The truth of Jesus Christ is simple for those of us who believe.  It’s not a matter of assembling a catalogue of facts, carefully and methodically gathered and presented to a council of people for review and approval.  The only approval we seek is from God.   And of course, our understanding of the truth of Jesus Christ  is fundamental to how and why we exist and govern ourselves.  Over the years, the church has gone to great lengths to state is purpose and truth with clarity.  Because of years of repetition, many of us can recite the Apostle’s Creed from memory.  Other creeds — the Nicene Creed, The Modern Creed, and others, seek in their statement of faith to reveal the truth of Jesus Christ as we’ve come to believe.  However, long before there was an Apostle’s Creed, there were the words of Paul to his brother and son in the faith, Timothy.  In his letter, he stated as succinctly as possible what many of us have come to believe the truth about Christ — he came, was found blameless, was seen by human and angelic beings, was preached as the truth throughout the world, believed on and ascended into heaven.  These are not cleverly devised myths but represent the truth about Jesus Christ by those who were eye and ear-witnesses to these events.  That only comes through faith by grace, and that by the Spirit of the living and true God who reveals that truth to us by the Holy Spirit.

• What creed from the early church best represents Jesus Christ as the truth to you?
• How do the creeds from the early church reflect your understanding of Jesus Christ as God’s truth?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious God, continue to protect me from false truths and myths designed to destroy my faith in Your truth, Jesus Christ the righteous, risen and ascended and promised to come again.

them — perhaps people who are entrepreneurs and owners of their own businesses — promoting yourself is an important aspect of their business success.  There’s another aspect of self-promotion when it interferes with the primary goal of a larger program unrelated to a person’s personal enterprise but related to the plans and goals of God.  Enter God, whose agenda is bigger and more important than anyone’s personal goals.  God’s plan is to save humanity.  And God’s plan is clear — the means and the methods to accomplish God’s plan are to spread the means by which God has chosen to save humanity.  To promote oneself as integral to God’s plan of salvation essentially blocks the message and the means of salvation.  To promote God’s plan of salvation is to highlight the truth of God's process which is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  Following God’s plan enables us to see the light of God’s plan in Jesus Christ.

• What truth about Christ are you dependent on that the world should be made aware of?
• How can you tell your story without making yourself the hero of Your belief and faith?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer
Loving God, humble me before You. Give me the courage to promote Jesus Christ and his grace as truth over any self-promotion I do to win Your or anyone else’s approval.

         There is much in history to refute the truth about who Jesus Christ was and what he did.  But historical records support the evidence that John the Baptist lived among the people of his time.  So, the question is, “Why are there so many arguments to refute the truth of Jesus Christ, but virtually none to refute the reality of John, the Baptist?”  This is an important question since one (John the Baptist) was unalterably linked to Jesus, John’s cousin, who was the anchorman for the salvation of the world.  No one questions the reality of Josephus who also talks about both John and Jesus, yet they question the truth about Jesus and his ministry.  Could it be that in all of their questions, there is a direct question about the reality of God, and the truth of who Jesus was within that relationship?  Are there hidden envies, jealousies, or resentments because Jesus didn’t market his unusual gifts and sell them to the world?

         We may never know the answer to all of the questions of the universe.  And yet the truth remains — 6  ... without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).  And since that remains an undisputable truth, perhaps the same can be true of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ — we must first believe that he is both the truth and the proof of God’s reality for us all.

• Why do you think it’s so easy for people to accept a part of the truth without accepting the entire truth?
• Why does believing only what we want to believe make it more comfortable and convenient for us to craft our own truth, rather than accepting the whole truth?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, give me both the faith and the grace to believe Your entire truth and not just the truths with which I am comfortable. Fill me with Your Spirit to know and believe the whole truth of Jesus Christ.