The Apostle Paul, writing to his protegee Timothy, encouraged him to hold fast to the truth of faith, for his sake, and for the sake of those he cared for. He wrote, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.” (2 Timothy 4:1-5 NRSV)

It is so easy to fall victim to our itching ears, to surround ourselves with people who will always tell us we are right, leaving our thoughts and actions unchallenged. The comfort such a position brings is unmatched, but it also leaves us open to great deception. Navigating our path through life requires more than cheerleaders, it depends upon truth that allows us to see clearly.

A friend, who was a serious smoker, began to see the negative effects on her health. Her doctor began to point out the damage she was doing to her body, and continued to encourage her to take steps to break her harmful habit. Her response to the doctor’s concerns was a search for a new physician. After several attempts, she found one who was also a smoker and unwilling to confront the habit that continued to ravage her health.

That response is far from uncommon. It is all too easy to surround ourselves with people who think like we do, and distance ourselves from those who do not. Today, many join online groups, attend events, and surround themselves with voices that support their position, while unfriending and avoiding anyone who says what they do not want to hear. It seems that we would often rather think that we are right than to be right.

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32 NRSV) Real freedom does not come from believing what we want to believe, but from aligning our lives with the truth. Unfortunately, real truth will challenge our beliefs and behaviors. It will make us uncomfortable and direct us to change. It will not be easy on us, and may likely cause us to address places in our lives that are much deeper, and more substantial, than a bad habit. The truth will hurt, but it will also set us free.

As I recently told my congregation, if you are reading the Scripture, listening to sermons, and reading inspirational material, and you are never offended or uncomfortable, you are doing it wrongly. God loves us enough to tell us the truth, even when it hurts; maybe especially when it hurts. God does not take pleasure in our pain, but loves us so much that he is willing to lead us through that pain to the liberty that awaits on the other side of it.

Our itching ears may long to hear what we want to hear, but the real cure is the truth, and that truth will do more than heal the itch, it will set us free from what actually restrains us from living fully.

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I keep a small flashlight by the bed so that I can find things and get around without disturbing my wife as she sleeps. I noticed that the batteries were growing weaker, and the light a little dimmer each night, but I kept forgetting to replace them until I try to use it after we were in bed. It is no surprise then, that the last time I went to use it, the light came on, but was too dim to provide any help.

In Psalm 119, a psalm devoted to the importance of the divine teaching of the word of God, the psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (V.105) A few verses later, we read, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (V. 130)

The light we use to navigate our path will make all the difference in how well we find our way. The wrong light will have a significant impact on our journey. While there are many voices encouraging us to follow our own path, or to live by a substitute to the direction of God, there is no other source that can successfully lead us where we need to go.

Looking over the substitutes offered in place Of the word of God, I am reminded of a hiking excursion I took in college. Walking along the path, we passed a beautiful stream. The scenic beauty made the clear running water seem all the more inviting, and after all of the hiking, many of our group were ready to savor the refreshment it offered.

Our leader suggested we wait until we crested the next hill where would have better access. He was right, it was better, and clearer. In fact, it was in that clarity that we could now see all of the beaver dung at the bottom of the stream. The water no longer looked so appealing.

I learned a valuable lesson there: the source matters. The beauty of the stream, the depth of my thirst, even the popular opinion, were nothing compared to the source of the water.

The same is true as we navigate life. We need pure light to show us the way. It doesn’t matter how appealing or popular something is. What matters is, is it true? Just because something sounds reasonable, or loving, or nice, doesn’t mean it is truly any of those things. Just because it comes from a celebrity voice, or in beautiful words, doesn’t make it truth.

To truly see where we are going, and where we need to go, we need a standard that is beyond ourselves, something that reveals the way things really are, and who we really are, as well. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Real liberty, real light, and real life, come from walking in the divine direction of the word of God. There is no substitute, no matter how enticing it appears.

The word of God is a treasure. It is a pure stream from which we can drink deeply. It provides refreshing for our spirits, and clarity for our minds. Indeed, it is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to unfold it in our lives, the more we will be able to see by its light.

How do you allow the word of God to enlighten your journey?

