Truth vs. Fake News; For audio podcast PPN
As battle for control heats up within various forms of media Truth of the Spirit with host Patti Brunner shares Truth vs Fake News. Offered is a way to always find truth without distortion; it is through the truth of the Word of God. Also included are practical methods of growing in the truth.
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The first time I realized that people who reported the news weren’t always reporting the truth was when the Oklahoma City bombing took place in April 1995. The local television, who had first-hand knowledge of the news, gave a different account than the network news. Since then I have personally experienced key content of personal interviews and letters to newspapers and even photographs being changed before printed. These happened long before social media filtered and distorted truth before our very eyes. Where can we find truth today? As the enemy bombards you and the world with false worries, lies, and hate you need the balance of hearing the Word of God, the Truth. All of God’s Word is truth. All truth comes from the Voice of God. And it continues as truth since God spoke the universe into being.
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit and “Truth vs Fake News”. It is the darkness in the hearts of men that bring us to our knees to pray. It is this reason Padua Podcast Network and Patriarch Ministries brought the ‘Truth of the Spirit’ into being to repeat the Truth and bring light before you. We recognize that we need reminders of truth as we are bombarded by lies. Sin distorts truth. We need to have God’s wisdom and understanding so as not to be fooled by the voice of evil. The world has drifted away from truth. It seeks to satisfy selfish needs and in the process destroys the peace and hopes of others. The world does not know truth; it knows facts. Discern “facts” that are revealed. Do not put your store in the knowledge and word of man but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. The truth will set free all—even the politicians, even media. As Catholics accept facts that are also truth lives can change.
Remember that darkness hates the light. Seek the Light of Christ to illuminate truth that you might comprehend it.
The Divine Word of God has been written down so as to pass it through the ages man to man. Heart to heart it is absorbed as the proclamation goes forth. Truth can be drawn from the heart and from the Word and from the work of the Spirit. Sacred Scriptures are historical documents written by God’s prophets who lived in various times. Some scriptures tell the story of God’s people and others give personal revelation directly from God to share his wisdom. It is a Living Word that continues to apply and be relevant in every age. It provides public revelation of the Law and teachings and allows the Covenants of God to be passed to generations. Truth is truth. We challenge you to read, study, and apply the Word of God and receive the Promises contained. It was written for eternity, for time, for one, for all. The eternal word does not change. Spoken upon the waters entering time so as to touch the lives of mankind, the Word is, was, will be.
You must stop living in darkness, if you want joy and happiness.
The saints in heaven know how difficult it is to see truth beneath the veil of darkness—the veil of the effect of original sin. A child who needs glasses says he can see “fine” because he has never seen clearly. Once he gets glasses he sees truth. We are the same! In the darkness of the earth there came a great Light, and truth was seen, and truth was known.
The truth will set free those imprisoned by the darkness of sin. God the Father has sent His Son as the rescuer. Salvation has been made possible by the Blood of the Lamb. God loves you that much! As you choose the righteous path, your burdens will lessen. As you in turn, reach out to help others to know truth, the enemies’ power over them shall diminish. The enemy is defeated. He hangs on only by feeding on the destruction, the wounds caused by sin. Difficulties brought into the world by sin are symptoms of the effect of sin. The difficulties in life cause you to turn to the Lord. This is good this turning to the Lord. Grace overcomes the difficult. These difficulties will not exist in the fullness of time in the kingdom of God. Bring the Kingdom into the lives of those who suffer such difficulties. Strengthened by grace you can bear the burden until the release; the release will always come, later or sooner. The Truth, the Word, the presence of God shall bring freedom to the captives and release to the slaves of sin.
Throughout history and the Sacred Scriptures man is chosen by God to hear his voice, yet suffering and persecution continue to take place as others reject truth. In the New Testament, John the Baptist’s gift of Truth was illuminated, magnified by the Light come into the world and thus the people were drawn to him as truth came forth with the cloak of the Father’s glory. The Church has listened to God’s prophets; we call them saints. They speak truth to and “into” the body of Christ–the Church– yet just as John suffered for truth, so does the Church—often, sadly, receiving the sternest treatment by fellow Christians. Truth shall persist. Do not concern yourself with bodily death—think more of the spiritual death that befalls the people who have rejected truth. Speak God’s truth—it can penetrate the marrow of the bones and set free the body from cancer—physical cancer and the cancer of discontent, despair, rejection and sin.
As we turn to the Word of God as our source of information we can find a blessed season of truth. Basic truth 101 contains information about the passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The Pentecost verifies the Triune God—and shows the complete attributes of God—all in all. Especially verified as truth in the Gospel of John chapter 6, we are given the foreshadowing by Moses, and the continuing historical truth of the True Body and Blood of Christ.
We can apply these truths in the “everyday” life of the Christian by a relationship with God our Father, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit. God reveals himself to us as Creator, Savior, man, brother, teacher, as power, and as gift-giver. In the truth of Holy Communion, our daily bread, we receive the sacrifice to bond with God, to become one with God.
What do we do to grow in these truths? Frequent “worthy” receipt of the Holy Eucharist; be aware, holy, and reverent; prayer to each person of Trinity; study scripture and Church teachings. God gave us the Church, where others have traveled in faith the way John did, to “experience” the presence of Jesus—through the Spirit, through family, through the Tradition. When the enemy seeks to deceive and destroy he looks for the legal ways that seem to be truth but are twisted. Retreats allow people to step out of their busy lives and focus their heart on Truth and Love. It can be an hour, a day, a week-end. Private prayer in adoration is a private retreat. Praying the Word of God is a very powerful tool. Understanding and living the Word of God is also quite powerful.
Both draw on the power of God not the power of man.
