In Touch Ministries

Dr. Charles Stanley: What do you have to anchor your soul when you don't have the truth? What do you have to anchor you in times of difficulty and hardship and pain when you don't have the truth that God is with you? What do you have to anchor you when you are trying to make a decision and you don't know which way to go, and everything in your life hinges on that decision? It is the truth of Almighty God. "I will guide you with my eye. I will teach you in the way in which you should go." It is truth that protects us.

Guest (Male): Do you have a question? Well, these days you can get quick answers by asking your digital assistant or tapping your keyboard or your smartphone. But fast answers and good information aren't necessarily the same thing. Today's edition of In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, reminds us that God's Word is the only perfect source for answers that we can rely on. Stay with us now and learn about building truth into your life. Let's join Dr. Stanley for his message.

Dr. Charles Stanley: Where does truth fit in your personal list of essential character qualities? Do you just take it for granted, for example, that you're a truthful person? You take it for granted that everything you say is truthful? Or is truth an issue with you?

Well, the Bible has a lot to say about truth. For example, in the New Testament, 98 times that the Bible speaks of truth in the New Testament, and in the Old Testament about 99 times. And what I want you to see in this message entitled "Building Truth into Your Life," I want us to go all the way back to begin with to the book of Exodus. Because you'll discover something here. Not only is that one of the first times that truth is mentioned, but there is a characteristic given that I think every single person in political office should have to adhere to.

And that all of us in positions to influence other people should adhere to. And the truth is everybody. So I want you to go back, if you will, to the 18th chapter of the book of Exodus. And let me give you a little idea of what's happening. And here Moses has led the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and now he is in the process of governing them. And so his father-in-law said to him, he said, "This is not good. This is not working." In the 18th chapter of Exodus, beginning in verse 17, listen to what he says.

Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you're doing is not good." That is, he was just trying to do it all. "You surely will wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will give you counsel and God will be with you. You be the people's representative before God. You bring the disputes to God. Then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do."

"Furthermore, you shall select out of the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain." Would you not agree? These are the kind of leaders our nation ought to have. Men who fear God, men of truth, and men who hate dishonest gain. Truth is very, very essential. It is a primary, essential characteristic that should be found in every single person and especially in leaders, I would say.

Well, you can look through the scriptures, for example, and you'll remember in Proverbs chapter 3 and this third verse, he says, "Do not let kindness and truth leave you. Bind them about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." Kindness and truth. Why would he put those two together? For the simple reason they're very essential in a person's character—who they are, how they respond, how they relate to other people.

Remember Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth." All truth is to be found in him. He said, for example, speaking of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. And you remember what Pilate asked Jesus before the trial? Pilate said to Jesus, "What is truth?" And I believe Pilate meant exactly what he said. He had no earthly idea in that corrupt society of Rome what truth was really all about. But it was all about corruption and power and all the things that were going on around them at that particular time.

For example, in Galatians, the Apostle Paul had written a letter to the Galatians. And one of the things that he was having to deal with was the fact he said, "Now that I have written you this letter," he said, "you hate me because I tell you the truth." And I wonder how many pastors could say that. They tell the truth, and oftentimes people don't like the truth because the truth hurts. It cultivates, it digs up, it reveals.

And so when you come to this passage here in Ephesians that I want you to turn to. If you will turn to this fourth chapter of Ephesians and look at this one simple command that the Apostle Paul gives. But I want us to start with the 17th verse because he's describing, in beginning in this 17th verse, the lifestyle that people are living and so forth. And so he says in beginning in verse 17 of chapter 4, "So this I say and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer, that is stop walking just as the unbelievers, that's what he calls Gentiles, unbelievers also walk in the futility of their mind."

"Being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that's in them, because of the hardness of their heart. And they having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity and greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way. If indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him, just as truth is in whom? In Jesus."

"That in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, that is walk away from that, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Look at this next verse. "And put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another."

