While talking to some youth, I realised an important truth – people pleasing is alive and well. From fashion, to language and everything in between, there will always be people who try to squeeze you into their mould; people who try to pressure you into being who they want you to be. They may be good people. They may mean well. But the problem is – they aren’t your creator. They didn’t breathe life into you. They didn’t equip you, empower you or anoint you; Our Almighty God did!
If you’re going to be all that God created you to be, you can’t focus on what everybody else thinks. If you change with every criticism, trying to win the favour of others, then you’ll go through life being manipulated, and letting people squeeze you into their box. You have to realise that you can’t keep every person happy. You can’t make everyone like you. You’ll never win over all of your critics.
Today, instead of trying to please people, when you get up in the morning, ask the Lord to search your heart. Ask Him if your ways are pleasing to Him. Stay focused on your goals. If people don’t understand you, that’s okay. If you lose some friends because you wouldn’t let them control you, they weren’t true friends anyway. You don’t need others’ approval; you only need Almighty God’s approval. Keep your heart and mind submitted to Him, and you will be free from people pleasing!
“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.” (Proverbs 29:25, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I come humbly to You today. I invite You to search my heart and mind. Let my ways be pleasing to You. Father, take away my need for people’s approval. Please let my thoughts be Your thoughts and not the thoughts of a corrupt man. God, thank You for setting me free from people pleasing, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Set Your Hope
Talking to some youth this weekend, amidst the optimism, there also seems to be a lot of hopelessness. It’s time to set our hope so we are not easily swayed by the trials of life.
Setting our hope on God, means we set our lives in the right direction. One translation of today’s verse says, “Look forward to more and more of God’s favour.” God wants to pour out His goodness and grace on you. He wants to help you get ahead in this life. He wants to lead you to the right job. He wants to lead you to the right relationship. But here’s the key: we have to be on the lookout for more and more of God’s favour. More and more of God’s hope. More and more of God’s grace. That tells me that we can’t get stagnant.
Today, meditate on the truth that God wants to do more than you can even ask or think. It says in Ephesians that He wants to show us the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing greatness of His free favour. In other words, God wants to go far and above what we’re used to! He wants to show you favour in unusual and extraordinary ways. Set your hopes dynamically higher today, and increase your expectations of what God will do in your life!
“…set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favour) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:13, AMP)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your abundance in every area of my life today. Father, I choose to set my hope in You, knowing that You want to do more in my life than I can ever imagine. By faith I receive more of Your favour, grace and hope. God, teach me to be a vessel used by You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Father I Trust You With My Life
With many of our youth today growing up without a father-figure in their lives, it becomes hard for them to trust God and love God. Unlike David, who despite lives challenges, he chose to put his life in the hands of the Lord. In Psalms 31:15, He says, “I trust You, God, because I know You are good, my times are in Your hands.” Are you willing, despite an absent father-figure, poor relationships or trust issues, to release every area of your life to the Father who will never abandon you or let you down? Are you willing to trust Him with every time and season of your life?
Today, you may be in a situation that you don’t fully understand, but take heart God is a good God, you can trust Him. He is working on your behalf. If you’ll keep your heart surrendered to Him, you’ll begin to see things change in your favour. As you continue to trust Him, He’ll open doors for you. God, will take what the enemy meant for evil in your life, and He’ll turn it around for your good. Keep standing, keep believing, and trust Him. Your times are in His hands!
“My times are in Your hands…” (Psalm 31:15, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for being there for me, today I choose to trust You. Father, I trust that You are working on my behalf. God, I trust You with my whole life, my times are in Your hands. Please help me to stay close to You today, so that I can hear Your voice. In Christ’s Name! Amen.
Let’s Get Excited About Our Faith
Talking about your faith with others isn’t always the most popular topic amongst young people. Fashion, football and music are more popular. Most youth are not excited when talking about faith. Feeling that if they share their faith with others, people at school, uni or on social media will think they’re weird. So they do what many Christians do, they stay quiet. Not speaking up when someone challenges their beliefs. Praying with your friend who’s parents are going through a divorce would really help, but you’re afraid of what your friend might think. The list of excuses we make for not sharing our faith can be very long.
