Bible Ballistics: BBs  #364    The Wages Due???

 

We have been talking about the price that Jesus paid for our salvation, and our debt to Him for the saving grace which He has provided; which should be evident through a life lived in devoted love and obedience to the Lord who saves us. Why would we ever not want to repay in love that which we have received from God—eternal life, abundant life, and a future hope. All because Jesus came and gave Himself for me/for you. I would like to take a few minutes this morning to encourage you and remind each of us that ‘payday’ is coming—and just because we don’t get our reward today (So to speak, because Jesus is my reward every day that I live!), it is coming. And the reward will reflect that which we have given of ourselves to Jesus in this life!

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

which according to his abundant mercy

hath begotten us again

unto a lively hope

by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead,

4 To an inheritance

incorruptible,

and undefiled,

and that fadeth not away,

reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept

by the power of God

through faith

unto salvation

ready to be revealed

in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice,

though now for a season,

if need be,

ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:” 1 Peter 1:3-6

Peter reminded those early believers of the hope that never fails—the hope of glory that Jesus gives to those who will come to Him in repentance and faith.

“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

Christ Jesus gives to us a wonderful salvation—the gift of eternal life, His very presence in our hearts, and the hope of “glory” that we will share in eternity with Him—Jesus our God, and we His children—together forever apart from the presence of sin, death and hell!

“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”   2 Corinthians 9:15

But we need to remember that we will give an account in regard to our stewardship of God’s gifts and calling upon our individual lives. Here are a few of the scriptures that remind us of our accountability to God (And remember, there are only one of two wages to receive, death or eternal life, See Ro. 3:23, but there are rewards for faithful service.)

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest:

for the day shall declare it,

because it shall be revealed by fire;

and the fire shall try every man’s work

of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide

which he hath built thereupon,

he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned,

he shall suffer loss:

but he himself shall be saved;

yet so as by fire.”     1 Corinthians 3:13-15

“For whether we live,

we live unto the Lord;

and whether we die,

we die unto the Lord:

whether we live therefore,

or die,

we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end Christ both died,

and rose,

and revived,

that he might be Lord

both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?

for we shall all stand

before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us

shall give account

of himself to God.” Romans 14:8-12

May we ponder these truths today, and while these refer to the judgment of the saved, if you don’t know Jesus, there is a different judgment to consider. That one will be not only according to your works, but condemnation will come on those who have rejected the ‘Blood of the Lamb’ who died for “the world” of men! (See John 3:16) Revelation 20 reveals the sentence for all who reject Jesus!

“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 20:12-14

I pray that you will choose wisely! And if you have already chosen and received Jesus, may our lives reflect His saving power, presence, grace and glory to those God places in our path. I pray God’s blessings on your day, dear ones!

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know

that your labour is not in vain

in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen and Amen!!!

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!