Give God Another Chance --- When You’re Listening to God You’re Pursuing Truth

Why Don’t You Give God

Another Chance?

 

Pastor Rory Clark

Barah Ministries

www.barahministires.com

 

Hi there!

 

My name is Rory Clark and I am the Pastor of Barah Ministries…a worldwide Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ

 

I have a question for you…

 

Why Don’t You Give God Another Chance?

 

That’s the focus of these ten-minute lessons.  You can give God another chance.

 

TODAY’S LESSON

When You’re Listening to God You’re Pursuing Truth

 

If you really want to give God another chance, if you really want to get to know God, knowing the truth is the only way.  In Philippians, Chapter 4, Verse 8, the apostle Paul exhorts his favorite church, the Philippian church, this way…

 

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren (believers in Christ), whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are right, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever is lovely, whatsoever things are of good repute, if there is any excellence (and there is) and if there is anything worthy of praise (and there is), let your mind dwell on these things.

 

I think this is one of the most romantic verses in the bible.  Part of this verse also happens to be the motto of the university I attended, Northwestern University.  The motto is simply this…

 

”Whatsoever things are true…let your mind dwell on these things.”

 

That’s a great thing to think about when you are in a university…the things that are

true.  It’s a great thing to think about in life as well.  If you really want to give God another chance, if you really want to get to know God, pursuing the truth is the only way.

 

I can remember the start of my pursuit.  It began with a thought…

 

“There IS absolute truth.” 

 

I absolutely wanted to know the truth.  I remember hearing someone say, “There is no absolute truth!”  I did not see things the same way.  In fact, a friend of mine put it this way…

 

Crayon Box

 

“When my kids were young I bought them a box of 64 crayons.  I took out the black crayon and I took out the white crayon, and then I gave them the rest of the crayons.  I told them, ‘There is no black or white, so have fun with the rest of the colors.’”

 

That’s a powerful message.  I’ve just never seen things that way. 

 

To my way of thinking, if there are lies…if there are things that are absolutely false…and there are…then there must be absolute truth.  I want to know the truth.  It seemed to me that the truth was easy to find.  Because for something to be true, it is always true.  To prove something false, all you have to do is prove that one thing about it is false.  Truth is held to a pretty high standard.

 

In pursuing God, I know He wants me to get to know Him.  Romans, Chapter 1, Verses 20 says so…

 

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world the Lord Jesus Christ’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and His divinity, have been clearly seen by all mankind, being understood through everything that has been made in the entire created universe, so that all mankind, especially those practicing ungodliness and unrighteousness are without excuse in the matter of knowing there is a God.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is God, and He wants me to know the truth about Himself.  But I also know that there is a creature who does not want me to get to know God…his name is Satan…and I know he sponsors lies to keep me from getting to know God.  John, Chapter 8, Verse 44 says…

 

John 8:44

You are of your father the devil (Satan), and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

 

So God wants me to know the truth…Satan wants to lie to me so that I don’t know the truth.  Satan sponsors, “You never know” thinking.  He sponsors relative thinking.  “It’s all good!”  “It’s all relative!”  “It depends, every situation is different.”  I’ve come to learn that every lie has a lot of truth in it.  Lies are designed to gain your confidence.  That’s why deceptive people are called “Con Artists.”  They are expert at gaining your confidence with a lie that is so true you can’t tell it’s false. 

 

I’ve learned that you have to put the truth and lies side by side to be able to see lies for what they are…false…and you have to look at the differences, not the similarities between two things to be able to tell the truth.

 

Here’s one person’s viewpoint about the truth versus lies…

 

TRUTH vs. LIES

 

The truth can be placed in the open; exposed naked to the entire world. The truth does not need any laws to protect it, and it does not need secrecy to protect it. The truth does not need evidence destroyed, nor does it need videotapes to be confiscated.

 

TRUTH vs. LIES

 

Only lies need secrecy; only lies need protection from laws. Only lies benefit from fear, secrecy, blackmail, gossip, and confiscation of evidence.

God wants you to know the truth…Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 13…

 

Hebrews 4:13

And there is no creature hidden from the Lord’s sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

 

John, Chapter 8, Verse 32…

 

John 8:32

“…and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

 

Some of the things I have wanted to know…

 

THINGS I WANT TO KNOW

 

          “Is there a God?”

 

          “Is there a heaven and a hell?”

 

          “How do I get to heaven?”

 

So the question I’d ask you to ask yourself is…“Are you worthy of the truth?”

If you are going to know the truth, you have to be curious.  If you’re curious, God will make Himself and the truth know to you.  He will give you what you seek.  Jeremiah, Chapter 29, Verse 13 says…

 

Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek Me and you will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

 

I’ve always thought the search is worth it.  Do you?

 

The motto of Barah Ministries is “Pursuing Truth from the Word of God.”

 

BARAH MINISTRIES MOTTO

 

           “Pursuing Truth from the Word of God”

 

We’ve been pursuing truth for over a decade and a half, and we have miles to go before we sleep.  God has been gracious enough to point out when we are wrong about what we think we know, and we’ve been courageous enough to stand in a public forum like this one and to say when we make mistakes.  We can do that because we are pursuing truth…we’re not pursuing our egos.

 

We thank you for joining us.  We hope you’ll pursue the truth with us.

 

If you like these short lessons, visit our website at www.barahministries.com.    That’s www.B-A-R-A-H-ministries.com  We have two different one hour lessons per week to edify your spiritual life. 

 

If you like these lessons, share them with your friends. 

 

If you like these lessons, feel free to help us financially so that we can keep providing these lessons free of charge to people all over the world.  Thanks very much to those of you who have helped us.

 

When you give, do it because you have been given to…not because you HAVE TO give…but because you WANT TO give. 

 

And speaking of giving, keep on giving God another chance. 

 

I’m Pastor Rory Clark.

 

Pastor Rory Clark

Barah Ministries

www.barahministires.com