Bible Ballistics: BBs #129   Be Strong and Courageous???

Continuing to think about our strength “in the Lord”, I was reminded of Joshua. In the Deuteronomy 31 and Joshua 1, God calls Joshua at least 7 times to “be strong and of a good courage”.

Joshua was being called to step into the shoes of “Moses”!!! Moses, the mighty prophet of God, who had led the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, to the promised land (which they refused to enter at first), and through 40 years in the ‘wilderness’. Now they are come to the Promised Land (again), Moses is being taken from them, and Joshua is called to step up to become their leader. I can’t imagine the anxious thoughts that overwhelmed him, as he rehearsed in his own mind what he had experienced as Moses’ ‘right-hand’ man. The miracles, the conflict, the rebellion of the people, the challenges to Moses’ authority—and now he has been called to take the mantle of leadership. Yet God’s word to him is: “be strong and of a good courage”!!!

Like Joshua, you may be facing great and difficult expectations. What are you going to do? Are you ready to ‘throw in the towel’? Are you thinking about abdicating to someone else?   Or are you looking for ‘plan B’? Sometimes the fear of expectations, fear of the future, fear of the past, fear of our own weaknesses and failures bring with it a paralyzing inability to go forward, but that’s exactly what God called Joshua to do. It is also what God calls us to do!!!

So??? Here’s our shot for today. God wants YOU to “be strong and of a good courage”!!! He has you, just as He had Joshua.

Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee?

Be strong

and of a good courage;

be not afraid,

neither be thou dismayed:

for the Lord thy God is with thee

whithersoever thou goest.”

God assured Joshua that he could be strong “in the Lord”, because the “LORD” would be “with him” everywhere he went!

God has given us that same assurance: we can have victory in His strength. Here are two passages to take with you today to remind yourself that:

You can do whatever God is calling you to DO!!!

You can go wherever God is calling you to GO!!!

You can be all that God is calling you to BE!!!

So? “Be strong and of a good courage”!!!

Hebrews 13:5-6, “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.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-6, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

YOU can do it!!! God has it and you!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #128   God’s Strength and Order???

We’ve been talking about ‘strength’ and the ‘strength of the Lord’, and I want to address this again this morning. We are so pressed by the culture around us to –push, push, push– but we must resist the drive of the world and let God ‘order our steps’. But how? Here are a few verses and suggestions.

Psalm 38:7 says, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

Rest in the Lord—depend on God’s wisdom to choose your schedule (the parts over which YOU have control) wisely. You do not have to do ALL that the world does, and certainly not on it’s schedule. Wait on God’s timing and direction. How?

Romans 12:1-2, “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.”

Do all:

Appreciating God’s mercy to us—

              Presenting your/my body as —

–A living sacrifice (I am crucified with Christ)

–A holy sacrifice (Walking in the Spirit)

–An acceptable sacrifice (Pleasing to God)

2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Knowing the Word and exercising integrity toward it!!!

       Without conformity to the world—

But by ‘being transformed’ (metamorphosis). How?

By renewing your mind in Christ Jesus—

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…..” See Philippians 2:5-9.

“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live…” See Galatians 2:20.

And when we have the ‘mind of Christ’ (See 1 Cor. 2:16) then our lives will:

Prove– demonstrate, show, exhibit and display to the world–

what is–

the good,

                     the acceptable,

the perfect,

‘will of God’.

So??? Here’s our shot for today!!! When we ‘rest in the Lord’, die to ourselves, and let His Spirit and His Word ‘transform’ our hearts, then we can be a reflection of Jesus Christ to the world.

So??? Make time to ‘rest’ in His presence and hear from Him. (Even if it’s just a few minutes alone in the bathroom as a busy mom or dad). Make time to read and study His Word, and then order your steps (and the steps of those in your care) in His ‘word’ (Ps 119:33), and HE Will ‘order’ the steps He has for you!!! (Ps 37:23)

Bible Ballistics: Light, Love or Law??? Pt. 2, Vol. 5 #10

As we continue in our discussion of light and law, we left off with Gal. 3:9-14 and Matt. 22:36-40. We know that Abraham was redeemed by faith some 400 years before the ‘law’ was given. Jesus Himself defined the greatest law as ‘love’ –for God and man. (if you missed part 1 you can see it at facebook.com/bibleballistics or bibleballistics.org). Abraham walked with His God in intimacy long before the ‘law’ because he loved God, much like Enoch:

“And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:22-24. Enoch was a man who walked with God—without the ‘law’.

James and Paul both give us understanding of our relationship to the ‘law’. Jesus is our ‘law’. He fulfilled the ‘law’ and when I have intimate relationship with Him, I walk with Him in His ways, and His commandments. Many that I have encountered who call us to keep the ‘law’, concede that we don’t have to keep all the ‘ceremonial’ parts of the ‘law’; but generally they have ‘selected portions’ of the ‘law’ that are required to comply with ‘keeping God’s laws’. Many generally focus on the ‘Sabbath’ –Jesus is my Sabbath rest, the feasts/celebrations listed in the law—Jesus is my Passover and each and every one of the feasts that God instituted point to the Messiah—that’s Jesus—He is my celebration of life, redemption, provision, anointing, atonement and every other picture and shadow of Him painted in the Old Testament. Why would you look at the picture when the real person is in your presence? In YOUR HEART!!!

