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Bible Ballistics

Monthly Archives: June 2017

Free To…Or From…??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #372

30 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by Blanche in Choose You This Day!, Freedom To Or From?, Salvation, SIN, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #372    Free To…Or From…???

 

“For when ye were the servants of sin,

ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then

in those things

whereof ye are now ashamed?

for the end of those things is death.

22 But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”     Romans 6:20-23

As we think of freedom and independence during this time of year in the U.S., what are we free from? Or, what are we free to? Paul answered both of these questions. We have a choice, and most around us seem to be headed down the wrong road, making poor choices, to say the least! But what are the choices? In reality we have many choices each day, but there is one choice that will affect all the other choices.

‘What choice is that?’ you might ask. Well that choice is what you and I will do with Jesus. We can choose to side with the sin that rules our world, or we can choose to be “freed” from that sin, by the salvation which Jesus offers through His own blood.

“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 1:7

“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

The choice is a simple one—costly, but simple. We can either receive Jesus’ gift of salvation, or we can pay for our own sin. We are free to sin, if we so choose. Or we can be freed from sin, death and hell through the “blood of Jesus Christ his Son”! There are no other options!

Regardless of what the world may say, what the government may say, what other “religions” may say, there is only One Way to be free from the power and penalty of sin, and HIS name is Jesus! There is only One Way that gives life and real freedom, but you can choose the imitation freedom that leads to death (those ‘wages of sin’). (See John 14:6)

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

Even as Israel stood before their leader and general, Joshua, so many years ago, Joshua knew that every man, woman, boy and girl has to choose what they will do with the blessing and freedom that is offered to them, God’s freedom in salvation. You and I are also free to choose: to choose sin and its penalty, or to receive the salvation that Jesus bought with His own blood, and be “made free from sin” and its penalty? The choice is yours, a God-given right to choose, but remember, there is a test at the end! And only Jesus can provide the passing grade! To? Or from?

“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 24:15   Amen Joshua!

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Except Ye Repent…??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #371

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by Blanche in Salvation, SIN, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #371    Except Ye Repent….???

 

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:6

Jesus IS the only way—the One and only way to The Father God Almighty! And we only come to Him when we see our need for deliverance from the weight of sin, coming in repentance and faith to the only One who can save. Jesus is the Only One who can save because He was, is and ever shall be the perfect sacrifice for sin!

“Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away the sin

of the world.” John 1:29b

It truly is all about Jesus, and He is the One who tells us that we must repent—meaning turn around, change direction, to turn from the wrong direction to the right way– the Jesus Way.

“And Jesus answering said unto them,

Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were

sinners above all the Galilaeans,

because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen,

upon whom the tower in Siloam fell,

and slew them, think ye that they were

sinners above all men

that dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:2-5

While Jesus calls us to repentance, as we have discussed before, The Word is replete with the call to repent—a word that most don’t want to hear today–but we must!

“…… but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” Acts 17:30b

“Testifying …..repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Acts 20:21

And one of the most beautiful passages to explain repentance and faith is found in 1 John 1. And just a note of clarity, the word “confess” in verse 9 means to agree with God; to agree with God that sin is sin and I can’t save myself.

“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.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:7-10

Simply put, have you come to Jesus to receive deliverance from your sin? If we have come to Him, then we ought to walk in His light, His cleansing power, and His Spirit!

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He That Is Without Sin??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No. 25

25 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by Blanche in Every Knee Shall Bow, He That Is Without Sin, Salvation, SIN, The Word, Throwing Rocks

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.25 He That Is Without Sin???

 

“And early in the morning he came again into the temple,

and all the people came unto him;

and he sat down,

and taught them.

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him,

Master,

this woman was taken in adultery,

in the very act.

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us,

that such should be stoned:

but what sayest thou?

6 This they said,

tempting him,

that they might have to accuse him.

But Jesus stooped down,

and with his finger wrote on the ground,

as though he heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him,

he lifted up himself, and said unto them,

He that is without sin

among you,

let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down,

and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it,

being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one,

beginning at the eldest,

even unto the last:

and Jesus was left alone,

and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself,

and saw none but the woman,

he said unto her,

Woman, where are those thine accusers?

hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord.

And Jesus said unto her,

Neither do I condemn thee:

go, and sin no more.

12 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 8:2-12

Jesus in his public ministry encountered all kinds of people, and on this day of ministry and teaching the people, some religious leaders tried to set a trap for Him. They brought a woman before Jesus, and accused her of adultery, which was an offense worthy of death, according to the Law. One of the questions that has always stood out in my mind, is “Where was the man, she was caught in the act with?” These leaders weren’t concerned with justice, but with trapping Jesus and discrediting Him. But Jesus turned the tables on them, and in our vernacular, He told them to “go ahead”—but He pricked their hearts for the wickedness that they held onto. He hit the target of their ‘sinful’ hearts:

“He that is without sin

among you,

let him first cast a stone at her.”

