RE: [TruthTalk] The Right Way To Get To The Truth

[ShieldsFamily]

So you don’t live your beliefs? Izzy Not always and neither do you.    Neither does the addicted, lost in his habit and helpless to be what he really wants to be;  neither the confused and beleaguered wife who compromises to  save the marriage;  or the young black boy with absolutely no guidance, lost in a sea of racial regrets who cries in private at what he sees as his only choices; or the gay and homely blade who is so taken by the disappointment of his parents (in all facets of his life) that, in spite of what he believes,   his need for acceptance prevails.   None of this rises to the level of reasoned excuse for failure.   But the addicted "really wants" and thus, believes in what is noble and right; the beleaguered wife "compromises" and thus acknowledges what she believes to be right;  the black boy who secretly weeps lives a life that trumps what he knows is right (thus the tears);  and the gay and lonely son who is driven by guilt because, and only because, he "knows" what he believes but is lost without a teacher (lost does not mean lost, in this case).   Tears, guilt, compromise, restless addictions are all testaments to the possession of truth.    It is when we have so surrendered to the flesh that we feel no guilt, shed no tears, are aware of no compromise, and rejoice in our addictions that we are truly lost -- given over to the flesh.   So people often do not live as they believe, Linda.   And there are times when we meet these people,  speak what God would have us to say and it strikes at the heart of who they really are and what they really believe and they are "saved."   That is what I am saying.  John John, We don’t live what we “really want” to be.  We live what we really believe.  If the addicted really believed he was saved and delivered, he would be.  It has happened too many times to too many people to deny the power of Christ to set even the addicted free.  But first they must “really believe”.  I don’t have any idea what the “confused and beleaguered” wife is compromising, but no one who “really believes” in the truth of God’s word needs to believe the lie that they must compromise—they know that God delivers those who do not.  The ghetto kids who live lives of desperation do so because no one has taught them that they CAN really believe in the God who loves and delivers and empowers.  When I “really believe” that I can live free of sin, I do.  And so do you. Izzy