Bible Ballistics: Who Really Loves YOU? Vol. 5 #15

This week everyone has been talking about ‘love’!!! But Valentine’s Day has come and gone and immeasurable resources have been spent on flowers, candy, dinners and the like to show love. But what does love really looks like.

1 John 4:10-12, “Herein is love,

not that we loved God,

but that he loved us,

and sent his Son

to be the propitiation   (propitiation means payment for)

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.”

We can only express real “LOVE” when we know the love of God. How do we come to know and have that kind of love? Only through Jesus, and His work in our hearts:

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:5-6

God loved us so much that He not only created us but He sent Jesus to pay for our sins. Jesus came to be the bridge across the chasm that sin had made between God and man. But how do we receive this great gift of love? In Christ who died for sinners. And when we receive His gift of Salvation, He also puts His love within us through the work of the Holy Spirit. We are redeemed by His saving grace in the ‘new birth’!!! New life that Jesus imparts to us includes “the love of God”—God’s love placed in my heart. Then I can express HIS love to the world by His power and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

But at what price was this gift? HIS life for MINE!!!

John 3:14-18,

“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.

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 would be ‘lifted up’ to pay for SIN—yours and mine. Jesus came to save sinners not to condemn them, but don’t miss what Jesus tells us here: “he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed.” Jesus came to save, and salvation is by faith in His sacrifice for us—His blood saves us. His love poured out at Calvary, paid the debt that we owed for our own sin. And God’s love is more than an escape from Hell; it is abundant life!  Power to live for God and not against HIM! It is Life through His power and strength not our own. How?

“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.”  Galatians 2:20

We are saved by faith and we serve by surrender to Jesus: By dying to ourselves and living by faith in what He has done and is doing in my heart and life—because I love HIM.

John gives us more insight into this love in His first letter:

1 John 3:16-18,23

“Hereby perceive we

the love of God,

because he laid down his life for us:

and we ought to lay down our lives

for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world’s good,

and seeth his brother have need,

and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him,

how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children,

let us not love in word,

neither in tongue;

but in deed and in truth…..

23 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.”

God saves us to mirror HIS love to the world and to our brothers and sisters in Christ!!! To love in action not just words. We are to be Christ Jesus to the world:

His hands—

His feet—

His tongue—

HIS HEART!!!

HIS LOVE!!!

Let’s celebrate the ‘Love of God’ in all we do and say. May others be drawn to Jesus because they see HIM in our lives and actions? He loves the world and so should we!

 

 

 

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #136 A Bag of Dirt or A Little Greed????

Continuing our thoughts about Naaman, the leprous general who came to Elisha for healing: this pagan man who was an enemy of Israel, came to the God of Israel and found Him faithful, and became His worshipper. What a life-changing transformation! But there’s more to the story than Naaman!

Now back to Elisha, the prophet and his servant Gehazi–

Elisha—“And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 16 But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.” Verse 16

Elisha understands that Naaman’s focus needs to be on the God who heals, not the prophet, so he refuses his gift. God’s mercies are not for sale!!! Elisha is committed to the God of the gifts and healings, not financial gain. He was committed to see that Naaman’s focus stayed on God. Elisha’s reward was from God, in seeing the conversion of one lone, leper, general of an enemy army. The Great and Almighty God cared enough to reach out and reveal Himself to a Syrian General, through healing! All because of a little girl who loved God!!! Suffice it to say, Elisha was dependent on the God of all gifts, not the gifts of this wealthy, grateful, healed and converted man.

What a breath of fresh air, a servant of God concerned about the souls of men so much that he doesn’t pursue their wealth. His pursuit was of God, not wealth. His concern was that Naaman’s spiritual focus to stay on God, not on this prophet of God, simply the vessel of God’s work. What do we think about our service? Are we distracted by the applause, the praise of men, or the financial perks to the spoiling of our ability to keep people focused on God?

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

It’s all about GOD—NOT about ME!!! Let’s see what happens when the focus turns to self rather than God.