Why is it that we talk about our sports team winning with everyone we know, but when it comes to sharing our faith, many times we tell no one? We have something way more exciting than a winning team, we have a winning God. We have a God who loved us, and gave his son so that we could experience a life changing relationship with Him. Why aren’t we filling our insta, snap and facebook feed with that news? It’s easy to get afraid to share our faith with others. It’s easier to not say anything so that we don’t look weird to others. We are called to be salt and light to our world. The message in the bible puts it this way. You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. — Matthew 5:14.
So choose to put your fears aside, step up and tell others about your God.
Let’s Holla @ God
God, please give me a Christlike excitement and remove my fear, so I can let others know that you have changed my life and to let them know that You can change theirs too. God make me a light for You. In Christ’ name Amen.
More Hope Than Optimism
Talking to some of the youth at school yesterday, amidst their optimism, there also seems to be a lot of hopelessness. It’s time to set our hope on God so we are not easily swayed by the trials of life.
Setting our hope on God means we set our lives in the right direction. One translation of today’s verse says, “look forward to more and more of God’s favour.” God wants to pour out His goodness and grace on you. He wants to help you get ahead in this life. He wants to lead you to the right job. He wants to lead you to the right relationship. But here’s the key: we have to be on the lookout for more and more of God’s favour. More and more of God’s hope. More and more of God’s grace. That tells me that we can’t get stagnant.
Today, meditate on the truth that God wants to do more than you can even ask or think. It says in Ephesians that He wants to show us the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing greatness of His free favour. In other words, God wants to go above and beyond what we’re used to! He wants to show you favour in unusual and extraordinary ways. Set your hopes dynamically higher today, and increase your expectations of what God will do in your life!
“…set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favour) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.”
(1 Peter 1:13, AMP)
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for Your abundance in every area of my life today. Father, I will set my hope on You, knowing that You want to do more in my life than I can ever imagine. God, by faith I receive more of Your favour, grace and hope. God, teach me to be a vessel used by You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Young people have been turning the pain of their lived experiences into action
ICFREE are aiming to end of criminalisation of Black & Brown Youth in the Criminal Justice System & the Education System! #ICFREE# ICFreeNotIC3
Real Talk: Postcode gangs
The notion of so-called postcode wars may have slipped from the headlines recently but the territorial divisions continue to exert a powerful influence on the lives of thousands of young Londoners.
This lady gives her thoughts on Knife Crime in the UK. We salute this woman for speaking out! The passion in her voice is intense.
Guns, Gangs and Postcode Wars
The youth culture seems to be falling apart at the moment. We’ve seen a real sea change over the past few years, with a significant increase in the number of people who have been injured, in the number of injuries sustained per person, and the severity of those injuries.
The more deprived the area, the more they try to assert control over the one thing they can lay claim to: the streets. Concepts such as hood passes and stripes may seem alien to anyone over 21 but are considered normal by an entire generation.
Politicians need to get their act together and pour money into this right now. Tomorrow is too late. Parents also need to take responsibility.
Gang-related organised crime in the United Kingdom is concentrated around the cities of London, Manchester and Liverpool and regionally across the West Midlands region, south coast and northern England, according to the Serious Organised Crime Agency. With regards to street gangs the cities identified as having the most serious gang problems, which also accounted for 65% of firearm homicides in England and Wales, were London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. Glasgow in Scotland also has a historical gang culture with the city having as many teenage gangs as London, which had six times the population, in 2008.
In the early part of the 20th century, the cities of Leeds, Bristol, Bradford (including Keighley) and Nottingham all commanded headlines pertaining to street gangs and suffered their share of high-profile firearms murders. Sheffield, which has a long history of gangs traced back to the 1920s in the book “The Sheffield Gang Wars”, along with Leicester is one of numerous urban centres seen to have an emerging or re-emerging gang problem.
