Today I want to start off by taking you back to my teaching days.
I used to teach high school English. One of the common themes we studied in high school literature was the theme of "appearance versus reality," which is a common theme not only in classic literature but in all aspects of life (because it is true that art mimics life).
Today's blog topic was sparked by this past week's events in the Mediterranian Sea off the coast of Israel - the widely-publicized situation between the Israeli Defense Forces and the flotilla from Turkey trying to break through the blockade to Gaza.
I was sickened, but not surprised, to find that my own city's newspaper was reporting slanted "truth" about Israel regarding the events surrounding the flotilla of "aid" being shipped to Gaza.
What is truth? Isn't that the question Pilate asked when he had to pronounce a verdict upon Yeshua in John chapter 18?
Isn't that the question that we are all faced with...the question we are all confronted by...the question that will not go away?
Take a look at these three optical illusions.
The first two are illusory patterns using colors and shapes to trick our eyes and brains into thinking the shapes are actually in motion.
Are they in motion?
Look again.
In reality - in TRUTH - they are standing still.
The third one is a sidewalk-chalk art creation by the famous and talented artist of optical illusions - Julian Beever.
Is this really a photo of a rapid whitewater river flowing down the middle of an urban sidewalk?
I'm sure your brain knows the truth, but your eyes continue to try to convince your brain otherwise.
It looks so real, so convincing!
Who wants to know the truth?
Why even try to speak the truth and find the truth? It seems that people don't want to hear it. Too many times too many people are content to follow blindly the lies set before them, the appearances and perceptions of reality rather than looking deeper for the TRUTH.
And who is behind all of this? The Deceiver.
Yeshua said this of him in John 8:44...
"From the start [Satan] was a murderer, and he has never stood by the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is speaking in character; because he is a liar -- indeed, the inventor of the lie!"
It happens every day...in relationships, between people, in business, between nations, in the media...we see and hear what appears to be true, and we believe it without REALLY looking for the truth.
If truth was not absolute, living life according to what appears to be real would be okay. If we could make truth into whatever we wanted it to be or whatever was convenient, then it wouldn't matter if what appears to be real is not really real. (Confused yet? This is how so many people live their lives!)
But, inconveniently for many, TRUTH is TRUTH.
TRUTH is absolute.
TRUTH does not change.
It cannot be morphed into something else.
What is the truth about what happened on the Turkish aid ship?
Will the world really look at the truth and admit it is the truth?
Will it make a difference?
The mainstream media has taken this story, twisted the facts, and fed the world a bunch of lies. And many in the world have believed the lies (including, sadly, many in the church who call themselves believers and say they know the Word of God).
Actually, the reactions of so many around the world toward Israel this past week are not surprising and are in keeping with God's Word of Truth. God said that all nations will eventually come against Israel... Truth that is being played out increasingly as history marches on. And in the end, Israel will still be exactly what YHVH has declared her to be: His chosen people and His chosen land of inheritance, the place He has chosen as the dwelling place for His Name. Nothing will be able to stop YHVH's Word of TRUTH.
Yes, this situation that Israel was thrust into this past week and the lies that have been thrown around are the spark that brought this blog post into being. If you have only been hearing what the media has been feeding you, and you really are interested in knowing the TRUTH about the situation, then I encourage you to look at some truth-based websites.
Here are a couple of places to start:
www.israeltoday.co.il
www.israelprayercenter.org
Now, I want to go further than this one recent situation. I want to seek what it means to know YHVH's TRUTH, because so many who say they have a relationship with YHVH are not actually living according to His TRUTH, but instead are living accoring to what other people call "God's truth" but is really man's idea of what God says. There is a vast difference!
So...what is Truth?
TRUTH is WHAT YHVH SAYS...HIS WORD!
Exodus 34:4-6
Moses cut two stone tablets like the first. Then he got up early in the morning and, with the two stone tablets in his hands, ascended Mount Sinai, as YHVH had ordered him to do. YHVH descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name of YHVH. YHVH passed before him and proclaimed: "YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth..."
Deuteronomy 32:3-4
For I proclaim the Name of YHVH, ascribe greatness to our Elohim. The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are right-ruling, a God of truth and without unrighteousness, Righteous and straight is He.
Psalm 25:10
All YHVH's paths are grace and truth to those who keep his covenant and instructions.
Psalm 33:4
For the word of YHVH is true, and all his work is trustworthy.
Psalm 43:3
Send out your light and your truth; let them be my guide; let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the places where you live.
Psalm 117:1-2
Praise YHVH, all you nations! Worship him, all you peoples! For his grace has overcome us, and YHVH's truth continues forever. Halleluyah!
Psalm 119:142
Your righteousness is eternal righteousness, and your Torah is truth.
Zechariah 8:3,7,8
YHVH says, 'I am returning to Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called Truth City, ADONAI-Tzva'ot's Mountain, the Mountain of the Holy One'.... ADONAI-Tzva'ot says, 'I will save my people from lands east and west; I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people; and I will be their God, with truth and righteousness.'
John 8:31-32
So Yeshua said to those disciples who believed Him, “If you stay in My Word, you are truly My taught ones, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 14:6
Yeshua said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
John 17:17-19
[Yeshua, to YHVH] “Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for them I set Myself apart, so that they too might be set apart in truth."
So, if TRUTH is YHVH's Word, and YHVH's Word is TRUTH, do you think He might have something serious to say about twisting His truth and basing our lives on lies instead of His TRUTH?
YES, He does!
There are so many places in His Word where He warns us about going against His TRUTH. I will just list a few references, and you can look them up yourself.
Isaiah 48
Isaiah 59
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 9
Romans 1:16-2:29
2 Thessalonians 2
2 Timothy
1 John
YHVH's Truth...He takes it seriously...we must live in His TRUTH alone. There is no other truth. There is no other reality. Anything else is a lie that only appears to be true. No matter the cost, no matter what it takes, I want to live my life knowing and speaking the TRUTH - YHVH my God through Yeshua His Living Word of Truth.
Seeking YHVH's TRUTH above everything else,
Gina
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