Ever since I retired 8 years ago, and especially since my wife Claudia died 22 months ago, I have wrestled with the question “What does God want me to do with the rest of my time here on earth (maybe 15-20 healthy years, hopefully)?And that’s a good question for all of us to consider, no matter how old you are!

Many people my age assume that because we have had a lot of experiences in life and have gone through many trials, we automatically have gained great wisdom and insight, and therefore the world really needs and of course, WANTS to hear our wisdom and opinions! Sometimes that might be true, if we are fortunate, but probably not as much as we might think, lol! And frankly, I know many people who are older (and younger) who may have a lot of knowledge about certain things, but they lack wisdom, discernment, and common sense, and are blown back and forth by every new opinion they hear from their favorite sources on the internet, on cable news, or  at college! With social media today, it’s easy for everybody to have an opinion on anything and everything, and every human opinion is just that, an opinion. It may have some truth, or no truth, it may be a good idea or a foolish one, but BIBLICALLY, FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE, no human opinion that disagrees with what God has said is true, no matter how many other humans praise that opinion and agree with it! Now, the majority of people in our culture would reject that thought, and our present culture is actually very anti-Christian in what it emphasizes on most issues today.

We live in a time very similar to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament when the book of Judges was written. It says in Judges 17:6 “In those days Israel had no King: everyone did as they saw fit”.  They had long ago rejected God’s rule over their lives and nation, they wouldn’t listen to prophets or judges, and they had no King to rule them. So they did whatever seemed good to them. Like today when people say “my truth” works for me, and “your truth” works for you. Of course there is no real “truth” with that statement; it’s just believing what makes you feel comfortable and justifies any lifestyle you want without feeling guilty.

SO, for the rest of my life, I’ve decided to continue to focus on what is GOD’S truth as revealed in the Bible, through the leading of the Holy Spirit. God has spoken directly or indirectly to every topic of debate on our culture, and I’m going to try to share His truth through teaching groups, writing, and just casual conversations with others. (And all the while enjoying all the other joys of life God has granted us, such as enjoying family times, golfing, boating, beaches, going south in the winter, good meals, friends, etc.! Life is meant to be enjoyed, with God and each other!)

SO, FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED, HOW DO WE DISCERN GOD’S TRUTH IN ORDER TO LIVE BY IT AND SHARE IT IN A LOVING, HUMBLE WAY?

• BEGIN WITH A BIBLICAL DEFINTION OF TRUTH!

In his excellent new book “Kingdom Values: Character>Chaos”, Dr. Tony Evans explains it this way:

“Truth is an absolute standard by which by which reality is measured. Truth is God’s view on any subject matter. Truth lives outside of you. In other words, if it’s true then it doesn’t matter if you agree with it. It doesn’t matter if you feel it or don’t. If it’s truth, it is, because God said so.”

SO, THAT IS WHY MY OPINON DOESN’T REALLY MATTER AND NEITHER DOES YOURS. WHAT REALLY MATTERS, FIRST AND FORMOST, IS WHAT DOES GOD SAY ON ANY SUBJECT!

• RECOGNIZE THE VALUE JESUS PUT ON TRUTH! 

Not only did Jesus claim to be THE TRUTH himself, he said the truth is what will protect us and enable us to be transformed. In praying for his present and future followers (us), he prayed:

¹⁵  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷  Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  -John 17:15-17 (NIV)
To sanctify means to set apart and transform us. Truth from God is the agent that will change us to become more like Jesus, and his Holy Spirit will empower us to make that change.

• RECOGNIZE THAT GOD’S THOUGHTS ARE PERFECT AND BETTER THAN OUR BEST IDEAS AS HUMANS, AND THEREFORE UNDERSTAND THAT FOLLOWING HIS THOUGHTS ARE WHAT WILL LEAD TO THE BEST POSSIBLE LIFE AND OUTCOME FOR US!

⁸  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. ⁹  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, ¹¹  so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:8-11 (NIV)

A true biblical perspective, God’s perspective, means understanding that God created the universe, he created us as marvelous creatures in his own image, but he is God and we are not! And because sin affects us all, our very best thoughts and ideas are light-years away from his thoughts. So, it’s imperative that we study the Bible and learn what God’s truth is, and be able to share that truth in love, humbly, even though it will offend and even anger some who don’t want to hear what God says. As Tony Evans said in his book, “No amount of ignoring the truth is going to set people free from the bondage of lies.  We are called to speak the truth in love. We are not called to support a lie in love.”

• FINALLY, AS KINGDOM DISCIPLES, LEARN TO ABIDE IN JESUS AND KNOW AND LIVE OUT HIS WORD!

Let’s be honest… sometimes we believers do not do a great job of sharing the truth! We may be good at quoting a Bible verses here and there, but we also can come across as condemning or judgmental if we don’t share the truth in humility and with true love for others who are lost and confused. Jesus says in John 8 that we need to “abide” in him (The Word) and also abide in the written Word of God, the Bible.

³¹  So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³²  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”-  John 8:31-32 (ESV)

To abide means to “hang out, stay, or remain in”. It’s possible to learn the truth in the Bible but not live it out in your own life. And when you’re not “hanging out with Jesus” in your own lifestyle, it can come across as pretty shallow when you try to tell others the truth of Jesus that will likely be a challenge to them as well. The best witness we all have to the truth is to share how God has changed us for the better through the years and, step after step, set us free from the bondage to sin and the lies of this world. And then humbly admit that we are not yet close to being like Jesus, but we will continue to abide in his love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, knowing that he will never stop loving us even when we stumble from time to time.

So relax, hang out with Jesus daily and study his Word, let his Spirit transform you from the inside out, and let the truth set you free. Don’t seek to share your “opinion”, but rather seek to share Jesus’s truth and love that will set us all free. Then humbly, and thankfully, share what God has done for you as you share his truth with others! Be the Kingdom man or woman that God calls you to be, now and into an amazing future with Jesus forever!