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For a while now, I have been watching posts on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, which are filled with pop theology, and they certainly are popular. Apparently,  the more emotional and sentimental the theological idea seems, the more popular it is. Here, the connections to Scripture are vague, and usually expressed in some ambiguous reference to being like Jesus, but this is typically based upon the author’s claim that their belief must be what Jesus believes. I even read one post recently that suggested that having convictions about your faith is actually in opposition to being like Jesus. Instead of being sure of what you believe, you should apparently just try to feel and act like Jesus felt and acted. That would, of course, require having some convictions on the way Jesus would feel and act, but pay no attention to the poor reasoning behind the curtain. One of the happy respondents to this post was even quick to support the author’s position because, “Christ had a different outlook than his father from the Old Testament.”

The truly, sad reality, is that these sentiments are nothing new. Despite the fact that the church faced, and overcame, such heresies in the past, it seems that they are quickly forgotten, and we are condemned to repeat them once again. Sometimes, this tendency is simply due to a lack of knowledge, while other examples are the result of an intentional effort to resurrect the heresy once again. It can even be trendy in some circles to do so. It is in the face of these attempts that we, as Christians, must continue to hold to the truth, while sharing it in love. For, as Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32)

Jesus is not a historical figure, isolated from the rest of Scripture. In his teachings he referred to the divine authority of the Old Testament. He quoted from it 78 times, including quotes from 27 Old Testament books. He stood on the convictions of his faith, even when that made him unpopular. He overcame the devil in the wilderness temptations by standing solidly on the word of God, and declaring it as truth. He challenged the faulty ideas of the religious leaders, by pointing to the authority of the Scriptures. His approach was never, “Do it because I said so!” instead, he said, “As it is written.” Thus, to act like and think like Jesus, is to value the authority of Scripture and stand upon its truths.

The writers of the New Testament were inspired by a personal relationship with the resurrected Jesus, and empowered by the presence of his Holy Spirit within them, who anointed them to put Jesus’ ideals into words that continue to teach us his way. Jesus, then, stands as the apex of the whole story. It all finds its meaning in him, and he is connected to it all.

The beauty, in the midst of all of this philosophical and theological reflection, is that we have the inspired word of God, given as the means to know where we stand, to know the truth so we can walk in it, and to be able to test all things so we can hold on to what is true. Within my faith tradition, we hold the methodology of John Wesley as a powerful standard for discerning our way. For him, there were four primary steps, and resources for discerning God’s truth: Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason. Wesley knew it was important to include our experience and the reasoning skills God gave us in the process, but he also wisely put them after the authority of Scripture and the powerful resource of tradition. This was to keep all of our beliefs and actions rooted in the full witness of the whole Bible, and to keep us from falling away from the truth we already discerned. When we use these tools rightly, we can avoid many of the pitfalls of the past, and we can remain rooted in God’s abiding truth.

Santayana’s words may be true, but it is then, also true that those who remember the past will be blessed, and avoid repeating its foolishness. We all like things that feel good, but it is much more important to embrace the truth, for when we walk in its light, we do not stumble. May we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth so that we may walk rightly in its way.

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It is clear from the story that missing the point was actually his intention. You do not have to be a theologian, biblical scholar, or psychologist to see that Pilate wanted to dodge the question. Jesus presence and words were searching him and he knew it. Rather than join in that process and come to greater self-discovery, he chose to redirect the conversation and remain comfortable where he was. Sadly, this is a very common, human response. Rather than allowing God to challenge us at a deep level we continually divert the discussion to something else and conveniently avoid that revelation.

I once received a letter from a person who attended the church that I served asking me to change the way I was preaching. She said, “sometimes I leave worship and I don’t feel like a good Christian. I want to come to church, hear that I am doing well and that it is all going to be okay, and I want to leave feeling good.” I feel for her discomfort, but I also know that sometimes we are not okay. Sometimes, the Spirit wants us to be uncomfortable and to look deeply at our lives. It is through this discomfort that we grow stronger in our character and deeper in our insight.

I’ve heard similar concerns about the personal nature of the sermon, or the praise worship, or the prayers. The implication is always similar, “Can’t we just avoid anything that gets too close to home? Let’s just get this church thing over with before it costs me anything or asks me to change.” That, however, is not the way of Christian discipleship.

