Bible Ballistics: Are You Guarding Your Heart???? Vol. 4 #15

I wrote on this same subject just a few weeks ago and yet I fell burdened to write again on this same matter. After a recent conversation with someone very dear to me, this subject began to haunt my mind and soul again, then hearing someone else refer to Philippians 4:8 in regard to the things we say, and write, and do, I felt compelled to write again on this issue.

I think we have become so desensitized to the influence of the world on our hearts and minds, that we have forgotten to put on our armor and defend against the onslaught of the enemy of our souls. (See Eph. 6:10-19) Satan is trying to destroy the purity, fruitfulness and power of God’s own children, and he is often using the world around us to do it.

Yes, of course we can find forgiveness when we fail, whether it is in speech, print or action, but we MUST recognize that those things are issues of the heart, not just the outer, fleshly part of the man, woman, boy, or girl—but the heart!!

Jesus himself addressed this issue when He said that it’s not what goes in our mouth (food) that defiles us, it’s what is in our heart!! And what we allow in our hearts WILL come out. So how do we remain pure and faithful? We take action. I’d like to share some scriptures to remind us and be a guide for how we are to take care of our heart, and thence our words, and our actions.

Psalm 141:3-4a, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity:” We must rely on God’s provision through His Spirit and we can walk in righteousness. (See Gal. 5:16 & 25 “walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”)

Matthew 15:17-19, “Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies….”

We MUST keep our hearts pure from the corruption and vile speech of the world. If we accept and repeat the vulgarity of the world, we have either allowed ourselves to be overcome by the evil around us or we are so deceived and weak-minded that we are being of no use to God because we have forgotten the Lord who calls us to ‘holiness’.

Matthew 12:36, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

All men, saved and lost, will give an account. (See 1 Corinthians 3:13 and Romans 14:10 & 2 Cor. 5:10 for the saved and Rev 20:11-15))

Philippians 4:8, “Finally Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Check those thoughts at the door of your mind, and if they don’t pass this 8-fold test—refuse them. If it’s not from the Spirit of God, it’s usually from the enemy. Remember our enemy comes to ‘steal, to kill and to destroy’—don’t allow the enemy to ruin your testimony and influence for Jesus by worldly vulgarity and loose morals.

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

Remember that your words are telling the world what you have inside! Are you a blessing or a curse to those around you? What kind of fountain are you spilling forth on the world? Check your heart.

There’s a story told of a little boy who said bad, vulgar words one day to and about others. When caught and corrected by his father he apologized and was truly repentant and sorry for his misdeed (sin). The next day the father gave him a feather pillow and cut the top of it and had the boy scatter the feathers outdoors and bring the cover back. The father smiled and took the ticking cover and set it aside, saying nothing. The next morning he called the boy and sent him out with the ticking to recover the feathers he had strewn the day before. The little boy returned home with his heart saddened and distraught, as he came home with no more than 1/3 of the case full of feathers and told his father he had recovered all he could find. The wise father told him “It’s that same way with your words, once they are spoken and carried by the winds, damage is done that you can never undo.” We need to learn with the boy and remember the lesson in regard to our words as well. Our Father certainly forgives when we repent and seek His forgiveness, but just as you can pull a nail out of a board—you can never eliminate the ‘hole’ left behind.

1 John 1:9 declares that boldly. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Our God forgives and cleanses but He doesn’t always undo the scope and results of our sin on others. A word once spoken and cast into the heart of another can never be ‘undone’—forgiven, yes—but never undone!!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds😉 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

It’s a spiritual battle, but we have the tools to win!! We must bring every thought captive to Jesus before it goes out of our mouth, our keyboard, or back into our minds and hearts through media influences.

Guard your heart–be protective of what is allowed into your heart!! What you hear, what you see and watch on TV, what you feed your mind with. Remember—garbage in—garbage out. If I’m redeemed and put God’s Word in—His words will come out. But if I don’t put HIS Word in—what I do put in will produce a crop.

Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” What crops are you planting?????? They will bring a harvest.

“Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go,

keep you longer than you wanted to stay,

and cost you more than you intended to pay.” Source Unknown

And remember the tongue out of God’s control sins.

James 3:6, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

Are you on guard?? Amen and Amen.

Bible Ballistics: BBs #85 Desperate Futility or Deep Faith??

We’ve heard it– another prominent person ends their life. One who was outstanding at his trade: who had won all the recognition, accolades, awards and rewards of celebrity fame. Yet, life had been a struggle for him, as it is for all of us, but he had found no peace in all the worldly trappings. This precious life, given to each of us by God, was ended in desperation. A desperation that Jesus died to alleviate!!

Jesus said, “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

We can come to this ‘good shepherd’, or be pawns of the ‘thief’ who comes to ‘steal, and to kill, and to destroy’. Without Jesus, we have no defender against the cruel demons that plague men’s souls, we are children of disobedience, deceived by the enemy (see Eph. 2:1-3) But God came in the flesh to redeem those who would believe. It appears that this latest victim of the ‘thief’ had no inclination toward the Savior nor recognized his need for ‘redemption’, but while only God knows that, and He does; let us consider some significant truths.