Gehazi—“But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.”

How far will greed/covetousness take you? Let’s see how far it took Gehazi:

It stirred up jealousy and disregard of God’s grace—

“Naaman this Syrian”, THIS ENEMY–

Not, ‘praise God for His salvation’! Why?

       To disrespect the example of his master, Elisha—

“my master hath spared” THIS man–

Not, ‘praise God for such selflessness’! Why?

To presumptuously ignore Elisha’s wisdom—

 “I will run after him, and take somewhat”

 Not, ‘praise God for priceless grace’! Why?

Why? Because Gehazi was full of covetousness for the wealth of “THIS” man, which Elisha had wisely refused to accept? He was resentful that “THIS” foreigner, “THIS” enemy, “THIS” leper, received from God but Elisha refused his gift. He had no compassion, no awe and wonder, no praise for the goodness and power of God. He had no delight in the witness this man would bear of the Almighty God to his world. He had no eyes to see spiritual truth and the glorious grace and power of the God he claimed as his own!!! He was ‘blinded’ by the glitter of the silver, gold and fine clothes. He missed the blessing because his heart was consumed with ‘GREED’!!! What about us? And at what price?

“But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? 27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”

Now, he even lies to his master. Elisha, broken-heartedly, reproves Gehazi and pronounces God’s judgment on him—the leprosy of Naaman. What price greed$$$? A heritage of disease on his entire posterity.

So??? Here’s our shot for today. Where is our heart?

Set on the things and values of God,

or have we allowed sin and greed to run us

into trouble?

                      Into debt–

Into disregard–

of the heart of God for others?

Into jealousy and disregard–

for others?

For God’s work?

For compassion toward our enemies?

You get the idea. Do you need to check your ‘bling’ quotient today! Does it have more of you than God does? Are you serving out of devotion and love, or ‘greed’ of some kind? Are we selfless and wise like Elisha, or resentful and jealous because of greed? Only YOU can answer these questions!!!

James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #135 Just a Bag of Dirt????

The Old Testament story of Naaman is a familiar one, but I’d like to take a closer look at a portion of this story and consider what we see, with perhaps a new insight.

If you don’t remember, Naaman was a commander of the Syrian Army (Israel’s enemy), and he had leprosy. Yet he had a little slave girl (captured from Israel) in his home that told her mistress something interesting:

“And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:3

This little Jewish girl had confidence in her God, even though she was a slave in a foreign place. Our confidence in God isn’t affected by geography, when we keep our eyes on him! This unnamed girl’s faith in her God stood firm, as well as her confidence in the ‘prophet’ of God–a man she knew served God faithfully and powerfully.   What does our service reveal to others? Does our service produce confidence in our God or ridicule?

Of course the word gets to Naaman, who winds up in Israel at the command of his king, seeking to be healed. He goes to the king and causes the king great fear and distress, because he can’t heal anyone—and certainly not of leprosy!

So? Elisha to the rescue:

“And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” Verse 8

Elisha sent for the man to come to him, and he would “know that there is a prophet in Israel”. Not only know that there was a ‘prophet’ in Israel, but a ‘prophet’ of the one, true and living God of all creation. So Naaman goes to Elisha, who sends instructions by his servant, Gehazi, which completely offends Naaman and sends him off in a rage. (Ever been there?) But he finally concedes at his servants bidding, he obeys and is healed. And Naaman’s response?

“ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant…... 17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.” Verses 15 & 17

God revealed himself and we learn a lot about true conversion from Naaman.

 He KNEW that God was God and only God was God—

He offered a gift/blessing to Elisha in gratitude—

He made known his commitment—

To serve only God—

To offer sacrifices to God only–

He took a reminder with him–

Naaman couldn’t stay in Israel, so he took a little bit of ‘Israel’ with him–a bag of dirt. Perhaps to make a special place to offer his worship to the Almighty God of Israel—HIS God now!!!

So??? Here’s our shot for today.

