#59 Truth. "Thoughts from the Back Deck..."

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
This is a piece of a prayer of Jesus for us. We all know the "Lord's Prayer". Looking at chapter 17 of the gospel of John, is Jesus showing again his heart for us... THE CHURCH, part of His body! 
Jesus is pointing to us, the church, to the word. The "word" is the scriptures and Himself (John chapter 1). 
Two things bother me in the church (in us) today. 

1. How we often rip each other apart. This isn't anything new. We rip on other pastors, denominations, and individual churches. We are as quick with a filet knife as any commercial fisherman I saw in Alaska working on a catch of salmon or halibut.
While there are certainly differences to discuss, the discussions have moved in the direction of how our culture has moved: We don't agree; therefore, we are enemies! 
I heard someone say a few days ago, "No one they know has been hated into agreement!"

Truth! I pray for the day when we stop making the devil's work easy. 

2. The word that Jesus says is the truth, is the TRUTH... Period! 
We have issues with each other because we have cherry-picked God's word, twisted things, taking things out of context, let human reason trump God's word, and crossed out things that are hard or, uncomfortable or inconvenient. Too often, we treat God's word like it's our word instead. 

Here is our choice when it comes to God's word... Believe it or don't. There are hard words in Scripture. There are complex concepts and conversations. Some things are hard to believe. 

That is where faith steps up further into our daily living. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth". 

Some things we can understand, some things we just have to say it is a mystery, and we will understand fully when we are with Jesus or Jesus returns. 

In the meantime, I continue to pray for God's word to take a deeper root in my life so that I would understand Jesus more and for the Holy Spirit to do His work to help me see the truth found in the gift of scripture. May you pray a similar prayer. 

Peace out,
Andy

stpaullakeland.org

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