Laced With Grace

“It is true, Scripture is. It is perspicuous, meaning it is clear. The meaning is evident on the face of it. There are no puzzles hidden in Scripture. It is not truth concealed, it is truth revealed. Sure there are some things hard to understand. Sure you’ve got to dig a little to get those things. But it is revelation no obfuscation. The message of Scripture is clear and unambiguous and it is not existential.” – John MacArthur, Transcript from The Authoritative Nature of Truth Sermon from GTY.ORG.

Recently I read a “Christian” book by a popular “Christian” author. The book was an easy enough read as I got through it rather quickly. However the author continually questioned the foundational truths of the Christian faith. He questioned the virgin birth, the doctrine of the trinity and the authority of Scripture among other things as well. When I finished reading this book, I wondered what in the world he really believed and why he was so reluctant to accept the Bible as God’s truth.

The idea of not knowing any absolute truth is prominent in today’s postmodern culture. The philosophy of believing we cannot know what the Bible says with any certainty has become a central theme in many circles. Yet, God’s word affirms over and over again that we can know the truth. I finished the last page thinking this book presented an incredibly sad religion by which we could not in any way totally understand or know God’s truth.

In Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s book, Lies Women Believe, she says on page 40, “Every area of bondage in our lives can be traced back to a lie.” Not believing the truth leads to believing lies. Believing the lie leads to bondage and it all begins when we doubt God’s word. Here are just a few scriptures in which God’s word affirms its truth (all verses are from the English Standard Version):

Psalm 33:4 – For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.

Psalm 51:6 – Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

John 8:32 – and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Praise God that He gave us truth! He did not give us a Bible that we have to question if anything in it is true. You know what? Yes, there will be disagreements along the way. Calvinism vs. Armenisim, Lordship Salvation vs. Free Grace Salvation, gifts ceased vs. gifts active, pre-trib, mid-trib, post-rib…and the list goes on and on. People are passionate about their views. Yet, God’s word never changes; it is always the same and is always relevant. As John MacArthur says, there are some things in Scripture that are hard to understand. Just because it may be hard to understand does not make it any less true. It doesn’t mean we cannot know that truth.

Bondage in our lives begins when we distrust the ultimate source of God’s Truth. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says (NIV),

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God’s word confirms that if we believers are given the ability to understand God’s truth. We just need to spend the time reading, studying, properly interpreting and discerning what the passages mean. If anyone has a hard time with that, there is a wealth of good information available to help you study your Bible. There are excellent teachings in interpretation and ways that you can grow in your knowledge of God’s truth. Praise God today for the gift of His Word. Be blessed today.

Dear heavenly father, Lord we are so thankful that your word is truth. There is no doubt that you have given us your authoritative truth in the precious Word. Lord, give us your guidance through the Holy Spirit as we read and study. Keep doubt from entering our minds. Give us discernment as we hear popular teachings today that we cannot know or understand the Bible. Keep us from deception and let us live lives of integrity and bring glory and honor or You and You alone. In Jesus name, Amen.

If anyone had asked me if I was a “worrier” a few years ago, I would have answered with a definite no.  I have always considered myself one of those optimistic people who unfailingly see the glass as half full.  I still do. 

However, when I listen to my own words carefully, I realize that while I don’t use the word worry a lot, I actually do worry – quiet often.  I hear myself using phrases like: “I hope….; What if….; I don’t think we should do that because….; I’m afraid that if….; I’m concerned….; Every time we try to do that….  Not words that reveal a very trusting heart.

I have many things in my life these days that can cause me to worry myself into a state of immobility.  I know the Lord is working through all of these things to teach me to trust Him absolutely and surrender completely, but I’m afraid my walk is rather like the proverbial “one step forward, two steps back”.  I understand that worry is a sin.  I confess my failing and ask the Lord to help me to grow in faith. 

I have come a long way despite the “falling back” more often than I’d like.  For me, the key to trusting the Father more is believing He is all that He has said He is and that He will do all He has promised to do.  I thought I had that nailed down pretty well until I read a simple little sentence in “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World” by Joanna Weaver.  It hit me right between the eyes as so often happens when we are just happily reading along:

“IF MY GOD ISN’T BIGGER THAN LIFE, THEN MY LIFE IS BIGGER THAN GOD – AND THAT’S WHEN ANXIETY TAKES OVER.”

It really was a heart-stopping moment for me.  When I begin to worry over my circumstances, what I am really saying is that they are bigger than God!  How simple.  Truly there is nothing in my life, no matter how devastating it may be, that is bigger than God – nothing. 

“I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA,’ SAYS THE LORD GOD; WHO IS AND WHO WAS AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY”     Revelation 1:8 (NAS)

“TO WHOM THEN WILL YOU LIKEN ME THAT I SHOULD BE HIS EQUAL?’ SAYS THE HOLY ONE.  LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH AND SEE WHO HAS CREATED THESE STARS,   THE ONE WHO LEADS FORTH THEIR HOST BY NUMBER,  HE CALLS THEM ALL BY NAME;  BECAUSE OF THE GREATNESS OF HIS MIGHT AND THE STRENGTH OF HIS POWER NOT ONE OF THEM IS MISSING….DO YOU NOT KNOW?  HAVE YOU NOT HEARD?  THE EVERLASTING GOD, THE LORD, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH DOES NOT BECOME WEARY OR TIRED.  HIS UNDERSTANDING IS INSCRUTABLE.  HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY, AND TO HIM WHO LACKS MIGHT HE INCREASES POWER”       Isaiah 40:25,26,28,29 (NAS)

This Holy God is my Father; He calls me child.  What have I to fear?

The Laced with Grace team has been very blessed by the readers/supporters of this team blog, we thought it would be appropriate to let them share their thoughts on faith. So, today’s devotion is written by Denise from Shortybears Place…

Proverbs 18:21: “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue”.

How very true this verse is, words can build us up, or tear us down. All of my life, my dad has verbally abused me. His favorite words to call me are curse words, or fat blimp. Family relationships are suppose to be encouraging, the words that come out of your mouth should be sweet as honey, filled with love.

If your relationship, is daily filled with hearing things such as ,”You are stupid”, “You do not matter”, “You need to lose weight”, “You cannot do anything right”, then you are being verbally abused. In James 3:8, it says that the tongue is full of deadly poison.

So, when you are being verbally abused, you are being poisoned. Those hateful, hurtful words, are seeping into your heart & soul, making you sick. You begin to believe those things that are being said to you, you feel that you are worthless. Every time that my dad would verbally abuse me, his words felt like flaming arrows as they attacked my heart, and burnt deeply into my soul.

But, when my true Father came to live in my heart, He healed my wounds. He replaced those flaming arrows, with a beautiful tiara. For you see, I am a daughter of the King, that makes me a princess. Wear your tiaras with pride my dear sisters, your Father loves you so much.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for loving me just as I am, flaws and all. Your words always lift me up, never tear me down. Thanks for being my biggest cheerleader. I love You.

Blessings, Denise

If you have never visited Denise’s blog – “Shortybears Place“, I encourage you to stop by soon. Denise has a heart of gold and her blogs are very encouraging. Even through her own trials, she is willing to let His light shine through her…Thank you Denise for sharing your thoughts today here at Laced with Grace…