Bible Ballistics: BBs  #363    Are You Paying The Price???

 

We talked last time about the ‘price’ that Jesus paid for our salvation, and I’d like to go a step farther with that thought and consider what that ‘price’ ought to look like to/in us.

“Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.” Haggai 1:5-7

As God spoke to His people who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, Haggai told them that their difficulties were coming from God, because they were not acknowledging Him. It seems that they had time for everything but God and His work. What about us?

“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”  Haggai 1:8-9

God demands our all as His children. He IS God and we are His sons and daughters, and He calls us to live for HIM not ourselves. What considerations have are we making first in our life? Is the ‘bling’ of the world taking all of our time, energy, talents and love? Jesus Himself spoke to this issue in His message to the church at Ephesus.

“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

Jesus gave HIS all for us, what less can we give to Him? Yet we live in a culture, even the Christian culture, that has made “self” Lord in the place of Jesus. Drive through churches, churches divided by preferences, even churches that brand themselves by the ‘sin’ that they condone (but God condemns). What has happened? The call of God to those who are truly ‘born again’, is to be separate and holy!

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

for ye are the temple of the living God;

as God hath said,

I will dwell in them,

and walk in them;

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them,

and be ye separate, saith the Lord,

and touch not the unclean thing;

and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you,

and ye shall be my sons and daughters,

saith the Lord Almighty.”   2 Corinthians 6:16-17

Are you God’s child? Are you the “temple of the living God”? Or are you your own God, and claim the right to your own ‘temple’ and idols? If you do belong to Jesus, where are you taking HIS ‘temple’? Do you have time for the ball game, but not church? Do you have time for leisure and entertainment, but no time to study God’s Word? Do you go to work when you’re tired, but you need to sleep rather than gather with God’s people? Are you excited about your favorite show or team, but God and His Word bore you to tears? If so, something is wrong! If you belong to Jesus, He won’t leave you in that state, for God will get your attention—He disciplines and trains HIS own.

But, have you so hardened your heart, and lived with compromise so long that you don’t even notice Him at work in you and around you? Can you hear HIS voice speaking to your heart, or is the world’s drum beating so loudly that it is drowning HIM out?

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.”   Hebrews 12:6-8

Just as God disciplined Israel, when they minimalized His call on them and their service to Him; He will discipline His own children, when we refuse to walk in HIS way. Just as Paul reminded the Corinthians to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord”, we also have been called by GOD to separate ourselves, and be holy before Him. Neither God nor Paul is talking about leaving the world, but about separating ourselves from that which is not pleasing to our Lord. But how can you know what pleases God unless you are spending time in His presence and His Word?

How are you spending your time? Your money? Your energy? Your emotions? Your gifts and talents? Do you have time and energy for everything BUT God? If so, something is out of whack! What can we do about it? The same thing that Jesus called the church at Ephesus to do:

“Remember therefore

from whence thou art fallen,

and repent,

and do the first works;”

Won’t you spend some time today, along with me, seeking God’s face and asking Him what He has to say about you/me and what we are doing with the life that He has given us? May our lives be pleasing to Him in all our ways?

“But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy;

for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

‘Conversation’ is referring to our lifestyle, our walk before God and the World. May we ever strive to be “holy” before our Lord and the world, that they may see Jesus in all our ways? Remember, if you belong to Jesus—HE is in YOU—you are the “temple of the living God”!

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27      (God’s glory not our own!)

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.21 What Price Is Right???

 

We hear and see a lot about ‘money’ and ‘pricing’ today, but are we allowing the world to dictate our “price”? Have we sold our souls and our consciences for the world’s ‘gold ring’, the world’s ‘price’? What price are we willing to settle for? When we are born again, we become the children of God; children bought with a price—and that price is the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.

“…..the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1 John 1:7b

“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

When we are born again, by the blood of Jesus, we are made the ‘sons of God’—sons and daughters of God. While we are all the special creation of God, we are not all the ‘sons of God’, the children of God, until we are born again. We who were “dead in trespasses and sin” have received “life’ in Jesus, we have been “quickened” (made alive from the deadness of sin, See Ephesians 2:1-10). We are made alive by the grace of God, and empowered to walk in His life, light, and holiness, all by the power of HIS Holy Spirit.

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

Jesus gives us new life, eternal life, as well as His indwelling Holy Spirit; His Spirit, which births us, so to speak, into the kingdom of God. It is His light that we can walk in from that time on—not the darkness of the world, though it continually tempts us to walk in the darkness.

