Bible Ballistics: BBs #78 Who is Worthy????

When I think about salvation and living for Jesus, my mind goes to the question of ‘Who is worthy’? Sometimes we get caught up in the hierarchy of ‘church’, ‘denominations’, ‘theological persuasions’, and forget who it is that’s worthy of our total abandon. Oswald Chambers talks a lot about ‘abandon’ and it’s always to Jesus—not a doctrine, not another person, not even to an ideology—but to Jesus.

Revelation 5:4, 9-12, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Jesus is worthy of all our praise, adoration and allegiance, but He is also worthy of our total ‘abandon’. We can fling ‘fate’ and ‘chance’ to the wind and give our all to HIM who is worthy. Why? Because HE died to give us life and the ability to serve God faithfully, totally and in holiness. He makes us able to be ‘holy’. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21)

He has delivered me not only from ‘hell’ and its torment, but also from sin and it’s power right now–in the today that I live in. I can have victory because Jesus bought that victory at Calvary for ME!!  For YOU!!

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29b  For all…who will believe!!!

So? Here’s our shot for today.

How could I live any other way than for HIM?

He who gave it all for me–

What less can I give to and for HIM?

HE IS WORTHY!!!

Am I living like I believe that?

Am I living like a child of the KING—

not in arrogance

but in total abandon to HIM.

‘Not my will by thine by done’–in all?

Bible Ballistics: BBs #77 Praise Who ????

It is a rare day in Oklahoma. I am sitting outside this morning writing this BBs article—it’s some 66 degrees and feels like fall. We rarely get this kind of morning in July and I’m so thankful to God for this marvelous blessing.

Colossians 1:12-14 says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

I love Colossians, especially chapter 1. It paints such a lovely picture of what Jesus has done for us, and is still doing. God initiates salvation—He chose us, because He loves all mankind!! Jesus said in John 3, that “God so love the world, that HE gave…..”. How can I not thank this God who loves us that much.

In this passage, Paul reminds us that we are to give thanks to the Father—because HE has ‘made us fit’ (meet means fit) to be “partakers of the inheritance”. But how did he make me/you fit? Good question, and he answers it for us.

Through Jesus—we have been:

“delivered…from the power of darkness” (Satan’s power)

“translated….into the kingdom of His dear Son”

How? By the blood of Jesus, which redeems us because, His blood paid the price for my sin!!! Praise His name. I’ve been ‘translated’, which means: to change, convert, conform. Jesus gives NEW LIFE to those who trust Him in faith. Oh, what a beautiful morning!!! It is God whom I praise—not man, not the government, not even the weatherman. Why? Because my God delivers, saves and keeps by His outstretched arm. HE gives us lovely blessings like cool, out of season mornings, and I thank HIM for it!!

So? Here’s our shot for today.

Spend some time today praising God with Me. You fill in the blank. I thank you Lord for_______________________!!!!

After all:

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11.

 

Bible Ballistics: Climate Change???????   Vol 4 #10

We’ve all heard the banter regarding ‘global warming’, or as some people put it, ‘climate change’. There is debate on both sides and drastic differences in opinions over the interpretations of the scientific data. I’d like us to look at a different ‘climate change’. Besides references to the weather, climate also can mean: ‘the prevailing trend of public opinion or of another aspect of public life’.

This is the meaning I’d like us to consider today. Are we allowing ‘public opinion’ and/or ‘public life’ and trends to dictate how we, as believers, think and behave? Are we also allowing the world into our churches, even inviting and welcoming the world’s ways into our churches?

Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

God calls us to NOT be ‘conformed to the world’. When we give our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to live our lives as a ‘living sacrifice’ to Him; which means we are to live for Him not ourselves. When we belong to Jesus (also a wonderful song by Dennis Jernigan) it should be seen in a yielded heart, mind and soul, given to Jesus’ control: not letting the world shape us with it’s mind-numbing gadgets and trends. We can choose to be water shaped by the ice tray (the world)—completely incapacitated by it, or we can yield ourselves totally to God and watch HIM do a mighty work that can ‘change’ the climate around us. How? Only in God!!

“And being confident of the very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6.

God is working to transform YOU and ME, in all things.

As Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

As we talked a few weeks ago, we are to yield to God and work out what He has put in. To let HIS work shine!!

Ephesians 5:17-18 is a marvelous word picture of this.

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

To be filled with the Holy Spirit! Filled can also be translated ‘Pervaded’: ‘to cram full, to fill to overflowing’. We are to be filled with (or pervaded by) the Holy Spirit not worldly lures. We all understand that drunkenness, short-circuits control of mental and bodily actions—they are out of control. The liquor controls them. Paul warns us NOT to be controlled by wine (or any element, substance or alienation of our devotion to God), but we are to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of Christ. We are to behave (walk), according to the Spirit’s direction in our hearts and lives. Then the world will see Jesus when they look at our character and behavior.

Matthew 5:15-16, “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

And Psalms 119:133, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”

Walking ‘circumspectly’, (referring to straightness or perfectness) before the world. Also ‘redeeming’ the time—the time we are given by God, the time in which we live here and now. To redeem: ‘buy back, or rescue from loss’. God calls us to walk (live) straightly before the world and to rescue our time from loss. Those twenty-four hours that we are all given each day, are to be ‘bought back’ from worldly desires and given to God. I know I can get wrapped up in an old movie, a video game or just daydreaming and waste hours that I could have used to please and serve Jesus. No, I’m not talking about balanced times of leisure or diversion, but letting our passion for ‘things’ rule our lives.

