God is God, and can be found wherever, - and is found to begin with in our hearts. God can be heard in "false" preachers as easily as Satan can be heard in the words of Jesus himself. It all depends on the "voice" that the hearer is attuned to listen to. Look at how some "heard" Jesus himself! I don't think you could have had a truer preacher. Some crucified Him for what they "heard" Him say. Who did they hear really ? Look at how the one thief somehow "heard" God in all the derisive words that were said to Jesus that day when He said nothing. I don't think you could have had more false preachers.

No matter who states truth - even if a donkey told you - it would still be truth. Truth is reality. It is the basic foundation in life upon which we must build our beliefs, values and priorities. "Thy word is truth," John 17:17

We are the product of the experiences we have, and what we perceive as being true and false; good and bad. Years ago people believed that a protective layer of dirt kept away sickness, so they only took baths about once a month. Even though this is not true, they acted according to the perceived-to-be truth. We do the same. We brush our teeth because we believe it is true that we will get cavities if we do not. We don't touch something hot, because we believe it is true that it will burn us. Our conduct is regulated by what we perceive to be truth. And yet our perceptions of the truth are just that -- not necessarily truth itself. We can misconstrue what we observe. This opens the door to preconception and prejudices being given more authority than they deserve. The more truth we know, the less mistakes we will experience and the better will be our quality of life.

Truth can bear scrutiny because it has sound evidence to support it. Whether or not we perceive or accept it, truth stands on its own merits regardless of who states it, or who questions it. Truth is not altered by time or our thinking; nor does it change when challenged, or doubted. It cannot be hurt by examination, accusations, or questions. It is not affected by the process of discovery, nor by the personality of the one who discovers it. Truth is eternally sure, and belief or disbelief, acceptance or rejection, does not destroy, harm or change it. 1 Cor 13:8, "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth".

We must conform to truth...for it won't conform to us. How we deal with truth will not affect truth whatsoever; but it WILL affect us. We only hurt ourselves if we ignore truth and prefer to believe a lie.

Truth is revealed through God's Word in the Bible. When Jesus said "I am...the Truth", he was revealing the reality of God, which is Truth. The Bible is the supreme standard of truth against which all teachings of men must be measured to assess their value and truth. John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Questioning what is taught as truth does not change a person into a disobedient or unwilling person with a "wrong sprit." It has been said "Truth is what it is independently, whether any mind recognizes it or not. We do not make truth". Truth is truth, no matter the source. Truth doesn't change, regardless of who expresses it or exposes it--the Bible, the devil or a talking donkey. If it's true--it's truth, no matter the source! Damning or discrediting the source of information has no effect on truth. "Am I your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Gal. 4:16)

-Cherie Kropp