Truth is what corresponds to what actually is, what as things really are. Truth isn't what I feel like it is. Truth isn't what I want it to be. Truth is what corresponds to what absolutely is reality. When we build truth into our life, it's for our protection. For example, you do not want a pastor who does not tell you the truth. Now, you can't say that about everybody because there's some people who deliberately, willfully go to a church where they know that it's okay to drink.

They don't expect you to tithe. You can do this and you can do that. In other words, and especially since they will tell you that all the Bible's not true, and a lot of it is left to personal interpretation, and therefore that gives you a lot of freedom. Is that the kind of church you want? In other words, do you want a church where truth is not absolutely essential?

If you want to go to church where truth is not the bottom line and where the Bible is not the ultimate expression of divine truth, then what you're saying is, "I don't really want to know the truth. I want to know the things that I agree with. But I want some room. In other words, I want some liberty that I can do some things that nobody's going to bring it to my attention." That's deadly. Truth is part of our protection.

If I know the truth, I can protect myself from error and missing out on things that God very evidently has given us in his word. And so people deny the truth. They resist the truth. They don't want the truth. And when you don't have truth, let me ask you, what do you have to anchor your soul when you don't have the truth? What do you have to anchor you in times of difficulty and hardship and pain when you don't have the truth that God is with you? What do you have to anchor you when you are trying to make a decision?

And you don't know which way to go and everything in your life hinges on that decision. It is the truth of Almighty God. "I will guide you with my eye. I will teach you in the way in which you should go." It is truth that protects us. A second thing it does, not only protects us, but it provides something for us. It provides, listen to this, guidance to know what to do. That is if I know the truth, I will know what to do in a given situation. Secondly, I will have wisdom to know the best way to go. Because truth will show me the best way to go in whatever that situation may be.

Thirdly, truth strengthens us, enables us, because we have a solid, firm foundation. You see, it's a foundational part of our very being, truth is. Then of course, truth gives us the courage to do what whatever we need to do. It motivates us. And this is why when you and I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he's the only way of salvation, it gives us courage to state that clearly to people whether they like it or not, whether they accept it or not. It's not the issue, we are being truthful.

And many Christians today compromise what they believe for fear of rejection. So you have to make a decision in life: Do I want to please God or other people? Listen, once you settle that issue, then it's over. If people like you fine, if they don't like you, that's not your issue, it's their issue. And so it's a protection. To be truthful is to be protected. And when you say, "I'm committed to the truth of the gospel," whatever that means, you'll make enemies from some people and you'll make people who will love you forever because you told them the truth.

Then not only that, it's a comfort. It produces a comfort in us to lift us in situations. Well, I know this is the truth and I have done exactly what God said. Now Lord, I'm going to leave all the consequences to you because this is what you said I am to do. And then of course, I think it produces a faith in us to act on the truth that we need. That is if we're truthful persons, there's a sense of faith in God that he is going to do what? He's going to sustain you in living, walking and speaking the truth. Truth is very, very, very important.

Now that all being true, how do you build truth into your life? Well, first of all, you have to recognize truthfulness as a foundational life principle. That's the bottom line of building truth in your life. Secondly, we evaluate the results of past failures of truthfulness and say, "All right, I didn't tell the truth here. I didn't tell the truth there. Here's what happened." And you look at the consequences and you recognize the consequences were not worth it. In other words, telling the truth is far more important.

Thirdly, you accept the Bible as the ultimate guidebook to practicing truth. There's got to be some ultimate guide. What's the ultimate guide? Average person would say, "My opinion is as good as your opinion. And so why do you think you know more than I do? In other words, you have the privilege to think the way you want to think, and I can think, don't try to pull me into your mold." And so people want to jockey it around, for example. And the truth is there has to be some ultimate, final principle or truth. And that truth is found in the Word of God.

None of us are perfect. We'll make mistakes. And sometimes we may say things that we think are absolutely the truth that we discover are not. Or you may make decisions based on what you thought was the truth. Now when you genuinely with all of your heart as best you know the will of God, watch this carefully, you make a decision based on the truth that you knew and you make a wrong decision, you say, "Well what's God going to do about that?" Romans 8:28.

