Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
I grew up in the Midwest, and one of the things that happens in the Midwest is it snows a lot. One time I was hunting and I was walking through the snow, and at this particular point, the snow was about three feet. It was almost up to my waist, and I'm traipsing through the snow.
Finally, I took a step and I got stuck. I tried to push back and forth, and the only way I could get out of the snow was actually to have my foot come out of my snowmobile boot. Not a good thing.
Take a look at your life. Are you stuck? There's things that happen in all of our lives.
If you think about your family, what is it in your family that's stuck right now? Maybe it's something in your personal life. Maybe there's something in your friend's life and you just feel stuck. I love what Jesus says in John 8:32. It's a tremendous verse. He says, And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
The War on Truth
There's two diamonds of truth that we look at in this particular passage. Jesus—He's been speaking about authority. He's been speaking about freedom. He says to know the truth. I don't know if you thought about this, but in Genesis chapter 3, ever since the fall of man, there has been a war on truth.
The devil doesn't like truth. He's a liar. He comes to kill, to steal and destroy. I'm kind of a positive person. I'd like to think life is an adventure. Life is fun, but life is sometimes—it's a real war. If you think about it, there's a war that's going on against the truth.
Knowing the Truth
As you think about this passage today, Jesus says, And you will know the truth. The big thing for you and me is to know His word. The Bible says in John 17:17, Sanctify them by truth, for your word is truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. And no one comes to the Father except through Me.
He doesn't say He's one of many ways. He actually says the way, and in the original language—I'm not going to get too technical with you—but in the original language He uses the word the to point. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We're to know the truth. Hebrews 4 says the Word of God is living and active.
This book, the Bible, is a living word. It reveals Christ.
Freedom from Sin
Finally, we're to know the truth. The Bible says in Romans 6:1, What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means—a strong no in the original language. The Bible says that he who sins is a slave to sin. What you need and what I need is the truth of Jesus Christ so that we can be set free.
Think about your family. Think about your personal life. There's things in my life that happen and the reason I get chained, the reason I get stuck in my life, the reason I get anxious in my life, is because I don't know God well enough. I don't know the truth. The reason I fear certain things is because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
You and I, we have this amazing book, and if you're born again, you now know Jesus Christ and you have the opportunity because of the Spirit of God to comprehend this book, the truth of the Word of God.
The Freedom to Do What’s Right
May I give you just two quick final thoughts? Number one, commit to know the truth because this book reveals the truth of Jesus Christ. Secondly, connect this truth to other people. Somebody once said, the world is screaming for the truth, but they just don't know it. One of my professors once said, freedom is not the ability to do what you want. Freedom is the ability to do what's right.
The Bible will help you do the right thing. Let's go ahead and know the truth. The truth will set you free.