On 28 November 2007, a major offensive against gun crime by gangs in Birmingham, Liverpool, London and Manchester led to 118 arrests. More than 1,000 police officers were involved in the raids. Not all of the 118 arrests were gun related; others were linked to drugs, prostitution and other crimes. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said it showed the police could “fight back against gangs”.
THE WORDS ON OUR STREETS
Irrespective of who uses it and for what purpose, street slang is constantly evolving. Words in common parlance five years ago like “buff” (good-looking) are now deemed antediluvian, replaced by newer terms such as “chug”, “peak” and “wavey”. “Skadoosh”, a personal favourite, is a relative newcomer.
Bang – punch
Bare – a lot
Bate – obvious
Blud – friend
Booky – suspicious
Butters – ugly
Chug – good-looking
Dutty – nasty
Fam – friends
Gallis – womaniser
Gased – talking nonsense
Gem – fool
Ghost – to be frequently absent
Greezy – bad
Junge – whore
Liccle – small
Marga – extremely skinny
Moist – no ratings, silly, naff
Murk – attack
Nang – good
Peak – used to highlight an eventful situation
Peng – good-looking
Shank – stab
Shower – cool, good
Skadoosh – goodbye
Skettel – loose woman
Slipping – to be caught off-guard
Swag – crap
Tekkers – technique
Wallad – idiot
Wavey – high or drunk
Quit Spiritual Procrastination
Last night, while in Lille, I was talking about spiritual procrastination, and the danger of not taking God-given opportunities, and not using our spiritual gifts. God will never ask you to do something without giving you the ability to do it. You may get passive or complacent and think, “yes, I know I need to do that. Maybe next week.” Well, before you know it next week turns into next month. Next month turns into next year.
Remember, when you put off what God has told us to do, you miss that season of grace. But if you’ll deal with things as soon as God brings them to light, you’ll have a special grace, a special empowerment. You’ll feel God’s enabling power helping you to do it, and you will avoid many trials and pitfalls.
Today, is there something you’re putting off? Something you know in your heart that you are supposed to do? Don’t let the season pass. Don’t let complacency destroy you. Your destiny stands before you. God has something amazing for your future. Be bold; be strong. Step out in faith, be obedient, and embrace the good things God has in store for you!
“For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.”
(Proverbs 1:32, NKJV)
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for the grace to do and enjoy exactly what You’ve called me to do. Father, I will step out in faith and not procrastinate and miss out on my God-given opportunity. God, I will follow Your commands. Help me to be faithful like You are faithful. I love You and bless You today and always, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Heavy And Dripping
In this graduation season, many across the world can’t help but focus on the African American billionaire who paid off the entire graduating class of 2019 student loans. Millions of dollars. Oh how we forget to give God at least the same praise or more, because He gives favour to millions daily. Today’s verse doesn’t say that the glory or favour of the Lord is going to come on you at graduation, or when the economy gets better. No, it says God’s glory is already on you! Hallelujah!
In context the word “glory” in the original language indicates that God’s favour, blessing and splendour is on you in a heavy way. It’s something that is tangible and has weight. Think about it this way: you are not weak; you are heavy with God’s favour. Furthermore You are dripping with God’s goodness. Your attitude should be, “there’s no telling what’s in my future! I am weighted down, not with burdens, not with problems. I am weighted down with the favour of God.” That’s the good news.
Today, when you really understand that you are heavy and dripping with God’s favour, then it’s easy to be heavy and dripping with expectation. It’s easy to believe for big things when you know God has favoured you in a big way. It’s time for you to arise. It’s time for you to shine. Let that sink down into your spirit today, because it’s time for you to arise and shine because His glory, His favour is heavy and dripping upon you!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1, NKJV)
Pray With Me
Yahweh, I come to You today with an open and humble heart. I know that Your glory is upon me. I receive Your enormous never ending favour. Father, I thank You for all You have done and will do in my life. God, I thank You for Your anointing power which breaks every yoke, and moves me into freedom and blessing, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Speak Greatness Into Our Youth
As the Chaplain of a Christian School, often I see more potential in the students than they see in themselves. When you speak vision into your youth, when you tell them what they can become, you can help set the direction for their life. Your words have the power to push people into their divine destiny.