“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:”    Colossians 1:12-14

Through His sacrifice, God delivers us “from the power of darkness” and has “translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”! It is in Him that we find life, and also in Him we can live every day of our lives in His light. The price has been paid—the only price! Jesus’ substitutionary (He died in my place), atoning (He paid A debt HE didn’t owe, because I owed a debt I couldn’t pay!), sacrifice (The propitiation—payment in full—for sin.) paid for our sin.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Sin is a debt we all owe, because ALL have sinned! But Jesus paid the price for our sin, and once we accept His payment for our sin, in repentance and faith, we have the power through His Holy Spirit, to live victoriously over sin. He imparts the power to live a holy life of victory when we will walk in HIS Spirit and power.

“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

Walking in the Spirit is essential to a successful Christian life, which we are called to pursue. Galatians 5, paints a most amazing contrast of the life lived in the flesh, with a life lived walking in The Spirit.

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,

and the Spirit against the flesh:

and these are contrary the one to the other:

so that ye cannot do the things

that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit,

ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;

Adultery,

fornication,

uncleanness,

lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry,

witchcraft,

hatred,

variance,

emulations,

wrath,

strife,

seditions,

heresies,

21 Envyings,

murders,

drunkenness,

revellings,

and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

I would encourage each of us to spend some time going over this list of the “works of the flesh” and examine our own hearts to see how our life lines up—are we living in these ‘works of the flesh’ or are we walking “in the Spirit” as Jesus empowers His children to do? Here is the contrast!

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love,

joy,

peace,

longsuffering,

gentleness,

goodness, faith,

23 Meekness,

temperance:

against such there is no law.

       24 And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,

provoking one another,

envying one another.” Galatians 5:16-26

You will notice that Paul calls these qualities the “fruit of the Spirit”—not the “fruits” of The Spirit. When The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, His work will be evident in the expression of these qualities in our daily walk—they are all His work, not just one! God’s children are made alive by HIS Spirit, and as His children we are to “live” in The Spirit, walking (referring to our lifestyle) “in the Spirit”! We can only do that by the power that God imparts to His own through the indwelling Holy Spirit, when we are born again.

When we are saved/born again, we become part of the body of Jesus Christ, and our lives ought to reflect His presence in our heart and in our living. Paul tells us more about this in 1 Corinthians 6:

“Know ye not

that your bodies are the members of Christ?

shall I then take the members of Christ,

and make them the members

of an harlot?

God forbid.

16 What?

know ye not that he which is joined

to an harlot

is one body?

for two, saith he,

shall be one flesh.

17 But he that is joined unto the Lord

is one spirit.

18 Flee fornication.

Every sin that a man doeth

is without the body;

but he that committeth fornication

sinneth against his own body.

19 What?

know ye not that your body

is the temple of the Holy Ghost

which is in you,

which ye have of God,

and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify God

in your body,

and in your spirit,

which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

What price tag do we recognize? Are we living our lives in recognition of the price that Jesus paid for us? Do we understand what Paul is reminding us of, that we “are not (y)our own”, and that we “are bought with a price”! And that price is not to be forgotten or belittled; yet in our culture both seem to be the prevailing attitude.

We often make the cross familiar rather than holy. We have made the cross a decoration, a piece of jewelry, a bobble to hang from a rearview mirror. We paint it, tattoo it, and place it in the yard or on the wall. The cross has been changed from an instrument of death, sacrifice and salvation to a cutesy bobble that people use with no regard for the One who died on “The Cross” to save all who will believe in Him and receive the Gospel of His redeeming blood!

“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.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Christ died for “our sins according to the scriptures” because we needed a Savior, a redeemer—one who would pay our sin debt and deliver us from sin, death and hell! That is what the cross is all about—the price was high, yet God was willing to pay it, not by constraint but because He loves us. (See Ro. 5) What value do you put on the price that Jesus paid? It breaks my heart that we have removed so much of the truth of the cross from the preaching and teaching of our day. We have chosen to spread a gospel of convenience and ease to a world desperately in need of the Gospel of The Cross, for truly “The Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference”! Without the cross there will be no difference made in the hearts and lives of the lost and dying. There is no hope of eternal life apart from the sacrifice that our Lord Jesus made at Calvary. And praise God; He went there for me! God chose to send Jesus for our salvation!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings

in heavenly places

in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us

in him

before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy

and without blame

before him

in love:

