The "My Truth" Fallacy

I've been quiet on here awhile again.

I often think I don't have much to say, but I do want to encourage people somehow today.

The world seems to be going downhill fast in many ways, and people are becoming more aware of all of the lies and corruption they have been fed.

The encouragement is this.  God and His Word (the 66 books of the Bible) do not change.  

The Triune God is unchanging.  His words are true (Psalm 119:160).

The truth of God is objective.  It doesn't change with the times.

Your feelings can and do change...sometimes daily.

Often what people call "my truth" is just a statement of their feelings.  

Feelings are not truth.  They often lie to us.  They send us into depression or unreality.

They will not satisfy us.

Reality is not based on what you feel or what you want.  

You cannot be whatever you feel like.

God created you, and whatever you do to paste on another identity...your facade does no good before Him.

So, the Bible may hurt feelings, but the Spirit saves eternal souls and transforms lives through God's Word.  The Word of God pierces through, and all of our thoughts and motives are visible to God (based on Hebrews 4:12-13).

Absolute truth cannot be found apart from God and His Word.

What is right and what is wrong are based on the character of God and that is revealed in the Scriptures.

Have you read the Bible through?

Jesus is the truth.  (See John 14:6 for full verse.)

For the Christian, we can be encouraged knowing that God is true/truth, and His words are true, and we know that His death for our many sins was enough.  His righteousness imputed.  His resurrection.  We can trust Him that He will sanctify us, provide our needs, and that He will bring about His good purposes through our many trials (and those trials are there to bring about perseverance, proven character, and hope...See Romans 5).  We can trust Him that we will be resurrected and glorified.  We can trust that He really is faithful, and His lovingkindness is everlasting.  We can know that His future Kingdom will come, and that there will be an eternity with Him for those who are His.  

We can trust that He is just and that evil will not be unpunished.

We need to look to the Word of God, listen to preaching, and examine everything from the lens of Scripture (as there is a lot of heresy and false teaching out there).

God will never leave the believer even when homebound, disabled, or in distress.

I hope this will encourage you, because in composing this I am encouraging myself by reminding myself of what the Bible says.

As my mind is a fog so often, I don't know how clear this will be to anyone else.

Without Christ, there is no truth.

But God is real, and He is absolutely true and trustworthy, and so is His Gospel.

So, please read His Word, and let me know if you would like me to pray for you.

Read the Legacy Standard Bible.  Here is the book of John.

Nostalgia & Christmas Concert

Nostalgia

There was a place that my family went in December occasionally to look at the seasonal displays of lights and decorations.  I'm pretty sure I was singing Christmas carols on the way at least one of the times I went.

One of last times (perhaps not the very last) I went, we took my Grandma out of a nursing home to go see them.  We couldn't get her out of the car I'm sure, but...

It's kind of sad to see from a search that Mr. Balian of that house died a few years back, and things were being sold off from the estate (including the decorations). We also have visited another street with lights (probably Christmas Tree Lane), but it wasn't to the level of the Balian house. The lights and decorations of the Balians were quite something spectacular to look at.  They also often had audio music going on.  I'm wondering if one of the last times they had that silenced.  I wasn't a fan of the Santa parts of the decorations, but they had a section for the nativity and other things that were of interest to me.  

I've seen people (more than one source) sharing some of the luxuriousness they saw at the estate for the sale (including the inside).  Art, architecture, carpets, light fixtures, fancy windows, furniture, swimming pool, a grandfather clock, and expensive looking (and probably older) doodads.  There was a painting or art of the couple which looked like it depicted their wedding.   I know they were supposed to be known for their ice cream, but I don't remember ever having Balian ice cream.  Perhaps some of you do.  I don't know what has become of the house since the estate sale, but perhaps someone else can do more research. 

BALIAN HOUSE DISPLAY someone else took perhaps 7 years ago (date on video upload).

BALIAN HOUSE ESTATE photos.

I realize that Christmas is more than about decorations for Christians.  The mythology about Santa was always a distraction from remembering the Incarnation of Christ.  My parents didn't teach me to believe the myth (though reportedly the myth was based on a real person or two from history).

Christmas Concert

Grace Community Church in California usually streams their Sunday Christmas concert in December (not the other ones), so if you live a long way off like I do you probably will be able to watch on December 18, 2022, on the church live-stream site.  If I learn differently, I'll try to update this post.  The concert starts at 6 PM Pacific / 8 PM Central / 9 PM Eastern / 2 AM Monday for GMT.  It's a 2-hour concert.  Look HERE about the concert & HERE.

Bible Basics, Truth Moment, & Music for Your Day

Bible Basics

The Scriptures are to be trusted as God's Word.  Grace Community Church had a Sunday night series on "The Wonder of the Word" not long ago.  They highlighted the inspiration, preservation, sufficiency, canonicity, and the clarity of Scripture.

You can check it out HERE.

Truth Moment

There is a newer set of videos called "A Moment of Truth" featuring short clips from Pastor Don Green of Truth Community Church in the Cincinatti area.

I watched the video clip I'm sharing today and listened to another portion of his "Trusting God in Trying Times" audio series today.  I had heard and shared the series in the past, but I need to be reminded of these things.