I believe that the reason some youth are not living at their full potential, is because no one has ever spoken faith into them. No one has taken the time to say, “hey, you’re great at this. You’ve got a gift here. You’re going to do something amazing.” I believe that one of our assignments in life is to call out the seeds of greatness in our youth.
Today, look at the young people God has placed in your life. They’re not there by accident. Take time to study them. See what they’re good at. What are their gifts? What do they excel at? Don’t just think about it, speak into their lives vision and greatness. Tell them what they can become. Let your encouragement ignite greatness on the inside of them. Help them rise up in confidence, so they can be all God has called them to be!
“”¦God”¦calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”
(Romans 4:17, NKJV)?
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for the young people You’ve placed in my life. Father, I want to be faithful to our youth, give me the power, despite their behaviour, to speak life and call forth greatness in them. God, thank You for putting them on my mind today, and for bringing them to new levels by faith, as we help them rise higher. Please divorce them from the enemy, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
How To Be Overwhelmed by God’s Blessings
As a youth in church I hated today’s verse. I didn’t want to give my money to anyone and God doesn’t need it. I was so focused on giving that I overlooked the promise. God says He will “open the windows of heaven and pour us out blessings”. But, notice that today’s verse says there is a condition – we have to step out in faith and bring our tithes to Him. In other words, we have to be obedient to God with our finances.
We are stewards over the resources God has given us. When we are good and faithful stewards, the Lord entrusts us with more. He opens the windows of heaven. Have you ever thought about what kind of blessing would be so great that there would not be room enough to receive it? It may be hard to comprehend, but that’s what God’s Word promises – to overwhelm us with His blessings! Hallelujah!
Today, I encourage you, be a cheerful giver, be a tither, bless God and put yourself in a position to receive His blessings. Begin to thank God for His faithfulness. Lift up your eyes to Him. As the Scripture says, prove Him and see Him move mightily in your life!
“Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
(Malachi 3:10, AMPC)?
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for choosing to bless me. Father, thank You for the promise of opening the windows of heaven in my life. God, I choose to be obedient to Your Word. I choose to be a better giver. I choose to be faithful and thank You for Your faithfulness to me. I can’t wait to see You open You’re spiritual windows in the heavens and overwhelm me with favour, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
Youth Today
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Christ told His disciples that in the world they should have tribulation. They would be brought before kings and rulers for His sake; all manner of evil would be spoken against them falsely, and those who destroyed their lives would think they did God service. And all, in every age, who have lived godly lives have suffered persecution in some form or sanother. They have suffered every indignity, outrage, and cruelty which Satan could move upon minds to invent.
The world is as much opposed to genuine religion today as it ever has been. The spirit of persecution will be aroused against the faithful ones, who make no concessions to the world, and will not be swayed by its opinions, its favor, or its opposition. A religion that bears a living testimony in favor of holiness and that rebukes pride, selfishness, and fashionable sins will be hated by the world and by superficial Christians.
Marvel not, then, my youthful Christian friends, if the world hates you; for it hated Jesus before you. When you suffer reproach and persecution, you are in excellent company; for Jesus endured it all, and much more. If you are faithful soilders for God, these things are a compliment to you. It is the heroic souls, who will be true if they stand alone, who will win the imperishable crown.
The way to eternal life is straight and narrow, and you will have to press through many difficulties; but by persevering effort you may win eternal life–the future, immortal inheritance. And the rest, the peace, the glory at the end of the journey, will a thousand times repay every exertion and sacrifice that you can make.
What To Do When Your Best Friend Leaves The Church?
