Words of Inspiration - Is what you believe true or is it true because you believe it?

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: dividing the Word of Truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives.

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast.

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And now here's Elgin.

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: to another edition of Words of Inspiration where we dive into the Word of God to uncover truth,

[00:01:18] [SPEAKER_01]: wisdom, and clarity for our lives.

[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_01]: In today's episode I want to ask a critical question.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Is what you believe true or is it true because you believe it?

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Our scripture of inspiration comes from Ephesians chapter 4 verse 14 and reading from the New

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Living's translation, it reads,

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_01]: We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_01]: the truth.

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: The primary thought for our discussion is the importance of knowing the Word of God for

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_01]: yourself so you don't fall into belief shaped by man, tradition, or those who would exploit

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_01]: our faith.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_01]: In today's world it's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of opinions and ideologies

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and teachings that may sound true but are not grounded in the Word of God.

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians 4 and 14 warns us about being tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching.

[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_01]: This is a danger we face when we don't have a firm foundation in God's truth.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Without a strong understanding of scripture, we risk being swayed by charismatic personalities,

[00:02:55] [SPEAKER_01]: trends, or beliefs that appeal to our desire but lead us away from the truth.

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_01]: It's important to ask ourselves is what we believe rooted in God's Word or is it based

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_01]: on an idea or an opinion that aligns with what we want to be true?

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_01]: When we don't know the truth for ourselves we're vulnerable to deception.

[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_01]: To avoid falling into these traps we must take ownership of our faith by knowing the

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Word of God thoroughly.

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not enough to rely on what others say or what we've heard in the past.

[00:03:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Just as Paul encouraged the believers in Ephesus to grow in their knowledge and understanding,

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_01]: we are called to study and immerse ourselves in the scriptures.

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_01]: 2 Timothy 2 and 15, reading from the New International Version says,

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_01]: and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_01]: This is a call to diligence, knowing the Bible well enough to discern truth from error.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_01]: When you know what God's Word is truly saying, you can confidently stand on his promises rather

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_01]: than being led astray by false teachings or human doctrines that sound appealing but lack

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_01]: biblical truth.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Sadly there are those who seek to exploit faith for their own gain, whether for power,

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_01]: financial gain, or influence.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Some may twist scripture or introduce beliefs that prey on vulnerable hearts.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians 4 and 15 specifically warns against those who use lies so clever they sound like

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_01]: the truth.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_01]: This is why it's so important to be rooted in God's Word because when you know the

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_01]: truth we can recognize lies when they come our way.

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Acts 17 verse 11, reading from the New International Version speaks of the Bereans who

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_01]: examine scripture every day to see if what Paul said was true.

[00:05:17] [SPEAKER_01]: This is a powerful example of how we should approach our faith with a discerning mind and

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_01]: a commitment to test whatever we hear against God's Word.

[00:05:28] [SPEAKER_01]: We cannot afford to accept everything at face value.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: We must weigh it against truth found in scripture.

[00:05:38] [SPEAKER_01]: The question is what you believe true or is it true because you believe it

[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_01]: challenges us to examine the foundation of our faith.

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: If our beliefs are based on opinion or societal trends they may feel true to us

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_01]: but they are not necessarily aligned with God's eternal truth.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: We need to constantly check our beliefs against scripture and be willing to let go of ideas

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_01]: that don't align with God's Word.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_01]: John 17, 17 again reading from the New International Version says,

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks to find them by the truth. Your Word is Truth.

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_01]: God's Word is the ultimate source of truth and it's through this truth that we grow,

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_01]: mature and avoid being deceived by the lives of this world.

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Brothers and sisters, I want to encourage you to examine your faith and your beliefs.

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Are they rooted in the unchanging truth of God's Word?

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Or have you accepted certain ideas simply because they resonate with what you want to believe?

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Take time to study the Bible for yourself.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_01]: As you grow in your knowledge of scripture, you'll find that God's truth brings clarity,

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_01]: confidence and protection from deception.

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I thank you for spending time with me on today and I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Until then, God bless.

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[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at PO Box 5582 or Calla, Florida 34478

[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_00]: or by email at thebiblespeaksonline at gmail.com