Truth Encounter - Bondage Breaker pg.28

John 8:32 (NIV) "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 14:6 (NIV)  Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 16:13 (NIV) But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

When I was in college, we made it a point to share with others the "Truth" that could change people's lives. In reality, we only expressed the "Truth" as information and ideas. We debated words and ideas which was only a part of the "Truth". Since then, I've learned two things about the "Truth" that I didn't know before.

First of all, the truth is Jesus not just an argument about Him. The difference? The latter is about words and logic and giving people information while the former introduces them to Jesus Christ the Son of God who died for all our sins. Through Jesus we have a relationship with the Father. This is a real relationship that is not just information based. It is one thing to know I have a father, but it is another for my father to spend time with me, hang out, and do all the things that are tangible (something I can touch, see, & experience).

The second thing I've learned is truth is not just statements like, God is love. But rather, it is the combination of the knowledge that (God is love) and then experiencing how God loves me. I mean, think about the Samaritan woman in the Gospel of John. She heard about this God, but not until Jesus revealed himself to her that she then realized the King of kings was talking to her, ready to forgive her dark past, and wanted to have a true relationship with her. It was then that she experienced agape love.

So it's not enough to know the stories of the Bible. That's just the first step. We also need to experience God and take advantage of the benefits of being sons and daughters of the Heavenly King.

Dear God, thank you for today. You are a great God. I ask that You show yourself to me today. I know about you. In fact, I have heard of your fame. But today, this day, let me experience you and what it is to be your child.