The Spirit of Truth part 3
Truth can be a little bit tricky, in the sense that the truth is always the truth no matter what... but if you don't believe it, it isn't true to YOU. Its like, if you have a million dollars in the bank, but you don't know its in there, you aren't going to spend it. You shall KNOW the truth, and the truth that you know shall make you free. Look at John 14:16-17, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you." The world cannot receive it. Because love seems to good to be true. It doesn't "make sense" that someone could give us everything they have and everything they are and want nothing in return. But that's where faith comes in. And not this idea of faith where we're supposed to "believe" in order to MAKE something happen. That's not faith. Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen. Because seeing is believing. The world cannot receive because it doesn't see or know. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word (Jesus, love) of God. What the world sees, and hears, and experiences, and knows, is the rat race. Climbing over people to make yourself look bigger. Knocking people down to make yourself like better. But if you win the rat race, what are you? King rat? Who really wants that? That's no way to live. A life worth living is a life of service. Giving what you've got, rather than trying to get something you (think you) haven't got. But you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. Faith. Knowing and believing--with a knowledge that passes knowledge--that you are loved. And the "tricky" part, like I said, is that it comes from the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit is our love receptor. See, the truth is that we are loved. Always have been, always will be. But without the Holy Spirit we can't receive that love. We aren't receptive to it. Again, it seems too good to be true. Its not until we hear that Word that we can experience the love of God. And I mean HEAR it. Really hear it. Because God only says one thing, "I love you." He says it, and He DOES it. He shows it to us. Jesus said there's no greater expression of love than laying your life down for your friends. And then He went to the cross and literally did it. He gave His life FOR us. But He also gave His life TO us. We simply have to let Him live His own life in us, and through us, and as us. Know what we've got so that we can give what we've got. Love is giving. That's the key. Its not about getting. Knowing what we've got equips and empowers us to give what we've got. Knowing the truth is what sets us free and makes us free. Even though we already ARE free. We experience the freedom when we know its available to us. Not for us to earn, but freely given. Simply needing to be received and released. The truth is the truth. Always. No matter what. But knowing the truth is what makes it true... for you!