God’s love is constantly putting samples and examples in your life to show you the Way to the fullness of life. Learn from the Word of God and rely on it rather than the imagination of man. God’s plans do not fail when the obedient servants carries them out. His ways lead to truth and freedom. Deliberate actions call for deliberate motives, carried through with a deliberate strategy. Truth is constant, but the daily choices of life, affect even the tiniest of creatures. Indeed, God’s plan is in place yet the avenues open to man are varied and abundant. The enemy draws you ever inward and away from a relationship with God. Only the turning away from God will thwart the Father’s love from manifesting.
Hardness of heart is not a breastplate of righteousness but a breastplate of self. To be vulnerable to love requires surrender – not to sin but to the imperfections of others. The perfect will of the Father is for you to love and be loved. Let God be the perfection of love.
The delay in the manifestation of God’s presence among the people is shortened by the awareness of one. As one impacts another, the two then send out the Word that changes the world. The Word is God, the Word is Truth. The Gospel revealed and proclaimed and lived shall set the hearts of men on fire.
The continuance of the Church is reliance on the Word of God as Truth. The Leaders, anointed and blessed, must also accept His Word as Truth. Doubt and fear destroy; hope and love restore; the kingdom of God is upon the people yet they turn away in disbelief, in chaos, in non-compliance with the commands of Christ and in the complacency of darkness. In the difficult days ahead remember this truth: God is with you always! The turn of events shall open your eyes to truth and truth shall set you free.
The truth sets free the people who live in darkness even though the light is all around them. Fear is the largest wall that forms a prison for people. How do we turn from fear toward trust? When we see the goodness of the Lord we must know that it is available to all who call upon the Lord. Doubt causes worry. Worry causes stress. Stress causes addiction, illness, and sadness. So, the question is “how do we trust God when circumstances seem beyond his control?” First of all, God is the creator of all things – nothing is beyond Him. Second, freewill allows people to make mistakes.
Around us is a generation that has turned away from God’s truth.
Their formation is lacking; they do not truly know God. If they knew Him they would love God and they would not leave Him. He will never abandon them. Pray for people who have drifted away from God as strangers. It is not in ‘doing’ that you are ‘saved’; it is in ‘accepting’. As you accept God’s love and grace you shall be transformed, and thus you shall love others. And then your love shall act.
Generally as our society grows older there is wisdom and respect, but many have little knowledge of scripture or catechism. “The people perish for want of knowledge”. To know God is to love God. Strive to be educated in Truth. “The truth shall set you free.”
We fail to hope in every situation. As you seek to change your life, I remind you to have confidence in the strength of the Lord. As you meet those without hope know that the hope the Lord gives you is to share. The ‘virtue’ of hope is a gift; it is the Way of Christ too. It teaches the reliance of the Father and the overcoming Blood of the Lamb. Nothing is beyond His influence.
As the world swings its fists at those who love the Lord, it especially attacks the children of the blessed who leave an opening due to freewill choices based on various conditions outside the realm of the kingdom. Take not your eyes off Jesus! Self is never the answer; surrender to the Lord is! The continuous ploys of the evil ones will make life difficult at times but peace can always be yours as you keep your focus on Jesus. “Resist the devil and he will flee” is truth.
The continuing needs of the people show the underlying need for a Savior and for the restoration of the Kingdom of God in the fullness of time. As you reach out with the hands of Christ and touch the lives of the sick, the infirm, the ones who in body and spirit are in battle, know this: The Presence of God in the Body of Christ heals. As healing grace penetrates it is “activated” by faith. It is substituted for the “lie” of the world and life is transformed. As ignorance is replaced by knowledge, so too does the grace of the kingdom truth replace the darkness of the soul. Whenever you are lost, Christ can show you the Way. Follow Him.
Prepare by reading and studying the Word of God. As you know truth and proclaim it—you shall be free.
As you seek God’s presence in the word as written in scripture, do not look for the particular verse that brings power. Look at the Inspirer of the Scripture. Satan quoted the words but did not call upon The Word. Indeed, His mercies, God’s mercies are fresh each day. Truth does not change. God’s word is verified by scripture as He attests to himself. The power is not in words but in The Word.
Know this: the Author of Life has allowed the pen of His prophets to comfort you, to guide you, to teach you, to promise so as to give hope. The Word is Truth set down for all to see—plainly and hidden. Pray for all eyes to be opened, for truth to be revealed, for hearts to be transformed by Jesus, the Word of God.
As the desert encroaches from the wilderness, so too does the dryness of faith seem to release a barrenness. This does not have to be so. As you are filled with the grace of salvation the “flower can grow through the crack in the cement”. That is, no matter how heavy the warfare or the weight of the world tries to persuade you to give in, to give up, the Lord your God is always there with a jack hammer to break it up so it can be carted away. Be one with God and together you shall enter the world with the seeds of beauty—the seeds of love. And thus joy shall conquer sadness and truth shall prevail over the darkness of death and destruction.
The increase in faith brought about by teaching Truth—the Word of God—makes clear that whenever you find answers in the Word of the Lord—those answers are for all who call on the Name of the Lord as King, as Lord, as master. Submit yourself to the Lord, resist the devil and he must flee! Truth is truth, once and forever. Today is the day of Salvation—the day the Lord has made; it shall reign in all eternity.
Continue to seek His Face. Continue to worship God and to come to Him as friend. God is the one who loves you more deeply than you can fathom. Join with Him in joy and compassion and understanding and in Love. He is Truth.
You’ve been listening to Truth of the Spirit. I’m your host Patti Brunner. We invite you to share this podcast with others, and to come back for more. With the Holy Spirit there’s always more. Amen.
