Jesus: I AM THE TRUTH

Post date: Apr 13, 2015 4:50:42 PM

This question has invaded my thoughts for the past several weeks and since I haven’t been able to shake its prodding I've decided to share it with you.

How does one find truth while navigating through a sea of opinion?

As a boy the bible held a place of honor on my book shelf but it was seldom read. When tragedy struck my life as a child I didn't consult God nor did I blame him for its unfortunate outcome.

As a teenager God held a special place in my thoughts but now my bible collected dust deep within a desk drawer. Then heartbreak and disappointment came. A few tears, a quick heartfelt prayer, a promise to serve and divine intervention averted disaster but even this didn't inspire me to seek solace in the bible. My vow to serve was quickly forgotten.

As a young adult, God was my guest at my marriage. I ignorantly quoted scripture to friends without ever having read the bible. I seldom prayed nor did I find my bible. Then without warning tragedy struck again but by this time I had become so indifferent and insensitive toward God that even when I was faced with imminent death I didn't cry out to Him for help. My indifference didn't seem to deter God from helping me though since by divine intervention my life was spared.

Acts 9: 4-5…Then he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are you Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. “It is hard for you to kick at the goads.”

Acts 9: 7…And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

Mark 4: 9…And He said to them, he who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The bible describes God in John 4: 24 as a Spirit. Saul a religious leader was using his position to terrorize and destroy the new believers of "The Way". Jesus pricked at Saul’s conscience each time he persecuted a believer but Saul did not pay heed to his conscience and consequently continued his assault anyways. This is evidenced by Jesus’ statement; “it is hard for thee to kick at the goads” In ignorance Saul had become indifferent toward God. The voice that Saul and his men heard originated out of the mouth of God. The ears that Jesus referred to are spiritual ears. Saul, like me, was spiritually deaf and so indifferent that it took a supernatural intervention for him to respond to Christ’s calling!

John 14: 6…Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The first biblical truth that I embraced after narrowly escaping death was the reality of Gods’ true existence. I still marvel at His willingness to help me despite my sinfulness. This new measure of hope gave me a sense of acceptance, a desire to turn from sin and a burning within my soul to study the bible. After reading of Jesus ’claim to be the Son of God I willingly invited Him into my heart to be my Savior.

Luke 8: 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it, and bear fruit with patience.

My first test of faith came soon after I was saved when the winds of adversity began to blow. For the first time in my life I dug my heels in, stood on the integrity of the Word and refused to be led astray when well-meaning friends and family ignorantly tried to batter my fledgling faith with their unwelcome opinions. One family member tried to discredit me by saying that I had joined a cult and was headed for certain disaster. These persons were never privy to the severity of my brush with death nor of Gods' divine intervention. I've learned throughout my Christian walk that there will never be a shortage of opinion but there is only one Truth and His name is Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:15… Be diligent and to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

As a Christian man the bible no longer sits on a shelf nor is it forgotten within a desk drawer but rather it holds a place of honor within my heart. Its pages are now well worn from years of study and the book that I once feared I now embrace.