SEARCHLIGHT
Are truth and love guiding your life?
SCRIPTURE
Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ-the Son of the Father-will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. 2 John 1:3-6 NLT
SPOTLIGHT
Do you LIVE THE TRUTH? The teacher asked Johnny a math question: “If your father borrowed $100 and promises to pay $10 a week, how much will he owe in 7 weeks?” Johnny answered, “One hundred dollars.” In turn, the teacher responded, “I’m afraid you don’t know your math very well.” Johnny quickly said, “I may not know my math, but I know my father.” This is both humorous and sad. Johnny’s father was not an example of truthful living.
Is what you say consistent with what you do? A family invited some people to dinner. At the table, the mother asked her six-year-old daughter to say the blessing over the food. The little girl replied, “I wouldn’t know what to say.” The mother responded “Just say what you hear Mommy say.” Thoughtfully the child bowed her head and said, “Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner? All these groceries are so expensive and I am already exhausted.” As humorous as this story is, it also is sad because the mother was not consistent in what she said and what she did.
Are you living free? Some people hide from the truth. On the other hand, some people hide the truth. Truth may be challenging to accept, but ultimately truth frees you not to hide from anything, and not to hide anything. The Bible says “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” [John 8:31,32 NLT] It is so freeing to live what you say and say what you live.
The Apostle John knew how important it is to understand truth. He knew truth was not a concept, but found in Jesus Christ, who is “the source, standard and embodiment of all truth.” Throughout his three epistles, he emphasized this. At least 10 times he used the word “truth” in 1 John, and then at least four times in 2 John, and five times in 3 John. The theme of 1 John is “Know the truth.” The theme of 2 John is “Live the truth,” and the theme of 3 John is “Guard the truth.”
What does it mean to LIVE THE TRUTH? Today’s Scripture focus teaches you to take the following 5 steps:
#1 Believe Jesus is the embodiment of truth. [2 John 1:3] Jesus is the source of knowing all truth. At the end of this epistle, John wrote that, “If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.” [2 John 1:10]
#2 Receive Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Jesus takes up residence within every believer who confesses that He is Savior and Lord. [2 John1:2] Have a personal, ongoing, growing relationship with Jesus, the living God.
#3 Live the truth by living for Jesus. Live to honor Jesus in everything you say and do. [2 John 1:4] Living for Jesus becomes your first priority. Talk truth and exemplify truth.
#4 Live the truth by loving people. [2 John 1:5] Loving people means forgiving even the unlovable. Those are the people who do not inspire love. Jesus said they may be your enemies.
#5 Live the truth by doing what God has commanded. [2 John 1:6] Jesus identified the Greatest Commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and then to also love your neighbor as you love yourself. [Mark 12:29-31]
SOMETHING TO DO
Take time to pray and ponder about the following questions which correspond to the 5 steps:
#1 How am I leading people to see that Jesus Christ is the source of understanding what is true?
#2 Am I allowing Jesus Christ not just to be my Savior but also the Lord of my life?
#3 Do I live what I say and say what I live? Do I want my life to consistently exemplify Jesus?
#4 Am I forgiving people, giving to needy people, and blessing people any way I can?
#5 How does my life show that I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, strength and that I also love my neighbor the way I love myself?
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Thank you God for the privilege of knowing You, which is daily leading me to discern truth. Thank you, Holy Spirit for convicting me about hiding from the truth, and also hiding the truth. Thank you Jesus Christ for revealing yourself to me, and showing me that you are the way, truth and life. May my life bring the eyes of people to see You, Jesus Christ, to be the number one source of truth and the reason why I live. AMEN!