August 2024

Paul Tells the Truth

August 20, 2024

The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”But Jesus answered, “It is written:‘ Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:3-4

Have you ever had your eyes opened to truth in God’s Word in a new and fresh way? Have you read a passage of the Bible many times, yet this one time you read it, you get so much more from it? That happened to me. I have read the book of Galatians many times, but a few days ago I REALLY read it!

Paul was upset, or more like surprised and disappointed that the Galatian church had false teachers in it. They were spreading their version of the truth about salvation. Of course, Jesus is the only way to salvation, yet these teachers convinced many that they still had to follow the custom of circumcision to be justified before God.

I wrote this poem, in an attempt to grasp what that situation must have felt like, how Paul must’ve felt. I sensed his disappointment that the people he preached to, were listening to these false teachers. After all, the truth was revealed to Paul, straight from God! So, he knows what He is talking about!

Paul Tells The Truth

Apostle Paul was led to write Galatians from the heart

Surprised, he was, that some believed the gospel changed, in part

Their church had teachers preaching false, that for God to atone

One’s circumcision was required and not just faith alone

So Paul reminded them of what he said before that’s true

Jeus is the only way. He paid salvation’s due

Our evil world, it still contains false teachers in disguise

They’re eager to dissolve God’s truth, replacing it with lies

Revealed to Paul, God IS the truth and that will never change

So, never can we alter Him or His truth rearrange

God’s the ONLY source of truth so to His Word we cling

The author of our faith, He is, and Father of our King.

Jesus, We love You and know You are our only salvation. You obeyed your Father, now our Father, to death and back to life. We will do as You did and live by the Word of God only. Help us do our human best but also Your amazing best in pursuing God’s will and way and not the popular trends, customs and lies of the world. We ask this in Your special and most holy, beautiful name of Jesus. Amen.

With love from the Father, have a beautiful day, knowing you have been bought by the Savior to live with Him forever!

Tina

Truth Is…

August 1, 2024

…if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; 2 Peter 2:9-10

Good Morning! Have you read 1 and 2 Peter lately? I highly recommend taking just four or five verses at a time only, so you don’t miss anything. If we rush through,we might miss something. It’s good to read, pray, listen to God and apply His truth to our lives deeply. Truth is everything, everything we need.

So, Peter knows he will die soon, because the Lord told him, so he is trying to remind Christians of things they already know, but need to really remember after he is gone. He is all about holy living, loving and obeying God and being effective for God. No better goals!

Peter reminds us that…If God made Sodom and Gomorrah extinct , due to their ungodliness(which He did) and If He rescued Lot, the only righteous man in Sodom who was miserable, seeing so much sinful conduct(which He did) THEN…

He knows what’s going on, who is sinful or not and He is able to both punish and rescue us! It is not our job to punish anyone. Sidenote…I admit I took over God’s job a bit this past week and did a little judging. Oops! It made me feel awful! He understands when we mess up but is so good to forgive us:)

These verses remind me of something we already know, but need to remember about truth…that, in today’s world, we like to decide our own truths, but that leaves God out, which is wrong. He, THE ONLY JUDGE, will judge us all for how we obey or disobey His truth. We tend to obey our own truths. along with His truth… but is it really total obedience if we follow God AND wordly, popular trends, or what’s easiest or what suits us? NOPE! Truth, often is UNpopular…

We can’t create truth. Only God can and has. We can’t decide it or bend it to suit our desires. Since we can’t change His Word, His truth, then our only choice is to accept it or reject it. I am GLAD to accept truth from Truth Himself! I do not want a changeable god, one that humans can influence. Would we really want a god we could each change with our whims? Would he really be a god? NOPE!

I hope this makes sense.My heart has changed from anxious to peaceful today, by reading that God is still true and just, no matter what the world says or does. God’s got this, friends! He knows what is true and what’s not, and He will carry us through a sometimes dark world with His truth to light our way!

Dear Father ,Thank You for Your truth, our anchor in a dark and stormy world. Guide us all the way home to You as You desire. Keep us from falling in love with popular but ungodly lies. Thank You for being who You are, truth and goodness and light and love! We love You back! Amen.

With love from the Father to you, have a great day! Hang onto God’s truths!

Tina