Let God be True
By Mike Rule

I have been pondering the ways we believe our own experience over what God says, which is in direct conflict with Romans 3:4 (Let God be true and every man the liar). Why is it we are so twisted to think we know better than God? Even though He clearly tells us that we are holy, righteous, acceptable, and a success if we have Christ in us, we believe our own stinking thinking and lying emotions over what God says. Victory is simply standing in God’s truth and taking Him more seriously than ourselves. It is choosing to believe even though we are RIDDLED with unbelief. In my flesh I am a liar. I always will be and I will believe the father of lies over God any day. However, the revelation of Christ in me puts it all in perspective and I stand in the truth. I know it is marching around the same merry-go-round again, and you have heard me say all of this 1000 times before, but the freshness and newness of it still staggers me after almost 10 years of walking in this truth. He is worthy, He is Holy, He is righteous, and as my friend Alex says, because He is, so I am also. I don’t care if my emotions don’t agree with God, and I don’t care if my own mind tries to tell me differently. I shall not be moved – not because I am so strong but because I am persuaded that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus. NOTHING! Neither height, nor depth, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things past, present, nor things to come! Not even my own behavior, unbelief, sin, or failures. Add something to nothing and it is something. And God is clear – NOTHING can separate us.

Do you believe?

In my flesh I will never believe, but thanks be to God – there is a Life in me that believes, and that Life is the very essence of who I am. Christ is my life! Yes, the lies always try to drag me down – so what? So often we think that walking in victory is the absence of negative emotion, struggle, failure, and temptation. But it’s not. Walking in victory comes in the MIDST of the storm, and the storm becomes so irrelevant that we simply let it push us to Jesus and we become aware of His holding onto us.

Verse for Reflection

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)

For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers. But whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, those He also justified. And whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Rom 8:29-32)

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. When Christ our Life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Col 3:1-4)

As soon as the people in the crowd saw Jesus, admiring excitement stirred them. They ran and greeted him. He asked, "What's going on? What's all the commotion?" A man out of the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought my mute son, made speechless by a demon, to you. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and goes stiff as a board. I told your disciples, hoping they could deliver him, but they couldn't." Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here." They brought him. When the demon saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a seizure, causing him to writhe on the ground and foam at the mouth. He asked the boy's father, "How long has this been going on?" "Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!" Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!" (Mar 9:15-24)