Do you “know that there is no God” except

the Almighty God of the Universe,

and His Son Jesus?

Are you grateful for His revelation to you?

Is He receiving your commitment and sacrifices?

Do you remember the God who saved you?

Who keeps you?

Are you serving only HIM?

Maybe you need to get back down to ‘earth’ and reset your priorities. We’ll check out Elisha and Gehazi on Friday? We’ll look at two men with two different attitudes toward God, His service and toward Naaman.

Bible Ballistics: Pure In Body, Speech & Example? Vol. 5 #14

As I look at things around us it grieves me to my soul, to see God’s children behaving like the world. And not just acting like the world but being satisfied and unburdened about the worldliness that pervades their lives. Now, I understand that we all stumble and fall, but when we seem to be drawn to the “wallow” of the world it breaks my heart.

The first thing I’d like us to consider is the call in scripture to prove ourselves to be genuinely in the faith:

2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

Hebrews 3:12-13, “ Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

We must understand that just saying we belong to Jesus doesn’t make it a fact– Only being truly ‘born again’ will make us children of God–ONLY by the supernatural ‘re-creating’ work of God in our lives.

John 1:13, “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Ephesians 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” He gives LIFE!

When we are born again, the Spirit of Christ/Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, imparting to us the power to be ‘born again’, to be ‘re-created’ into the ‘children of God’. We are empowered by His Spirit to live in that very power for purity. But as I mentioned earlier, saying so doesn’t make it so! There are those who claim the name of Jesus and yet know nothing about Him, who walk away when believing becomes ‘inconvenient’. Peter describes these people:

2 Peter 2:22, “But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

Paul also talks about this in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Re-created!!!

Genuine believers become a ‘new creature’—remember that ‘re-creation’ by the Spirit of God. We are not ‘pigs’ that washed themselves up and are still pigs in a pretty bow, until the longing for the ‘wallow’ calls them back to their own ‘nature’. The ‘dogs’ returned to their ‘vomit’, because the dog never was changed, just cleaned up their act and tried to live like a real believer until the true nature came to the top.

But when we have a new heart, and a new nature we are empowered to live for Jesus, by Jesus!!! We are called and equipped to live for Him!

Ephesians is a wonderful book that talks about who we are “in Jesus” and tells us all that we are to do because of ‘who’ we are!!!

Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Ephesians 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”

Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”

Ephesians 2:21-22, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

And Paul goes on throughout this precious book to call us to living that reflects what we posses in Jesus.

Ephesians 4:1, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,”

We are to walk/live in a manner worthy of our Lord and the price He paid to redeem us. And he goes on in chapter 5 to get down to the ‘nitty-gritty’!!! Let’s dig in! I’d like to lay this out in our ‘examination’ format–Ephesians 5:1-12,

“Be ye therefore followers of God,

as dear children;

2 And walk in love,

as Christ also hath loved us,

and hath given himself for us

an offering

and a sacrifice

to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

3 But fornication, (all immorality of any kind)

and all uncleanness, (moral uncleanness/lewdness)

or covetousness, (greed)

let it not be once named among you,

as becometh saints;

4 Neither filthiness,   (obscenity)

nor foolish talking, (foolish talking, inappropriate)

nor jesting,    (mischief making)

which are not convenient:  (not proper)

but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this ye know, that

no whoremonger,

nor unclean person,

nor covetous man, who is an idolater,

hath any inheritance

in the kingdom of Christ

and of God.

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words:

for because of these things

cometh the wrath of God

upon the children of disobedience. (see 2:3+)

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 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;)

10 Proving what is acceptable

unto the Lord.

11 And have no fellowship

with the unfruitful works of darkness,

but rather reprove them.

12 For it is a shame

even to speak of those things

which are done of them in secret.”

What are we called to? We are called to holiness, to purity, to godly living and yet not on our own, but ‘IN JESUS’—in the power that God imparts to us through His precious Holy Spirit—who He has placed within us who belong to HIM!!!