Galatians 3:15-29, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

I know this is a long passage and I’ll just let it stand on it’s own legs. Christ is our ‘law’. Verse 29 sums it all up—“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

***James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”*** And if you agree with James then you must keep all or be guilty of all of the law. You decide? Which ‘laws’ are ok to disregard if you are right with God by ‘keeping the law’?

And Romans 14:1-13, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

The Apostle John gives us more insight into this ‘walking’ with God in his first letter-1 John, let’s dig in.

1 John 1:5-7, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

We are called to walk in the light (Jesus is the light…)

1 John 2:1-10, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

1 John 3:1-7, 23-24 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous……. ***And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. ***24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” HOW?

***The ‘commandment’ is ‘believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ’ and ‘love one another’!!!***

1 John 4:7-21, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” ***

1 John 5:1-5, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” Faith and love—these are the commands of my Father. If I listen and obey, His love will be evident and productive in me.

And how do we do this? The answer — John 15:1-17:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 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. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 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. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

 Abiding in JESUS—

Jesus Abiding in US—

Jesus brings forth much fruit,

by our abiding & His pruning—

Love each other as HE loves us—

Jesus calls us FRIENDS!!!

Because:

Romans 8:27-31, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also j justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

God is conforming us into the image of Christ as He does His work in our hearts, His work from the inside out—not the outside in! Because “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Ro. 5:5b Not the ‘law’ but the ‘love of God’ is working HIS work in us via the Holy Spirit—the New Covenant of Jesus’ Blood.

I’d like to close this study with a quote from A. W. Tozer’s “Mornings with Tozer” about John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

“The Law was given by Moses—but that was all that Moses could do. He could only ‘command’ righteousness. In contrast, only Jesus Christ produces righteousness. All that Moses could do was to forbid us to sin. In contrast, Jesus Christ came to save us from sin.” (Emphasis mine)

2 Corinthians 5:21, says this very things: “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.”

Our righteousness is from Christ Jesus our Lord, not from the ‘law’.

“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:10-11

I know I haven’t made much commentary, but I believe the Word can makes it’s own. May God use His Word to lead us into all truth—Jesus!!! I love Jesus. He is the light of my life. He is the Law that rules in my heart: each and every day, Sunday through Saturday (or Saturday through Friday), He is my all and all.  Always!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #127   How Strong for How Long???

We talked last time about being ‘strong in the Lord’, and we surely need HIS strength, but for how long? And how strong do we need to be? If we look at the passage in Ephesians 6, we understand that we are ‘wrestling’ against unseen ‘principalities…powers…rulers…..spiritual wickedness in high places’. In other words, the people around us are not the enemy!!! Satan and his minions are the enemy but they use people, and those people who come against us and ‘push our buttons’ are the very people for whom Jesus died.

John 3:16-18, “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. 18 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.”

Jesus came that we might have ‘everlasting life’ in Him, but also that we might have that ‘strength’ of the Lord to ‘withstand in the evil day’!!! And friends, that’s where we are living—in the ‘evil day’. But when we keep on putting on the ‘armor of God’, we can be ready, willing, and able to stand for God. And we may be called on to stand in difficult places, like Jeremiah was. When Jeremiah was grieved, weary and in pain, he asked God about what was going on and received this answer:

Jeremiah 15:19-21, “Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them. 20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. 21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.”

So??? Here’s our shot for today. Are you ready to stand? God provides for our strength, if we’ll but avail ourselves of His strength and power!!!

So???

Wait – God will… “bring thee again”-hold where you are

Wait – You can…”stand before” God….stay there

Wait – Don’t exchange the “precious” for the “vile”

Wait – God will use You as His “mouth”

Wait – God will bring ‘them’ to you, don’t compromise,

Wait – God will ‘deliver’ YOU,

God will sustain you in your integrity,

God will guard against the enemy,

God will ‘redeem’ you—HE HAS!!!

IN JESUS!!!

STAND in HIS STRENGTH!!!    TODAY!!!    ALWAYS!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #126   Be Strong In the Lord!!!

A brief reminder this morning of our need to ‘tune-up” our spirit as well as (if not more importantly than) our body!

Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

We must put on the ‘armor of God’, but I want to focus on the preliminary need here, to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”!!! We must be strong enough to utilize this “armor of God”. Just as physical strength is required for activity, spiritual strength is also necessary and it comes from the Lord, not from food or exercise. We need to continually remember that I/we CAN ‘BE’ strong, but only “in the Lord, and in the power of His might”!

Jesus Himself reminds us in John 15:5, “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.”

Jesus is the vine—the source of our life, strength –

We are the branches—a ‘part’ of the vine–

We are useless apart from the vine—

We must abide in the VINE, then—

He will abide in us, and—

We can bring forth much fruit!!!

Ephesians 5:8-9, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; )”

And Galatians 5:22-23, reminds us what fruit we are to bring forth,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

So??? Here’s our shot for today. The indwelling Holy Spirit produces in us the character of God. As we yield to His working in us, then the reflection of God will be seen in us and the world will see the one we claim to love and serve.

So??? Abide in the vine, and be strong “IN THE LORD”!! That the world may know!!!