Compromised Truth – Part 2
By Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of March 27, 2022
Compromised Truth leads to disrespect of self and others as we navigate through life our way. It’s an attack against God’s character of authenticity for us and, therefore, hinders blessings that come from stewarding God’s genuine nature in us.
We must put God first, cultivate an intimate relationship with Him and trust Him enough to make Him our supreme authority. We must hear God’s voice above all others, even above our communities with parents, spouses, bosses, friends, counselors, pastors, prophets, etc. If any people in our lives advise or expect us to do anything outside of God's will, we can still choose God's way. We can realize that even the well-meaning can operate in an opposing spirit to the life God has for us. Forgive them and move on.
We can choose to distance ourselves from opposing voices, if necessary, while coming closer to God. In cases where we cannot totally distance ourselves, such as in child-parent relationships or employee-boss relationships, we can still run to God in prayer, seek His protection and guidance, declare His truth over our lives and wait out greater freedom.
This is what twelve-year-old Jesus did in Luke 2:41-52 AMPC when He went and stayed in the temple of God for three days to pursue Father’s Presence, while His parents knew not where He was (vs 46). In the midst of His parents' "custom" to visit Jerusalem, during the Passover season, young Jesus didn’t want to leave His spiritual feast. Jesus wasn’t afraid of the power of His True Father. He was drawn to Him. At the outset, Jesus chose this as His "necessary" high purpose and priority above returning home with His earthly parents (vs 42, 49). Verse 52 reveals the result of Jesus putting Father God first and pursuing His truth by saying, "And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man."
In this light, when we pursue God as truth above all else, He increases His wisdom in us as He grows us to be wise, like Him. And He increases our favor with Him and man (Luke 2:52). This righteous priority translates into us experiencing the increased victory of salvation, even in our families, that Jesus died to give us on earth as it is in Heaven. Luke 2:51 says that Jesus’ "mother kept and closely and persistently guarded all these things in her heart" as He explained His whereabouts and purpose to her.
I have learned that, as I have gone out to do the work our Lord sent me to do with Him, He has blessed my family and myself in eternal ways that only He could. So, like young Jesus, when we make Father God our eternal life source above all else, including family, we will see the fullness of life He has for us and others; and understand it, both in practical ways and through His Spirit of Revelation.
Jesus is our best family member and our greatest champion. He looks out for us in truth and glory. He says in John 14:2 AMPC that "In My Father's house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you."
Jesus desires that we live an authentic life abiding in Him. We do this by firmly deciding He, as part of the Holy Trinity, is Lord of our lives and determine to walk it out, not letting anyone or anything pull us away, including any other relationships.
As the world around us strives to get ahead, we must look to God and align with His truth, which is that He will give us the things He put in our hearts when we come to appreciate Him first, above all else (Matthew 6:33).
So, pray with me if you will:
Dear Lord,
Your truth is better than anything. Thank You that it sets me free from decline, as I incline my heart toward You. I humbly turn to You and ask You to deliver me from unholy compromise. Rid me of fear, of masking Your truth and authenticity in me and of the unholy mixture of man's ways. Help me rightly divide the truth and priority of Your prevailing Word. Help me walk in it and live out the fullness of life You have for me in the earth, as I learn to rest in You, while working alongside You. Help me to walk out Exodus 33:13 AMPC, which says, "...if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight..." Lord, help me to live in a way that glorifies you abundantly and enables me to experience Your wisdom and beauty in my life-journey with You (Eph 1:17). Thank You that I don’t have to be afraid but that I can trust You to help me live out Your life-plan for me, knowing that You judge fairly (Deuteronomy 3:16, 1 Peter 2:23).
In Jesus' Mighty Name,
Amen.
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.
Originally published Sunday, 27 March 2022.
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