Bible Ballistics: BBs #191 Not Stressed But Saddened???

What a sad “state” of affairs we have seen in America these last few weeks, and the events of recent days have grieved my heart to the extreme. I just want to call us to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, And PRAY for our nation—for our world! What have we come to when we butcher our law officers, and jail public officials who have a conscience to obey God rather than man? I would never have thought I would see these things in my lifetime.

How did we get here? The same way the old joke says, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!”, we have taken one step after another after another and another and we’re still seemingly marching on to that same drummer with no compunction to avoid or fear what is at the end of that road, or to realize where that road is leading.

A pastor was sharing recently that part of the torment of hell would be the ‘absence of God’. As I heard and pondered that thought, it came to my mind and heart that we are seeing that very principle today. America and the world have rejected the good news of the gospel of salvation, the Word of God, the Son of God and the God of the Son!!! And by that ‘excusing’ of God from our midst what do we see? A world gone amuck –terrorists on every hand –rejection of authority (Partly because we have raised, trained and educated a whole generation who refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions—therefore all actions are acceptable and blame free!)—A world on the verge of anarchy.

Anarchy: a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority.

So, why am I belaboring the issue? Because so many seem to be oblivious to where we are, or just don’t care, but I must at least speak and try to awake those who are willing to be ‘awakened’!

“Be astonished,

O ye heavens, at this,

and be horribly afraid,

be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.

13 For my people have committed two evils;

they have forsaken me

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed them out cisterns,

      broken cisterns,

that can hold no water.” Jer. 2:12-13

We ‘earth dwellers’, and especially those who have claimed to know the God of the universe, the creator of all things, and His Son Jesus Christ, have abandoned and forsaken HIS truth for the lies of the enemy.

“But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:40-47

As I am often known to say, “saying so, doesn’t make it so”! Just saying you are a “Christian”, a “Believer”, a person of “Faith”, doesn’t make it so! What makes it so is “being born again” by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, through repentance and faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, for our sin debt!!! (See John 1:11-13 & John 3:3-19) If we know Him, we will have a new heart and peace with God—that means we will be in right relationship with God through Jesus and follow HIM! I believe it is virtually impossible to follow Jesus and reject HIS Word(s)! I CAN NOT truly love Jesus and His Father God and reject His Word or the principles that it proclaims!!! Yes, I said CAN NOT!!! I don’t usually spend this much time sharing my own thoughts but I am compelled by the harm that is barely at bay; to warn us all of the impending danger if we don’t repent and get right with God. And to call genuine believers in Jesus to “stand fast in the evil day”, for we are there!

Are you ready for the onslaught of evil? Are you prepared to pay the price for “standing fast” with Jesus and to His Word? Are you focused on our Lord and God, or on this world and all it’s deceitful pleasures? Are you bothered by the vulgar, the crude, and the immoral things going on around us? Or are you part of the vulgar, the crude and the immoral and excusing it as “OK”? We MUST examine ourselves and ask God to “search my heart” and “lead me in the way everlasting” (See Psalm139:23-24). James sums it up pretty well:

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;

and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:

let your laughter be turned to mourning,

and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.” James 4:4-10

The choice is yours. Submit yourselves to God or the Devil. But be sure you have checked out the consequences of each choice. The days of the Devil are at hand, are you sure you’re on the right side? We who belong to God will win, but there may be suffering before the victory. Are you ready? You better get ready—the days are at hand!

“It is a faithful saying:

For if we be dead with him,

we shall also live with him:

12 If we suffer,

we shall also reign with him:

if we deny him,

he also will deny us:

13 If we believe not,

yet he abideth faithful:

he cannot deny himself.”   2 Timothy 2:11-13

“Yea,

and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus

shall suffer persecution.

2 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,

deceiving, and being deceived.”   2 Timothy 3:12-13

Please don’t be deceived and miss Jesus!!!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #190 Too Blessed To Be Stressed???

