What is truth?

Truth has become one of my life-long pursuits and passions. I yearn to know what is true (in all areas of life). But what is truth? Is it possible to really know what truth is any more?

Truth is “the state of being the case” or “the body of real things, events, and facts” according to Webster. In other words, it is what is real. Great! But how do I know if something is really “the state of being the case”?

The answer comes from God’s Word. Psalm 119:160 states the following: “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” (NKJ) God’s Word is truth. The Scriptures are truth—in its entirety. In other words, there is nothing that is in the Scriptures that is NOT true!

I understand this to mean the following:

© I cannot pick and choose what parts of Scripture I like or don’t like—which parts I will obey or not obey—which parts I will live or not live. Scripture is either all truth, or it is not truth at all.

© If Scripture really is the truth, then I must accept all of Scripture as the ruler or guide by which I measure all else. It must become the grid through which I filter EVERYTHING else!

© What Scripture states is what is real.

These facts are a great comfort to me. It is possible to know the Truth. I do not have to live my life in a constant upheaval of trying to determine my own reality or am not doomed to another person’s perception of reality.

These facts are also a great responsibility. I have the Truth readily available, therefore I am without excuse. I cannot but abide in the Truth. I have utter confidence in the words of Christ in John 8:31-32: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

An eternal perspective

I have been reminded once again of keeping an eternal perspective on life. It is so easy to focus on the problems I have each day, in the moment, without considering the eternal perspective and value.

Following are some question I have asked myself:

© “If I were to die today, how many people would miss me?” I was once told that one was in a very sad condition if people were glad you weren’t there or if they didn’t notice you were gone.

© “In what ways am I a ‘sweet-smelling aroma’ to others? Was I a draining or refreshing person to be around?”

© “When I die, will there be those who will have memories of a person who influenced them to become more like Christ? Or will I be merely a ‘fun person’ whose social entertainment will be missed?”

Although I do hope others enjoy being around me, I want to be a person who has utilized the time here on earth to bring glory to God by pleasing Him in all that I do through complete obedience and will have been used as an instrument to help others do the same (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Whether someone encounters me for a moment or engages with me for years, I want to have made an eternal difference in others’ lives.

If I put off until tomorrow what I should be doing today, I will not be “redeeming the time.” (Psalm 90:12) I will have made a foolish choice. There may not be a tomorrow.

It is a wonderful testimony how many lives Mr. Rehrer impacted in his time here on earth. Many of these lives were impacted for eternity. I know mine was.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Ephesians 5:15-17 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

All verses are from the New King James Version.

Mr. Bill Rehrer

On Sunday I received an e-mail regarding the sudden death of my high school principal, his wife and two daughters from a car accident. The family was on their way to help their son and his wife move into a new house. I attended Believers Academy in San Antonio, Texas and graduated in 1993. I have fond, vivid memories of Bill Rehrer.

Mr. Rehrer meant a lot to me. He was my principal, my music teacher, my choir director, my computer teacher, and more. I remember what a fantastic music teacher and conductor he was—he could get a small school, or a small church choir, to sound like a well-done, experienced chorale—and enjoy it along the way. I eventually went on to college to study music, much from the love of music I learned from Mr. Rehrer. I still remember the songs we sang at Believers for choir and in the singing group I was a part of (Justified). I also remember singing “Peter and John went to pray” in chapel with Mr. Rehrer crazily leading it—I have taught the song to my kids and they still love to sing it!

I think the strongest memory I have of Mr. Rehrer is the following:

I had planned to attend a Christian College, but needed to visit a couple to decide. I had to miss 2 performances with Justified. I remember Mr. Rehrer did not react well to me missing the 2^nd performance. However, I remember him later pulling me aside to speak with me privately to ask forgiveness for the way he reacted. He had told me that his desire had been that the students at the school would desire to go to a Christian College, and here he was actually being a stumbling block to the very thing he had wanted. I will never forget how he, a teacher, humbled himself for a student to confess sin against me. That was so different for me. It was the first time I had ever experienced Biblical forgiveness from anyone (that I remember). Mr. Rehrer was a godly man who sought to do what he believed was what Scripture taught—and he put his life into it.

What a wonderful legacy Mr. Rehrer left. The following links are more information about the accident and about the family.

The Amarillo Globe’s news article: http://amarillo.com/stories/071005/new_2318439.shtml

Master’s College: http://www.masters.edu/DeptPageNew.asp?PageID=2123 ; http://www.masters.edu/DeptPageNew.asp?PageID=2124/