Alētheia: Truth

Tag: Gods word

  • Reflections


    William Makepeace Thackeray once said, “The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion….”

    A mirror can give us a reflection of our current state of mind. If we are frowning, we can see that reflection in the mirrors all around us; if we are happy and smiling, we can see that reflection in others. Mirrors help us to see what we are focusing on in our daily living.

    In James chapter 1, we find that we are to be doers of the word and not hearers only. James uses the mirror illustration to say it’s “like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (vs 23,24).

    What are we reflecting as we look into the mirrors around us? Are we reflecting our own desires or the love of God. If we aren’t reflecting God’s love by doing what the bible teaches, then we are reflecting our natural face – the flesh. If we want a lasting reflection in the mirror, then we must love others the way Jesus does. We must be doers of the word.

    In earnest prayer and humility, we must desire to glorify God by reflecting Jesus to all those around us. Our desire should be that others would see the reflection of Christ in us.

    James 1:22-27

    “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

    If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”


  • As a diabetic, I must spend an enormous amount of time trying to maintain my blood glucose levels to the acceptable numbers set by the doctor(s). Twice a day, I test my blood, inject insulin and take an oral medication. I must eat the “right” foods and exercise. All this to be healthy. Diabetes is a horrible disease that will kill you slowly from the inside out. It can destroy all your internal organs, cause nerve damage which leads to loss of feeling in your extremities and can cause heart attacks and strokes.

    There is a distinct correlation between having diabetes (or any other disease) and sin. Diabetes is a disease of the flesh. Sin, on the other hand, not only destroys the body but also the soul.

    You cannot control sin without the work of the “great physician” Jesus Christ. We must first accept the fact that we are sinners, that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and by faith accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We must then live by the spirit and not in the flesh. We must daily go through the delightful protocol of our faith.

    First, we must spend time in God’s word – the Bible which like the blood test for diabetes, shows the Holiness of God and the lack of holiness in our own life. The bible is also the “insulin” for the soul – “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17.) When you “inject” God’s word into your life it will penetrate down to the bone and expose any and all sin (Hebrews 4:12). Then, we can confess that sin, be forgiven and be cleansed from our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

    Second, we must spend time in prayer. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. There is soul satisfying joy in communing with God in prayer.

    Third, we must share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. The rise of diabetes in our culture today has led to a great effort in awareness and education. Many people don’t realize they have diabetes which is why they call it the “silent killer” and it’s the same with sin. Sharing the gospel will expose this eternally deadly disease of sin and brings hope for every man, woman and child regardless of race.

    I am not saying that sin and diabetes (or any other disease) are equal. Sin destroys the soul for eternity – diabetes only destroys your health and makes life difficult. Sin is the ultimate disease in our lives. Sin must be dealt with through the life changing grace of Jesus and the price he paid on the cross. And if you ignore the warning signs – you will die forever.

  • Foundations – Bakers Dozen


    James 4:17 (ESV)

    “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

    During a season of difficulty, my accountability partner shared this verse with me. It really hit home. This verse helps us to know when the Holy Spirit is telling us to do something in our hearts, and we don’t do it, it becomes a sin to us.

    Now that I know this verse by memory, I am more aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life. This verse is just another illustration of  how alive God’s word is to us and how important it is to hide God’s word in our hearts.

    “The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.” – A.W. Tozer


  • Day 37 “What’s in Your Heart”


    Jesus said in the book of Matthew, “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” And it’s true. Just watch someone (maybe yourself) when they bend over to pick something up and unexpectedly hit their head on the edge of a counter and listen to what comes out of their mouth. We’ve all done it or something like it, and have said things we wish we could take back.

    In living a life that is pleasing to the Lord, it is very important to fill our hearts with Gods word so that in any given moment, out of our mouths comes  the comfort of His promises. This isn’t just when we need it for ourselves, but more importantly, to edify others and help them in their time of need.

    God’s word will stand forever. It will not crumble away. We can take great comfort in knowing that His word will not return unto Him void. By hiding scripture in our heart, we can stand on a firm foundation that cause us to be a well-spring of blessing for ourselves and all those around us.