The Thankfulness Train Day 18.  I thank God that by His word we can know that “….God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ( 2 Tim 1:7)  I don’t have to be afraid of what comes my way.  I serve the sovereign God of the universe and I know that  “Greater is HE that is in you (me), than HE that is in the world.”  (1 john 4:4b)  Oh, how reassuring and powerful to rest in the knowledge that God has given us power, soundness of mind and LOVE. I can trust to His unchanging grace and His continual working in me to conform me into the image of Jesus. “ Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.”  2 Corinthians 2:14

Bible Ballistics: Pinch Hitter?  11/17/13 Vol. 3 No.01

I’m sure you must be wondering about the title of this week’s article.  As we’ve been looking at God, our source, ‘our first love’  so to speak, it seems to lead right into the reason to give ‘Thanks’, especially at this time of year.

 A ‘pinch hitter’ is “someone who plays in the place of another, or acts as a substitute for someone.”

What does this have to do with Thanksgiving? Every thing, I believe !!!!  As we think of all the ‘things’ that we have to be grateful for, let’s take our minds to the cross.

Jesus took my place!!

He paid my debt!!

He suffered for me!!

He was sin for me and paid the price I owed

to give me the good standing with God

that I could never win,

earn,

achieve,

buy or

accomplish—

He saves those who believe.

Romans 5:1 & 10, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:…. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

John 3 :14-17, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Just a brief reminder of some of the things that Jesus did for us at Calvary. He took my place—my sin– upon himself when he was sinless, and I was not. Only Jesus can save and He does when we come to Him by faith to receive His grace and the salvation it brings.

Romans 5:6-9, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

John 14:5-6, “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Romans 81-4, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

John 1:10-14, “ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

We can be God’s children, be saved from Sin, know God our Father and His only son Jesus.  We can be the children of God rather than the children of wrath when we believe and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Oh, how could we be anymore blessed?

For what could we be more grateful?

So what do I do about it?

Let’s see what the Psalmist has to say about Thanks giving.

Psalm 26:7, “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.”

Psalm 100:4, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

Psalm 116:17, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.”

Just a few of the ways we can praise and express our gratitude to our Lord Jesus and our Father God.  How about taking some time this week to rehearse the blessing of God in our lives.

Not just material,

but spiritual,

physical,

familial,

emotional……

so many ways He blesses and works in our lives.

THANKS AND PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!

Isaiah 61:11, “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

We are the voice of praise……let it spring forth.

 

 

I thought I’d take this last 12 days before Thanksgiving to share the “Thankfulness Train” by sharing Day 17 and each day until Thanksgiving.  I hope this will help us focus on “Gratitude”  To be humbly grateful instead of grumbly hateful…  It’s a choice.

The Thankfulness Train Day 17. I am thankful for “memory”!! Although there are things I don’t or can’t remember as I age, I am grateful to God for the gift of “memory”. The ability to recall things of the past –good and bad. I can laugh through them again, and sometimes cry over them again, but what a privilege to be able to remember the things that I have shared, learned, been taught and been blessed by in the past. And I’m also grateful for those with whom we can share our memories. Sometimes it’s painful to revisit the past but I believe it is always beneficial to reexamine the things that we have walked through. When I look back I always see the hand of God either leading, warning, correcting, calling, protecting or just loving me. I Thank God today for yesterday–it’s made me who I am today.

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #17

Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

The scripture is full of advise about friendship, here we’re reminded that being a friend produces friends.  Sometimes we are blessed with those friends that become closer than family.  Oh, how blessed we are to have even one such friend.  Thank God and treasure them!!!

What does a friend look like?  How do they behave?

Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” 

Does this describe me? You?  Are we that friend that loves “all” the time?  Or are we a “fair-weather friend”?  Real friends care even when we don’t deserve it.  A brother (not just kin) in adversity is a priceless jewel.

Ecc 4:10 says, “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”

Are we being a reflection of God’s grace and love to those He grants us the privilege to walk with? 