While Jesus didn’t condone her ‘sin’, He did call them to judge their own hearts first! And while we live in a culture that says, “don’t judge” at all, what Jesus is saying is that we must judge ourselves first, before we can judge others. And even then we must judge with the righteous judgment of God. And God says that ‘sin’ is ‘sin’ and Jesus has paid the price for sin for all who believe in Him. I’ve often wondered what Jesus was writing on the ground that day—perhaps dates, or names, or places or ‘sins’, but whatever it was, the hearts of those men couldn’t withstand His silent judgment. When confronted by “God in the flesh”, they hung their heads and left one-by-one until there was just Jesus and the woman. This unnamed woman stood before the creator of the universe, and He simply asked where her accusers were!

“hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord.”

Then Jesus told her to “go, and sin no more”! And that is what Jesus calls us all to do, because sin is the issue. What will we do with it? If we claim that we have no sin, we are lying to ourselves and may never hear the voice of Jesus.

“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.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.

2: 1 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.”     1 John 1:5-2:2

Once again we find the emphasis is on the reality of ‘sin’! We all have it, and denying that we do doesn’t change the fact. John makes it clear that only Jesus can deliver us from the penalty of sin. He alone was, is and ever will be “the propitiation for our sins”! “Propitiation” is the payment in full for a debt. Jesus paid that debt with HIS blood! But we must recognize our own sin, repent and trust in Him. Then we will find the cleansing healing power of cross!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely

by his grace

through the redemption

that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth

to be a propitiation

through faith in his blood,

to declare his righteousness

for the remission of sins that are past,

through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say,

at this time

his righteousness:

that he might be just,

and the justifier

of him which believeth

in Jesus.”   Romans 3:23-26

Jesus’ sacrifice redeems us from our sin, forgives and delivers us from the penalty of our own sin. Only Jesus could provide a life changing, transforming, redeeming work that pays our sin debt.

“But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”    Romans 6:22-23

The payment for sin is death, but Jesus has paid that debt for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith. How about you? Have you come to Jesus? Have you faced your own sin, or are you still blaming someone else for the choices that you have made, or are still making. As the old adage says, ‘Every pot has to sit on its own bottom’? Are you “Washed In The Blood” of Jesus”? Only His blood can save, and He is waiting for you to hear His voice and open the door of your heart to Him.

“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 3:20

Jesus came that we might have life—He paid the price for our life at the cross, and He wants us to live with Him, both now and forever. Have you heard His voice? Is He knocking at your heart’s door right now? Won’t you respond to His call in faith, knowing that when we come to Him He gives new life, eternal life, abundant life—Jesus’ resurrection power living and working in us!!!

“If ye then be risen with Christ,

seek those things which are above,

where Christ sitteth

on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above,

not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead,

and your life is hid

with Christ

in God.

4 When Christ,

who is our life,

shall appear,

then shall ye also appear

with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

We can not only look forward to His coming in glory, but we can live victoriously for Him in resurrection power each day until He comes (or calls us to Himself). And we can do that by His power, and in living a crucified life!

“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

I can live the “crucified” life in and with Jesus, because He gives His Holy Spirit to dwell within those He saves. When we live “crucified with Christ”, His life will be seen in and through us; and we can do that because “Christ liveth in me”! Then we can say with Paul, that I “live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”! He paid it all, what less could I give to Him? I can live as the “new creature” that I am in HIM!

“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.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Have you received Jesus’ righteousness applied to your life? If not, I pray that you will seek Him; and I pray that if you know Him and have been born again, that you will walk in HIS transforming power. May we each be HIS ambassadors, busy for Jesus, knowing that HE “hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation”! And while He hasn’t called us to the “rock throwing” ministry, He has called us to declare salvation through His name to those who will hear the truth, acknowledge their own sin and bow before The Lord and Master, Jesus. We must preach and teach sin as sin, calling people to repentance and faith in Jesus. For the question isn’t, “Will you bow”; for all “will bow” before Him. The real question is when! Will you bow before Him as your Lord and Savior now, or will you bow before Him as your “judge” then—with no opportunity for salvation.

“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 2:8-11

The choice is yours, but choose wisely. There is a test at the end!

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face the earth and the heaven

fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things which were written

in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”    Revelation 20:11-15

The choice is yours, but remember God loves YOU.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

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What’s The Word??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #370

23 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by Blanche in The Word, What's The Word?

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #370    What’s The Word???

