Bible Ballistics:  Is Faith Enough???    Vol. 5 #21

 

I’m sure that seems like a strange question but it’s one that was brought to my heart and mind recently. I attended a funeral for someone, and it was a somber time, more than most, for I’m not certain the deceased knew the Lord, I am certain that many if not most of the people in attendance did not know the Lord. And the thing that grieved my heart to the quick, was that while the pastor shared some scriptures, his only encouragement was that those there had to have “faith”, “hope” and “love”. He even quoted from 1 Corinthians 13:13:

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (charity=love)

While this is as sure as all scripture, it left a picture of some abstract, unsubstantiated ‘ideal’ that will give faith, hope and love (charity). How can we have faith, hope and love if we don’t understand what they really are and where they come from? I am still grieved for the lost souls that left that service thinking all they had to do was ‘have hope’, ‘have faith’, and remember the ‘love’. Well that’s just simply not adequate. There was a failure to bring people who needed real hope, to hear the good news of the only one who could give them ‘faith’, ‘hope’ or real ‘love’. God tells us:

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

We come to God through faith—but not just an abstract idea or way of thinking or supposing, but a total confidence in God—the God of creation and salvation.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

And faith must be in the blood of Jesus, that “cleanses us from all sin”. (See 1 John 1:7,9) Not faith that is pie in the sky! It’s the absolute substance of the things of God—all that He is, all that He does, and all that He provides for us, including salvation, especially salvation. It is seeing the evidence of God’s hand in everything around us—our very existence and life. So what is faith? It is the absolute confidence and trust in the power of God who gave His Son to be our salvation. Paul, speaking of Abraham, gives us a beautiful picture of real faith:

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:20-25

Unbelief (lack of faith)—staggers at God’s promises

 has not strength to believe

 is not persuaded that God is true

 has no righteousness

 glorifies self not God

Belief/Faith—                staggers NOT

 is strong in trusting God

 gives God glory

 is fully persuaded of God’s truth

receives God’s righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21, “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; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 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.” He gives it to us to SHARE!!! Reconcilers!!!

Faith is not an abstract idea, but trust in the sovereignty and provision of salvation through Jesus Christ, and reliance upon it for salvation and life. Faith in the God who sent HIS only Son to die for ME!!! It places me “in Christ”—because I am ‘born again’ of God.

John 3:3-7, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Jesus didn’t come to give men an abstract ‘faith’ in just anything, to give them abstract ‘hope’ as an idea to cling to in blind abandon, or to teach them to ‘love’ as the world does. We come to Him to receive new life—to be “born again”. Not born of religion, tradition or abstract ideals, but to be born ‘OF GOD’.

“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.” John 1:12-13

Without this new birth from God we have no hope, and will never experience or know the love of God. But when we come to Him – to the Cross and trust in the blood of Jesus Christ, we can experience the heart of God:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 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. 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. 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.” Romans 5:1-10

I know this is a bit lengthy but it helps us understand what we receive from God through faith in Jesus. He gives us salvation by faith, access to Himself (see Hebrews 4:14-16) and His grace, in which we can rejoice in “hope of the glory of God”. And with HIM, we can glory in all our circumstances, no matter how tragic, how difficult, or how life changing—we can glory with God in all things. How? Because we are assured that God is working in it all and

“we glory in tribulations ….

      knowing that tribulation worketh patience…

             patience, experience…

             and experience, hope…

      hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us”.

And how can we have this kind of confidence? We can only have this kind of confidence, based on the assurance of what God has done for us through Jesus at Calvary!!! Confidence that when we are ‘born again’ we can know we have life, power and confidence that only God can give. Knowing that we are not saved and delivered because of our own merit, but because of God’s amazing provision, and grace that saves our souls and lives, for “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Salvation is initiated by God, and delivered by God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and given to us when we repent of our sin and place our trust and faith in HIS substitutionary death (simply meaning that Jesus died in my place and yours).

“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.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Only one way—Jesus.

Only one salvation—the blood of Jesus.

I am grieved that we have come to the place in our culture, in modern ‘Christendom’ that we offer

hope without Jesus—

faith without the cross—

peace without the blood of Jesus.

My dear friends, there is nothing farther from the truth, as Peter declares:

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

I must stand with Paul:

 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God unto salvation

to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first,

and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed

from faith to faith:

as it is written,

The just shall live by faith.”

