Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This past week I was meditating on how remarkable God's people are. It is remarkable because of all the human beings on the face of the earth so few truly care what God the Creator thinks!  Most don't care what the Bible, God's inspired word, says, and even when it is spelled out to them such that a child could understand, they will not obey. 

God's people are indeed a unique and special group.  Why?  They have a real desire to know the truth and put it into practice.  Jesus Christ told His disciples, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 8:32)

Once you come to know the truth, you must hold fast to it.  (I Thes. 5:21, Rev. 3:11)  One must never let it go and strive to continually build upon the foundation of truth.

The Apostle Peter warned the first century brethren to protect themselves from those who twist the scriptures to promote their own ideas.  He mentioned some twisted what Paul wrote to their own destruction. (II Pet 3:15-16)

Paul, the apostle, warned Timothy, "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them," (II Tim. 3:13-14)

Peter also admonished the church at larges to protect themselves from deceitful workers by commanding them to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.  (II Peter 3:17-18)

It is important to stick close to the trunk of the tree.  Do not focus on the peripheral things and ideas which are out on the twigs and small limbs of the tree.   Remember at the end of the limbs and twigs are the nutsJ

Man is always seeking frontiers to conquer, and now some are looking to go to Mars.  However, the far greater frontier most have never fully explored exists between our ears--our minds.  Learning to control our own mind is a monumental task, but this is important to do with God's help in building character. (II Cor. 10:3-4)

When God placed Adam and Eve upon earth, though He gave them great intellectual capacity and the ability to think and reason, He didn't give them the most important thing of all.  He didn't give them His Spirit, and when they took of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they were denied access to the Holy Spirit. 

This limited man because the creation process couldn't be completed.  Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to build God's holy righteous character.  Quintessential to understanding the laws of God is having access to the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:7)

From that point on God only gave the Holy Spirit to a select few through history until Christ raised up the church. 

Those with the Holy Spirit working with them have a desire to know the truth, and they search it out.  When Paul presented the truth to the Bereans, they had a beautiful attitude, a humble desire to be taught, showing God's Spirit was working with them.

 "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11)

This is how the Holy Spirit works in someone truly being called.  There is a hunger in them to want to know the truth.   God looks on the heart and He give His spirit to those who have a heart to obey Him. (Acts 5:32)

When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and spoke the beatitudes He said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matt. 5:6)

Barnes Notes of the Bible says, "Hunger and thirst are expressive of strong desire. Nothing better expresses the strong desire we ought to feel to obtain righteousness than hunger and thirst. No needs are so keen, none so imperiously demand supply, as these...An ardent desire for anything is often represented in the Scriptures by hunger and thirst..."

The sons of Korah wrote in the Psalms, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" (Ps. 42:1-2)

Of all the things a person can have in this life the truth of God is the most vital. We should thirst and hunger for it more than physical food and drink.  God invites us each Sabbath to come and eat and drink, "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance." (Isa. 55:1-2)

Truly the truth God has given to His people is more precious than the physical sustenance we partake of each day.  Lay hold of the truth and never let it go.  The process of building godly character through our trials is much more precious than the finest gold. (I Pet. 1:7)

See you on the Sabbath!   

            Your servant,                                                                          

Jim Tuck