5 Having predestinated us

unto the adoption of children

by Jesus Christ to himself,

according to the good pleasure

of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace,

wherein he hath made us accepted

in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

the forgiveness of sins,

according to the riches

of his grace;” Ephesians 1:3-7

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins”—the work of the cross, all because God loves us. Before the foundation of the world, God chose to send His Redeemer, His Son, who would come to die for us! And that, my friends, is the good news of the Gospel, yet it cost God His only Son—His life for ours, the only price that ever was or ever shall be “Right”! Only One right ‘price’; what have you done with that ONE? We all must choose, and we do choose, and not choosing, IS choosing.

“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.

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.”   John 3:16-19

Have you trusted the One who paid the ‘price’ for your salvation? Or are you living in the dark of condemnation? Only you can answer that question.

“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know

that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition

from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest in these last times

for you,” 1 Peter 1:17-20

He paid the “price” for YOU, because HE loves YOU!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs  #362    Peace In The Chaos???

 

Just a few words of encouragement for your Friday (or whatever day you are reading this)! While things seem to be spinning out of control, and the whole world seems to be in chaos, we can have God’s peace and presence with us. We can walk in victory, no matter the storm! How? By hearing and heeding what God has to say about it!

“Be still,

and know that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen,

I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

We must not let the hustle and bustle rattle our peace, but take time to be still in our heart and mind, even when everything around us is in disarray. We can “Be still and know that I am God”! God is God whether we are still or not—but when we pause and focus our hearts and minds on HIM, being still in the turmoil, He brings peace and assurance to calm our hearts and minds, giving peace in the midst of any storm!

“And he said,

Go forth, and stand upon the mount

before the LORD.

And, behold, the LORD passed by,

and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;

but the LORD was not in the wind:

and after the wind an earthquake;

but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12 And after the earthquake a fire;

but the LORD was not in the fire:

and after the fire

a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it,

that he wrapped his face in his mantle,

and went out,

and stood in the entering in of the cave.

And, behold, there came a voice unto him………”.    1 Kings 19:11-13

Elijah was running for his life, yet God’s voice wasn’t heard in the “great and strong wind”, or the “earthquake”, or in the “fire”, but rather in “a still small voice”! Elijah was a mighty man of God, but even Elijah was sent running at the Jezebel’s threats on his life. Yet God didn’t rebuke Him, but fed Him, and gave him rest and then sent him on his way after assuring Him that The One with the “still small voice” had it all under control, and HE would take care of King Ahab and Jezebel, his queen in HIS time (And HE did!)!

Jesus also assures us that He is with His own, and when we belong to Him, we are never alone—because HE cares for us—even in the storm! We can count on Jesus!

“But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.” John 10:26-30

Whatever your storm today, “Be still”, listening for HIS “still small voice”, assured that Jesus knows His sheep and no one can “pluck them out of my hand”! You can trust the ONE who gave Himself for YOU! Tune in to HIS voice!

Bible Ballistics: BBs  #361    Eyes That See What???

 

“And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind?

how then doth he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself………24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said,

Whether he be a sinner or no,

I know not:

one thing I know, that,

whereas I was blind,

now I see.” John 9:19-21 & 24-25

Like the great hymn written by John Newton, ‘Amazing Grace’, this blind man for whom Jesus restored sight, proclaimed:

“whereas I was blind, now I see”

May each of us examine our own lives to see if we have had our eyes opened, if we have seen Jesus personally? Are we walking in the light, HIS light, or are we walking in the dark; trying to illumine our own way with the artificial lights of the world? Only Jesus can give real spiritual vision!

