A simple twist

A black and white picture;Why? Because some things are like that! At first this picture just looks like a person, but then if you rotate it counter-clockwise it spells out the word "Liar". The truth is like the picture; straightforward and in black and white. However, when you twist it, it becomes something different, something distorted. Now look at the following passage from the book of John:

Joh 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Joh 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou testifiest concerning thyself; thy testimony is not true.
Joh 8:14 Jesus answered and said to them, Though I testify concerning myself, yet my testimony is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
Joh 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh, I judge no man.
Joh 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
Joh 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
Joh 8:18 I am one that testifieth concerning myself; and the Father that sent me, testifieth concerning me.
Joh 8:19 Then said they to him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also.
Joh 8:20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come.
Joh 8:21 Then said Jesus again to them, I am going away, and ye will seek me, and will die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
Joh 8:22 Then said the Jews, will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. Joh 8:23 And he said to them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I said therefore to you, that ye will die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye will die in your sins.
Joh 8:25 Then said they to him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith to them, Even the same that I said to you from the beginning.
Joh 8:26 I have many things to say, and to judge of you: but he that sent me, is true: and I speak to the world those things which I have heard from him.
Joh 8:27 They understood not that he spoke to them concerning the Father.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus to them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Joh 8:30 As he spoke these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word, ye are my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We are Abraham's offspring, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Whoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth for ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's offspring; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith to them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? And if I speak the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Joh 8:47 He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Joh 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said to him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?
Joh 8:49 Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me.
Joh 8:50 And I seek not my own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
Joh 8:51 Verily, verily, I say to you, If a man shall keep my saying, he shall never see death.
Joh 8:52 Then said the Jews to him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man shall keep my saying, he shall never taste death.
Joh 8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Joh 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say, that he is your God:
Joh 8:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar like you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Joh 8:57 Then said the Jews to him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Joh 8:58 Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Joh 8:59 Then they took up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The Webster Bible

They looked Jesus right in the face and yet they could not see the Son of God before them because sin had twisted their perception of the truth. Sin does that; it changes things, it twists the truth so that it becomes something evil. In the end the Jews knew what Jesus was saying was true but simply refused to change their evil hearts and believe. Once exposed, they lashed out in violence as evil always does. Let the truth of God always be as plain as black and white; look it square in the eye and see Jesus for who he truly is, the Son of God and be free from sin!

Surprise!

Anything can happen! In high school I was awful at math and science; took Algebra twice and dropped out of Chemistry. Yet I spent almost three decades working in various types of chemistry labs. I remember that in the 8th AND 9th grades when I had to give the terrifying "oral report" that I was so nervous I dropped my notes and in the process tore my pants from the front to the back BOTH TIMES. I can still here the laughter of 13-15 year old girls even after all these years. I took zero's rather do another speech for the rest of my high school days. Yet in 1977 I delivered my first sermon entitled "famous last words" (on the book of 2 Timothy). I graduated from preaching school and to my surprise found that I loved to preach. So, you just never, ever know what is going to happen in life! Consider the following passage from the book of Matthew:

Mat 19:16 And behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17 And he said to him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18 He saith to him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19 Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith to him, All these things have I kept from my youth: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus to his disciples, Verily I say to you, that a rich man shall with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

The Webster Bible

When will a rich man get to heaven? When Hell freezes over, that's when! Surprise, its cold out there! God can do ANYTHING!