I have a best friend. That alone is a shocker statement, as a lot of people I’ve come in contact with have fickle or fake “friends” that they maybe talk to once every two weeks. But my best friend and I talk to each other almost every day and see each other at least once a week. If we know that plans are going to change and we won’t see each other when we normally do, we try to plan a different day to hang out just so that we won’t have a week without physically seeing each other. Texting is great, but I wanna see her reaction every time I say something stupid that I think is funny.
Both of us had gone to the same church, and that’s actually where I met her. We both served in the Youth Group, and we both attended Bible study together. But one Friday night, we were out shopping for our Easter dresses when she broke the news to me; she and her family would be leaving the church. Three more Sunday’s and she wouldn’t be the first person who greeted me at the door. Three more Sundays and we would no longer serve in ministry together. Three more Sundays before I had to wonder, “is church just going to be super lonely now that pretty much the only one I talk to isn’t going to be here anymore?” Obviously, that’s not what the church is about, but for that entire time before the final Sunday I was missing her, and she hadn’t even left yet.
She and her family are starting a new church, and so entering a new season means leaving the old one behind. I understood that, and of course, I wanted her to do what God called her to do, but that didn’t mean my heart wasn’t broken. Eventually, the day came when neither she nor her family was there to give me a hug just before service. Honestly, walking through the doors knowing that things would be different was gut-wrenching. I didn’t want to talk to new people, I didn’t want to pretend that I could just move on so easily, but somehow I got through that first Sunday and sure enough, I and her went out to celebrate her bother’s birthday right after the Pastor concluded. It’s not like she’s moving away, this is just a new season and she’s doing great things for the Kingdom.
If something like this has happened to you, I’d encourage you to read the book of Acts. This book has a lot of instances where Paul had to leave people that he loved and considered family in order for him to go where God was calling him to go. It’s okay to mourn the changes ahead, but just as God’s Word says, “In your anger do not sin,” in your sadness, do not sin. This is a difficult time for your friend too. He or she does not want to leave you, but obeying God’s call for their life is first and foremost. Encourage them, talk to them just as much as you normally would. Especially in an era of Facetime and social media, there’s no reason why you still can’t be best friends.
Be grateful to God for the new opportunities; for you and for them. Change is hard, but in time, things will settle into place. It’s okay to make new friends at church, and you never have to stop being someone’s best friend just because God took them in a different direction. God works all things together for good.
Troubled Heart, Take Refuge in God
All around me are troubled hearts. It just seems that around every corner, in every news story, on social media, and in my small little burg hearts are broken, abused, and trampled. Are all of our prayer petitions for naught? Where is God?
Last night at my book club gathering at our local public library, a former student saw me and quickly came in for a big hug. Gosh, how they grow. I said, “You’re a senior now, right?” He told me he was and how he had plans to enters trade school in Nashville, Tennessee this fall. I was over the moon. You see, most of my students were minorities from severely impoverished homes. I preached setting goals, getting an education, and championing poverty. I, myself, was born in the government projects with a struggling mom, an alcoholic father, and four siblings. I so often felt like I was seeing a classroom full of me as I taught. I had figured out the code of breaking the cycle of poverty: God, education, and service. I held a precious key that I hoped they would accept. Sadly, not all of them do.
He then said, “Did you hear about DTay?” A shadow crossed his face. I said, “No, what’s up?” He lowered his head and eyes and replied, “They found him dead and beaten to death on Old Mill Road by the tracks down from the Eastside.” My heart crumpled within my chest. Only 18 years old and a life tragically ended. These things shouldn’t happen in rural, small towns in Tennessee like mine, but they do. It is a statistical fact. In the U.S., black males ages 15-34 number one killer is a homicide. My heart is troubled. We hugged again and I told him to get his education and my prayers were with him and all my students until my last breath.