“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.” 1 John 1:5-7

Just saying that we belong to Jesus isn’t the evidence of our salvation, but our walk is—whether we are walking in the light or in the darkness. Simply put, we are talking here about a continual lifestyle/walk with Jesus, the reflection of His Light, in our life/our lifestyle. Jesus Himself gives us some very powerful insights into being able to see and know truth. We are responsible to examine ourselves:

“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

Just like the blind man who gained His sight, we can truly, and only see when we see with the spiritual vision that God gives. Only in looking to Jesus, and coming to Him in repentance and faith, can we have “eyes that see”! Have you examined what you think makes you right with God? Is it faith in Jesus, or something else? Are you walking in the dark and trying to claim that it is really light? Here’s what Jesus had to say to one particular church:

“Because thou sayest,

I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing;

and knowest not that

thou art wretched,

and miserable,

and poor,

and blind,

and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me

gold tried in the fire,

that thou mayest be rich;

and white raiment,

that thou mayest be clothed,

and that the shame of thy nakedness

do not appear;

and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,

that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:

be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.” Revelation 3:17-20

We must open the door to Jesus. Trying to be self-sufficient will never get us, as my Pastor says, from Oklahoma (or where ever you are!) to heaven. Only the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross will suffice to open your eyes that you can see “The Light” of the world who saves and delivers from the penalty and power of sin.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

Are you following Jesus? Are you walking in The Light? It’s a question of eternal import. May you see HIM today!

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.20 Reading Between The Lines???

 

On of my favorite songs lately has been an old song, but one I hadn’t really thought about in a long time, and then God brought it to my mind. It has touched a place in my heart that needed stirring, and I have been singing it to the Lord on a regular basis: “Be Thou My Vision” (By Dallon Forgaill), is the song that has sparked a longing in my heart. It has created in me a longing to truly have eyes (both physical and spiritual), which see as God sees—to see things as God sees them. That sounds rather insignificant, but I am finding that there are adjustments that I need to make in my life when I see things as God sees them. It often calls me to change things in my life, to eliminate things from my life, to add some things to my life, and to refocus my life toward God’s glory and purposes, rather than my own. It also means that I’m to desire to ‘love’ what God loves, and reject the things that God would find offense in—in other words to avoid the things that are not “well pleasing” to my Heavenly Father and my Lord Jesus. While the verses below are words were spoken in regard to Jesus Himself, they are words that we all ought to desire to hear God speak about us.

“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”   Matthew 17:5

Twice God confirmed Jesus as His own Son, the Messiah, by declaring His pleasure in the work that His Son was doing. What less could we desire but to please God The Father, Jesus The Son, and the precious Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and to hear Him say that He is “well pleased” with us, and our service to Him. To do that, we must have His vision, and then we can walk right before God and man, which is what Jesus did in His earthly life and pursuits.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:52

We ought to be pursuing God’s favor, and to do that we must immerse ourselves in His Word and His presence. We must dig into the Word of God, to know the God of the Word. We must seek His face in prayer and grow in intimacy with Him! And that, my friends, doesn’t come cheaply! It will cost us time, effort, energy, passion and devotion to the things of God, rather than being deceived and weighed down by the things of the world. Are we willing to seek the face of God rather than the “bling” and “distractions” that the world offers? Only I can decide that! Only YOU can decide that! And to help us choose wisely, here are a few things to consider in our pursuit of God’s heart and His vision.

“Trust in the LORD

with all thine heart;

and lean not unto

thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways

acknowledge him,

and he shall direct

thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

We must learn to trust our lives to our Lord and King, The Sovereign Lord of all, who loves us and cares for us. I must die to self and live to, for and through Jesus Christ my Lord.

“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

Jesus gave Himself for me, what else ought I to do but give myself for Him. And when we do that it will be seen in our life—our actions.

“For such as be blessed of him

shall inherit the earth;

and they that be cursed of him

shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a good man

are ordered by the LORD:

and he delighteth in his way.

24 Though he fall,

he shall not be utterly cast down:

for the LORD upholdeth him

with his hand.” Psalm 37:23

God will direct our steps when we belong to Jesus, and truly trust Him in all our ways. For there is only one way to be a “good man”, and that is by the blood of Jesus, which saves us from the penalty of sin, and forgives our sins unto eternal life.

“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:”     Colossians 1:12-14

Jesus offers eternal life to all who will look to Him, and believe in the atoning sacrifice for salvation that He made with His own body on the cross. He died for you and me—so that we could live in, for and through HIS power and Spirit in us!

“For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

leaving us an example,

that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin,

neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled,

reviled not again;

when he suffered,

he threatened not;

but committed himself

to him

that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins

in his own body

on the tree,

that we,

being dead to sins,

should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep

going astray;

but are now returned

unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”    1 Peter 2:21-25

While Peter is talking to believers who are suffering for their faith, He is also reminding us that because Jesus suffered, we are also called to suffer for Him (see 2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus told us the same thing when He reminded us that following Him has a price. Jesus gave His life for ours, what are we giving to Him? Are we reading between the lines, and seeing the world as Jesus sees it? Are we willing to die to ourselves and live unto Jesus? We can only do that by His power, grace and love, but we can do it, when we walk closely with our Savior. It is there that we will find the joy and reward that the Psalmist refers to.

