Today's Soul Food — April 5

GOLDEN WORDS



Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

John 14:6  NLT  


Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

John 14:6  NASB


Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 John 14:6  NIV

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Jesus is the Way. This verse also teaches us that Jesus is the Truth.
In today’s world it is difficult to find truth. It is popular to acknowledge that truth is relative. Your idea of truth and my idea of truth may differ. Jesus does not give us that option. Jesus says that He is THE Truth. One cannot afford the luxury of acknowledging Jesus as one of many truths. The choice is, however, ours.

If one will admit it, there can only be one truth. If it is not absolute – it isn’t truth. How are we to know the truth? If we follow Christ and hold to his teachings we will know the truth. Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

Pursuing truth can be costly. It can be inconvenient, uncomfortable and even dangerous. If we are disciples of Christ – truth is not an option. Truth is our beacon. Truth will light our path. Truth will reveal the obstacles in our way that may have cause us to stumble.

Christ is the Way, and the Truth. He will lead us with love and wisdom.

PBB

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Be not content to know the Truth; rouse your heart to love it.

B. W. Maturin.

 

Daily Meditations by  Pat Nordman ©

 


April 5

"Have nothing to do with silly and illinformed controversies which lead inevitably, as you know, to strife" 2 Timothy 2:23 Phillips; "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments, because these are unprofitable and useless" Titus 3:9.

"Defend me, therefore, common sense, I say,/ From reveries so airy, from the toil/Of dropping buckets into empty wells,/And growing old in drawing nothing up." Cowper. Religion especially is not to satisfy our curiosity or to answer speculative questions. It is to restore our relationship with God; to sanctify our hearts and minds and prepare us for eternity. What good comes from stirring up strife over whatever does not help us with this goal? Chaucer shared this humorous bit of wisdom: "One shouldn't be too inquisitive in life/Either about God's secrets or one's wife." Our question is not, "Is my name written there, on the page white and fair?" but, "Is my God written here, on my heart full of fear?" "What must [we] do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30) and "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (John 6:28) are the compelling questions.

"...What may be known about God is plain..." Romans 1:19. It is "wise" men who have obscured the plain things. We have made a fine art of wrangling and wresting from the very Word of God. "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" 1 Corinthians 1:20. Yes, there are thoughts past our understanding, but God would not leave us without precepts and promises that we can comprehend and believe beyond spiritual fatal doubts. What kind of God would do that if He professes to be Love?

Contending consumes and confuses and finally leads to qualms. We destroy the very work of God Himself when we stoop to controversy.

Pat Nordman ©

 


Today's Bible Question ?



      What Canaanite city was burned down by the men of Dan?

Previous question and Answer:

What husband, the victim of David's adulterous scheming, was made drunk by the king?

Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba — 2 Samuel 11:13

 

 

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions

Spurgeon's Morning for April 5

Spurgeon's Evening for April 5

birds in winter

 

"Before honor is humility."

-  Proverbs 15:33

 
 

"On him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus."

-  Luke 23:26

Humiliation of soul always brings a positive blessing with it. If we empty our hearts of self God will fill them with his love.

When you are molested for your piety; when your religion brings the trial of cruel mocking upon you, then remember it is not your cross, it is Christ's cross; and how delightful is it to carry the cross of our Lord Jesus!


   

 

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 April 5  Judges 8:1 - 9:57

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM 

 


 


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Like Grass

 

In his Sacred Philosophy of the Seasons, Duncan tells us there is an insect (musca pumilionis) that deposits its eggs in the very core of the plumula, or primary shoot of wheat, so that this shoot is completely destroyed by the larvae. If the plant possessed no means within itself, no means of repairing this injury, the whole previous labor of the gardener would have been in vain. But since this destruction occurs in the spring of the year, when the vegetable power of the plant is in its greatest vigor, an effect is produced that is somewhat analogous to that of heading down a fruit tree. Shoots immediately spring up from the knots, the plant becomes more firmly rooted, and produces probably a dozen stems and ears, when but for the temporary mischief it might have sent forth only one. Thus may it often occur that those early trials which appear almost to destroy the faith of young believers are their best friends, since they never would have been so useful had they been left to flourish as their hearts desired.  

— Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4

 

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Today's  Devotion
 

Settlement out of Court

 

"What shall we say then that Abraham, our forefather, DISCOVERED...? "

Romans 4:1

"What shall we say then that Abraham, our forefather, DISCOVERED...?" (Rom 4:1) To discover means "to obtain the first-time knowledge of a thing existing already, but not perceived or known."

Not on the basis on what he had done, Abraham discovered a new thing under the sun. He found he was accepted and credited righteous APART from his works (Rom 4:6). Something finally came in between him and what he did.

"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him" (Psalms 32:2, Rom 4:8). Yes, there is sin, and the trial is waiting. BUT the righteous Judge has called you aside to His secret chamber to make this exceptional pardon, a decree of acquittal from all guilt. You've been justified; "God has pronounced an end-time verdict of acquittal over the man of faith in the PRESENT in advance of the Final Judgment" (Dr George E Ladd). Your sin will never be counted against you.

You know your sin. What will do with such a free pardon? You are about to enter into what the excellence of God's righteousness in Christ is all about. Rejoice with me!

"God, You know my works and secrets. No boast can be made before you. But your pardon has come! Freed from sin so closed into my heart, yet a pardon in Christ so great and open! A legal exception to the rule has been made FOR ME! I am entrusted with pardon! What a life I owe and long to give Thee, my Judge, who has met me in advance in the corridors!"

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© Cathy Vinson
You know your sin. What will do with such a free pardon? You are about to enter into what the excellence of God's righteousness in Christ is all about. Rejoice with me! ....

More Whispers from the Wilderness