Handling the Truth: Truth Stands For Real - John 8:32

We all have secrets, things that we are afraid to tell anyone for fear of what it would do to the relationship. So, we hide these things inside, we push them down and try to cover them up. But, in truth these secrets act like a wedge between us and other people. The more we push them down, the further we push people away. If these secrets are sins, they drive the same kind of wedge between us and God. We long to feel close to God and to live real, authentic lives, but in order to do so we have to face the truth for real.

• Inside
• True to Ourselves
  "You are the man!" - 2 Samuel 12
  
• True to God
  He will forgive us - 1 John 1:9
  
• Outside
• True to Others
  Confess your sins to EACH OTHER - James 5:16
  
• True to Life
  ...and the truth will set you free. - John 8:32
  

Handling the Truth: Truth Stands Firm - Matthew 4:1-11

“Just follow your heart.” “Find your own truth.” “What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me.” “There is nothing that is absolutely true.” Sound familiar? Have you heard these ideas before, from Hollywood or your friends or neighbors? Maybe you even think this for yourself. Sometimes things just feel right when at another time they felt wrong. There are some things that you’ve heard are wrong that just feel so right. How can we know that there is such a thing as absolute truth that applies to everyone. If we as Christians have found absolute truth, how should we respond to it? What should we do with it?

• We cannot move or bend the truth:
• In those days Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. - Judges 21:25
• "You have let go of the commands of God and are hanging onto the traditions of men.” - Mark 7:8
  

• We must follow the Word of truth as it is written: Matthew 4
• v4 - “It is written, ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
  The Truth sustains us
• v7 - "It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
  The truth is proven
• v10 - “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
  The truth guides us

Handling the Truth: Truth Stands Alone - 1 Kings 18:16-39

The world we live in doesn’t know what truth is. We are used to being lied to, cheated and swindled. We forget what the world looks like without wool pulled over our eyes. In the midst of this, we have come to think that there is more than one truth, more than one right way. If we want to handle the truth properly, we have to recognize that in the midst of this culture there is only one truth. There is only one way. Some may think this idea is arrogant or closed-minded, but that doesn’t make it any less true. That’s the great thing about truth - it’s true.

1 Kings 18:16-39

• The Truth sheds Light - v18
• The Truth demands a Choice - v21
• The Truth has POWER - v39

1 Tim 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men...