Jesus told His disciples just before His death,

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15. 

When we belong to Jesus we have the best friend of all.  Are you walking with this friend?  Are you being a friend like Him?  A friend shares, cares and stays!!!

So? Here’s our shot for the day—!!!  Want a friend? Then be a friend.

So? Look up. Imitate your best friend, Jesus!

Bible Ballistics: Source or Resource? Pt. 2 11/10/13 Vol. 2 No.26

As we continue our discussion this week regarding ‘Source’ or ‘Resource’, let’s think about our definitions from last week, the difference was that God can be our total and ultimate source for all things, or we can relegate him to simply one ‘re’source among many to meet our own needs.

We saw that when we come to Jesus for salvation we receive “all we need for life and godliness” and that Jesus changes our lives from being controlled and influenced by Satan and our own flesh to being controlled and led by God’s Spirit when we are made alive in Christ Jesus.  (Eph 2:1-10, you may want to review last weeks article).  The other option is to do it our own way.  The scripture that I’d like to share today is quite a bit longer than I usually list but feel that it is imperative to let God’s word speak and make a few simple observations of the text.  Paul addresses this very problem of going one’s own way in

Romans 1:17-32, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do all      

unrighteousness,

fornication,

wickedness,

covetousness,

maliciousness;

full of envy,

murder,

debate,

deceit,

malignity;

whisperers,

30 Backbiters,

haters of God,

despiteful,

proud,

boasters,

inventors of evil things,

disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding,

covenant breakers,

without natural affection,

implacable,

unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Quite a passage.  Let’s glean the basics here—we can receive the salvation that God offers in Christ Jesus and live by faith and the ‘righteousness of Christ’ (see 2 Cor. 5:21).  Or we can experience the progression of sin and it’s degrading effects upon our life.  **And there are always effects resulting from every choice we make-good or bad.**

The effect of rejecting God’s way for our own begins with the “wrath of God”, even as Jesus himself said in

John 3:18-20 speaking of himself, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”   

Remaining under condemnation is the consequence of rejecting God’s way, of being your own ‘source’.  Life/Death and Light/Dark are the choices.

Paul also tells us in Romans 1 that all men are accountable, as God has made himself known to all creation and men reject the knowledge of God and chose to reject the living God, and serve and worship the ‘CREATURE’ rather than the “CREATOR”.  We also see that this choice and continuation in it leads to ‘vain’ wisdom, ingratitude and darkened hearts.  I hope that you will take the time to go through all of this passage and watch the progression sin takes.  From simply ignoring God and His ways to total depravity in every way—sexual sin and perversion are the terminus of man’s ‘self-righteousness’.  Man entrenched in his own way.  God will give him over to reap the consequence of his choices.  Look at the list in verses 28-32– it’s like reading the headlines of our daily newspapers.  WE ARE THERE.  We accept and condone sin as good, and rebuke those who speak the truth of God, as being ‘liars’ and ‘hate-mongers’.

What are you choosing?  To go God’s way or your own?  Have you considered the cost?  Are we believers being bold and courageous with the truth of God—Jesus?  Are we willing to share the truth at the peril of our own lives, jobs, esteem and reputation?  If Jesus tarries and doesn’t return soon we better be ready to pay the price!!!   Read and study the book of Jeremiah—how those who claimed to be God’s own people, but weren’t really, hated the one who was sent by God to call them to repentance.

John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Are we ‘abiding’ in Him and bearing fruit or doing nothing?

 John 8:24,  “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” 

 The only question that matters for all eternity is, ‘do you believe that Jesus is God, and that HE died for YOUR sins’?  If you trust him for salvation the promise is life, but if not as Jesus says here, ‘if ye believe not….ye shall die in your sins.”  It’s your choice.  Choose well, the results are eternal—life or death, heaven or hell.  Examine yourself and share the truth as you have opportunity.