Good morning everybody . This is Danny Mac . I want to thank all of you who've been praying for me since I had my stroke . I know hopefully before too long I'll be back broadcasting daily with you . Today , however , I have a special treat for you . My good friend , joe DeFreeze , has agreed to do the podcast .
So sit back , grab your cup of coffee and relax and enjoy what Joe has to share with you today .
Good morning and welcome to Starting Right with Danny Mac . I'm going to be here every Monday to Friday to help you get a great five-minute start to your day . So grab your cup of coffee , sit back , relax and let me help you start your day right .
In this age of cancel culture , we find ourselves carefully guarding what we say to others , at times wondering what we can or cannot say through our daily walk . We may consider our words to be truthful but are found by non-believers to be misinformation . But what is truth and what determines what truth is ? Our first impression is that truth is simple honesty .
Consider two people sitting on chairs across from each other looking down at a piece of paper between them on the floor with a large number six on the paper . One person sees six and the other sees nine . Each is absolutely firm about what the right answer is , yet neither tries to understand the other person's wrong thinking .
If truth equals honesty , one would conclude that the opposite to truth is lying , and God never lies . I asked my five-year-old granddaughter where can you find books that don't tell the truth ? And she answered at a library . Over the past decade , our culture has gone from acceptable little white lies to half-truths .
People like soundbites that are easy to understand and process . I asked ChatGPT what its artificial intelligence answer was for the question when should you not tell the truth ? And it replied . Answer was for the question when should you not tell the truth ? And it replied number one tactful omissions to protect someone's feelings .
Number two in dangerous situations , when telling the truth could put someone in harm's way . Number three to maintain privacy , personal truths not to be shared with strangers . Number four to de-escalate conflict when honesty might fuel an argument or worsen a tense situation . Number five when bound by confidentiality , ie NDA or non-disclosure agreements .
Number six white lies for social harmony Expressing gratitude for a gift you didn't like to avoid hurting the giver . Number seven when timing matters . Sometimes the truth is better delivered later , when the recipient is better prepared to handle it . So much for AI .
And then there are people who openly speak truth , but their true motives lie secretly hidden from others' view . I call this an iceberg truth . Wouldn't it be nice if , as we looked at other people , we alone could see an invisible meter on their forehead which would tell us whether , and to what degree , they are telling the truth ?
What does the Bible say about truth ? A pastor wanted to find out how many of his congregation believed in the Bible . When he asked them by a show of hands how many believe in the Bible in its entirety , most hands were raised . Then he asked what parts don't you agree with ? One person mentioned Jonah and the whale .
Another found it hard to comprehend Noah's Ark . After noting all the comments , the pastor raised a copy of the Bible , held up a pair of scissors and began to cut out questionable sections of the Bible .
Then , holding the tattered Bible , the pastor quoted from Deuteronomy 4-2 and Revelation 22 , 18-19 , where God gives warning to those that add or take anything away from his scroll of prophecy . A scriptural understanding of truth encompasses more than simple honesty . Truth is a moral concept rooted in God's character . He is the God of truth that endures forever .
Jesus asked the Father make them holy by your truth , teach them your word , which is truth . God desires his followers to be people of truth . He loves those who tell the truth and detests those who lie . He exhorts us to put on the belt of truth .
God calls believers to worship him in truth , love others in action and truth , and always speak the truth as we deepen our knowledge and insight into God's word . Its truth will set us free John 8 , 32 . In conclusion , if you're one of the minority who tells the truth in every situation , congratulations .
If you see a six , while the person sitting across from you sees a nine , perhaps you need to reconsider your viewpoint , with further research to enable dialogue with that person to determine options for a truthful understanding . The hebrew word teshuva translates to repentance in the new testament .
The greek word metanoia expresses the meaning changing your mind or thinking differently . This implies a moral imperative to accept the truth and reject error . God holds us responsible for what we think and believe . The truth about God is always available if we are willing to look for it .
In John 14 , 6 , jesus answered Thomas by saying I am the way and the truth and the life . No one comes to the Father except through me . When all else fails and truth seems evasive , consider words from the hymn . What a Friend we have in Jesus . Have we trials and temptations ? Is there trouble anywhere ? We should never be discouraged .
Take it to the Lord in prayer .
Thank you for joining us today and I invite you to join us every Monday to Friday , right here at Starting Right , with Danny Mac AnyMac .