Some years ago a friend gave me a pin-on button that had this slogan on it, and I thought it was most appropriate, for we are blessed beyond measure. But are we living in the ‘blessing’ or the ‘stressing’? It’s a choice—I can rest in my Father God who holds me in His hands or I can allow the world and it’s allures to run me into a frenzy. How do we choose the blessing instead of the stressing? First and foremost we must keep our focus–“Looking unto Jesus”!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 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. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Hebrews 12:1-3

I love this passage! It reminds me that the best cure for stress is rehearsing the goodness and faithfulness of our God. The writer of the letter to the ‘Hebrews’ reminds us of this by calling us to take comfort and find assurance for confidence from the testimonies of those who have gone before us trusting and finding God faithful (it’s in the BOOK). He never fails! And, since HE never fails, then I can overcome the world! How? By laying “aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” and running “with patience the race that is set before us”. Not being run here and there, hither and yon by the call of the “world”, but by “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”. It’s all about HIM not me, and in HIM I find the courage and reassurance to run the race by resting in HIM. Not by laying down on the job, but by having the calm assurance that Jesus has gone before me and my goal is to follow HIS example, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame”!!! Jesus endured the cross, He did the will of His Father in this crazy world, and if you’ll examine His life you’ll find that He never rushed—He just keep on doing the will of His Father in HIS timing, not forced into the mold of the world. He endured because He knew this world is certainly NOT ALL THERE IS! And because He overcame and ‘endured’ that cross for me, He is now “set down at the right hand of the throne of God”, and there “he ever liveth to make intercession”. We are not alone when we belong to Jesus!!! YOU are not alone!!! Trust Him! Rest in Him! Look in the word for those others who have walked where you are walking victoriously IN HIM.

There is a special person who trusted in the faithfulness of God in vibrant colors of faith and confidence, and that’s Job. The first time you read through the book of Job, it’s a real chore, it’s not the easiest thing to read, but the more you read it the more you love it, seeing the confident faith of this man that stood fast in the storm. And what a storm! And with such friends! We can all relate to that. Job lost everything in one day, yet look at his response of faithfulness:

“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” Job 1:20-22

Job worshipped and blessed the Lord—he chose to remember what he knew– the trustworthiness of his God!! How about us? Are we so “God-reliant” that when the bottom falls out, we know who holds us? When the world seems to be crashing in around us, do we know who controls the outcome? We can stand in confident reliance on the faithful God Almighty.

And we can live with confidence because our dependence is on our God who holds us, not on our ability to hold Him!! He has promised to “never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” And because of that: “we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (See Hebrews 13:5-6)

So??? We can live in confidence because we are “too blessed to be stressed”!!! Let’s not settle for less than we have in JESUS!!! He can do HIS work in us—He will do HIS work in YOU, if you will but trust HIM in faith. He IS faithful!!!

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

So that we can:“…. hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised😉” Hebrews 10:23

So look up, walk forward knowing that YOU are blessed. Don’t be stressed!!!

Bible Ballistics: An Attitude Of Arrogance??? Vol. 6#16

Daniel is fascinating, and one of my favorite books in all of scripture. It is so practical because of the living example of this faithful man of God, from whom we can learn so much. Daniel lived out his faith in the heat of spiritual warfare. He was in a foreign land, under a captive nation, working for a pagan king, yet doing an outstanding job as the servant of the Most High God. Ingetrity showed in everything that Daniel, and his three friends did. While we didn’t see Daniel in last weeks study, we saw his three friends stand fast, suffer the result of their stand, and consequently experience reward from God and an amazed king. As we continue on to chapter 4 we don’t see any further mention of Shadrach, Meshach nor Abednego but we know they have been faithful servants of God and toward King Nebuchadnezzar.

Much time has elapsed between the episode we looked at last week, and we find Nebuchadnezzar still a ruler of great power but seemingly erratic temper and arrogance.

“Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.” Daniel 4:1-7

Once again we find Nebuchadnezzar the recipient of a notable and significant dream—a prophetic dream. But let’s not miss some very significant things about this chapter. Look at verse 1—this chapter is written as a personal narrative of King Nebuchadnezzar—a personal declaration to all the world of an experience that the King wants to personally share with the world!!! Whoa??? What’s happened? Last week we saw that Nebuchadnezzar recognized the God of Daniel and His friends as a unique God, a God who could over-ride the king’s edict:

“Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” Daniel 3:28-29

But here in chapter 4 we find the King with a new attitude. But what brought on this new ‘attitude’ in the King? Let’s read on about the dream that apparently precipitated this change of ‘heart’, a change that has King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledging the work of God in his own life. Whoa? Say what? But again there’s a catch—a dream but no one able to give the interpretation to the King. But…….

“But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,” Daniel 4:8

Enter God’s man. Even a pagan King recognized that Daniel had a ‘spirit’ different from all the other “wise men” in his kingdom, so he confidently shares with Daniel the dream.

“O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 16 Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.” Verses 9-18

We see not only the Kings respect for Daniel, but he knew that Daniel was a man gifted by his God to interpret dreams. While we only have a record of the dream dilemma that Daniel solved in chapter 2, it is likely that Daniel’s gift had been put to use on other occasions that aren’t recorded. At any rate, we find Daniel trusted by the King and he shares his dream of the tree (We’ll look at the specifics later when we see Daniel’s interpretation). But I want us to notice the confidence that he had in Daniel, “but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee”. Daniel had earned the respect and confidence of a pagan King by standing fast for God and doing excellently in all his actions! How do I know that, you might ask? Well, we see later that even his enemies admitted his integrity was impeccable, and they couldn’t accuse him in any matter of his work.

“Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Daniel 6:4-5

Oh, to have a testimony of such godly integrity, a testimony that even his enemies couldn’t discredit. It didn’t make them like him, but they couldn’t deny his integrity. We’ll see they still sought to have him killed, but they couldn’t escape his integrity, and that was after some 50 years of public service in Babylon. What a difference it would make if we could find some politicians with that kind of integrity!!! But we see something else about Daniel in this encounter, we see his compassion for this pagan king, his deep grief over the judgment of God that is going to come on one that he has served and prayed for all these years.

“Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.” Verse 19

What about us? Would we have jumped and shouted “hotdog”—he’s getting his ‘dues’? Or would we have been broken and grieved like Daniel? Do we care enough for those that oppose us, those who hate us, those who seek our harm, that we are grieved when judgment falls on them? Or do we rejoice? Do we focus so much on the evil around us, that our attitude is more similar to their’s than to God’s? Our call is to exhibit the ‘love’ of God (charity=love) to a world that needs it desperately:

“Charity

suffereth long,

and is kind;

charity envieth not;

charity vaunteth not itself,

is not puffed up,  

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly,

seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked,

thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things,

believeth all things,

hopeth all things,

endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

We have a standard that only Jesus can empower us to meet! But it IS our standard, because Jesus calls us to it. Daniel knew his God, and he knew the love of his God and I think we see that he had extended that compassionate love toward this king who was 180 degrees opposite to him. But Daniel still cared!!! How about you and me? Now, what about that dream?

“The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.” Verses 20-26

The Dream and its                                       Interpretation:

 

The tree:                                                 Nebuchadnezzar

Strong

Great

Growing

Supplying needs

Meat for All

High & Visible

 

The Watcher:                                           Decreed from God

       A holy one                                        Upon the King

       From heaven

The Declaration:

      “Cut” it down                                     Be driven from man

       But leave the stump                          Dwell among beasts

       Place a band around it                       Behave like the beasts

       It’s portion with the beasts

       Till seven times pass over                  7 periods (uncertain if years or

                                                              months but set by GOD!)

“till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”

             Then Restoration/Throne

Daniel has just pronounced a judgment from God upon the King whom he serves. He expresses no glee or satisfaction that judgment has come, but great grief and compassion for this king. And Daniel declares to the king that this judgment will continue until he, the King of Babylon, recognizes and bows before the Almighty God of the universe. Daniel then calls King Nebuchadnezzar to take action to seek the mercy of God and perhaps avoid this grievous judgment.

“Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” Verse27

But the king’s arrogance superseded his discernment, and he ignored Daniel’s advice. In fact, he so much ignores it that his arrogance becomes even worse. Let’s see:

“All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.” Verses 28-33

I find it interesting that even “as he spoke” of his own greatness, power and honor, the judgment fell upon him, and that it was 12 months later. How easily we can get caught up in our own ego, our own selfish ways, our own accomplishments and successes—with no regard for the God who gives us breath; who grants us life for each day; with no regard for the sure and sovereign rulership of God Almighty. We live in a world full of arrogance, of self-focused people, of total independence, who take the longsuffering mercy of God as permissiveness. But there is a day too late to change ourselves. And while the king had warning—he ignored it. While the king had one who cared enough to call him to repentance—he ignored it. While the king thought he was a ‘self-made’ king, he found out different. He found out that the God, who truly rules, is able to reveal Himself to men who will receive it, and judge those who don’t’. But even judgment can bring repentance!

“And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” Verses 34-37

What a change of heart!!! Instead of “out of the mouths of babes”, here we have ‘out of the mouth of the king’—a humbled king. What about us? Are we willing to humble ourselves, or will God have to move in harsh ways to get our attention? To change our heart? To humble us?

Just a few verses to ponder as we close for today:

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14 (be sure and read the context)

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” 1 Peter 5:6

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6

So the choice is yours! Will you be the exalted arrogant one, or will you humble yourself before God and others, and leave the exalting to God—in His time and in His way? Consider the consequences, the choice is yours, but there is a day of reckoning coming.

“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” Isaiah 2:11

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth

take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #189 Ready For YOUR Appointment???

We’ve experienced a tragic week in our nation, police officers slain senselessly in the exercise of their duties, young journalists slain on live television! What have we come to? How did we get to this state in our nation? There is a lot of debate over this issue—from ‘gun control’ to ‘gun elimination’, from race to mental health. Yet it seems very few have addressed the real issue, and that’s the sin in the heart of man. We must address the real issue, and only in recognizing the issue can we change anything in this world.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer. 17 9

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

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12

One common problem causes most of our problems in this world, and simply enough there is only one solution—and that is JESUS!!! Just as sin entered this world by “one man”, only the one ‘God Man’, Jesus Christ who came to deliver us from our sin, can fix and eliminate the problem– now in our hearts and ultimately in total deliverance. And while we mourn the loss of lives so sudden and needlessly taken, there is more that we need to consider today.

Each one of those people left home to go to work with probably little thought of whether or not they would return home at the end of their workday. Yet each of them met their maker before the shift ended—ready or not, they were called from this life into eternity. Ready or not they walked into eternity, with no “second” chances, with no “do-overs”. We are either ready to meet the God of the universe or we are not. I pray that each of these individuals was ready to face God, that they were born again; but ready or not they are now in eternity—in Heaven or Hell without recourse or opportunity to change their ‘choice’. And yes it’s a choice—we choose to believe and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior or we choose to reject Him. And ‘not’ choosing Jesus is choosing—delay is a choice! What about you?

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:27-28

“Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?” Job 7:1

We will all face death, (except those believers who are alive when the Lord calls His own out at the ‘rapture’) and we need to be prepared. Are you prepared ‘to meet your God’? God called Israel to prepare, and I believe He is calling us today to prepare for His coming. If we aren’t ready for His coming, we are not ready to meet ‘death’. Just as those officers and journalists had no advance notice of impending doom, we may not have any advance notice (other than God’s Word) to prepare. We must examine ourselves to see if we are ready to ‘meet’ God!

“I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.” Amos 4:11-13 God IS God!!!

So what about you? Will you receive the urgency of the call of the Word of God? Let’s consider what the Word has to say. Please do? There are no ‘second chances’ after death. There are no ‘do-overs’ in eternity. Ready or not, Jesus IS COMING! “Soon And Very Soon”!!!