This morning I opened my devotional to begin my day. The first verse was John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” I felt like Thomas. I’m lost and I do not know the way out of this mad, mad world that young men die so brutally and often. Let’s not forget cancer, addictions, the shrinking middle class, divorces, and abject poverty. Then I heard, “I am the way. I’m always with you. I’ve gone before you to create a better place. There are many rooms in my Father’s house.” I took a deep breath remembering my student. I know that those rooms are for lost youth, broken people with addictions, and those who struggle to eek by on this earth. My joy has always come from knowing God is for and with me. This isn’t our last stop. If you have a troubled heart today, I urge you to say a simple prayer, “God help me.” God is within those banged up hearts, just open your heart to Him.
Who’s Pimping Who…?
A man and a woman coo over each other. A bystander turns to another and says, “What does she see in him?” Or, conversely, “What does he see in her?”
She’s tall, he’s short, shes from the city, his from the country, she talks a lot, he’s quiet, he likes Australia, but she likes New York, he’s a Hill-song gospel music fan, she’s a Marilyn Manson fan. She also loves the bright lights and big options, shes unholy, she’s not righteous, she’s impure, she’s been around the block. People know her by what she does, not by her name. There the ‘odd couple’.
Now it’s been said that “Men marry women with the hope they will never change. but that “Women marry men with the hope they will change.”
But not in this case. God has told this holy man to marry an unholy woman, a woman which will not be faithful, a woman by her wicked nature is sure to commit adultery, a woman that will cause endless frustration and monumental grief. Hosea is a prophet, his wife is a prostitute. He’s a man of God, she’s a woman of the night, he is faithful, she is unfaithful, he peaches the power of the living God, she provides ungodly considerations for cash. The story of Hosea puzzles even the devout and zealous Christian. There an ‘odd couple’.
Why did God ask his own prophet to marry a prostitute?
An immense allegory can be interpreted from the depths of Hosea’s life. The prophet Hosea was commanded to marry an unfaithful wife, and this set up a model of our broken relationship with God.
Hosea’s wife: an allegory of God’s undying love
The LORD is the husband of Israel, and Israel’s passionate, chronic attraction for idols was like the lust of an adulterer. His people were as unfaithful as a prostitute. For the land had committed great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.
Could you imagine Hosea’s, groomsman – you’re respected, a wise man, but your decision making is in question? Your wife is a disgrace. Why on earth are you married to a woman like that?
The reply, why on earth is such an awesome, good and powerful God married to a people like you?
Young people and self-esteem
Self-respect is perhaps the most essential quality for young women, especially in our generation.
We live in an era where girls as young as middle school are posting provocative things online. It’s a cry for attention being sought from boys or anyone else who will listen. The story is told of a young girl who had a male friend who came to her with an article in the classified section of a newspaper. The proposal was, if you have sexual relations with a stranger for 1 million dollars there are three things you are guaranteed:
- Nobody will ever know
- No disease
- No baby
1 million dollars, no questions asked, out the door, he asked her, would you do it? She thought about it, like some people reading this article.
The girl the said, are you kidding me, nobody will ever know, no disease, no baby, sure i’ll do it. Well then he said, would you do the same for $10?
She replied, “What, do you think I’m a prostitute?” To which he replies, “We’ve already established that — I’m just haggling over the price.”
However, young ladies, you don’t have to lower your standards or provide ungodly considerations for cash. Tell that young man, I’m not for sale and because you’re not for sale, take off all those for sale and on sale signs. Hug appropriately, speak appropriately. Text appropriately, stop posting barely-clothed photos, sexual innuendos, and explicit language. Be honest in your motivations for being in a relationship.
Young ladies, if he can’t take care of himself now, how is he going to take care of you later.
So the question today is who’s Pimping you?
Sorry boo-boo”¦ hate to burst your bubble, but you have been bamboozled, conned, led astray , run amok, dupe, tricked, fooled, swindle, hoodwink; you have been deceived”¦
You see, Satan has been pimping from the third chapter of the Bible onward and is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. The pimp of all pimps and you want to hang out with him!
But he has no power in the life of a believer unless we give it to him. That’s right! Regardless of how you’ve been thrown out to the trash, we want you to know that Jesus loves you. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Gal. 5:1) Refuse to make deals with Satan, no matter how attractive the trinkets. Refuse to be a commodity that is for sale to the highest bidder.
