Truth Be Told: A Blog by Pastor Bill Alderson

  The Lord God has given Me the tongue [ lason – tongue, language] of disciples [ limmud – learned, practiced], that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens [ ur – stir, arouse] My ear to listen as a disciple.  I saiah 50:4 Isaiah was given a number of specific prophecies about the coming Messiah, particularly His first coming as a “Suffering Servant.” Isaiah 42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-11, and 52:13-53:12 contain specific references to My Servant who has been given My Spirit (Isaiah 42:1). He would be the Learned One who would deliver the words necessary for His disciples to continue the work that he would start during His public ministry. Preparing His disciples for His return to heaven would be consolidated into a three-year timeframe. The Jews then were astonished, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?" So, Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent ...

  According to Martin Luther , leader of the Reformation , "I shall never be a heretic; I may err in dispute, but I do not wish to decide anything finally; on the other hand, I am not bound by the opinions of men." This means that if the truth is not absolute, it is not the truth at all. Aristotle states, “The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” According to him, if we consider ourselves to be wise individuals, our concern should be to find the truth, not to submit to opinions. Truth is objective, originating outside of oneself, and provides certainty since it can be applied to all people at all times.   There are absolute realities and standards that define what is true and what is not. Actions can be determined to be either right or wrong by how they measure up to those absolute standards. If there are no absolutes, no reality, chaos ensues. If the law of gravity were not absolute, no one would have clarity about any dynamics of life...

  In  Judaism , the Holy Spirit is God's divine force, quality, and influence  over the universe and his creation. The Nicene   Creed recognizes the Holy Spirit as the third person of the  Trinity . In  Islam , the Holy Spirit acts as an agent of divine action or communication. In the  Baha’i Faith , the Holy Spirit is seen as the intermediary between God and man and "the outpouring grace of God and the effulgent rays that emanate from His Manifestation." Each faith has its own unique interpretation of His role and purpose.   In like manner, the subject of the Holy Spirit is a highly controversial subject within Christianity. Some segments emphasize the signs and wonders that come from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life, including the outward signs of speaking in tongues and their interpretation. They also recognize the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” as a separate event from the Holy Spirit baptizing each believer into the Bo...

  Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty .           2 Corinthians 3:17   According to Webster’s Dictionary, freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws." The English word "freedom" is etymologically related to the word "friend." Philosophy and religion sometimes associate it with free will as an alternative to determinism or predestination. The Greek word is eleuthería , and it is translated as freedom, generosity, or independence. Freedom is presented as a signal blessing of the economy of grace, which, in contrast with the Old Testament economy, is represented as including independence from religious regulations and legal restrictions; it is freedom from the yoke of the Mosaic Law, f...