Sources of Information

It matters.

It matters because of one truth, "there is always one truth and an infinite number of lies".

The problem with lies is that believing or following them sets you on a wrong path, a wrong direction.

Why does it matter?

Well, if you go the wrong way, you eventually end up in a dead end. A place where there is no way forward, only back. Not only is there a wasted journey, but now the journey back has to be done with many twists and turns. It may be close to impossible to do.

In a car, bad information can get you into a bad area, a dangerous area. With no correct map, you can only try to retrace your path to find the way out. If you retrace wrong, you could make your situation worse.

Correct information would have prevented this.

In life, it works the same. What is my purpose? What is the meaning? What am I supposed to do?

If you get it wrong... dead end. Or rather, just an end.

Jesus said there one truth, and He was it.

That is a big statement, a huge statement!

So, was it true?

How do you know?

Do you listen to all the voices of men to find out? That is a maze of information, some so obviously false but tempting all the same. It is supremely easy to get lost.

The best option is to go to the Source. The One who IS the truth, Jesus Himself.

This one is easy, if you think about it. If Jesus IS who He said He is, then He is available anytime, anywhere. All you have to do is ask Him.

Yes, He did say He was God. All the arguments that say He did not, are simple lies. He said "I AM". Any Jew at the time would know what He meant. He was very clear.

Ah, but clear doesn't always communicate truth.

Luke 9:44-45

[44] “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”

[45] But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

This is a big deal.

Communication goes two ways. One makes a statement, another, if they hear it, has to understand, process, and retain that information. In the passage above, Jesus clearly spoke of what was going to happen. The disciples heard it, but did not understand it because it was "hidden" from them.

By who?

The intent is obvious in the way it is written. The information, the clarity, was hidden in plain sight by the only One who could do it, God, The Father.

Jesus communicates: "A+B=C"

Disciples hear: "A+B=C"

Their brains: "Blabbidy blabbity Blah"

We know that God did in fact hide the plan from them, until after it was completed. Luke, who wrote the book of Luke, realized this after Jesus rose from the dead and floated off into the sky. They all did, well except Judas who never got the rest of the story.

It is the responsibility of the communicator to communicate to the communicatee.

It is God's responsibility to give truth to His children.

Is God not capable?

Do you really think He just tossed us into this pond of lies to drown in false information, if we don't find the life line of truth? What good Father would do that?

Yes, sometimes, it does feel like it.

The problem is in understanding Who and What God IS. If He is like a human father, his power and control only go so far. If his child is swimming in a pond full of scum and the father is trying to throw the child a line, how can the child see it?

I think, many believe that this is what God is like. That He is more like a human father struggling to throw us a line of truth in a pond covered in scummy lies.

This is just not so. The passage above is truth enough to prove that false.

"It was hidden from them"

God, The Father, has the power to reveal truth to anyone, anywhere, anytime. He IS the great communicator. He is also a good Father.

God IS power.

God IS Truth.

God IS the responsible One.

Jesus IS The Father.

Here is the hard truth. God does communicate and open eyes to understand and accept truth... when He wants to.

The problem we have is when we believe the search, finding, and acceptance is all on us.

It is not, and never was.

So, like a child drowning in the pond with scum covered water, we flail around trying to find a life line of truth.

Faith is what God wants from us.

Faith is what God WILL get from us.

A good Father.

A wise Father.

A perfect Father.

Why, why, why would He just stand at the edge of the pond watching while we struggle searching for the life line? Even worse, why has He not thrown it in and cleared the water so it is absolutely visible?

Of course He could.

"It was hidden from them"

Do you really know that God is good? I mean REALLY, REALLY know?

If you have felt His presence at all, you know. So, take that truth and apply it here. Why would a good Father do that? Why would He hide information from His disciples? Why would He hide the life line from His children?

He has His reasons.

In the case of the hidden information about what Jesus was going to face, if the disciples knew and were comfortable with what Jesus said, then their reactions and actions in response to Jesus' capture and crucifixion would have been very different. The fear, discouragement, and dissolution worked perfectly to take a very big piece of the puzzle and pound it squarely into their hearts and minds... Jesus IS God.

"It was hidden from them"

They didn't know, until after, who He really was. Even the deeper understanding that Jesus was/IS The Father wasn't clear to Thomas until He pointed it out directly.

God made us.

God knows us.

He knows exactly how, when, where, and why to communicate truth to us. This is why we seem to be swimming in a pond covered in scum. None of it is out of His control. None of His children are at risk of drowning. None of His children are in any danger at all.

Yes, this is a hard one... a hidden one.

He IS a GOOD Father.

You either know it, or you don't.

The struggle knowing is part of the journey. It is ALL intentional. Every pain, every choice, every scar, it is a preordained path that each of us will take as GOD makes us into what, and who, HE wants us to be.

You are not on your own.

You are not your own.

Even those who are NOT His children have a clear cut purpose. Though the truth will always be hidden from them, they WILL accomplish exactly what they need to do, in order for the Children to grow as God has ordained before time began.

Yes, that IS what it says in the book.

Romans 9:19

[19] One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”

[20] But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ”

[21] Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

[22] What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?

[23] What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—

[24] even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Is it hidden from you, or do you see it?

Oh, you can read it, but to have it sink in, and clearly see the truth of it... THAT only comes from The Father.

If you don't already know that God is good, then this life line will be hidden from you. It will be impossible to see. You have to be in a place where you are not flailing around in the lies and can focus on your Father. Once you do, the line will be clear and the purpose of the struggle will begin to make sense.

He IS the source.

He IS the truth.

He IS the One who will save you.

It is all part of His great plan.

The truth is, if you are His child. He will do the work. He will complete the work.

You, will just watch Him work.

Stop flailing.

Grab His line.

Connect to The Source.

Watch Him pull you in.

From His perspective, you are already saved.