John 8:31, 32 - True Freedom is in A Relationship with Christ!
John 8:31, 32 (NLT) Jesus said to the people
who believed in him, You are truly my
disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And
you will know the truth, and the truth will set
you free.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Who is the truth? Its Jesus. And
because Jesus is the truth, he will always tell you
the truth. His Word is the truth. The Bible is
his Word, and that means the Bible is truth.
(You can read more about that in 2 Timothy
3:16-17.)
What you hear on television or read in
books wont always help you - because its not
always the truth. In fact, if you consistently
listen to what voices around you are saying,
youll find your life built on a foundation of
lies, misconceptions, deceptions, and half-truths.
And you will never change.
But what God tells you is always the
truth. Gods Word shows you how to get back to
the life you were created to live, and then it
shows you how to stay on Gods path. This is why
it is so important for you to have a daily
quiet time in the Word of God. Nothing will change
until you get the truth into your heart.
Choose today to face and respond to the
truth. Then youll begin to see positive change
in your life. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/ re Ephesians 4:21]
COMMENTARY
The Only Truth That Sets You Free
A lot of things that are true won't set
you free. You can learn how to program a
computer, but that won't set you free. You could read
all the latest self-help books, but that wont
set you free either.
The only truth that sets you free is the
truth of God's Word: "You will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free" (John 8:32 NLT). A
lot of people can quote this verse, but not
everyone acknowledges that its talking about the
Bible or is even from the Bible.
If knowing Gods Word is the only way
to be free, then youve got to make reading
and studying the Bible a priority in your life.
Youve got to feed your mind on the truth of
Gods Word.
The ancient Israelite King David
understood how important Gods Word is. There was a
time when he had so many enemies that he was
actually a fugitive. He was running for his life and
hiding in caves. But no matter what happened, he
fed himself with Gods truth.
Psalm 119:95 is one of the psalms he
wrote during this time, and it says, Though the
wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will
quietly keep my mind on your laws (NLT).
When you look around at things in the
world, it's easy to get discouraged. If you scroll
through your news feed, listen to talk radio, or
watch the news, you're going to get down. You're
going to feel hopeless. But when you fill your
mind with the truth of Gods Word, then you
will have more hope and a better perspective on
your life - even when youre in a crisis and
running from your enemies.
How I love your law! I think about it
all day long (Psalm 119:97 GNT). It might be
intimidating to try to think about God's Word all day
long. Thats because it doesnt come naturally
to anyone! You might struggle to think about
Gods Word even one time in your day, but you can
start somewhere.
Try starting your day with the Word of
God. Spend 10 minutes reading the Bible in the
morning, and then you can think about what you read
throughout your day. And the Holy Spirit will help you
recall what youve read when you when you need it
in difficult times. [Daily Devotional by Rick
Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
You Dont Have to Live with Guilt Anymore
You know what guilt feels like. Guilt
robs you of happiness. It causes depression. It
can make you physically sick. When David, a
great king of Israel, had sinned, he felt the
weight of guilt. He said to God, Restore unto me
the joy of thy salvation (Psalm 51:12 KJV).
God has an answer to guilt: confession.
The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, If we tell Him
our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on
Him to forgive us of our sins. He will make our
lives clean from all sin (NLV).
You might have spent years working
through a problem that really has a very simple
solution: You just need a clear conscience. Jesus
offers you that. He offers instantaneous
forgiveness!
God tells us, I will forgive their
sins and I will no longer remember their
wrongs (Jeremiah 31:34 GNT).
Satan wants to keep you weighted down
under the burden of guilt. He wants to keep you
bound up so you cant live in Gods freedom.
But thats not how God works.
Heres how God works: You ask for
forgiveness. Then God forgives you. But then, he goes a
step further and actually forgets what youve
done wrong.
Its like God takes your sins and puts
them in the deepest part of the ocean - and then
he puts up a no fishing sign. God wont
pull up your sins again, and he doesnt want
you to, either. He wants you to be free.
Are you feeling the burden of guilt
today? Remember that Jesus has come to set you
free. When you confess your sins, he will forgive
you and set you free from your guilt.
Then, you can live in the true freedom of
knowing your past is forgiven and you are no longer
bound by it. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
John 8:31, 32 - True Freedom is in A
Relationship with Christ!
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200828-0847.html
John 14:6 - The 6th I AM Statement of Jesus;
The Way-maker!
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210718-1038.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