“Blessed is the man

that walketh not in the counsel

of the ungodly,

nor standeth in the way

of sinners,

nor sitteth in the seat

of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in

the law of the LORD;

and in his law

doth he meditate

day and night.

3 And he shall be

like a tree

planted by the rivers of water,

that bringeth forth his fruit

in his season;

his leaf also shall not wither;

and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so:

but are like the chaff

which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly

shall not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation

of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knoweth

the way of the righteous:

but the way of the ungodly

shall perish.” Psalm 1:1-6

A day is coming when it will be too late to “read between the lines”, for the lines will be totally revealed IN the One who searches the hearts and minds of men. And the standard will be The Word of God—both the written Word, which we have before us today; and the Living Word, Jesus Christ The Lord. I’d like us to consider two passages that remind us of His coming and His position. What Position, you might ask? His position as King of Kings, Lord of lords, and judge of the living and the dead! But there are two ways to know Him; you can bow before Him now in repentance and faith, and be born again by the blood of the Lamb, knowing Him as your Savior and Lord; or you can reject Him now and bow before Him ‘then’ as your Judge, with no opportunity for salvation. It’s a choice we all make. Choose wisely, there is a test at the end!

“Let this mind be in you,

which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God,

thought it not robbery to be

equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient

unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”    Philippians 2:5-11

We who know Jesus and have been saved by His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin (And all are sinners—See Romans 3:23 and 6:23), can read between the lines! The lines are heaven and hell—and Jesus is what’s written between those lines, and all who will believe in Him and the sacrifice that He made for sin (Our sin.), can have eternal life instead of eternal death in hell. The choice is yours, but remember there is a consequence to every choice.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be

which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be

that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

There is a ‘broad’ way and a ‘narrow’ way, and you get to choose which one you will take. But know that there is only one end, but not the same end, for each choice. One leads to life—eternal life with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)—and the other leads to death. One is crowded and large; the other is small and much less crowded. Choosing to follow Jesus will mean not every one will like you; it may mean that you will suffer as He did; it may mean that your situation in life will change; it may mean that your friends may change toward you; it could cost you financially; it could cost your life! But both the present and the eternal reward are beyond our imagination! He is always with us!

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom,

which God ordained before the world

unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written,

Eye hath not seen,

nor ear heard,

neither have entered into the heart of man,

the things which God hath prepared

for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us

by his Spirit:

for the Spirit searcheth all things,

yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,

save the spirit of man which is in him?

even so the things of God knoweth no man,

but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received,

not the spirit of the world,

but the spirit which is of God;

that we might know

the things that are freely given

to us

of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:7-12

So which way will you choose? Will you choose the way that leads to life, abundant life, and glorious life beyond anything that we can imagine; or will you choose the way to destruction? And when we choose Christ, we must remember that when we “read between the lines”, and follow Jesus it will have a price tag!

“These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me

before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater

than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him that sent me”       John 15:17-21

So, keep your eyes on the prize, ask God to “Be Thou My Vision”, and walk on with and for the Savior! May we see with spiritual eyes and follow HIM in all our ways, and someday hear our Master say:

“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……23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:” Matthew 25:21 & 23

No matter how many ‘things’ the Lord has given us to be faithful over, may we one day hear Him acknowledge our ‘faithfulness’ when we see Him. Oh, that is the prayer of my heart. I fall so far short every day, but I’m pressing on for my king. How about you?
May we be like Joshua, who not only read “between the line”, but stood for the Lord and drew a line in the sand for others. May we ever be that light to the world—knowing that many won’t like us or believe our message, but He calls us to follow Him, not take a ‘popularity poll’ before proceeding. As an old song says, “I have decided to follow Jesus…..No turning back….no turning back…” ( ‘I Have Decided To Follow Jesus’, attributed to the Indian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh). Let’s choose to stand with Joshua and “read between the lines”! May God bless, grow and encourage you in His Word this week, and I pray that His grace and peace will fill your heart as you “choose you this day whom ye will serve”.

“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

Won’t you trust in the One “between the lines”?