Thinking of the truth and most of us have heard or said the phrase “The Truth Will Set You Free”. But what does that mean and how are we to apply it.

I recently received my performance evaluation at the office and whereas my overall rating was pretty good, the part I believe I was most proud of was in the area of the company core value of “Trust and Integrity” where I received the highest possible rating. To go along with that, my leader made sure to tell me that whatever happens to be going on or whatever the situation he could count on me for the truth.

“¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” – Proverbs 12:19 (ESV)

There were times when I was younger that I would tell fibs in order to stay out of trouble (I am sure that you know where I am coming from). I would have to constantly be on my toes to keep my story straight. Making sure that I could stay ahead of the lies and protect myself.

On the contrast, telling the truth or being truthful would always allow for rest. Yes, the consequences were there, but I was afforded rest as I was not constantly looking over my shoulder for someone trying to “catch” me. That rest is some of the best rest I have ever gotten.

God’s Word is truth and it has been tested, over and over and over again. Every time being proven and standing up to the scrutiny. What a fantastic thing for us to live out. Freedom and rest abound knowing that what we know is true and when we speak God’s Word, we are speaking truth.

So there is the meaning of the phrase “The Truth Will Set You Free”, and how we can apply it.

What truth have you been avoiding? What lies are you allowing to ruin your rest? What actions can you take to allow truth to endure?

“³¹May the glory of the Lord endure forever, may the Lord rejoice in his works, ³²who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! ³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. ³⁴May my mediation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.” – Psalm 104:31-34 (ESV)

We are the endurance of God, and therefore we should be showing the glory of the Lord. I have seen on a number of occasions, someone standing on the street corner “preaching” to the public as they walk by, and undoubtedly we have seen them in the movies. How many of those times have there been proclamations of God’s Glory as opposed to the damning of souls for our sin?

I recall an instance about a year ago as I was driving through a significant intersection in town and noticed the pastor of one of the local churches standing holding a sign. My thought was, here we go again. But no, the sign read simply, “God Loves You!” What a refreshing declaration for those driving by. No expectation of preaching. No shouting about our sin. Just simple proclamation of God’s Love.

This is the endurance we are and should be a part of. Not the turning away of those in need with our words of damnation. We are to “rejoice in the Lord” and what better way to do that than to say it aloud to those we come in contact with.

When you think of declaring God, are you declaring damnation or love? When was the last time you proclaimed the Glory of God to your neighbors? Are we looking to spread the word of the enduring Glory of God?

“Endure: to continue in the same state” – Merriam-Webster Online

This is the first definition that is found in Merriam-Webster Online for the word endure. I admit that before reading it I was sure that the first definition would be around suffering (that was the second). How can God’s name endure if he is not here?

“¹⁷May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!” – Psalm 72:17 (ESV)

How can any king’s name last? It is through the belief and love of the heirs. Children of the king they are the ones that carry the name of the king forward.

Imagine being a child of a king and all of the notoriety that comes with that, just by name dropping. You walk into a room, declare who you are representing and instantly that name is recognized and carried on.

Well, we are the children of God and therefore carry his name forward. Shouldn’t we be name dropping? We are to carry God’s name forward into the world.

Solomon reminds us that God’s name will endure forever. As Jesus rose again and is the living God, we are charged to carry his name forward. We, as his children are the endurance of God’s name in the world.

What are your thoughts of being the endurance of God’s name? How are you living as the one that carries the name of Jesus forward? Are you willing to be the endurance of God?

I am a planner and really do not like change. When things are not planned or they change for no good reason I struggle to embrace. God has his plan that we are to embrace and that plan for us is about the now and allowing God to take care of tomorrow.

“¹³Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—¹⁴yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’” – James 4:13-15 (ESV)

We are tasked by the Lord to live in the moment. We do not know what tomorrow holds and therefore should live for the Lord today. Notice the last 5 words of the previous sentence, “live for the Lord today”. We are in a position as children of God to obey and that includes obeying in the moment.

Don’t get me wrong, planning is a good thing and something that we should do. Margaret Thatcher said, “Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.” “Today and every day” not for the next day or into next week or for a lifetime, but for today. That really fits into the words of James here. We are to work on today and let God prepare for tomorrow and let us know that when we get there.

When you embark on your day, are you working for the Lord? What plans are you making, are then centered on your work for the Lord? Are you planning your work for the day, or are you working on the future? Are you able to know today and if the Lord wills, know tomorrow?

Have you ever done, or known something that then later thought, “Oh boy that was not what it was supposed to be” and never thought or mentioned it again?

“⁸Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ¹²…But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.” – 2 Timothy 1:8 & 12 (ESV)

When you read just the above parts, it is clear that we are to carry on with pride that which we know. We are to continue celebrating and spreading God’s Word regardless of what others might say or do. We may be persecuted, but that persecution is for the cause of Christ and therefore we are to endure. We are going to suffer, but our suffering is much less than Jesus suffered. And why:

“⁹who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ¹²¹which is why I suffer as I do.” – 2 Timothy 1:9-12 (ESV)

There is more to it than what is on the surface of our persecution and suffering. There is the cause for which we are persecuted and suffer. I wonder if we are ashamed of where we are in our relationship with Christ to a degree. I wonder if it is fear why I may not declare my relationship enough. What if I put down my fear and embrace my relationship with God?