We dare not simply find people and experiences that tell us we do not need to change or grow. We should be looking for Spirit-led people and Spirit-filled experiences that lead us deeper into truth. Jesus said, “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. He also said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” In Jesus, we experience truth and that truth will change us. It may not be the truth we expected and it likely will not be what seems popular, but it will be real.

Recently, a number of my Facebook friends posted links to articles that support their particular theological, or political beliefs. Some of the sources were very questionable and the arguments shallow, but they were presented with great passion. They were also affirmed with similar passion by a whole group of like-minded friends. I had two thoughts in response: first, this is very dangerous, and second, God show me where I do the same thing.

We ought to be challenged deeply, but we need to be challenged by the truth. The source of what we take into our thoughts and actions needs to be grounded in God’s truth, not mere popularity. Real truth should lead us closer to God and to the revelation of God given in Holy Scripture and in Jesus Christ. If we are not careful, we can sound like Pilate as we attempt to redefine truth to fit our expectations and desires, to be popular, and to avoid the deep searching of God.

If, however, we will embrace real truth, we will discover the freedom it brings. Like the driver who finally accepts that they need directions to find their way, we may not like what we hear, but we will know exactly where we are, and the real pathway to where we are going. We will find that Jesus really is the truth and the way, and we will so much the better for it.

Truth can be frightening and uncomfortable, but it is also liberating and enables us to find our way to the destiny marked out for us. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” The answer is truth is God’s perspective. Truth is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever, and that is a wonderful rock on which to stand.

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The wrong understanding of knowledge can lead to negative consequences. It is this type of knowledge that “puffs up” giving us a false view of ourselves and the world. Most of us have heard the phrase, “a little information is a dangerous thing,” and it is true. A little information can lead us to believe we have more understanding and more ability than we actually do. We begin to think too highly of ourselves and pride edges out the much needed common sense that asks for help before our need for it becomes desperate.

The same attitude many of us faced when we graduated, believing we knew everything and there was nothing we could not handle on our own, can still emerge from within us. We can be so impressed with the facts we know, the degrees we earned, and the life-experience we possess, that we fail to see our weak points. This intellectual blindness can lead us in the wrong directions and leave us wounded by our own choices.

In the book of Proverbs, we find an oft quoted treasure that has real-life impact. Early in the first chapter, the writer says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (1:7) Real knowledge originates from a right understanding of our place in relationship to God. The word “fear” is not about being frightened by God, but rather, respecting God. Filled with awe and wonder, we look to God to define what real knowledge looks like.

Putting God first in the pursuit of knowledge helps us avoid the pitfall of pride. It keeps us grounded in reality. We are not swayed by popularity or popular opinion. We are not impressed by what we know, nor do we expect others to be. Instead, we rejoice in God and the wisdom the Holy Spirit imparts. Then, the information we accumulate, the training we experience and the life journey we take can blossom into the fullness of truth within our lives. Instead of being prideful in our accomplishments, we offer them as gifts to God, to be informed by God and transformed into tools of ministry in our lives.

We should seek wisdom, knowledge and understanding. We should be life-learners who continually grow in these ways, but we should grow by being firmly rooted in God. James wrote, “If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God.” (1:5) if we want to truly develop our knowledge, we should start by asking God and then, rooted in him and led by the Spirit, we can truly mature our understanding.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. May our eyes be opened and our spirits awakened to the awe and wonder of God so that we may become truly knowledgeable and wise for our sake and the sake of the world.

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Now, I chose to live here and I enjoy winter and its snow, but this year, I am looking forward to warmer days, greener trees and other outdoor activities. Putting gas in the car as the strong winds drove the sleet against my face, and driving along the slush covered roads, I was thinking of what was yet to come. Over and over, I told myself, “I may not see it, but it is spring.” Nothing around me looked like spring, but nevertheless, it was.

As I sat next to the fire in our fireplace at the end of the day, I reflected on how similar the days experiences were to the walk of faith. Driving in the car, facing the inclement weather, it took great faith to believe it was spring. All I had was the date on the calendar, the words of the newscasters and the knowledge of the science that affirms the time of the vernal equinox. I could not base my beliefs upon what I saw. Instead, I had to base them upon what I knew to be true.

