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Illustration: Phrase “Truth Be Told”
When you are in a discussion and you really want to drive your point home you use this phrase; Truth be told.
It stops any further discussion because you just told the truth about whatever you were discussing.
Once you pull out the “truth card” the argument is over, everybody must yield the floor and agree to your proclamation of truth.
Talking about politics one might say, “Truth be told, politicians are liars…and therefore nothing good will ever get done in DC.”
That was supposed to just seal the discussion and everyone is supposed to nod their head in agreement and if you don’t agree then you obviously don’t know the truth.
But the truth is that there are Christians in DC so maybe something is getting done and we just haven’t heard about it. All this to say; we are not the ones who decide the truth.
Some want to say that the truth can be bent or it’s only relative; meaning what is true for you might not be true for me.
Unless we are firmly grounded in the God’s Word we can sound wise and still not be.
The other day I was talking with some students about finding money and what they would do if they knew whose it was – when I said give it back they laughed.
In the world’s eyes it seems foolish to do or believe what God says is right. Daniel ran into the dilemma in Babylon and handled it masterfully. He wanted to do what God said was right in God’s eyes and so he proceeded to do just that. Now God sees Daniel’s heart, everyone’s heart, and know that his desire is for God so God helps. He makes the chief of the eunuch have favor for Daniel to grant his request.
Ps. 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your .heart
A scripture that God is fulfilling for Daniel as he lives to honor God.
A NT scripture from Christ that backs up God’s Word with God’s Word.
Mt. 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The people of Babylon ran into a “strange” truth – strange because it was foreign and didn’t belong there, it’s not a common thing to have God’s Word in Babylon.
We’re not exactly sure how much of the Word Daniel knew though it could have been much of the OT that we have today. But in any case, Daniel delighted in the One True God and as he honored God the Lord Himself told the Truth through Daniel’s life and added all the good things to Daniel’s life.
Daniel 1:15-16
15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
Daniel’s resolve to honor God was tested and passed! I disagree with the prizes a little though; getting fatter looking and only ate veggies don’t seem like appealing prizes. Did somebody say tacos? Did you notice that it wasn’t the Word of God that was tested but it was Daniel and the other three that were put to the test?
Test: examination, investigation, check, trial, assessment, etc. God only speaks the truth and we need to align ourselves up with Him and so we are tested to see where to adjust ourselves.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
The delicacies on the king’s table were the test to the children of Israel because to eat from it would defile Daniel from being holy to God. Which of the two King’s Tables do you prefer to eat from? The World or God? Whose table do you want to sit? Whose company do you want to enjoy more? Who are you trying to please? The answer to those questions will be told by the life we live. Jesus said, “My sheep know My voice and they do what I command.”?Yes, we are tested in our resolve to honor God; this is how we know we hear His voice.
David wrote Ps. 23 because he delighted in God as his Shepherd and he let God lead him though life. God set a table before him in the midst of his enemies and he had plenty as he fellowshipped with God. Daniel listened to the Word of God and was lead though his life at Babylon. Daniel prayed and fasted often while in the middle of a pagan country while serving a pagan king.
If Daniel had not honored God first he could not have served the king of Babylon – there would have been no distinction between Daniel and the magicians, sorcerers, astrologers, with the pagans. If we do not honor God with our lives first we will not be able to serve the people around us – though that is what we are called to do.
Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There should be an attitude in our lives of serving the King Jesus. There should be the same attitude to this life we’ve been given (approach, outlook, manner, stance, position, feelings and thoughts) as that of Jesus. We should have the attitude of willing to be tested and reproved. Truth be Told: how are we doing today concerning our attitude? Do we delight in the Lord? It should show. Do we allow ourselves to be tested? How have we done? Do we allow others to see Jesus at work in our lives? What do they see? Do we need to take another look in our hearts to see where there is fault? The Holy Spirit is our counselor leading us to the Truth. The Good News is that God is at work in us!
2 Thess. 1:11-12, God is at work in us for great things. Our attitude should be: Thank you Jesus for testing and working in me so I can know that I belong to you.
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