Bible Ballistics: “BBs”    HOPE???  #37

Spring keeps pushing her way in and I am so glad that God has designed the seasons to enjoy.  The seasons of the year and the differences of each, bring to mind the seasons that we encounter in life.  It brought to mind Lamentations 3:22-24,

“ It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”

Jeremiah proclaimed this hope at the end of a 40-year ministry of calling his people to repentance.  As a whole they did NOT listen, and the kingdom of Judah fell captive to the Babylonians.  His message was not popular, nor was he, but he cared enough to preach it anyway.  God had called him to this task and he was faithful to it.  Yet, in the end HIS hope was still in HIS GOD!!!

How about us? What task has God called me/you to?  What season are you in right now?

Prosperous—‘trust in the Lord and do good’.

In financial straights—‘Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in HIM’.

Being mistreated—‘fret not thyself because of evil doers’.

Full of sorrow or pain—‘delight thyself also in the Lord’.

Just plain tired of all the battles—‘rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for HIM’. 

Angry about ___—‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.’ 

Pious platitudes? No, it’s the comfort and direction of God’s Word (see Psalm 37).

I’m sure Jeremiah felt all of those things at various times during his ministry, yet after seeing his people, his nation and his precious Jerusalem destroyed he penned these wonderful, encouraging and precious words of HOPE!!!

So?  Remember –

His mercies are new every morning—

His compasssion fails NOT—

Great is our God’s faithfulness—

REAL HOPE IS ALWAYS IN HIM!!

So?  Look up—

Look to the Lord not at the lions—

our redemption draweth nigh.

Bible Ballistics:Cross or Manger? February 23, 2014 Vol.3 No.15

I know this is our usual Q&A week, but after the events of the last couple of weeks, I decided to postpone till next month. I’d’ like to consider what Jesus said in Luke 9:22-25,

“Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”

Jesus was preparing his disciples for His impending death on the cross, that He would

 ‘suffer….

be rejected….

be slain… ..

and raised the third day…’

All for YOU and ME!! Although they didn’t fully understand what was coming, Jesus called them to carry their own “cross”.  Why?  He makes it clear that for those who would “come after” Him, the cost would be self-denial.  We are to take up the “cross” daily, and follow Jesus.  To  ‘…loose his life for my sake’  to  ‘…. save it….’.   Saved for eternity—living for Jesus by dying to myself.  To give up little to gain all.

What does Jesus mean when He says ‘take up his cross’?  Does He mean our conflicts, difficulties, and general challenges of living? Or is He referring to something else?  Is He talking about our kids, our rheumatics, our jobs and such or something more?  To answer this we must consider what the ‘cross’ is.  In much of our American culture we have minimalized the cross and made it an ornament rather than the symbol of our salvation.  We decorate with crosses, we wear them around our necks, in our ears, on our dashboards and bumpers.  But what is the cross?  It was an instrument of death, an instrument of cruel torture used by the Romans as a method of execution.  For our Savior, the cost of our salvation.  HIS death was of eternal import, the price for our salvation.  What is He calling us to do?  To take up our cross, is to do as Paul explains in Galatians 2:20,

“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.” 

I am to identify with Jesus, and take up my cross –to die to myself.  Yet Paul says, my death is to be unto Christ, as HE will live “in me”, in the person of the Holy Spirit.  As we see in Colossians 1:27,

“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:”  Jesus dwelling in us, ‘the hope of glory….”

That I can come to learn that the Spirit of Christ is living and working in me, Romans 8:28-31,

“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?” 

To know that God is working in my heart and life, to make me more and more like Jesus; that when God saves me, He has a plan to bring me to ‘glory’.  To have confidence in the one who “called”, “justified”, and will “glorify” me,  through His own Son’s sacrifice for my Sin.  A confidence that reminds me,

“If God be for us, who can be against us?”

The cross bought our salvation and calls us to ‘give ourselves’ to Him, for His glory, our present good, and eternal glory with HIM in heaven one day.

And the ‘manger’?  Jesus was born and placed in a manger and we love that story.  We know that the eternal God of the universe left the throne of His father to come and live in a body of flesh, to show us the Father, and to DIE for our sins.

Matthew 1:21, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” 

And Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” 

Mary gave birth to the Savior of the world and laid Him in a ‘manger’.  A trough for feeding became the cradle for the King of Glory.  Yet Jesus didn’t call us to take up our ‘manger’– to sleep, to rest—He called us to take up our ‘Cross’!!!  To die to ourselves and ‘LIVE’ for HIM—to live for His glory, 1 Cor. 10:31,

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 

Why?  Because I love Him and am grateful for what He did for me. But also because He has called me to ‘follow HIM’!!  He went to death for me—I am to die to ‘myself’ for HIM.   To be a testimony of what Jesus can do through someone devoted to HIM–

So what are you doing?  Are you resting in your ‘manger’ or taking up your ‘cross’?  Although we are to ‘rest in the Lord’ by faith, we are also to die to ourselves and ‘take up our cross’ and follow HIM to the cross.  To follow Him to death, if necessary, but to follow HIM.  To know that it’s ‘not I but Christ’—to focus on HIM not me.  Where is your focus?  Resting in the manger, or carrying your ‘cross’?

How?

Phil. 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me..”   

It’s all about HIM—not about me.  Living in His strength alone!  Am I denying myself—or denying Jesus?  Food for thought as we walk through this week. Carrying our cross?  May others see Jesus in me.  

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”   #36 Help???????

A little change of pace today, as we struggle with life.  Be it a hard week at work, crises in your personal life, or a life-changing diagnosis, God has a word for us.

