“WHAT IS TRUTH?”

John 18:33-38                                       (ESV)

“33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called JESUS and said to HIM, "Are you the King of THE JEWS?"

34 JESUS answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about ME?"

35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? YOUR own nation and the chief priests have delivered YOU over to me. What have you done?"

36 JESUS answered, "MY KINGDOM is not of THIS WORLD. If my kingdom were of THIS WORLD, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to THE JEWS. But MY KINGDOM is not from THE WORLD."

37 Then Pilate said to HIM, "So you are a king?" JESUS answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world-to bear witness to THE TRUTH. Everyone who is of THE TRUTH listens to MY voice."

38 Pilate said to HIM, "WHAT IS TRUTH?" After he had said this, he went back outside to THE JEWS and told them, "I find no guilt in HIM.”

Seeing that Pilate had the apparent authority to release JESUS from the shackles of sin manifested by THE JEWS, I used to be angry with Pilate for being a weasel and not standing up for what was THE TRUTH.  But Pilate was simply a tool in ALMIGHTY GOD’s Perfect Plan to redeem mankind......at least those who were CHOSEN by HIM to be used for HIS Glory!  

Pilate had questions about WHO this JESUS really was, for in John 19:33 he inquired from JESUS "Are you the King of THE JEWS?"  Evidently, Pilate knew that we ALL have a choice of who gets elevated to the throne of our own lives?  Being a JEW didn’t SET APART nearly as much as Belief that GOD is WHO HE says HE is.   The ones who were SET APART were the CHOSEN people who on a strategic mission in the battle between GOOD and evil.  Being an physical heir of Abraham wasn’t the thing that drew resistance from this world, but being a SPIRITUAL HEIR would definitely SET you APART.  

We have to be able to delineate between the “things of this world” and “the things of the Spirit” (1 John 2:15). Even Pilate was attempting to do this when he ask “WHAT IS TRUTH”?  Pilate didn’t have Knowledge that JESUS said in “I am the way, and THE TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the FATHER except through me”!  JESUS IS/WAS/FOREVER WILL BE THE TRUTH, but Pilate’s eyes couldn’t SEE TRUTH.  

Why do you think that Pilate wasn’t able to SEE that JESUS WAS TRUTH?  There are MANY things in this life that I do not have the answer to, many things that simply don’t make sense to me. Like WHY ALMIGHTY GOD would sacrifice HIS ONE and ONLY Perfect SON just so I can be CHOSEN?  And why HE doesn’t strike me dead when I continually make sinful choices in my life.  Why did GOD “choose” a sinful example to be used for HIS Glory?

As Scripture is being played out before our very eyes, I need to proclaim HIS Goodness to the top of your lungs to those who cannot SEE “WHAT IS TRUTH”!!!

“GOD IN HEAVEN!”

2 Chronicles 20:5-9                                  (ESV)

“5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

6 and said, "O LORD, GOD of our fathers, ARE YOU NOT “GOD IN HEAVEN?” YOU rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In YOUR hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand YOU.

7 Did YOU not, our GOD, drive out the inhabitants of this land before YOUR people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham YOUR friend?

8 And they have lived in it and have built for YOU in it a sanctuary for YOUR name, saying,

9 'IF DISASTER COMES UPON US, THE SWORD, JUDGMENT, OR PESTILENCE, OR FAMINE, WE WILL STAND before this house and before YOU-for YOUR name is in this house-and cry out to YOU in our affliction, and YOU will hear and save.'”

This is a message to ALL who support one political leader over another, who chose any other way of life over the way ALMIGHTY GOD has directed, and those who think that there is no god and HE is just an tired, old being WHO cannot keep up with “this world”.  HE IS STILL IN CONTROL!  GOD hasn’t lost any abilities to be patient with the wicked, and HE hasn’t lost the might to punish any that doubt HE exists!  

ALMIGHTY GOD never promised us a fancy automobile, a plush earthly house, a huge bank account, or an easy go of it.   As a matter of fact, life is short AND FULL OF TROUBLE is the theme of the book of Job!  JESUS said in John 16:33 “....In the world YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION. But take heart; I have overcome the world."   Hebrews 11:6 instructs is that WITHOUT FAITH in GOD it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM.  

Since we have a “GOD IN HEAVEN” that we always SHOULD trust in, why do we fret about anything in life?  Not being “in control” is the hardest thing that I had to learn, AND STILL AM LEARNING!  July 09, 2007 I awoke and could not even control the words that I was speaking!  The word “FRUSTRATING” doesn’t begin to describe the feeling I was experiencing.  Even though “DISASTER COMES UPON US, THE SWORD, JUDGMENT, OR PESTILENCE, OR FAMINE, WE WILL STAND”!  GOD made the Children of Israel WAIT on the banks of the Red Sea until the Egyptians caught up with them.  Then GOD got “GLORY over Pharaoh and he all his hosts”!!!  So we don’t need to fret when we are having to WAIT, GOD might be waiting for our enemies to catch up to us!