Where are you in your relationship with God? What is it that keeps you from sharing and living for Christ? Are you able to know and not be ashamed?

Ok, here it is. We are going to discuss the cost. Salvation is free, yes. We only need to accept the gift of salvation to become Christians. But the cost to know Christ is much different.

“⁷But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,” – Philippians 3:7-9 (ESV)

You see what Paul gave up? He was considered great for all that he had accomplished. He was law abiding. He, by all he had done and accomplished prior to his relationship with Christ, had everything. He wanted for nothing, yet when he was given the gift of salvation, he gave it all up even to the point of imprisonment and death.

But what for, he had the gift, why turn completely to God and give up everything he had gained on earth?

“⁹…but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—¹⁰that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:9-11 (ESV)

And there is the why. Paul was seeking righteousness in Christ, not in man.

The cost of knowing Christ is higher than we imagine. Yes salvation is the free gift graciously given by Jesus Christ to all who will receive it. But knowing Christ is much more costly. In Mark 10:17-31 the rich man comes to Jesus and asks about the cost of eternal life. When Jesus tells him the true cost, he turns and walks away not willing to pay. We must give up all of our worldly gains to truly surrender and know Christ.

Are you willing to pay the cost to know Christ? What will you willingly give up? I wonder if we really know and embrace the cost to know Christ?

“¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,…¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:14, 17-19 (ESV)

Paul is providing an example for us. We are to get on our knees for others. We are to pray for them. We are to intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Being a Christian is not easy and it is our job as followers of Christ to lift up those that are experiencing that difficulty. Lifting up their needs.

I also see that Paul is letting them know that he is doing so. It is important to know that someone “has your back”. We go about things too often alone. We don’t want others to know our struggles. Whether it is pride, embarrassment, or a combination of the two, we should allow others to go on the journey with us.

We all need support. There may be minimal that can be done physically in support, but as Paul did, we can let them know that we are there as support. We are to care for and love our neighbors as ourselves and that certainly includes letting them know that we are here.

When you pray for others, are you letting them know? Are you supporting them privately on your own, or are you telling them of the support you are able to provide? Will you go forward and pray and also let them know that you are there?

We are in the catbird seat with God’s Word. We have history on our side and with that history comes knowledge. We are able to read and study the word of God and apply it to our lives.

“¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might” – Ephesians 1:16-19 (ESV)

Paul is telling the Ephesians of the wonder of God. He is interceding for them with his prayers. He is asking God to provide for them. I think that Paul’s words here are for me as well.

Paul is reminding me of God and what he has for me. We have the chance to learn from Paul just as the Ephesians. I am in a position of needing the reminders of the hope and greatness that God has for each of us.

We have to commit this to memory and store it away in our hearts. God is hope and that hope and his greatness are for us to draw on when we are in need. “Immeasurable” is the word I have to remember. There is no way to contain all that God is for us. I should lean on him in all things, knowing that He is and has thought of all things.

Are we absorbing all of God’s hope and greatness? Will we call on that hope and greatness and lean on God when in need? Do we really know God, His Hope, and His Greatness?

The law does nothing to make us good. Just knowing the law is not going to do anything for you.

“¹⁶yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” – Galatians 2:16 (ESV)

As I read this verse and the commentary, I was reminded that just knowing the law does not bring us closer to God. It is our faith that does. We are not justified by the law, it is by our faith.

My NIV commentary for verse 16 says: “The law: (1) guards us from sin by giving us standards for behavior; (2) convicts us of sin, leaving us the opportunity to ask for God’s forgiveness; (3) drives us to trust in the sufficiency of Christ, because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly.”

Notice that the commentary does not indicate that knowledge of the law does anything for us. It does show how the law provides a framework for our behaviors.

We are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ and not simply by our knowledge of the law. I like to say that the rules/laws are there to keep the honest people honest. The laws of the Old Testament are in place to give us guidance, and we should know them. The real test is in keeping them, not for the purpose of justification, but as a guide to more Christ like actions.

When you look at the law, do you believe that you are great, simply because you follow it? Are you taking away changes in behavior to drive you? Do you know the law, are you trying to use it for your justification?

Imagine you have a place you would like to visit. You learn all you can through books and magazines and online about this place and it only continues to drive your desire to visit. You finally get the chance and when you arrive you soon forget what you learned and dive into the excitement and understanding of the “real” place.

“¹²For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” – 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

Paul is describing out meeting with God. We have knowledge of Him and what it will be like, but when we get there, we will forget all of that and see from the perspective of God more clearly. This new vision provides the clarity of all that went on here on earth and we will understand the reasons for the path we took.

We have the knowledge provided by God in His Word. We are to study up and look to walk the path God has for us. But, we cannot think for one second that we know it all. There are things that we are not made aware of just yet. There are things we cannot see. When we see God face to face, clarity will abound. We are to keep fighting the good fight and obeying the Word of God to get us closer each day.

Have we taken the time to think about the clarity we will have? Are we seeking to understand rather than just get by? What wonders will be clear when we know from God’s perspective?