Buy The Truth And Sell It Not
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
In this Laodicean age where so many doubt that there is such a thing as absolute truth, the Lord Jesus Christ identifies Himself as, "the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness." He IS the Truth (John 14:6) - He is the incarnate "Word of God" who lived the written Word of God. The Bible is the Truth (John 17:17), claiming to be inspired completely by God (2 Timothy 3:16) - over 3000 times in the Old Testament it claims to be the Word of the Lord.
Isaiah 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
In our modern society, truth is fallen in the street - it is overlooked, discarded, abandoned. How much value do you place on the truth? How much time do you spend studying it? Do you know your Bible from cover to cover - or are you like many that take a smorgasbord approach to the Scriptures, picking and choosing what you like, what you will believe, what you will accept as truth? When Jesus stated that He came to bear witness of the truth, Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" (See John 18:37-38) It was evident that he did not know God, because he did not know the truth! "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."
We don't need to be in ignorance - our eternity depends upon the truth: the truth about salvation, the truth about Heaven and Hell, the truth about our sin and our need of the Saviour, the truth about our unrighteousness and the Lord's righteousness, the truth about Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation - the truth that we deserve Hell and judgment for our sins, but the Lord Jesus Christ died in our place and bore the complete penalty that our sins deserved - He paid the penalty that we could never pay and He offers salvation as a gift that we could never afford - one that must be received by faith.
What is truth? "The truth is in Jesus" (Ephesians 4:21), and is ALL about Him. He is the central character of God's Book to man; the Gospel the central message; His death, burial, and literal physical resurrection after three days and three nights the grand focus which the Old Testament looked forward to and the New Testament looks back towards. Jesus is the lens by which ALL Scripture must be seen through. The Lord Jesus Christ didn't just come to tell us the truth - He IS "the Truth." How much do you value Him?
Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Do you see Jesus in the Scriptures? Do you value the Word of God? Have you bought the truth - is it for sale in your life, or is it something you cling to with all your heart and soul - something that you value so much you would never part with? Do you receive the Bible as God's Word to you (1 Thessalonians 2:13)? Do you spend time in it to read it, learn it, study it, rightly divide it, devour it? (See John 8:31-32)
Do you see the Saviour in the Scriptures? Do you value what you see? Do you hide God's Word in your heart, and do you let it have its way in your life?
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
There is a poem that I read as a young Christian and it has always stuck with me based on the verse quoted just above:
In this Laodicean age where so many doubt that there is such a thing as absolute truth, the Lord Jesus Christ identifies Himself as, "the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness." He IS the Truth (John 14:6) - He is the incarnate "Word of God" who lived the written Word of God. The Bible is the Truth (John 17:17), claiming to be inspired completely by God (2 Timothy 3:16) - over 3000 times in the Old Testament it claims to be the Word of the Lord.
Isaiah 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
In our modern society, truth is fallen in the street - it is overlooked, discarded, abandoned. How much value do you place on the truth? How much time do you spend studying it? Do you know your Bible from cover to cover - or are you like many that take a smorgasbord approach to the Scriptures, picking and choosing what you like, what you will believe, what you will accept as truth? When Jesus stated that He came to bear witness of the truth, Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" (See John 18:37-38) It was evident that he did not know God, because he did not know the truth! "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."
We don't need to be in ignorance - our eternity depends upon the truth: the truth about salvation, the truth about Heaven and Hell, the truth about our sin and our need of the Saviour, the truth about our unrighteousness and the Lord's righteousness, the truth about Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation - the truth that we deserve Hell and judgment for our sins, but the Lord Jesus Christ died in our place and bore the complete penalty that our sins deserved - He paid the penalty that we could never pay and He offers salvation as a gift that we could never afford - one that must be received by faith.
