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 DISCERNING TRUTH

 

 

God is moving by His Spirit to bring LIGHT and REVE­LATION from His Word as never before. Surely we are living in the time spoken of by Daniel the prophet: "But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Daniel 12:4). The "time of the end" of this age is on us. Therefore we are witnessing the "unsealing" of mysteries unknown to past generations, and "knowledge is increasing" both in the natural and physical realms of man and in the realm of the spiritual things of God.

 

This does not mean that we should be gullible and acc­ept everything we hear and read, but rather weigh it with a discerning mind seeking to "prove all things" and to "hold fast that which is good, " (I Thess. 1:21). Above all we should heed the admonition found in Isa. 8:20 "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The WORD OF GOD is always our standard. However, we must continually be willing to re-study and re-examine what we THINK the Bible teaches, realizing that MANY of our past concepts have been the result of our LIMITED capacity to understand as well as the GROSSNESS of our hearts in not being able to "look beyond" the VEIL to view the full GLORY of the Lord. As the Jews had a "veil" (of unbelief) on their hearts (I Cor. 3:13-15) not being able to "LOOK" to the end of that which is abolished (the Old Covenant), so we have had a "veil" on our hearts not being able to fully "LOOK" to the end (consummation) of that which is now be­ing fulfilled (the New Covenant).

 

When Moses came down from the mount after spending 40 days with God, he had to put a VEIL over his face be­cause the people were unable to view the shining "glory" of his face (Ex. 34:29-35). Thus has it been through many generations. Christ has been speaking to men through His Word, but MUCH HAS BEEN VEILED because of our inability to comprehend and receive. But NOW the "veil" is being lif­ted. More and More glorious light is coming forth from the Lord as He REVEALS (unveils) "HIMSELF to us in these last days.

 

God must deal with us as we ARE. Much depends on our heart-WILLINGNESS to receive and OBEY truth. Jesus said, "If. any man will do his will he shall know of the doc­trine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself (John 7:17). We must be willing to re-study and re-think all that we have ever believed. And if our hearts are TOO GROSS for us to admit that we have made mistakes and have been in error in many things AND CHANGE OUR THINK­ING AND ACTING ACCORDINGLY, then the Lord will have to leave us where we are and continue to VEIL much of His truth to us.

 

Another factor is heart-READINESS. The SOIL of our heart must be "broken up" and prepared to RECEIVE the "good seed" of His Word (Mark 4:20-28). The Lord many times has to CONDITION us by experience before we are READY to receive more light and understanding. The Lord's word to us is "Break up the fallow ground. . . and circum­cise yourselves to the Lord." (Jer. 4:3-4). As Jesus spoke to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus he perceived their lack of readiness to receive and spoke thus: O FOOLS and SLOW OF HEART to believe ALL that the prophets have spo­ken." (Luke 24:25). And thus has it been ever since: WE ARE FOOLS, and WE HAVE BEEN SO SLOW TO BELIEVE ALL. Do I hear a gasp? Too harsh, you say! Are you will­ing to be honest with yourself? Are you willing to let the Lord deal with your heart until you ARE CONDITIONED to "behold with unveiled face the glory of the Lord?"

 

Jesus said "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matt.5:8). Our "seeing" of God (comprehending His reality and truth) is in direct proportion to the "circumcising" of our hearts. The CROSSNESS of our hearts has to be "cut away" lest it be fulfilled in us as it was in the Jews of Jesus' day; "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed." (Matt. 13:15). God said to Moses who wanted to SEE the Lord: "You cannot see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. " (Ex. 33:20). What is true in this statement PHYSI­CALLY is also true SPIRITUALLY. We (the carnal self-life) CANNOT LIVE if we are to "see" God. The more we "see" of God the more of our SELF LIFE has to DIE.

 

There is no occasion of BOASTING when we realize that God has had to hide us in the cliff of the rock (JESUS) and has had to COVER US with his HAND OF MERCY, while He has passed by and we have "seen" but A LITTLE PORTION of His Being (Ex. 33:21-23). But the more we are willing to DIE (to self) the more of His Glory (light—truth) shall be re­vealed to us. Increasingly we shall "see" the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. " (I I Cor. 4:6).                                   .

 

What is presented herein is with the realization that as yet we "know in part" and "see through a glass darkly" (I Cor. 13:1-12). All of us are still walking in some error, but we should DESIRE above everything to KNOW THE TRUTH, for "The truth shall make you free." (John 8:32). One truth which we must all be willing to confess is that found in I Cor. 8:2: "If any man think that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. " In regard to many things that may be new to us we have to follow the example of Mary who "kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19).

 

I believe one more thought should be added. What ab­out our heart-MOTIVES? Jesus said, "He who speaks from himself seeks his own honor; but he who seeks his sender's hon­or is sincere and in him there is no deceit." (John 7:18,Ber­keley). If we are seeking our own honor in one way or another then we can be sure that what we speak tends to come "from (out of) ourselves." But if we have no ambition or de­sire but to seek the honor and glory of the One who "sent" us, then out of a "sincere" heart will come that which is without "deceit" (falsehood).

 

But WHO can honestly say that he knows his own heart perfectly, and that his motives are completely without any "taint" of self? We can only PRAY that God will keep us free from the beguiling influences of our own deceitful hearts, and from the corrupting desire to "please" others. None of us are immune from the "wiles" of the evil one in his attempt to inflate our ego and Infuse us with the "spirit" of those at Babel: "Let us build a city and a tower. . . let us make a name (for ourselves). " (Gen. 11:4).

 

If we want to keep hearing from God, and speak only that which He would have us speak, then IN US must be fulfilled the words of Isa. 66:2: "I will look favorably on that man who is humble, feels crushed in spirit, and trembles at My word. " (Berkeley).

  

 

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