Jr High | The War on Truth (Ephesians 5:15-16) | Joe Rodeheaver

Main message: The world is engaged in a war on truth, but Jesus is the truth; believers must know and live by God's Word so they can recognize and resist deception from Satan, the world, and their own hearts.

Key points:

• Truth is conformity to reality; deception distorts truth just enough to mislead.
• Three primary sources of deception: Satan (the father of lies), the unbelieving world/culture, and our own deceitful flesh/heart.
• Knowing and abiding in Jesus (who is the truth) and Scripture is the way to discern and fight deception.
• Regular engagement with God's Word (memorize, study, live it) renews the mind and protects against being conformed to the world.
• Christians are called to walk circumspectly, be disciplined like soldiers, and be doers of the truth so the truth can set them free.

Scriptures mentioned: John 18:33, John 8:44, John 8:31, John 14:6, John 17:3, John 17:17, Ephesians 5:15, Ephesians 2:1, Galatians 5, 2 Timothy 2, 1 Peter 5:8, Romans 12, Romans 12:2, Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 10:10, Numbers 23:19, Psalm 119 (including Psalm 119:160), 1 John 2:15, 1 John 2:20, 1 John 5:20, Proverbs 12:22, James (be doers of the word)