Romans 1:16-17

 

The choice is yours, will you stand on the truth of God’s Word, or will you fall for the compromise of the world. Your eternal destiny depends on your choice. I pray that you will choose well. And if you belong to Jesus, you are called by God to speak HIS truth to the world. Their only HOPE is FAITH in Jesus, and then they can receive His LOVE “shed abroad in our hearts”.  Nothing ‘abstract’ about it!!!

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #148 Truth or Tradition???

After a recent conversation I have been brought to ponder God’s call on us? What does He call His followers to be, to do, to live and to believe? It brings me this morning to a passage of great decision. A passage that calls us to examine our selves, our lives, our belief and make a choice! You will make a willful choice, or a choice of consequence? What do I mean by a choice of consequence? I simply mean that to claim to make no choice in regard to God and His Son Jesus Christ, is to ‘make a choice’—the worst choice. To choose not to choose is choosing your own demise.

“Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15

Joshua, at the end of his life calls all of Israel to come to him and issues this challenge. A challenge to “deliberately”, “intentionally” make a choice to follow God and serve HIM. He called them to forsake the failures of their parents, to reject the failures of their culture and choose God. If you would, to get ‘all in or all out’!!!

What does this have to do with my earlier conversation? Well, almost all of us will come to some crises in life and have to choose whether we will believe God and HIS Word or the traditions that we have practiced in the past, maybe even our whole lives. It doesn’t matter if it’s traditions of our parents, a religious order, or an intellectual agenda. Jesus himself reminds us of this same principle in Matthew 6:24:

“No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

While we often restrict this passage to money or financial principles, and it does include ‘money’, it is also a general principle of life—You can’t have two “first loves” in your life. Jesus said you will make a choice—consciously or unconsciously!!! Our behavior will reveal our choice!

So??? Here’s our shot for today!!! What have you chosen? What are you choosing right now? Are you wrestling with whether to cling to God and HIS Word regardless of what you will have to let go of? Or are you clinging to that which is a “comfort food” to your life and soul?   We must take Paul advise and seek to be “approved unto God” not man—including our own fleshly comforts and habits.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Study GOD’s WORD!!!

Trust GOD’s WORD!!!  

Obey GOD’s WORD!!!

So, “choose you this day whom ye will serve”, but “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”!!! Check your choice–Tradition or Truth??? It’s your choice!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #147 Near In Word??? Or Heart???

I just want to share a brief thought with you this morning. For most of you who follow Bible Ballistics, I’ll be “preaching to the choir”. But I felt the need to share a call to repentance and righteousness before the God whose name we claim.

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”   Matthew 15:8

We live in a culture where it’s acceptable to do and say almost anything, except the truth of God’s Word. People who claim the name of Jesus with their words-sometimes-also curse and swear with the same mouth. God calls us to better. But is there a deeper problem?

“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” James 3:10-12

And why does the ‘mouth’ cause us so much trouble? Jesus himself answers that question.

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” Matthew 15:18-19

So??? Here’s our shot for today.  Check your heart!

“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?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

And our greatest confidence can be in God!!! He knows and HE will reveal your true condition to you, if you’ll but bow before Him and diligently ‘seek Him while He may be found’!

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19

Is your faith vain or genuine??? Examine your life by God’s standard NOT the world’s. May God open the eyes of those willing to see? You are prayed for…….   When you ‘talk the talk’—make sure you ‘walk the walk’ by the power of Jesus, because:

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

Remember, if you belong to HIM you CAN walk in HIS newness, righteousness and power.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

 

He is here for YOU!!!

Bible Ballistics: I Don’t Have Any Strength??? Vol. 5 #20

“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

These people of Nehemiah’s day had worked to rebuild their city and it’s wall. They had struggled and endured hardship and when their task was done Nehemiah called them to rejoice together—to know that “the joy of the Lord is your strength”!!! We all have days that we feel weary, tired and unable to take another step. We can become so overwhelmed that we can’t seem to put one foot in front of another. Times when our strength is drained and we don’t know how we can go on! Where do we turn? You can ‘Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” (by Helen H. Lemmel). Keep:

“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 12:2

We must keep our eyes “looking unto Jesus”—the one who saves us, the one who keeps us, the one who will direct our every step—even the difficult ones!!! How about you? Do you need this “joy of the Lord” kind of strength? We all do!!! God makes it clear in His Word that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Paul tells us about His experience with God’s provision.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Paul, this great man of faith and power, prayed for God to relieve His situation, yet God answered him in a most unexpected way. God told Paul NO!!! And sometimes He tells us the same thing—NO!!! Why? Because our weakness is God’s platform to show HIS POWER to us and to the world!!! When I am weak—HE is strong!!! His provision can always bring us strength. Strength that comes from my joy and delight in my Lord. My confidence in HIM and HIS provision make my heart able to rejoice in difficult circumstances.