And that is "He works all things together for those who love him, to those who are called according to his purpose." That is God knows we're going to make mistakes. He knows we're going to make decisions based on things that we thought that we were taught maybe, whatever it might be. And I wonder how many of you, for example, have changed what you believe about your relationship to God over a period of time. And I can remember growing up that my view of God was he was a very judgmental God, and that he was a God of judgment primarily. Well, it took me time to grow out of that because that's the way I grew up and that's the way what I heard all those early years.

And so I'm sure that I would have if you'd asked me about God about something I'd have said, "God will judge," I'd have been very, very over-emphasizing that part. So we make corrections in life. We learn. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about deliberate, willful denial of the truth. And so what happens? Well, the way you build truth into your life is practice telling it and watch the consequences. Practice telling it and be careful to watch the consequences.

For example, "I told him the truth. I felt like I was going to be really rejected as a result of it, but I had to tell him anyway." Well, what were the consequences? The consequences were you may have been hurt or you may not have been. But the fact that you told the truth freed you up from any inhibitions you may have had. You have to be honest with yourself when you fail and discover why. Why did I not tell the truth? Why did I not tell the truth? And I think sometimes, oftentimes a person doesn't tell the truth for fear of rejection.

I wonder how many people, for example, who are dating a prospective husband or wife and they don't tell the truth about something because they think, "Oh, if I tell her that, she'd never marry me. Or if I tell him that, he wouldn't want me." Well you know what? It just may be the fact that you told him what you had to go through early in life would be one reason he'd love you that much more. There's something about truth that just covers a lot of stuff in life. And people are more often more willing to accept truth than to find out later and then learn to be distrustful all the days of their life.

Then ask God to give you an ever-increasing desire for truthfulness. "Lord, just show me how to be truthful in every area. When I hesitate, God bring it to my attention that I can trust you with truth whatever's going on." Identify any area of weakness which pops up the most often and find a scripture that relates to that and begin to quote that verse of scripture in your heart. That's something about the cleansing power of the Word of God, the truthfulness of God.

Then of course, fill your mind with the Word of God, sowing your mind with the truth of God's Word. And what happens is it strengthens you and encourages you and gives you the courage to tell the truth. And you'll find yourself becoming more truthful, more honest when the Word of God is more powerful in your life. And then of course, purpose in your heart to be a person whose words are true, making you trustworthy, reliable and believable. Isn't that what you want to be? Don't you want to be trustworthy, reliable and believable?

And a person, for example, they want to be your friend. They can trust you to tell them the truth. I have friends who will tell me the truth. Listen, if you have a true friend, they're going to tell you the truth. They may get you by yourself and tell you the truth. They may get you on your knees and tell you the truth. They may say, "Let's go to lunch or something. I need to share with you." But truth is the bottom line. Now let me ask you this question. Do you know the truth about eternal life? You say, "Yeah, I've been to church and I've heard all that." You sure you've heard the truth? I'm not sure you have.

So let me just tell you what the truth is. Here's the truth about eternal life. The truth about eternal life is this: God recognizes the sinful condition of mankind which has separated him from all of mankind. His love for you caused him to send Jesus Christ to this earth to reveal to us who God is and what he's like. And then to go to the cross, lay down his life on the cross, shed his blood which paid your sin debt in full. And only by his paying your sin debt in full can your sins be forgiven. You can't ever be good enough. How good would you have to be? Can't ever do anything long enough, give enough, be good enough. It's what he did for you.

And the moment you're willing to ask him to forgive you of your sins based on what he did, he is willing to forgive you. That is the truth. He says, "If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that is who he is and what he's done, and you will be saved, forgiven of your sins, name written in the Lamb's Book of Life, sealed by the Holy Spirit of God." That's the truth. When somebody says, "Well, if you just be good, God will take care of you," that's not the truth.