Why Truth Matters: Biblical Truth for Rising Generations
What is Truth?
This question has echoed through the ages since Pilate asked it of Jesus the Christ. This is a good question today for some who, sadly, are “ever learning, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth.” We can only hope that at some point their prejudices may give way before the truth. Those seeking truth in the spacious towers of moral relativism will search in vain, because truth abides forever and ever, not subject to popular opinion, not based on trendy fads. Truth is absolute.
Why Are We Here?
Without truth, many wonders, “What is the purpose of life?” These are the ones who sincerely seek the truth, only to be kept from it, for they do not know where to find it.
So How Do We Find the Truth?
One ancient prophet said of his Creator: “He is a God of truth, and cannot lie.” Therefore, a logical place to start looking for truth is in the word of God. Saint John said, “it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit [of Christ] is truth.”
So, if we ask what is true, with a sincere heart, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth to us, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, we may know the truth of all things.
But Why Does Truth Matter?
Not too long ago, Sean McDowell, Ph.D., a professor of Christian Apologetics, was speaking at a youth event. Afterwards, a student came up to him and said, “You talked about truth a lot. What’s the big deal? Why is truth even important?”
Why Does Truth Matter?
Why does truth matter? I would suggest to this young man: “At some point in time, in some real crisis, not an imagined one, perhaps you will even be faced with death. In that defining moment, real truth will be important.”
Dr. Peter Marshall, a beloved chaplain in the United States Senate in the 1940s, was invited to speak at the Naval Academy. He was prepared to address his concern about the loose morals of the young people at that time. But the Spirit gave him a different message. He felt strongly impressed to speak to them about death. He said:
“But what is death? Is it to be blown out, like a candle in the wind? Is it a shivering void in which there is nothing that lives? Is is a cold space into which we are launched to be evaporated, or to disappear? Are we to believe that a half-mad eternal humorist tossed the worlds aloft and left their destiny to chance? That a man’s life is the development of a nameless vagrancy? That a hole in the ground six feet deep is his final heritage? There are a thousand insane things easier to believe than these! How can we believe that human personality will not survive when One who went into the grave and beyond came back to say, “Whosoever believeth in me shalt not perish, but have eternal life.”
He also told them about a young boy with a fatal illness. The boy asked his mother what it was like to die. She reminded him of those days when he had come in from play, so exhausted that he had fallen asleep on his mother’s bed, without even changing his clothes. When he awoke in the morning, he was in his own bed. Daddy had lovingly lifted him up in his strong arms and carried him to the comfort of his own bed, where he belonged.
That is what death is like, his mother continued. You fall asleep and when you wake up in the morning, you find that the Heavenly Father has lifted you up and brought you home to the comfort of His loving arms, where you belong because the Lord Jesus has loved us and the little boy no longer feared death.
So the Spirit prompted Dr. Marshall to tell the truth about death to hundreds of bright young sailors at the Naval Academy. Shortly thereafter, Pearl Harbor was bombed, and many of those sailors faced death in the devastating war that followed.
Yes, truth matters. We need it to give meaning to our lives.
Saint John reminds us that the Spirit “will guide you into all truth.” And Jesus Christ is that way, that truth, and life eternal. At the end of the day, through Him, we can return home, where we belong.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. ~ 3 John 1:4
Dr. Peter Marshall was Chaplain to the United States Senate from 1947, until his sudden death in 1949. He served as pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. Born in Scotland, he traveled to New York in 1927 to follow his call to Christian ministry and attend Columbia Theological Seminary where he graduated with his doctorate in 1931. He accepted an invitation to preach a morning sermon in the chapel of the United States Naval Academy, December 7, 1941. Neither he, nor anyone in attendance at the chapel service that day was aware that the Imperial Navy of Japan was attacking the U.S. military bases at Pearl Harbor. Many of the young sailors in the chapel that morning were hearing their last sermon and would give their lives in defense of our nation in World War II.