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14

“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” John 11:25-26

“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 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? ………. 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.…… 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again……….. 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Portions of John 3:3-16  He loves YOU!!!

The choice is yours. Will you trust Jesus while you have the opportunity, or will you put it off waiting for a more convenient time? You may not have any more time.

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:20

If you haven’t received the salvation that Jesus purchased for you at Calvary—then you will stand on your own:

“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 20:12-15

No appeal!!! No second chance!!! No do-overs!!! Don’t wait for a better time.

“….now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; ……. but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Bible Ballistics: BBs #188   “As The World Turns”???

There used to be a “soap opera” called “As The World Turns”, in fact it enjoyed a 54-year run on television. While I don’t promote ‘soap operas’, and I certainly don’t think they are healthy fare for the soul (in fact I watched them in my youth until I was impressed to cease watching them because they were having such an adverse affect on my life and marriage), I do think the title can help us to consider the continuing nature of life—and that God is at work “As The World Turns”!!! Regardless of how it ‘looks’!

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.” Genesis 1:14-15

God created the earth with times and seasons—of nature and of life. And creation works on the same order today by God’s grace and longsuffering toward man. He gave us lights for day and night—but different. He gave us seasons for cycles of planting, growing and harvest, death and back to planting and new life! And generally speaking our lives work the same way. We have seasons of planting and working, growing up, growing out and growing our own families to start their own lives in the same cycle of life. But there is also a time to die, as Solomon so clearly stated in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

“To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born,                      and a time to die;

a time to plant,                             and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill,                             and a time to heal;

a time to break down,                    and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep,                          and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn,                            and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones,          and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace,                         and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get,                              and a time to lose;

a time to keep,                               and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend,                            and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence,                    and a time to speak;

8 A time to love,                            and a time to hate;

a time of war,                                and a time of peace.”

If we think about it, we have experienced most of these ‘times’ in our lives—the ups and downs, the good times and the bad, the easy and the difficult, the joys and the sorrows. But the key is to remember who set this world in place and who is our hope of life!!! And the only way we can do that, is to know and belong to Jesus—to repent of our sin, to trust to the blood of Jesus to save and transform life by being born again–Only one way—only one Savior. The plan set in place before the order of this world was created.

“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:” Ephesians 13-4

Jesus was the solution before the problem existed. God knew we would sin, and need a redeemer before the world was set on it’s axis—He knew that HIS SON would pay the price of our redemption—yet He created us anyway. He loved us that much! I can’t fathom such love, but I am eternally grateful for it, and for God’s sovereign control over all things—YES, even now!!! Especially now! So what can we learn from all of this? We can grow our confidence in our God!! We can know that He is at work all around us, if we’ll but open our ‘spiritual’ eyes to see Him all around us, and open our ‘spiritual’ ears and hear His Spirit speaking to our hearts and minds, and then yield to His voice and obey!!! As Paul reminds us, we can not only know Him, but also be sure that God is working in all things to make us more like Jesus:

“That I may know him,

      and the power of his resurrection,

      and the fellowship of his sufferings,

      being made conformable unto his death;”    Philippians 3:10

Oh, to know Him more!! How? By trusting HIM more, even in our weakness, because it is HIS Spirit and His strength at work in us accomplishing HIS purposes!

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us

with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession

for the saints

according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us, who can be against us?”     Romans 8:26-30

So??? Whatever is spinning in you world; whatever is going well, or not so well; whatever is going up or down; whatever is changing in your world—God knows and He cares. And even more importantly HE is using your circumstances and mine to help us be “conformed to the image of his Son!!! Just remember that no matter how your ‘world’ is turning—if you know Jesus– HE is standing fast for you, ever praying for you and working in all your circumstances! Trust HIM!!!

“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 7:25

So, ‘As The World Turns’ around you, remember:

“And when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

and lift up your heads;

for your redemption draweth nigh.”    Luke 21:26