TRUTH and LIE

 “A lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is pulling its boots on.” Lies are quick to believe as truth. In fact this pithy proverb is believed to have originated with Mark Twain, but the truth is it came from the pulpit of one of the world’s greatest Baptist preachers—Charles H. Spurgeon, April 1, 1855.

The success of a lie dates back to the Garden of Eden where the sinful nature of man was made manifest because of the presence of Satan in the world. This world is a battle zone on which truth and lie are in mortal combat and often it looks as if truth is swinging on the gallows while lie has taken up residence in that deluxe apartment in the sky. It is important to remember that success is not the test of truth, in spite of what the pragmatists might say. When all is said and done and the dust settles, God’s truth will be victorious. Meanwhile, Satan can be very strong and influence a majority of folks. The world and our country are under this influence making God’s truth into a lie—it’s catching on very well with the PC crowd.
When you face a serious matter of conscience—that moment when your ethics, your integrity, and your morality are summoned front and center —you need to have a good sense of right and wrong while examining the evidence carefully. Temptation moments will cycle in your life. Cool logic or overheated emotions will not always yield the appropriate decision. Your solution— have a firm grip on Truth—God’s Word. The decisions you make will prove more effective if you have this resource at your disposal. Otherwise you will whiffle and waffle in your conclusion. “Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions. If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’”? (1 Kings 18:21) In other words, you’ve got to pick one side or the other you can’t remain on the fence any longer.
Not making a choice for truth or being middle-of-the-road is a weak position to take. Jesus was quite clear that it is impossible to be neutral about him and his message. “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30). It is even more telling in Revelation 21:8 where there were people who knew the truth but were afraid to take their stand. They are called “cowards” and lumped in with all those with dark vises. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
 “Truth makes a man of courage and guilt makes that man of courage a coward.” Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) Christ-follower these are not the days to be a coward.  These are the days to stand for the truth of your faith.

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