Accepting that GOD Created us, and our paths are directed by HIM, is the only way to please GOD.  We can place our trust in man and his devices, or we can TRUST that ALMIGHTY GOD is in control.  Trusting in my abilities and knowledge has gotten me into SEVERAL messes, some of them rather embarrassing!  My desire is to trust in the “GOD OF HEAVEN” and give HIM all the Glory for everything that happens in my life.   

“I AM GUILTY!”

Luke 23:39-43                                  (ESV)

“39 ONE OF THE CRIMINALS who were hanged railed at HIM, saying, "Are you not the CHRIST? Save YOURSELF and us!"

40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear GOD, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the DUE REWARD of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

42 And he said, "JESUS, remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom."

43 And HE said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with ME in paradise." 

“I AM GUILTY!”

My normal protocol is to locate a word or two in the focal Scripture of the day and entitle the Devotional with them.   However today all that is on my mind is “I AM GUILTY!”  The CRIMINALS being crucified on either side of JESUS WERE guilty of crimes, according to the thief who begged forgiveness in verse 42.  And he knew that JESUS had done nothing wrong.  (v.41).  After reading the passage of Scripture over and over again yesterday, I HAD to revisit it to share some thoughts that wouldn’t leave me alone!  

The CRIMINAL had already been nailed to the cross.  He knew his time was limited.  So often we act as though we are going to “live forever”, that we will never die.  However Scripture says in Hebrews 9:27 “...it is appointed for man to die once, and after 

that comes judgment,...!” 

Shouldn’t I then make the most of every day that I am blessed to be on earth?  Getting so engrossed with the happenings of “this world” is one of the favorite lies the devil uses to convince us NOT to follow CHRIST!  We say and think that we have plenty of time time to get our lives in order, but Scripture says EVERY BREATH comes from GOD (Isaiah 42:5) and HE has been known to cause those breaths to cease rather abruptly!  

We can be deceived by the enemy, or we can say “I AM GUILTY” like the criminal on the cross and beg for mercy.  There may not be time to sow a few wild oats, because we always reap what we sow and that might be unpleasant on earth, but it will certainly be HELL in eternity (Luke 12:38)!  We only have the breath we are breathing.  It’s best to declare “I AM GUILTY” before it is everlastingly too late!!!

“THE CRIMINALS!”

Luke 23:39-43                                  (ESV)

“39 ONE OF “THE CRIMINALS” who were hanged railed at HIM, saying, "Are you not the CHRIST? Save YOURSELF and us!"

40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear GOD, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

42 And he said, "JESUS, remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom."

43 And HE said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with ME in paradise." 

Most people who are familiar with the crucifixion of JESUS know that there were two CRIMINALS (some translations call them thieves) crucified on either side of JESUS.  Never giving much thought to “THE CRIMINALS”, one might be curious why one of them REJECTED the message of JESUS, and the other one requested to be remembered by HIM when HE came into HIS Kingdom?  

Evidently both were convicted CRIMINALS as they were suffering the consequences of the choices they had made in life.   However, one EYES were OPENED and he could SEE that JESUS was WHO HE said HE was.  In Mark 23:42 he said "JESUS, remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom."  Now ALL of them were about to experience a certain demise from everything that could be seen IN THE PHYSICAL, but IN THE SPIRITUAL, things were going to be totally different.  

For the most part, we don’t want to look outside of the PHYSICAL, because we cannot prove anything SPIRITUAL, as those matters require FAITH.  Looking at the history of the two CRIMINALS, both were judged by “this world” to not be worthy of living.  Neither of them would be someone who would garner an invite to dinner with your family.  But when JESUS entered Paradise that later that day, HE welcomed the one CRIMINAL into eternal life to live forever.  The other CRIMINAL experienced eternal torment and death.  And the only difference in “THE CRIMINALS” was one could SEE WHO JESUS was/is, and the other could not.  

Why did “THE CRIMINALS” get crucified at the same time as JESUS?  One might suggest that ALMIGHTY GOD was, once and for all, exhibiting that BELIEF IN/ON HIM is what gets us our reward.  Hebrews 11:6 says “And WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM, for whoever would draw near to GOD MUST BELIEVE that HE exists and that HE REWARDS those who seek HIM.”  Genesis 15:6 says “And he (Abraham) believed the LORD, and HE (GOD) COUNTED IT TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Don’t allow what “this world” brands you as determine who you are.   One of “THE CRIMINALS” was saved by JESUS in the midst of his fatal earthly punishment.  HIS perfect life is the ONLY thing that could have saved “THE CRIMINALS”,  and it is the ONLY thing that can save me as well!!!

“THEM ALL!”

Psalms 34:18-19                              (ESV)

“18 The LORD is NEAR TO THE BROKENHEARTED and saves the CRUSHED in SPIRIT. 

