God wants to be truth seekers.

LORD, please help me to be discerning, and to see which falsehoods and fake stories are being spread around by wicked people.  Help me not to fall for false conspiracy theories and for fake news reports, help me LORD to avoid lies and deception. Help me LORD to be a truth seeker, and not a spreader of false information. Thank you LORD that you are the Truth and you want us to stay in the light and truth.  I worship you O Lord. 

Text:  Luke 1: 1-4  NIV 

1  Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 

2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 

3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 

4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

[From ODB]  A woman once told me about a disagreement that was tearing her church apart. “What’s the disagreement about?” I asked. “Whether the earth is flat,” she said. A few months later, news broke of a Christian man who’d burst into a restaurant, armed, to rescue children supposedly being abused in its back room. There was no back room, and the man was arrested. In both cases, the people involved were acting on conspiracy theories they’d read on the internet.

Believers in Jesus are called to be good citizens (Romans 13:1–7), and good citizens don’t spread misinformation. In Luke’s day, numerous stories circulated about Jesus (Luke 1:1), some of them were inaccurate. Instead of passing on everything he heard, Luke essentially became an investigative journalist, talking to eyewitnesses (v. 2), researching “everything from the beginning” (v. 3), and writing his findings into a gospel that contains names, quotes, and historical facts based on people with firsthand knowledge, not unverified claims.

We can do the same. Since false information can split churches and put lives at risk, checking facts is an act of loving our neighbor (10:27). When a sensational story comes our way, we can verify its claims with qualified, accountable experts, being truth seekers—not error spreaders. Such an act brings credibility to the gospel. After all, we worship the One who’s full of truth (John 1:14). By Sheridan Voysey

[From Commentary]  Why do we have four gospels? Basically, each one presents a unique perspective on Jesus, and having more than one account adds to their credibility. The Holy Spirit inspired the writers to pen their accounts. Though the four books have many similarities, each author emphasizes a different theme for an intended audience. Matthew wrote mainly for Jews, emphasizing that Jesus, the son of David, was the Messiah for whom they were waiting. That’s why he began with a genealogy and includes multiple references to Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Jesus. Mark emphasizes Jesus as the Suffering Servant of God. This was especially relevant to believers in Jesus who were suffering for their faith. Luke was written to Theophilus, a gentile. Luke presents Jesus as the Son of Man and Savior of all people. John presents Christ as the Son of God and Creator of the world.  by Alyson Kieda

[From me]  LORD, please help me to be discerning, and to see which falsehoods and fake stories are being spread around by wicked people.  Help me not to fall for false conspiracy theories and for fake news reports, help me LORD to avoid lies and deception. Help me LORD to be a truth seeker, and not a spreader of false information. Thank you LORD that you are the Truth and you want us to stay in the light and truth.  I worship you O Lord. 

Posted June 9, 2023