Truth in Life...

“In order to be effective truth must penetrate like an arrow — and that is likely to hurt.”
~WEI WU WEI

Once you come to seek the truth it will lead you to your real purpose of existence..  

The truth is not easy but it is always the Absolute! 

Question: "What does it mean that ‘the truth will set you free’ (John 8:32)?"

Answer:“The truth will set you free” is a common saying in academic circles that want to promote academic freedom and the power of learning. Many universities have this statement emblazoned on a sign near the entrance of a building. But “the truth will set you free” did not originate in academia; Jesus said it inJohn 8:32. In context, Jesus’ statement has nothing to do with classroom learning. In fact,John 8:32speaks of a higher form of knowledge than is capable of being learned in a classroom.

Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He delineated differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). The result of Jesus’ message was that “even as he spoke, many believed in him” (verse 30). Then, in verse 31, Jesus begins to speak just to those who had believed.

“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). True discipleship is more than intellectual assent; those who are “really” followers of Christ will “hold to” His Word. That means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also obey His teachings. Action is proof of faith (cf.James 2:17).

True disciples of Jesus believe that He speaks the truth about God and the Scriptures. They also know that He is who He claims to be. Back in verse 25, the people asked Jesus who He was, and He responded, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” There may be a tinge of exasperation in His response; He had repeatedly made known that He was the Messiah, the one they had anticipated for many years.

Verse 32 begins with, “Then you will know the truth.” “You” refers to those who are true disciples of Jesus. True disciples will know the truth. More than that, their eyes are opened to a greater understanding of the truth (cf.1 John 5:20).

The truth Jesus’ disciples receive brings with it freedom. Jesus continues, “And the truth will set you free” (verse 32). At that point in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them an exceptional amount of autonomy, they were keenly aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers, governors, and empirically appointed kings. When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how the Jews took it). Jesus provides the best commentary for His own statement in verse 34. Jesus explains, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is the ultimate bondage.

The freedom Jesus offers is aspiritualfreedom from the bondage of sin—that is, release from the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness. He continues with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35). The people would have understood Jesus to mean that they were not members of God’s family, despite their biological relationship to Abraham (verse 37), because they were slaves to sin. If they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Christ, and Jesus would set them free. Believers would be freed from their bondage and brought into the family of God.

Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Knowing the Truth will set one at liberty—free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death (Romans 6:22;8:1–2). Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16, ESV).
Recommended Resources:True Truth: Defending Absolute Truth in a Relativistic World by Art LindsleyandLogos Bible Software.

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Related Topics:

What is truth?

What is moral relativism?

What is cultural relativism?

Is there such a thing as absolute truth / universal truth?

Is there an argument for the existence of God?

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God wants you to succeed....

 **  From AWMI.net  

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 God designed you for success. He made you to be a winner. This is true for every person, regardless of what has happened in the past. God has never destined anybody to live a mediocre life.

Jeremiah 29:11 says,
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

This verse says that God knows His thoughts toward you, and His desire is to give you an expected end. That end is promised in the Word of God. You can walk in victory like Moses. He was 120 years old, and his eyesight wasn’t dim nor his natural force abated (Deut. 34:7). He actually climbed a mountain the day he went home to be with the Lord.

These things are in the Word, and God is no respecter of persons. What we have today is superior to what Moses had in the Old Testament. We can be guaranteed success. Now, I’m not saying success can always be achieved without a fight or without effort, but we were destined for great things.

God created every one of us to be something special, but I also feel that we live in a culture that has totally misrepresented true success. 

As a matter of fact, I looked up the meaning of the word. The American Heritage Dictionary (AHD) defines success as “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted.” That’s a pretty broad definition. I mean, some people are aiming at nothing and hitting it every time. The second definition I found is “The gaining of fame or prosperity” (AHD). I hate that definition. That is not a godly definition of success at all. Lots of people have fame and prosperity, but they do not have true success.

In my opinion, success needs to be redefined.

It’s not just doing something grand or big. In fact, not everybody is called to do something big. I try to get this across to our staff all the time. We have 300 people on staff here in the U.S. alone, and if it wasn’t for every one of them, we couldn’t do what we’re called to do. They may never be the one in front of the camera, but they are still a big part of what we’re doing. We really count on and appreciate those who keep our facility clean and looking good. And without the individuals who keep the roads plowed and sanded in the winter, we would be in trouble.
 We need all of these people to help us be good stewards of what God has given us. Their jobs may not seem as significant as others, but they are being faithful in what God has called them to do. That’s what I call a success. Those who are faithful in a few things will also be faithful in much.

Matthew 25:23 says,
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

If we are good stewards of what God gives us, He’ll increase us and give us more.

The way that success has been presented is not a godly concept at all. I want to encourage anyone who feels like they haven’t done much: God’s got something more for you, and you can succeed. Your faithfulness will be rewarded. And for those of you who think you’re awesome, I hope I can help you recognize that success is not based on all of these temporary things that will pass away. God judges things differently than we do.

First Samuel 16:7 says,
For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Many people look amazing on the outside, but in their hearts, they’re miserable—they don’t have joy or peace and certainly don’t have success.

Understand this: There is nothing in this world that will minister to you or satisfy you more than knowing that you are in the direct center of God’s will.

Many of you reading this can’t say for sure that you know you’re doing what God has called you to do. You may love God and want Him to use you and bless you, but you don’t know for certain that you’re where you’re supposed to be. This is one of the reasons people aren’t happy and satisfied. In some cases, I believe God has given certain people a holy dissatisfaction. He’s trying to stir them up.
 This is one of the ways God motivates you and lets you know that there’s something more.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. [11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

1 Corinthians 3:10-13

This is describing that as we go through life, we are either building with gold, silver, and precious stones or with wood, hay, and stubble. It does not say that everybody is building with gold, silver, and precious stones or that everybody is building with wood, hay, and stubble. We have a choice.

The sad fact is that many of us build things in our lives and accomplish things that aren’t what God intended for us. And we count these things as a success. But one day, we’re going to stand before the Lord, and He is going to put a fire to everything.

 It says in Matthew 12:36 that we’ll give an account of every idle word that we speak. So, God will hold us responsible for every action and for every word that comes out of our mouths. Anything of wood, hay, or stubble—even if it looks good to man and conforms to the world’s standard of success—is a work of the flesh and will count for nothing.

A lot of people think wood, hay, and stubble are referring to adultery, fornication, and drug addiction. But did you know that people have done things that would appear to be godly—started churches, been in a foreign mission field, and written worship music—but none of it was led by God?
 For instance, my good friend Arthur Meintjes recently shared with me on an episode of The Inside Story that he once pastored a church and later realized he was doing it in his own strength. His life became so difficult that he was ready to take his own life. That’s when God taught him grace and really turned his life around.

It doesn’t matter whether the end result is good or not.

God wants you to do what He has called you to do, and He wants you to do it out of His ability.

 I think what some call burnout is just people doing good things in their own strength and power. God’s never had anybody qualified working for Him yet, so stop relying on your own ability.

If you don’t trust in the Lord, you can’t accomplish the things He’s planned for you and you won’t be a godly success.