The same is true for our walk of faith. Often, our circumstances seem to contradict the things we believe and all we have to base our stance upon is what we can read from the Word of God, what we can hear from those declaring that Word, and what, in the end, we know to be true. Walking in faith is about trust and conviction. We trust God and God’s Word, and we stand upon our convictions believing in the truth even when we cannot see it.

It is easy to base our beliefs and feelings on our experiences, but our experiences can be wrong. Think of the number of time you were convinced of something that you later discovered was completely wrong. Monsters in the closet that were only shirts and shadows to the hurtful actions of others that we later discover were misunderstandings on our part, these are just the beginning of the ways we misunderstand our circumstances. This is where faith steps in. Through our belief in God, we can see beyond our circumstances to embrace what is real and true.

Even now, as I look out the window, the sun and blue skies seem to be pointing toward spring, but the several inches of snow on the yard look more like winter. Likewise, as I look at my life, what I see often sends mixed messages. Thank God for the knowledge of the truth and the faith it forms that gives me strength to believe even where I cannot see.

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All of us wrestle with our identity and would that it were only though our teenage years of self discovery. Many of us are haunted by the question of who we are and what our place is in the world. If the question is left unanswered, we will pursue a myriad of paths to fill the inner void, many of which will lead to pain and destruction.

The glorious truth is, that no matter what the world around us may say, our identity and worth is not determined by what we possess, by where we’ve come from or by what others think of us. Instead, it is fixed in knowledge that we are created in the image of God. We bear God’s mark upon us and, even more affirming, we are loved by the One whose image we bear.

Our craving to understand who we really are is satisfied by drawing near to God and allowing God to draw near to us. It is when we cease from our striving to find validation in temporal things or the affirmation of others, and accept the awesome love of the Creator, that we can discover the answer we long to find. It is God, the One who calls us by name, who declares that we are of infinite worth.

Sometimes, amid the many voices around me that tempt me to embrace another reality, I need reminded that my hope, my identity is is God. Maybe, you too wrestle to know who you are. Maybe, you too are tempted to look in places that can never satisfy. Today, we can together make a decision to celebrate who we are and like Brother Thomas declare, “I am one loved by Christ.”

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In one way, this is a gift. If we tried to focus on everything, all the time, we would soon become overwhelmed with details and ultimately unable to find any focus at all. However it is also a challenge and a potential problem.

In a former church we experienced this first-hand. Over the years, deterioration of the roof opened a way for water to leak in where it was not wanted. That water traveled into the Sanctuary walls and began to stain and destroy the plaster. There were numerous signs of the damage, yet few noticed – few of the members noticed that is. Our visitors and guests saw it clearly, but for the rest of us, we became acclimated to the way things were and lost sight of what was quite literally, right under our nose. The stunning revelation came when the Trustees showed us all pictures of the damage and most of us did not know where they were taken. It was quite a shock when we discovered they were taken only feet away from where we were sitting.

We, all of us, need fresh eyes to look at our lives. We need God to shine light on our lives to show us our weak places, our growing edges, and the opportunities that are at our doorstep. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me into the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) He knew that he needed God to reveal the deeper parts of his life, so that he could see what was right under his nose, and then do something about it.

God wants to help us get a real look at where we are. It is God’s greatest desire to see us become all that we should be, to help us “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,” so that we can run the race set before us. It is God’s heart, not to remind us of our faults, but to expose our weaknesses so that we can allow God to heal them.

As with the water damaged walls of that Sanctuary, we need to open our eyes to what is before us and then take action to repair damage and restore beauty. We need to let God reveal areas of need, and then take action to strengthen our lives and our ministries.

This is a great time to allow God to help in your re-creation. Would you be willing to pray the prayer David prayed? Will you ask God to shine on your life and on our life together, so that we can hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church in our day? Will you use this time to grow deeper in your relationship with God and in your ministry to others?

I believe… rather, I know that God has some awesome things He wants to do in and through us. May God bless you as you make yourself available to Him.

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I peer deeply, but
the images of confusion
color the waters with their reflection.

I strive to see beyond the glare,
still busyness stirs the flow;
concentric circles of disturbance
distorts all that lies beneath.

Persistence is the virtue.
Patience wins this day.
When finally the chaos clears,
revelation will be worth it.

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