Psalm 121:2, “2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

Regardless of the things that I may be facing—Jesus is there.  HE will help!!  He knows all that is behind and before.

Isaiah 46:10, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”

Hebrews 13:5b-6, also reminds us, “….. for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and  I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

If Jesus is all you have, YOU can know that JESUS is enough.  He is trust-worthy and faithful.  I may not know what today holds, much less tomorrow, but I know the ‘God’ who holds today and tomorrow and I will keep on,

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;” Hebrews 12:2a.

I serve the God who sees, cares and acts… (See Gen. 16:13).

Look to HIM!!! Right now!!

So?  Don’t throw away your confidence….  Remember who died for you….  He has it all in hand.  Remember (and memorize) Phil. 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.”

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”   #35  Wise or Foolish

Good morning to you. I was thinking today I of a passage from Matthew 7, a passage that most are familiar with, especially if you attended Vacation Bible School or Sunday School as a child.  We learned the song about the ‘wise man’ and the ‘foolish man’.  Not just a simple child-like song but also a profound statement of truth!

In Matthew 7:20-21 Jesus said, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Who then can ‘enter into’ heaven?  What are the ‘fruits’ and how do you know what is the ‘will of my Father’.

Jesus closed this segment of teaching with the passage I mentioned earlier, Matthew 7:24-27,

“ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” 

Simple but profound.  Build on the ROCK!  Jesus is that ROCK.  (See 1 Cor. 10:4) The fruit is Jesus in the person of the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 8:9) The entry is Jesus—The WAY. (See John 14:60)  And the ‘will of the Father’?  Believe/build on the SON!!

So?  Build on the ROCK or ‘FALL’.  Jesus is the ROCK!!!  And the fruit of the Spirit is:

Gal 5:22-23b, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance….”

Bible Ballistics: Evil or Good? February 16, 2014 Vol.3 No.14

After a bit of a stressful week in the hospital with my husband, I had a lot running through my mind and heart.  (Just so you’ll know, all is well with us and we’re back home and doing fine).  Lots of things going on around us–competition at the Olympics, major sports stars and movie stars making ‘bold’ announcements to much public applause, government scandals still looming in regard to the IRS and State Department, a looming debt problem that is multiplying exponentially.  Seemingly our world, in particular our nation, is floundering for direction.  What’s the problem? Is there a solution?

Isaiah 5:20-21 says, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

We have become a people who refuse the way of the Lord?  Where are we headed when we reject and/or deny the Word of God?  Isaiah says, “WOE” (great sorrow or distress) is the destination of those who twist God’s standard.

Paul describes our days in 2 Timothy 3:1-6, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 

Although this is a long list, and one we’ve talked about recently, I want us to focus on verse 4-5, which zeros in on the cause of the peril—that men are,  “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God”, and that they have a ‘form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…’.   They want to claim God’s name but not His ways. (See Matt 7:20-23)

Hearts that are set on self and pleasure rather than God.  As Jesus Himself said in John 3:18-20,

“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. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” 

Men love ‘darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil….’  They hate the light “lest his deeds should be reproved” (shown to be wrong and fixed in Jesus).  They don’t want to be ‘fixed’ because they ‘call evil good and good evil’.

Although God gives every man, woman and child the right to choose; there are consequences to every choice. As free as we are to make our own choices, right or wrong, we are NOT free to set the consequences.

2 Peter 2:9, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” 

While God will deliver His own from temptation, He will also ‘reserve the unjust’ to judgment.  Peter describes in this chapter, those who walk their own ways, in lust, uncleanness and despise order (especially God’s order); who are presumptuous, self-willed, and have no fear of the justice of God toward evil.

And Romans 1:32 says, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Explaining here that the ultimate end of choosing sin over God’s way is not only the rejection of God but also the propagation of that rejection.  Not an ignorance of God’s law, but a rejection of it.  Paul makes it clear in all of Romans 1 that men ‘know the judgment of God’.  In our world, our nation, it isn’t a lack of knowledge of the standard of God but clearly a rejection of that standard and a desire to lead/cause others to reject God’s ways.  Willfully choosing to go against God and calling others to join in.

This is where we live!  In a nation that has rejected God’s word and His standard.  So, where will we, who claim God, stand? On His ‘stand’ard?  On the world’s way or God’s?  Have we, and will we allow truth to be diluted to call good evil, and evil good?  Where will we individually and personally draw the line?  Will we ‘stand’ for right or fall for the ‘wrong’?  Will I/we accept ‘sin’ as alright, to be ‘politically correct’?  Will I say it’s ok to grant ‘rights’ that are Biblically ‘wrong’, or am I willing to speak the truth in love—but speak the truth?  Will I speak truth regardless of the cost?  If it costs me jobs, or position, or popularity?  If it costs me my possessions?  What price am I willing to pay for ‘truth’???

Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” 

Are we willing to do what God says is right, or to fall for the lies of the enemy that call people to approve of what ‘seems’ right to man?  No matter how much ‘applause’ the wrong might receive, it’s still wrong.  So which way are you walking?  In the way that ‘seems’ right or the way that is ‘right’, and ‘true’…..?  Are we so weary with the battle that we’re caving into the pressure of the world?  Or are we willing to be like Jeremiah and trust God to defend and protect us when we speak truth—His truth (See Jeremiah 1:19).

Remember– ‘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.

Only ONE truth—Jesus.

Only ONE way—Jesus.

Only ONE way to life—Jesus.

Which way are you going??????

The right way or

the wrong way???

You are free to choose but the consequences are set by God.