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GIANTS thoughts on truth


This past week I had the opportunity and honor to attend a pastor summit in Richmond sponsored by The Family Foundation of Virginia as well to meet Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia at a reception he held.  It was a blessed day.  It began with truth that resonated in my heart and concluding with a group of church leaders gathering around the governor to pray for him.

I want to share with you thoughts from the day that were shared by Del Tackett.  Click HERE is learn more about Del and his teaching.  He has worked with Focus on the Family and the Truth Project for many years.  Here are some of the things he shared:

The lie is --- it's all about me.  That is when I become the source of truth which is a prescription for disaster.

There are 7 major weaknesses that we need to be ready for today as it comes to knowing truth and the sources of truth: Deep relativism, Shallow faith, Hunger for significance, Hormones without walls, Arrogance and pride, Isolation and loneliness, Skepticism and apathy.

What is the heart?  What is the mind?  Does our heart actually think?  Take a look at some of these verses about the Heart... Prov 23:7, Zech 7:10, Mark 2:8, Gen 6:5, Eccles 2:1, Matt 15:19, Luke 2:34-35, Acts 8:22, Heb 4:12, Ps 14:1.  The heart thinks.

When you believe something is real, it moves from your mind to your heart.  We act upon what we believe is real. You can believe a lie is real.

When Jesus questioned our belief or anyone’s faith, he pointed to hearts.  Matt 15:19 and Is 29:13 say these things. But what they believe is different.

When you tell a child something, they will believe it is real. A child doesn't have a difference between what they believe and what is real.

The skeptic's heart has shrunk because of being bombarded with lies.  It is vital that we learn how to go from knowledge to belief.  No longer do people just believe what others say.  God uses reality over and over to teach us truth.  Jesus taught the disciples truth through what happened in real time.  A great example is Jesus calming the storm.

Don't miss the powerful role of the Holy Spirit.  The spirit is involved when hearts are hard.  Therefore we must be a people of prayer.  Pray.  Learn to share truth in reality.

This is a battle for the souls of men and women.

It's one thing to be awakened. It's another thing to be engaged.  In Isaiah 6 the prophet Isaiah was exposed to God, and Isaiah was broken by the reality of his wrong and the wrong of people around him.  God exposed him.  God exposed the culture.  God still does that today if we are listening.

Why does God send us?  He has a purpose and a plan.  Who is this God? And if he has a plan, is it a good one or a bad one?  It's scary when someone says they have a plan for you.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

God has a plan.  He wants to prosper us and not harm us.  His plan is for hope and our future.

God wants us to flourish and not just exist.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Why does God send?  So we will create, equip, and reproduce.  Physically.  Emotionally.  Spiritually.  Bear fruit.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

God wants to bear fruit through you.  It's not about you.  It's about what he wants to do through you.  

Who is this God?  He has the zeal that seeks the true good of others.  The shalom, complete peace, of others.  This is agape love at work.

It is time to warn people and have hope in the potential of what God has done for us.  

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