We are to be:  following Jesus

                      loving like Jesus

                      being pure in body, speech and example.

My life is to be an example of godliness in all I do. We are to influence the world around us with our ‘Christ-likeness’, not with our worldliness. Are we letting the world change us or are we helping change the world around us by living for Jesus?

At home?

On the job?

In the neighborhood?

On social media?

In secret???????????

Do we have once face for church and a different one for ‘after’ church? Or are we willing to yield ourselves to God, to reflect HIS glory: “whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” That’s ALL!

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.”

Are you being evidence for God or a shame to His name?

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #134 First Or Last????

Last Friday I wasn’t able to get out the regular BBs as I was driving home from a funeral service for my uncle. After a 12-hour drive I just couldn’t get my brain to wrap around much of anything except dinner and a pillow!!! But I was thinking this morning about how often we get sidetracked from our focus. Or maybe I’m just the only one who has a problem with “distractions”.

This morning it’s been the teakettle, the dog needing attention, the Internet, the trash needing to be put out by the road—you get the picture. Well, there isn’t anything wrong with any of these things but they can often distract us from our ‘focus’, from our ‘task-at-hand’, from our ‘first love’. I’d like us to just take a minute and assess our diligence to our ‘first love’.

Revelation 2:2-3, “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.”

Jesus commends the church at Ephesus in this passage for there diligent work for Him and His kingdom. They had a lot going for them—they were working hard, exercising endurance, faithfully standing against wickedness in their midst, they were testing those who claimed to speak truth but lied, they were diligently pursuing the walk of faith.

BUT, Jesus didn’t stop there; he had something else to say:

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4-5

He spoke sharp words of rebuke for such fine people. We would have named them ‘church of the year’. They were doing all the right things outwardly, but their motives and true devotions had veered a bit. In fact Jesus said they had ‘left’ their ‘first love’. Not ‘lost’ it but ‘left’ it!!! Left it somewhere along the road of service?

Let’s see if we can put this in perspective? I love my dear husband; I cook, and clean, make the bed, I tend to his clothes, I do the household chores and make sure he has his meds, I even mow and trim the yard, BUT if I don’t make time to spend with him, can he really feel very loved? Jesus is saying the same thing to us, as well as this church! Where are our eyes? Where are our minds? Where are our hearts?   Let’s make this a bit more personal—where are MY eyes, MY mind, MY heart? What’s the solution?

Jesus gives us the solution himself—HIMSELF!!!

Genesis 22:8, “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” And HE did provide the LAMB—then and at Calvary!!! HIMSELF=The Lamb!!!

And only when we ‘Remember’, ‘repent’ and re-‘ do’ the ‘first’ things ‘first’ will we find that joy and passionate energy to do the ‘the first works’. How, you might ask? Simply put, go back and rehearse what Jesus did for you. Just as the way to rekindle passion and love in a marriage is to go back and rehearse all the things that you used to do to show your love to your spouse, before they were your spouse. Doing loving things, rekindles love. We must revisit the cross—the place where we first met our LORD and LOVER of our souls. Remember and redo those things you once did in devotion and excitement and gratitude for all that HE did for you/me when HE saved us. Spend time with HIM and HIS Word. Tell HIM your troubles, your joys, your sorrows and confusions—HE wants to hear and answer all your life issues!!! HE died for the privilege!!!

So??? Here’s our shot for today.

Why are you doing what you’re doing?

For attention?

For recognition?

For power?

For guilt relief?

Expectations of others?

Or for JESUS:

because He called you to it,

He equipped you to do it,

He leads you in every step of the way?

Only you can answer these questions, but I think they are worthy of our consideration.

Is Jesus first or last in my life?

Do I spend more time on others than Him?

On Facebook than in the Word of God?

Watching TV instead of listening to my Lord and praying?

More time telling my friends my troubles

or going to the cross with every care?

1 Peter 5:6-10, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Remember!!!

Repent!!!

Re-do!!!