I need to rehearse truth about God and often feel like a flop being majorly stressed out with things that are going on for us (on top of other things).

God's purposes are good and right, and He is faithful still.  He will help us through what He has for us even if we can't see how and are weak physically and in faith.  He won't leave us or forsake us.

Christians, please continue to pray for us.

I'm also excited for others that a book on Trusting God in Trying Times is scheduled to come out at some point as well.  

Music for Your Day (The Itzels):

Cessationist Movie, Psalm 142 ("My Lonely Cry") Message, Hymn of the Day

Cessationist - There is a new documentary being worked on that will examine the gifts of the Spirit and how the Spirit actually works today.  Much of what people attribute to the Spirit isn't of Him.  The makers of the film (who also did Calvinist and some other documentaries) have been fundraising for it on Kickstarter, and it did reach its goal.  Some of the people I follow online have given toward this, so I look forward to what comes from it.  Phil Johnson is on the video clip they shared, so I suspect it will be good.  Learn more HERE.

My Lonely Cry (Sermon by Don Green) - Tuesday night, Don Green gave a very encouraging message for Christians going through trouble.  He is going through the Psalms, and this one is from Psalm 142.  David was in a cave calling for help from God.  This is one that I believe people will want to share!  You can listen HERE.

Jesus is Lord (Hymn for your day):

Rejoicing Roe Rejected and Reaction to Rage

Roe v. Wade was overturned today, and I'm thankful to God!

Sadly, it won't make the murder of babies in the womb illegal nationwide.  

Abortion is wrong, because mankind was created in God's image, and God's moral law makes it plain that we are not to murder.  Babies in the womb have their own DNA, and they are not the body of the mother.  Rape and incest do not give the right to take the life of another person either, as that life is given by God no matter the criminal action of one of the parents.  Each person will answer to God for the taking of a human life.  Justice will be done.  Sin was either punished on the cross when Jesus died for sinners that He redeemed and mercifully saved, or it will be paid for by the unrepentant sinner.

TEXT of Dobbs decision by SCOTUS

In Tennessee, here are links on what this means:

Guttmacher on TN

Candidate Rightfully Rejoices

TN AG Seeks Immediate Ban (Hooray!)

What This Means in Other States

Interactive Map of the U.S. and what this may mean in each state (Guttmacher)

Response of President Trump who chose Justices who rightly realized that Roe vs Wade was not Constitutional.  (Babies in the womb aren't the property of the mother due to location.)

View response: President Trump responds, and it is true that God is sovereign.

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14 LSB

Warning of Danger

Pregnancy Centers and Clinics and other pro-life people have been threatened, and SCOTUS families need protection as well. A number of Pregnancy places that support life have been damaged. There was even fire-bombing. This is terrorism, and sadly some well-known politicians are not being helpful by standing against our third branch of government's decision. Even "Attorney General" Merrick Garland is not being helpful.

Attorney General Merrick Garland called the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade “a devastating blow to reproductive freedom,” and he vowed to use the Justice Department’s authority to protect the right to abortions. https://t.co/FPF3Tspnv1 pic.twitter.com/7Vv6frMdS7

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 24, 2022

(Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of the NY Times and don't recommend them.) 

Christians, please pray for the safety of the people and properties threatened and for the safety of those who share the Gospel with people at places still doing abortions.

Window to God's Creation

There are so many things going on that are stressful in life and evil in this world, but today I saw something of God's Creation that cheered me up a little.  Two deer were walking through our yard.  It took me so long to get my camera flash off that the best picture I got was of only one of them, and it wasn't nearly as good as seeing them up close.  I'm also sharing one of the blurred photos as well for you.

We see rabbits in our yard, sometimes a snake, and other creatures occasionally in the past, but it's been especially rare to see deer.  Seeing God's creation can be a blessing and a reminder that some things are continuing the same.

Anxiety Addressed Biblically & Christian Movie Recommendation

Anxiety Addressed Biblically

There is a teaching video I watched recently which gave some Biblical ways to address anxiety.  With all of the seeming chaos going on in the world, it is so easy to wallow in anxiety instead of focusing on God and His Word and trusting in His sovereignty. Another thing to remember is that the second death is something the Christian doesn't have to face, as Christ faced the worst on our behalf.   We don't control what goes on in this world in the way that we may think we do.  I think I too often am like the disciples in the boat thinking I'm about to drown with Jesus right there instead of like Polycarp who had courage to say that the fire would last no longer than an hour...less than the eternal fire the person having him executed would face from God.

Safe in the Storm: Biblical Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety (Phil Moser)

Christian Movie Recommendation: Play the Flute

Our family recently rewatched a movie that I got for one of them in the past.  It is about a guy who is planning to be a pastor, but he decides to lead a youth group first.  Yeah, I know, some of you may be against youth groups, but his focus was Scripture and even memorization of Scripture.  He faced a lot of challenges with seemingly only one Christian in the group.  If you are interested to watch it, it is called Play the Flute.

Play The Flute - Trailer from Play the Flute movie on Vimeo.