Even genuine believers are sometimes deceived into doing harmful things to themselves and others. And we are called to help the weaker brothers; that we might all be found blameless when Jesus returns. But those without the Savior face an eternity of torment worse than what they’ve experienced in life. Not pleasant but true!!

In contrast, one seemingly ‘insignificant’ saint passed into eternity Monday, with little fanfare. She stepped out of the weariness of a failing body, into the arms of Jesus. Her last weeks and months had not been pleasant, but even in her pain and frailty, her thought was almost constantly, “I want to go home, to be with Jesus”. She held the line with grace, and confidence in the one to whom she belonged. Her passing leaves a great sorrow in the hearts of those who loved her, even though she received few accolades in her life. She gave love, laughter and joy to innumerable people, including me. I thank God that I had the privilege to know her and share in just a small part of her life. Her accolades are in eternity with her Savior. And while you won’t hear about her on the news, Jesus has welcomed one of His own into glory. Why? Because she had placed her faith in Jesus not the trappings of the world.

I’d just like to close with some sober scriptures for each of us to ponder.

Hebrews 9: 27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” We will all die—no second chances.   Where will you be? Those that you love?

2 Cor. 5:6-8, “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” If we choose Jesus here, we’ll be with Him forever there-in heaven. To not choose Him is Hell, for eternity.

Philippians 1:23-24, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” While I’m here, I am here with a purpose–to serve Him by helping others.

So?? Here’s our shot for today.

Don’t be deceived by the artificial trappings of the world—

they are empty clouds—

they will fail you.

Be sure you make the right choice—

because God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9b

James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

It’s your choice—desperate futility or deep-rooted faith?  Heaven or Hell?

Bored in Church – Point of View.

A great word form Kirby Anderson.  I wish I could have said it so concisely and well.  My thanks to Point of View for permission to share this post..

Bible Ballistics: In The Game or On The Sidelines?           Vol. 4 #14

We in the US know that it’s ‘Football’ Time!! Time for high school, college and professional ballgames, virtually every day of the week. But there is a great difference between ‘playing ball’ and ‘watching the ballgame’!!

The ‘players’ train, run, lift weights, practice plays and eat to stay in shape for the game. They study game films to know the plays, strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. All this to play in the game, for 60 minutes each week, for a season.

We saw a group of motorcycle riders the other day, all stopped to eat at the same place. Now you could surmise that they were bikers by their attire, their boots, head garb….etc., and it came to me that they were identified as ‘bikers’ by these things. But they could have all these things and still not be a biker!! How, you might ask? They could have all the paraphernalia that identified them outwardly as a biker but without a ‘motorcycle’ they aren’t really a ‘biker’.

Just like a ‘Football Player’ is only a ‘player’ when they play the game. The ‘arm chair’ quarterback may have clothing, helmets, and even know every play in the book, but unless he gets in the game, he’s only on the sidelines. I believe there is a parallel to our Christian life. We can claim to know Jesus, have all the outward trappings—we can wear Christian themed clothing, giant crosses, and even carry a big Bible, but if we aren’t in the game, what’s the point?

Matthew 7:22-23 says, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Saying so doesn’t make it so. Jesus makes it clear that just claiming to be a Christian, even doing ‘churchy’ things isn’t what makes us a ‘Christian’. A Christian is one who belongs to Jesus—being ‘born again’, saved by grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8-10, “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We are totally saved by grace—God’s work imparted to us by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work of dying for our sins. But we are saved with a purpose—“ created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”; to do good works for, in and through the power of Jesus Christ. I don’t do good works to be saved, but I do good works because I am saved. I am to be in the game and not sitting on the sidelines or in my ‘arm chair’.

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

When Christ Jesus saves us, we are made new—born again, as John 3:3&5 tells us. Born again of God, as John 1:12-13 says,

“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.”

God gives us new life; He equips us to be in the game. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12, we are saved to be in the game–by God’s power not our own!!

1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11-12, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal……. 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Every believer receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit manifests Himself in each believer with a special spiritual gift through which we are to minister within the body of Christ. We are saved to be in the game—not on the sidelines.

What are you doing for the Lord? Have you found your spiritual gift/gifts? Are you functioning within the body using your gift, which the Spirit gave you to minister through? We are each given a gift—as the Holy Spirit chooses– to function within the local body and beyond at every opportunity. What are you doing for the Lord with your gift?

Are you in the game, or sitting on the couch giving instructions to others? Are you wearing all the apparel but you don’t have a bike? Are you using Jesus’ name to blend in or stand out, and yet you don’t know Him in His saving power?

We will all give an account. If we belong to Jesus we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. If we don’t we’ll stand before God at the Great White Throne. (See Rev. 20)

1 Corinthians 3:11-15, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 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.”

Romans 14:10-12, “ 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.”

So, are you ready to give an account? Are you willing to get up and get in the game? Are you just dressing up to look like a Christian without knowing Christ? Are you a Christian but you’re still waiting on some perfect opportunity? Get right with God, come to Jesus and get in the game. The results are eternal!! Are you a Player or Spectator? It’s your choice. But the truth will be known one day!!