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Do You Want the Whole Truth?Do You Want the Whole Truth?
by Mike Barres
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Have you ever sold a used car and only told people the good things about the car and not told them the bad things? Sometimes it's hard for us to tell the "whole truth"!

Sometimes it seems that people like to hear the good things about how God loves us and wants to bless us, but then don't want to hear about how God will discipline us and how He will ultimately judge us. People also don't like to hear that we may suffer persecution for the sake of the gospel.

John Bevere in his book, "Drawing Near," says that some are seeking God for what He can do for them while others seek God for who He is. Like the children of Israel, those who seek him for the wrong reason will complain if God isn't "doing for them what they want when they want it." Doesn't this sound like some us who claim to be Christians?

Those who only dwell on the blessings of God and aren't willing to look at the hard parts of being a Christian, aren't really seeing the "whole truth" about who God is and what being a true disciple of Christ is.

Truth seekers are not afraid of the whole truth.
Look at some of the things the Bible does say.

[Peter wrote] "But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." (1 Peter 3:14)

[Peter wrote] "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator." (1 Peter 4:19)

[Jesus said] "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11)

[James wrote] "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

Sometimes we don't want to tell people the "whole truth" and other times I think we just don't want to hear it. The apostle Paul warned his student Timothy, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Like Paul, let's be able to say, "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:27) Truth seekers are not afraid of the whole truth, and those who want God only for their bell hop need a chance to hear the whole truth!

 
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      © 2005 Mike Barres.

      Title: "Do You Want the Whole Truth?"
      Author: Mike Barres
      Publication Date: July 02, 2005

 
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Mike Barres Mike is a pastor and writer for a number of online publications.

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