Welcome back to the men of valor podcast. This is your brother Dwight back to share some of my journey in Christ with you. In John chapter 8 verse 31 Jesus says if you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. In this verse Jesus gives us an example of the classic conditional statement for an “if then” statement. If we hold to His teachings He knows that we're His disciples, then we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

"The way that seemed right to me was killing me..."

But Jesus gives us this condition because He knows that we will face other options we will face other teachings in this world that we live in. In Proverbs chapter 14 verse 12 it says there's a way that appears to be right but in the end leads to death. And I can tell you for me before Christ I was so ready to follow the teachings of the world that we live in. Those teachings that say “work harder, work longer hours than everybody else, sacrifice everything to get ahead, get more things, keep up with the Joneses” and that was the way that seems right to me. I couldn't see the truth that I was in bondage to my selfishness, insecurity, bitterness, jealousy, ultimately unsatisfied. The way that seemed right to me was killing me to maintain.

"The truth will set you free"

You know I remember back in the day there was this anti smoking campaign that said that if you were a lifelong smoker and you could suddenly have the ability to wear your lungs on the outside where you and everyone else could see them - you would never smoke another day in your life because you would see how blackened and disfigured and charred your lungs had become over a lifetime of smoking. And this campaign was so effective because you can see that smoking was killing you and if you can see that the choices we make are the reason for our condition, then we would choose differently. And God in His perfect love will show us the reason for our condition. In His perfect love He brings His truth through the Word. He brings this truth through those closest to us.

"We have to admit we haven't always wanted to hear the truth"

I can't tell you how many times my wife has seen the evidence of my life and seen the evidence of my walk and in the perfect love of God has brought me the truth, but we have to admit that we haven't always wanted to hear that truth. We haven’t always wanted it but my brothers in order to know the truth we have to become sick and tired of our ways and realize that we are sick and we are tired and we need to live by His ways. “If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” My brothers the Lord is gracious and compassionate slow to anger and rich in love. He's given us everything we need to live a life of godliness He's given us everything we need to see the truth of our state and He's given us everything we need to be set free in Him.

So ask yourself today where my Lord when it comes to this condition that you set up have I held to your teachings or have I held to the teachings of another? And is the evidence of my life saying I have come to know who I am without You and I've come to realize how much I need You? It's only when we arrive at this place that we can truly experience freedom in Christ Jesus.

Father I thank you for these men today Lord and I pray that this word of God would go deep inside each one of our hearts Lord and it would begin to bear fruit. Lord Father we would come to know you a little bit deeper and a little bit more this day. Father thank you and we bless you in the name of Jesus amen.