We are to walk with Jesus everywhere we go, and in all that we do–every hour of every day—to be HIS for the using. To display the character of Jesus,

as an employee,

boss,

helper,

mother,

father,

son,

daughter,

neighbor or friend.

To ‘work out’ all that Jesus wrought ‘in’ for us at Calvary. Do people see Jesus in me

at the grocery store,

the bank,

or just out running errands?

Am I living out God’s presence in me when I encounter

trials

and conflicts,

billing errors

or a flat tire?

Do I let the ‘climate’ around me divert or reshape my devotion to the Lord?

Romans 12:1-2 presents a contrast between conformity and transformation.

Conformity—to be shaped like or by something. In contrast transformation is–a change in form or appearance.

The Greek word translated ‘transformed’ is ‘metamorphoo’: the word from which we get our English word ‘metamorphosis’: The process whereby a worm changes into a butterfly. Not just a temporary mask or imitation, but a permanent change of form.

When God redeems us we are made new. As 1 Corinthians 5:17-18 says,

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”

Are we reconcilers or alienators?

As we are ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’ we are empowered to live out the ‘good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God’ before the world. But the cost is the sacrifice of our own will to God’s. To allow His awesome, ‘transforming’ power to be displayed to a lost and dying world that needs Jesus.

How?

By yielding to His word

as He transforms our minds,

and our lives.

Feasting on it continually.

I’ll close with a few verses to think about this week.

Galatians 2:20, “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Living the crucified life!!!!!

Yielding to Christ’s Lordship in ME!!!

Phil 2:5 & 8b, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:…..he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Read all of chapter 2 to see the beauty of His servant life)

So does your ‘climate’ change with the world?

Are you standing fast with Jesus?

Does your speech betray our Lord?

Do your actions call into question your devotion to Him?

The world tells us it doesn’t matter, but Jesus says it does. He has called us to

be transformed

by His redeeming power;

to trust to His unchanging hand,

and be a mirror of His redeeming power to the world.

No climate change here!!!!

We are being ‘transformed’!!!

To the image of our Lord!!!

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #76 Thank Who????

I pray that you’re having a good week, and this Friday finds you looking up and thanking God for all His marvelous grace and provision. Although we see and hear of so much chaos going on around us—our God still reigns in ALL.

We must keep an attitude of gratitude.

Gratitude: ‘the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness’.

When our hearts are full of gratitude it short-circuits a lot of other things—anger, bitterness, frustration, greed, fear, and the list could go on.

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32

All that we need, to grow and live for Jesus! (Also see 2 Peter 1:3)

God is for YOU. When you belong to Jesus, God is for YOU—and He cares about every thing in your life and has promised to stay the course. We can be confident and not fear our circumstances. How? With trust in and gratitude towards Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

So,

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6

I can be confident in my Lord—

bringing boldness to my/your life

and helping us to stand

in every circumstance.

Remembering that God is always at work around us.

So? Here’s our shot for today.

Stand fast,

maintain your attitude of gratitude,

and press on with Jesus.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

 

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”#75  In or Out???

One of my favorite Christian authors is Oswald Chambers. He was a man of such godly insight and his devotional book, ‘My Utmost for His Highest’, is at the top of my favorites list. I have been pondering some of his observations in recent days and thought I’d share a few things that I have been considering in my life, hoping they will be an encouragement to you.

Does my life express true dependence upon God, in my everyday life? Or have I allowed the interruptions of life to keep me distracted continuously? Am I living ‘out’ what’s ‘in’?

Philippians 2:12-13 are familiar verses, but I’d like us to consider them again today.

“ Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Paul admonishes his ‘beloved’, which includes us today, to ‘work out’ what God has ‘worked in’!! We are empowered to follow Jesus, and yield to Him through the Holy Spirit: which is given to us by the New Covenant of Christ’s blood. The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers holy living. There truly is ‘Power in the Blood’. Power for living!!!

And what has God ‘worked in’? Romans 5, tells us that the “…love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us…..”  The Holy Spirit enables us to ‘work out’ that which God, by this same Spirit (See John 1:12-13), has ‘worked in’ us, by the blood of Jesus. We can ‘work out’ what God has put in, because He gave us His Holy Spirit to “conform us to the image of His son” (See Ro. 8:28-29). We are able to live out ‘Jesus’ in us before the world. To be the reflection of our Lord to a lost and dying world!! (Remember John 14:6, “..the life…”)

1 Corinthians 2:10,16, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God……16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.” (Note the contrast here—who can know God and instruct Him? NO one!! But God has given His children His Spirit to reveal Himself to our hearts. Take some time today and read 1 Corinthians 1&2)

So? Here’s our shot for today.

“Walk in the Spirit”!!

“Live in the Spirit”!!

Or Blanche’s paraphrase,

‘let that which God has done for you on the inside,

be evident to the world that sees the outside’.

Determine to let Jesus shine—

even on those cloudy days—

let what’s in—

out.