![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Berries.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI believe I used this phrase two times yesterday alone and each was in relation to my grandchildren. One has croup again and another was off to the emergency room with a possible broken elbow. Oh, I know children get hurt and get sick, but it seems like this school year has been nothing but sickness for these young ones. I guess I\u2019ve blocked that part out of my memory in regard to my own children.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
While we may hear of unbelievable events or unbelievable things that happen in our lives, there is one thing we can depend on and know that it is true. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit breath truth into our unbelievable world. While Jesus was on earth, His words were truth. The Bible speaks God\u2019s truth. Our hearts are filled with the truth of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But today, let\u2019s take a look at Jesus words and see what truths He spoke to mankind.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Perhaps you recognize these words. \u201cVerily I say unto you.\u201d This is the King James Version language for \u201cI tell you the truth\u201d or \u201cYou can believe what I say.\u201d If you are around my age, these might have been the words you memorized in relation to some of Jesus\u2019 words. But if we look at these same passages in the New International Version, Jesus\u2019 words are translated \u201cI tell you the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That makes a lot more sense to me.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So let\u2019s look at some of Jesus\u2019 truthful statements and see what He has to offer us today.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the Book of Matthew, Jesus is recorded saying \u201cI tell you the truth\u201d 29 times.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the Book of Mark, \u201cI tell you the truth\u201d is recorded 13 times.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Luke uses these words 8 times.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And John records \u201cI tell you the truth\u201d 25 times.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We can only believe that Jesus told the truth by the number of times He assured those listening as He spoke 2,000 years ago and He tells us today. We can believe what Jesus said. We can hold Him to His word.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When Jesus met with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus used this phrase three times during the conversation. Take a look at what Jesus truthfully told Nicodemus.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.\u201d<\/em> (John 3:3 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.\u201d<\/em> (John 3:5 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.\u201d<\/em> (John 3:11 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jesus clearly told Nicodemus and He tells us how to enter God\u2019s kingdom. But He also tells us that there will be those who will not accept this as truth. The only way to enter God\u2019s kingdom is to be born again of water and the Spirit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In John 8:58 (NIV), Jesus declares Himself to be God by using God\u2019s own words. \u201cI tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do you recall God\u2019s words? In Exodus 3:14, God told Abraham to tell the people that \u201cI am\u201d sent him. The people hearing Jesus in that moment knew exactly what He was saying. He was God. And if Jesus said it, we can believe it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And then during the last night with His disciples, Jesus spoke yet more truths to this group of men. He truthfully told them that He would be betrayed and denied. And we know that these events occurred.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But Jesus also made a statement to encourage these men. In John 13:20 (NIV), Jesus said, \u201cI tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I sent accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You see, the disciples would go on without Jesus in their midst and they would continue to teach and preach His truths to others. And in the process, others would believe. He assured them of that. Through the Holy Spirit, these men would become great leaders of the early church and the Gospel would spread throughout the known world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I believe something else we can understand from this is that it is a whole package deal. We cannot just believe bits and pieces of God\u2019s message. We must believe and accept it all. We must accept it completely as truth. God\u2019s truth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Perhaps there were some in Jesus\u2019 day after hearing His message said, \u201cYou\u2019re kidding?\u201d But Jesus never told an untruth. His words were filled to the top and overflowed with truth. You can believe it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I don\u2019t know what might happen today, but it\u2019s quite possible that I will use the phrase, \u201cYou\u2019re kidding?\u201d today. But what I do know is that I can hold onto God\u2019s Word, Jesus\u2019 message, and the Holy Spirit\u2019s guidance as my truth. They will continue to lead me throughout my day in their truth, just as they have done for years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I pray that your day is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You\u2019re kidding? Two words in my word arsenal that I use a lot. Typically for something that really is unbelievable. Something just too difficult to believe is true. My Mom uses this phrase too. I\u2019ve heard it many times from her throughout my life. I believe I used this phrase two times yesterday […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"yes","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[5004,5000,4998,5005,5002,5003,4999,5001,4997],"class_list":["post-5133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-believing-god","tag-exodus-314","tag-i-tell-you-the-truth","tag-jesus-truth","tag-john-1320","tag-john-3","tag-john-858","tag-verily-i-say-unto-you","tag-you-can-beleive-what-i-say","tag-youre-kidding-sabbatical-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5133"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5134,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5133\/revisions\/5134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}