Remember the children’s song, “Jesus loves me………they are weak, but HE IS STRONG….”!!! Moses and the children of Israel saw God’s great provision in their abject inability to escape from the Egyptians, and they sang a song about God’s strength and provision-they were weak but:

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying,

I will sing unto the Lord,

for he hath triumphed gloriously:

the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The Lord is my strength and song,

and he is become my salvation:

he is my God, and

I will prepare him an habitation;

my father’s God, and

I will exalt him.”   Exodus 15:1-2

God’s power and our confidence in it, can produce joy in the most unlikely situations. Have you ever been backed up against the wall? A wall of water maybe, with nowhere to turn? If so, know that our God is a strong source for your needs. Do you need somewhere to run?

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10 There is safety waiting for YOU!!!

Run to the Lord God Almighty in your weakness and weariness. Run to Jesus, His Son in your time of need. He is our ever-present help.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

“The Lord is my rock,

and my fortress,

and my deliverer;

my God,

my strength,

in whom I will trust;

my buckler,

and the horn of my salvation,

and my high tower.” Psalm 18:2

And our strong help is always there:

Psalm 121:1-2, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

 

The everlasting creator is our source of help and YOU can count on His faithfulness. Jesus went to the cross to be our

faithful Savior,

our faithful High Priest,

our faithful intercessor—

And HE IS THERE for YOU!!!

 

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

 

“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25

 

This very Son of God died for us, that we might have life!!! He saves us “to the uttermost”, and not only does He save us, but “he ever liveth to make intercession for” us—YOU and ME. I praise HIM for His abundant love and grace toward us. How about YOU and that JOY?

 

Even if you think that “I don’t have enough prayer warriors” lifting you up, remember that you have the Son of God making continual intercession for YOU. You can know and rest in the truth that the “joy of the Lord is your strength”!!! You can have HIS JOY!!! God’s eternal joy, and that joy will even continue into glory with our Lord. It will be our eternal state with the one to whom we belong.

 

Matthew 25:21 & 23 repeats twice our confidence:

 

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

 

What makes a “good and faithful servant”? The who has received Jesus and follows Him devotedly and in trust and confidence that HE is sufficient:

 

“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

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #146      The Mind of Praise!!!

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;                    

Praise Him, all creatures here below;                            

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;                                

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

DOXOLOGY     By Thomas Ken (Set to various tunes)

A very simple song that we used to sing almost weekly, but which is currently in the state of many of the ‘old’ songs—set aside for ‘newer’, ‘bigger’, supposedly ‘better’ things. Well, I’d like us to consider the beauty, validity and integrity of this precious, simple song of praise.

First it sets our minds on God–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It pictures what Jesus taught us about the focus of praying:

“Our Father which art in heaven…………

Hallowed be thy name…..

Thy kingdom come…… Thy will be done……

“For (because) thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever.” Matt. 6:9,10,13b

We are to set our hearts on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit continually: Our triune God–three persons in one—worthy of our praise. He is our creator and the sustainer of all, and we are to live praising HIM—in ALL we do!!!

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

The life of God’s child is to be one of living praise to Him, “From whom all blessings flow”

Psalm 149:1, “Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” Alone and with others!!

“And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”   Ecc. 3:13 With gratitude for all He gives!!

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 With eyes looking upward!!

Every blessing is from God—So praise HIM always. All creatures, praise Him because He is worthy.

“All creatures here below” … Jesus himself said:

Luke 19:40, “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

We should join the heavenly chorus of PRAISE: “Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host“:

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:8b Praising at His return!!!

So??? Here’s our shot for today. Let’s just praise HIM!!

Praise Him in the morning…….

Praise Him in the noontime………..

Praise Him when the sun goes down!!!