19 MANY are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of “THEM ALL”.”

Seeing so many people who experience seemingly catastrophic events in their lives causes me to wonder how they get through these difficulties.  It seems that we sometimes have a tendency to magnify the pain of a BROKEN HEART or CRUSHED SPIRIT and almost allow GOD’s Blessings to go unnoticed.  Of course, we celebrate “monumental” blessings, such as weddings, births, and other occasions, but we MUST understand that ALMIGHTY GOD delivers us from our difficulties, from “THEM ALL”!

Looking at my own life, there are numerous times that HE had delivered me from “THEM ALL”, but delivering the one HE gave me to complete me is something that I am most grateful for.  In July 2007 I experienced the Brain Hemorrhage that slowed my life down, and TREMENDOUSLY!  In October 2007 a dear friend of mine was killed riding a bicycle.  My wife had to break the news to me the next morning.  In February 2008 my mom was diagnosed with cancer and died the same month.  In March 2008 my mother-in-law, the mold for my wife, died following surgery.  And all this time I was “brain damaged” from the Hemorrhage and was functioning at about half of what I needed to be for her!  The thing is, I didn’t even realize that I wasn’t 100%.  I thought that I was “okay-fine”!  GOD displayed to me (over time) that HE was the ONE in control, and no matter how much I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HELPED, HE didn’t/ doesn’t need or require my assistance!  

My point is, GOD ALMIGHTY has a way of displaying HIS Omnipotence in a way that we can’t always SEE HIM, but HE is still there!  Being able to SEE HIM when we are BROKENHEARTED or our SPIRIT is CRUSHED cannot be accomplished by our physical eyes.  It requires SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT to be able to identify HIM and HIS Presence!  HE is everywhere, we just need to identify and Worship HIM.  

My mind has been on an interview with Dr. Charles Stanley published in 2011 where Dr. Stanley says GOD was speaking to him during a dark time in his life and said “you have to SEE it all as coming from ME”!  We (mainly I) become so emotionally attached to difficulties in our lives that we can allow them to take on their own identity.  If we SEE “THEM ALL” as coming from GOD, we can GROW from our “lessons” and may not have to experience the lesson again!  

“I AM GOD ALMIGHTY!”

Genesis 15:4-6                                 (ESV )

“4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir."

5 And HE brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then HE said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

6 And he (Abram) believed the LORD, and HE (GOD) counted IT TO HIM (Abram) AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Genesis 16:15—17:21

“15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

1 WHEN ABRAM WAS NINETY-NINE YEARS OLD the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “"I AM GOD ALMIGHTY”; walk before ME, and be blameless,

2 that I may make my covenant between ME and you, and may multiply you greatly."

3 Then Abram fell on his face. And GOD said to him,

4 "Behold, MY covenant is with you, and you shall be the FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS.

5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be GOD to you and to your offspring after you.

8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their GOD."

9 And GOD said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.

12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring,

13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.

14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

15 And GOD said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.

16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"

18 And Abraham said to GOD, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"

19 GOD said, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

21 But I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH ISAAC, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year."”

Genesis 21:1; 5

“1 The LORD visited Sarah as HE had said, and THE LORD DID TO SARAH AS HE HAD PROMISED. 

5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.” 

Since the Scriptures being shared today are quite lengthy, I will try to keep my comments abbreviated.  

The are times in my life, a LOT more than I care to admit, that I have to be reminded that “I AM GOD ALMIGHTY” does NOT require, NOR REQUEST, my assistance in keeping HIS Promises.  Abram, eventually known as Abraham, listened to Sarai, eventually known as Sarah, and accepted her reasoning before GOD’s Promise.  

GOD’s Covenant was established with HIS Promise, Isaac, although GOD promised to bless Ishmael, who was born when Abram was 86 years old when the plan of Sarai was fulfilled.  When Abram was 99 years old, “I AM GOD ALMIGHTY” visited him and said that his name was being changed to Abraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah, and he would be the FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS!  

Was it because Abraham and Sarah was so obedient to GOD that HE blessed them so abundantly?  Was it because of Abraham’s great wealth?  No, Genesis 15: 4-6 says “And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir."  And HE brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then HE said to him, "So shall your offspring be."  And he (Abram) believed the LORD, and HE (GOD) counted it to him (Abram) as righteousness.”

Hebrews 11:6 says “AND WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM, for whoever would draw near to GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS and that he rewards those who seek HIM.”  ALMIGHTY GOD does NOT share HIS Glory with anyone nor anything (Isaiah 42:8)!  “I AM GOD ALMIGHTY” has a Plan, and we cannot improve upon it!  

“THE LIGHT!”

Psalms 119:105                  (ESV)

“YOUR word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

D.L. Moody, famed preacher of the 19th century, has been quoted as saying "The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”  Applying Psalms 119:105 to “our walk”, if we do NOT stay in the SCRIPTURES, our actions are telling THE ALMIGHTY that we don’t need HIS LAMP or LIGHT to guide us!  We can’t expect a preacher to keep us in “THE LIGHT”.  We must take personal responsibility for staying in HIS guiding LIGHT!

LORD HELP ME!!!