 

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:6

The “Word” is Jesus! He came as ‘The Word’, He spoke ‘The Words’ of God, He lived His life revealing ‘The Word’ to a lost and dying world, the ‘Final Word’ for all time! Even as He told the disciples, He is the Only Way to God. But just as importantly HE is ‘The Word’ for abundant living in this life. Today. It’s why He came.

He who came for us—that we might have eternal life now and forever! We can have abundant life, by His grace, His power and His provision! It’s why He came, to save all who will believe and receive His sacrifice.

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:21-23

He came to “save his people from their sins”! That is The Word! And in saving us from the death that sin brings, by His blood, He gives us life—eternal life with Him in heaven, and abundant, victorious, powerful, and effective life now—living by the power of His truth and His Spirit.

“I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.” John 10:9-11

So the question today is, “Are you trusting The One, Jesus, who came to give you life, or the one (Satan) who is leading people to death and hell?” Will you trust your life to The True Word or ‘the liar’? Jesus is the Only Word that never changes, and never lies.

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Titus 1:2

Jesus is the Eternal Word of God. Have you heard and received Him? There is no more important “Word”!

“In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him;

and without him was not any thing made

that was made.

4 In him was life;

and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness;

and the darkness comprehended it not.…..

10 He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 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.”    Portions of John 1:1-13

To close with a paraphrase of what my Pastor often says:

Sin IS the issue–

You’ve got—

You’ll die from it–

You can’t fix it—

But Jesus CAN!

He died so you could live—

You can live through faith in His life-giving—

Substitutionary—

Atoning—

Sacrifice at Calvary!

So ‘What’s The Word’? Jesus! He is the answer to all of life’s issues. Will you hear Him, believe in Him and be saved? Or will you fall for the lies of the enemy of your soul? It’s your choice. But choose wisely, there is a test at the end!

And if you already know Him, then let His Word be evident in You, as you feast on His Word, walk in His Spirit, living for Him “by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (See Galatians 2:20)! Amen!

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God’s Secret Place!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #369

21 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by Blanche in The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #369    God’s Secret Place !!!

 

“He that dwelleth in the secret place

of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD,

He is my refuge

and my fortress:

my God;”   Psalm 91:1

I’d just like to share a word of encouragement with you today. As children we all loved “secret” things: secret codes, secret places, just plain secrets–although secrets are seldom kept! But God keeps His secrets until the proper time comes to reveal them. Here the Psalmist mentions the one who “dwelleth in the secret place of the most High”, and tells us that he/she will abide under the “shadow of the Almighty”; a reference to the fact that those who belong to God, are cared for. Just as a sweeping Oak Tree will shade everything under it’s ‘shadow’, God cares for those who are His own. And you can be assured that God knows His own children—we who are His through faith in Jesus Christ The Lord—and we can confidently proclaim with the Psalmist that:

“He is my refuge

and my fortress:

my God;

in him will I trust”

How do we get into that “secret place”? Through faith in Jesus, and His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sin.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Jesus is the ONLY way to be in that “secret place” of God! And when we come there, God is truly our refuge, and fortress, the One in whom we can always “trust”! Mary, the sister of Lazarus, had to choose what she would believe.

“Jesus said unto her,

I am the resurrection, and the life:

he that believeth in me,

though he were dead,

yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me

shall never die.

Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him,

Yea, Lord:

I believe

that thou art the Christ,

the Son of God,

which should come into the world.”     John 11:25-27

Mary believed what Jesus said, and she made the decision to trust in HIM. In her specific incident, she believed that Jesus, The Messiah, could take care of her grief in the loss of her brother, and in that belief she saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. And praise God we can all be raised to life with Him, now, as well as after our death, or at His return. And until then we can live victorious lives through His indwelling Holy Spirit.

“Whereof I am made a minister,

according to the dispensation of God

which is given to me

for you,

to fulfil the word of God;

26 Even the mystery

which hath been hid from ages

and from generations,

but now is made manifest

to his saints:

27 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 1:25-27

This wonderful “secret”, this “mystery”, is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”! The promise of the New Covenant is Jesus dwelling within us through His Holy Spirit—He is the evidence that we belong to Jesus. He is the power that keeps us! He is the assurance of the glory to come!!! And we ought to depend on this amazing gift of God to guide, teach and direct our steps. He is the “secret” place where we are safe and secure, but even more importantly; He empowers us to serve our God powerfully in that place—through His indwelling presence, “Christ in you”! Are you in Him? Is He in you? If not won’t you come to Him today? If you are His already, won’t you welcome and embrace His will for you? He longs to have you “abide” in Him, in loving gratitude, devotion and dependence!

“Let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly

in all wisdom;

teaching and admonishing one another

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts

to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God and the Father

by him.”   Colossians 3:16-17

Amen and Amen!

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