Gleanings for December 1

FACTS & TRUTH

John 4: 24 NKJV “God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The meaning of the word “truth” according to Strongs’ Concordance is this: “The Greek rendering of the word is “aletheia”. Derived from negative, a, and lanthano, (once again that is Greek) meaning “to be hidden,” “to escape notice.” (Compare “latent,” “lethargy,” “lethal.”) Aletheia is the opposite of fictitious, feigned, or false. It denotes veracity, reality, sincerity, accuracy, integrity, truthfulness, dependability, and propriety.”

We could benefit from a study of each of the qualities (listed in the above paragraph) which define: “truth”. Please do that sometime. The “truth” I want to share with you today is: FACTS can change but TRUTH will NEVER change.

Often times we have written that God’s Word IS Truth! THE WORD includes each of the qualities listed in Strongs’ definition. The truth of the Word of God will never change because it was breathed by the Holy Spirit and written down by those who were inspired and anointed by Him to write.

Over the centuries the Truth of the Bible has been protected, I believe, by God Himself. During the time of Jeremiah the prophet, one of the kings tried to “cut out” and burn some of the writings of the Old Testament Scriptures.

(See Jeremiah 36: 11 – 32). As you read those verses you will see that the pages the king put in the fire would be rewritten by Jeremiah. TRUTH cannot be stamped out! TRUTH can and does change facts!

As we continue to speak the words of truth written in the Bible and as that TRUTH is put into practice, we will find this: TRUTH overcomes FACTS.

I encourage you to read Grandma’s Gleanings dated July 12, 13 & 14, they tell about the negative report and the victory that came as we “spoke God’s Word” over the MRI which Sarah (my granddaughter) and her husband had been shown (the MRI was a visible fact). One should never DENY a fact; however, we need not accept the fact as the “last word”. (See what Abraham did: Romans 4: 17)

Notice also what Ephesians 5: 1 (the Amplified Bible) 1 tells us to do: “Therefore be imitators of God—copy Him and follow His example---as well-beloved children imitate their father.”

Don’t waste time just trying to speak a “positive word”. We must speak what God has spoken. As a child of God, He gives you the power to make permanent changes in your life which will affect every one of the circumstances you come up against in daily living.

Do what we are told to do in 1^st Timothy 6:12: “Fight the good fight of faith.” This is what “speaking the Truth” really means. As you do this, you will know

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!!!