What is truth? "The truth is in Jesus" (Ephesians 4:21), and is ALL about Him. He is the central character of God's Book to man; the Gospel the central message; His death, burial, and literal physical resurrection after three days and three nights the grand focus which the Old Testament looked forward to and the New Testament looks back towards. Jesus is the lens by which ALL Scripture must be seen through. The Lord Jesus Christ didn't just come to tell us the truth - He IS "the Truth." How much do you value Him?
Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Do you see Jesus in the Scriptures? Do you value the Word of God? Have you bought the truth - is it for sale in your life, or is it something you cling to with all your heart and soul - something that you value so much you would never part with? Do you receive the Bible as God's Word to you (1 Thessalonians 2:13)? Do you spend time in it to read it, learn it, study it, rightly divide it, devour it? (See John 8:31-32)
Do you see the Saviour in the Scriptures? Do you value what you see? Do you hide God's Word in your heart, and do you let it have its way in your life?
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
There is a poem that I read as a young Christian and it has always stuck with me based on the verse quoted just above:
When the child of God
Looks into the Word of God
And sees the Son of God
He is changed by the Spirit of God
Into the image of God
For the glory of God.
Looks into the Word of God
And sees the Son of God
He is changed by the Spirit of God
Into the image of God
For the glory of God.
How much do you value the Truth - both Jesus, the Son of God, and His Word? How much does His Word and the time spent with Jesus affect your life? Can those around you say that it is evident that you have spent time with Jesus? (See Acts 4:13).
Buy the truth - and sell it not!!
April 27th/06
Jerry Bouey
April 27th/06
Jerry Bouey
8 comments:
Thanks Brother Jerry for a wonderful message of hope. May God bless this ministry.
Hi Jerry--
Since I have absolutely no clue what a "blog" is, this is all new to me. My husband says "blog" means "web log". I love what you wrote--especially that little poem. You have always been an encouragement to me--keep on keeping on Bro.!
God bless,
LindaR
Jerry, I haven't had the opportunity to make your acquaintance, so I was surprised to see my feeble attempt at profundity listed on your excellent site. By the way, you have great taste in scheme and color, an outstanding look and feel to your blog! But I especially like what you have to say. I'm buying! May God bless you as you fight for the truth and against all her enemies. Psalm 108:13
Thanks Lee and Linda for being among the first to give your input on my blog - it is good to know a few dared to read it.
Dave, I appreciate your comments too. I have known Jeff for a few years and Terry for a little bit from Online Baptist Message Boards. So it is nice to be able to fit in and contribute somewhat to the big world of blog. Hope that what I post is worthwhile and edifying. P.S. Do you have a message board? A few of the comments on your site made reference to Sharper Iron a month or two before you tackled a blog, so I was figuring there had to be another site that you were involved in.
By the way, you have great taste in scheme and color, an outstanding look and feel to your blog!
:) I thought you might appreciate it! Hm, reminds me of someone else's scheme for their blog, but I won't say whose...
When the child of God
Looks into the Word of God
And sees the Son of God
He is changed by the Spirit of God
Into the image of God
For the glory of God.
Awesome!!
This is going to be written into my Bible!!!
Jerry,
I know we haven't always gotten along in the past. But I do respect your opinion and will be looking forward to reading your blog.
Welcome to the wide world of blogging.
Cathy
Cathy, I do appreciate you taking the time to visit my blog. I hope it is a blessing to you. Just like Jeff V. stated, he started his blog get himself into the habit of writing regularly. I send out Daily Devotionals, but most of them aren't mine - so I wanted to try something a little less formal (not so polished perhaps) to get me into the habit/practice of writing on a more regular basis.
If I get some truth or principle burning in my heart, it doesn't take long for it to come out. This gives me a great opportunity to pass on those insights or blessings to others. I know that you have appreciated some of my studies in the past - and hopefully there will be some good ones for you here.
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
Psalms 39:3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
Psalms 45:1 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
God bless.
Very encouraging brother. I've been enjoying that verse found in Proverbs 23. John writes the words of Christ in chapter 14 of his Gospel, while talking to Thomas, I am THE TRUTH.
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