What you have to ask is this: Do I want to know the truth? And when I've heard the truth, am I willing to abide by the truth? My responsibility is to tell you the truth. Your responsibility is to respond wisely. And that's what I trust that you'll do. That you'll receive Jesus Christ as your personal savior. That's what the Bible says. That's what I'm saying to you. And it doesn't make any difference what anybody else tells you about well God loves you and he's not going to do this and he's not... What's the truth? Not what you feel like the truth is. Not what you'd like it to be. But what is it?

Straight from God's Word. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him," that's a belief that results in surrender to him, "will have eternal life and will not perish." There is no other way to get to heaven except through the person of Jesus Christ. You'll hear a thousand different views, but that is the biblical view. That's the true view because it is God's view wrapped up in the Son of God himself. If you're wise, you'll take advantage of that opportunity of trusting him. And that's my prayer for you.

Guest (Male): Thanks for joining us on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. Those of us who are believers should want to and be committed to living in the truth. And that requires a commitment to learn, discover and make decisions based on the Word of God. If you need some help digging deeper in scripture, stop by intouch.org or go back over what you heard by following the link to Today On Radio. And our website is where you can order a copy of today's complete message called Building Truth Into Your Life. Again, log on to intouch.org or call or text us at the number 1-800-INTOUCH. To write to us, address your letter to In Touch, Post Office Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia 30357. Living intentionally as a Christian would be tiring if you had to do it on your own. A refreshing reminder is just ahead in today's Moment with Charles Stanley.

Guest (Male): Have you ever forgotten something God taught you when you were reading the Bible? When we take note of what God reveals to us, it helps us to apply it to our lives. With the Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Journal, you can keep track of your spiritual journey and be transformed by God's truth. This journal features artwork of Dr. Stanley's 30 Life Principles, lined pages for writing, a prayer journaling section, and more. To order, call 1-800-INTOUCH or go to intouch.org/journal.

Guest (Female): From the Pastor's Heart is an in-depth teaching letter inspired by the teachings of Dr. Charles Stanley. To receive In Touch's From the Pastor's Heart letter, call 1-800-INTOUCH or visit intouch.org/pastorsheart.

Dr. Charles Stanley: Let your time and your schedule and everything about you revolve around this: that you and I are to develop and continue to develop this ongoing, intimate, wonderful, exciting, satisfying, indescribable, wonderful, incomparable relationship with a personal God.

Guest (Male): Dr. Stanley devoted his entire life to helping us get closer to Jesus, as we all want to do. You can learn how at charlesstanleyinstitute.org.

Guest (Male): You're listening to In Touch. The Holy Spirit always points us to Jesus. Here's a moment with Charles Stanley.

Dr. Charles Stanley: The Holy Spirit came in order to indwell the believer, in order that the Holy Spirit may live through you and me the life of Christ. Now, as God was in Christ expressing his true nature through the person of Jesus Christ, now Jesus Christ is living in the believer expressing his life through us. It does not mean that we are Christ or that we equal to him. But in these finite physical bodies of ours, these marred images of God, very marred, there is enough of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the truth when I say enough is, we have all of Christ. That is when you received him as your personal savior, you got him all. You don't get some of Jesus at the age of 12 and some at the age of 20 and some at the age of 60. When you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, you have the whole person. Now, as we understand by submission to Jesus Christ as the indwelling Lord of our life, as we understand who he is and submit to him, to the degree to which you and I submit to the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree is he able to express through our countenance and our actions and our behavior and our characteristics and our character the very likeness of the Father.

That's why the Holy Spirit came in order to live within us and to exhibit through us the person of the Son. The Bible says the Holy Spirit always points to Jesus. He's always glorifying him. To receive Jesus Christ as your savior, confess your sin to him and ask him to forgive you. You can learn more about that at intouch.org. On our next program, growing spiritually is possible only through the power and assistance of the Holy Spirit. I hope you'll join us again and learn about our helper on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia, and remains on the station through the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.