1. Can you recite three different Bible verses that express your faith and hope in Christ?
2. Do you have a personal testimony of a recent answer to prayer?
3. Do you have a personal testimony of a recent spiritual lesson you have learned?
4. Can you explain briefly how the Old Testament presents the message of Jesus Christ?
5. Can you define what the “peace of Christ” means to you personally?
6. How would you explain why you believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life?
7. Can you explain why you believe there is a heaven and a hell?
8. Can you explain in simple terms the role of the Holy Spirit in your life?
9. Can your children explain why they go to church?
10. Can your children explain why they believe in Jesus Christ?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
WHY WOULD GOD RUN TO YOU?
In describing the Kingdom of God, Jesus teaches a parable about a Father and his two sons (Luke 15). The young son (who represents some of us) is rebellious, disrespectful, and self-gratifying. The older son (who represents some of us too) is resentful and selfish. The Father, of course, represents God.
When the young son reaches the bottom of his pleasure seeking life-style his soul is so miserable that his only choice is to return to his father, accept his punishment and hopefully become a servant. This is his common sense at work.
What actually happens is counter-intuitive. He finds grace. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him, (Luke 15:20).
The older son reacts to the reunion with common sense by resenting his brother and grumbling. But he also encounters grace. "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours, (Luke 15:31).
Why would God run to you? Why would God say, “you are always with me”?
It takes more than common sense to believe that this is true and you can know His grace. No matter if you have squandered your life or if something valuable has been taken from you. When you turn to God, He will run to you.
Here are some other Bible passages which depict the value God places on you:
• God goes to great lengths to find you – Luke 15:3-10
• God will even rescue you and your loved ones – 1 Samuel 17:34-37
• God has done this for us since the beginning – Genesis 3:8-9
• God promises to be found – Jeremiah 29:13
Don’t trust your common sense when it comes to trusting God. Lean on Him to give you a revelation through the Bible and in your heart. “For this is what the high and lofty One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite, (Isaiah 57:15).
In other words, the High Priest of Heaven desires to be the High Priest of your heart. That might not make sense, but it is the grace worth seeking.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
How to Trust in Jesus
Here are the basic faith steps to try:
• Give doubt and skepticism a rest. (John 14:1-7)
• Choose to take a step of faith. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
• You have to believe that God exists. (Hebrews 11:6)
• Accept the fact that God is interested in you. (Isaiah 57:15)
• Acknowledge that human nature without God is corruptible. (John 3:16-21)
• Ask God for wisdom and insight. (James 1:5 and Ephesians 1:17-18)
• Invite God to make Himself known in your soul. (Ephesians 1:13, Luke 11:9-13)
God will answer a genuine prayer. Please comment below if you have any questions.
Pastor Mike Henry
