Bible Study

Well, I made it to Bible Study today.  I needed it.  We are doing a Beth Moore study about finding the places in our lives we are held in captivity by the evil one.  Even though I missed the first two weeks today was (as always) just what I needed to hear. 

We discussed truth from two different perspectives.  One, being our truth (the summation of our life experiences and environment) and two, being God's truth.  I've never thought of there being more than one truth but I really liked the way Beth Moore discusses truth.  Of course there is only one ultimate Truth….the truth of Jesus Christ but we see Him through our life's experiences and the environment in which we live.

Then she gave us several equations I found very eye opening.
First, my truth in incomplete.  Why?  Because it's distorted by selective memories or by my perception of the way things happen.  For example, two people can experience the same thing but tell about what happened in totally different ways.  Why?  Because our perception is different.

Then Beth Moore added satan's lies to my truth.
MY TRUTH + satan's lies = captivity.
For example.  Someone who has struggled with alcoholism may hear the lie that they will never be free from the addiction.  Or they may hear that they are worthless, no good and will never amount to anything.

WOW.

Then Beth said that God's Truth (ultimate truth) is greater than my truth.  Wow, again.  Without HIS Truth there is no hope.  If I stand alone in only what I know and have experienced in life there is no hope.

Finally she sighted Hebrews 4:12-16 where the word “active” is used in the NIV version.  I won't quote it here in hopes you will go and look up the verses yourself.  The word “active” in the Greek is a medical term that means “engaged in work / effective” and the other part of the verse sights the Word being like a double-edged sword, similar to a surgeon's knife.  So the verse gives us a picture of the Word being a like a surgeon's healing hand. 

So the final equation is:
My truth + God's TRUTH = FREEDOM
My truth being what's happened to me and how I perceive it.  God's TRUTH being His healing Word.

One final statement she made was that God's truth has greater power to heal me than my truth does to destroy me. 

Double WOW!

So no matter what has happened to us when we add God's Truth into the equation we get freedom. 
For whom the Lord has set free is free indeed JOHN 8:36

I had to ask myself “What lie am I believing, Lord?”
This week it's been “You can not handle life without your husband at home.  You are overwhelmed.”
Well, maybe a part of that is true but when rinse it with “I can do all things through Christ Jesus our Lord”  (and I could not find that verse's reference) I know that I haven't been relying on His strength, but my own.

Thanks Lord, for freedom.

JULIE