SPIRIT AND TRUTH

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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I have two important questions for you:

•   Do you think it is possible that you might one day be led away from the truth of scripture and accept a teaching about the Lord that contradicts what you now believe to be true?
•   Do you think it is possible that you will one day lead another person to believe something that is your personal opinion even if this idea contradicts the plain teaching of the Bible?

I imagine that most of us would say no to both of these statements. 

Never

In fact, we probably feel like turning away from the truth of God’s word is an action that we would never knowingly take. 

And yet, we see people who were once walking closely with the Lord fall away and seek out ideas that bring them momentary happiness even if it contradicts the plain teaching of God’s word. Why does this happen?

In our passage from 1 John for today we hear part of a larger answer to that question:

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. 

28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

(1 John 2:26-29 NIV11) 

Keep Focused

Over and over we hear the message of scripture challenge the faithful to stay the course, to not turn to the right or to the left, to keep your eyes on Jesus and keep on the path that leads to life. We are so challenged by the Lord because we are so easily tempted to leave the narrow way and venture out onto the wide path. 

Verse 26

In verse 26, as elsewhere, we hear that there are people all over the place that are trying to lead us astray. People who delight in twisting God’s word to enrich themselves, build their own fame, or manipulate others until they have become compliant to the machinations of the manipulator. 

Do you believe this to be true?

Protection

It seems that many people I meet say that they believe that these wolves in sheep’s clothing are all over the place and that the enemy is using people all around them to become sources of temptation. But when I dig into these statements and ask what they are doing so that they can better protect themselves and their families from these twisters of the truth, the answers I receive are weak and unconvincing. 

Two Actions

The message being given here in 1 John is calling the believer in Jesus Christ to do two things so as to protect themselves from the onslaught of the enemy. 

First, we must receive the gift of grace or the anointing given to every person who believes in Christ Jesus. 

This word in the Greek is that of, χρῖσμα. (Chrisma). 

Gift

This is a word typically used to describe a gift of the Holy Spirit. In this instance, John wants us to see that we have been given an anointing or an indwelling gift that is in fact the Spirit of God. It was this gift that was promised by God through the Prophet Jeremiah long before the filling of the believers at Pentecost. 

We can hear this gift described by Jeremiah in the following way, “‘This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’” (Jeremiah 31:33 NIV11)

Impress

We must embrace the work of the Holy Spirit as the Lord is working to write his word on our hearts and to impress his truth into our minds through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This the anointing that we must embrace if we are going to resist those who seek to turn us away from the truth.

Word

Added to this is the teaching of the Lord. 

We have received from the Lord his word which teaches us of his true character and nature. The more that we are in the message of God’s word, the more we will be secure in the day of trial and temptation. 

Jesus Christ taught his disciples this same truth when he said to them, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 NIV11)

Not Fear

When we embrace these two gifts of the Lord:

HIS HOLY WORD and HIS HOLY SPIRIT, we will not fear the work of the wolves who seek to devour the people of God for their own gain as they build their own earthly church. 

Reflection

·  As you face your day today, embrace these two gifts. 

·  Pray and ask the Lord to help you find time and space to get into the truth of the Bible. 

·  Openly invite the Holy Spirit into your work, into your study, into your day to day activities. 

·  Set your mind on things above!

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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