Bible Ballistics: Stewardship?  August 11, 2013   Vol. 2 No.13

**We are trying a new format at the suggestion of a reader, and I’d love to have your feedback. It may seem to be a bit longer but is actually the same length in content just a bit more space taken to be easier to read, ponder and digest.**

After a wakeful night of prayer and deep contemplation, I feel compelled to write about a subject that often brings the ire of many.  Stewardship?  Why does this word stir the emotions of many in God’s kingdom, and for sure those on the peripheral of the church?  Usually when people hear the word “stewardship”, the mind goes to dollar signs $$$.  Does the term only mean money?  Or is there a deeper principle that we need to search out?  Well, let’s take our time together this week and see what we can find.

One meaning of the word “steward’, is

• ‘one who manages another’s property, or one whose responsibility it is to take care of something…’. 

So who is the manager and to whom do the things belong that he/she exercises management over?  We are the managers, and that’s what we will discuss this week.  Those of us who are believers in Jesus and His Word should recognize that God is the ‘owner’ of all things. If you would, He is the creator, manufacturer, and the originator of all things.

• James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”   God is the source of all that we possess.

• Ecc. 3:13  “And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”   Our ability to “labor” for income is from God.

All gifts, including the ability to provide and gain income for ourselves is from our God.  Every good gift—health, wealth (the possession of goods), time, gifts, talents, intelligence and knowledge, all of these are gifts from God and we are stewards of each of them.

What are my responsibilities toward my stewardship, and does God give instruction in regard to these things?

Let’s see what we can find.

• Ephesians 5:20 tells us “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” 
• All stewardship must begin with gratitude!!!!

An attitude of gratitude should permeate our lives in all that we do and have—time, money, work, gifts and talents as well as our personality and intellect.

• Am I walking in gratitude or greed?  Paul tells us to, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”  Col 3:5.  Greed/covetousness is equal to idolatry.  God said it, I didn’t.

• Am I greedy or generous?

• Do I hoard or share?

• Am I a keeper or a giver?

Do you see the possibilities?  Are there behaviors I need to change to cultivate this attitude of gratitude?

What we’re talking about then is attitude not accounting!!  Are we yielded to God in total?  Are there areas over which I don’t allow God to have access or control? Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 9:6-11,

• “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness😉 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.” 

Giving and receiving are principles of the heart, and Jesus himself said that the heart is the source of our actions.  Matt. 15:18-20,

• “ 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: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
• What is in my heart will come out…  Jesus says that is what defiles, not unclean hands (or rituals). What’s in your heart?   James 4:1-3 gives a good checklist,

•  “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” 

So how am I to handle the resources that God has given me?

• Thinking ‘It’s all mine’?
• Clutching?
• In presumption?
• In faith?
• In disarray?
• In order?

Paul makes it clear that we are not to act in the flesh, but in the Spirit and generosity. Eph 4:28 says,

• “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” 

According to this passage we are to gain to be able to give…..   Kind of flies in the face of the great ‘American Dream”, doesn’t it, to gain for wealth’s sake alone?

Do we need to re-evaluate our own motives?  Not to say that we are not to plan and prepare for the future, or the unexpected, but we are not to be solely focused on ourselves –but God and others.  That’s why Paul could say in Phil 4:19,

• “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (See the context)

So what does this mean to me?  How am I handling that which God has provided for me–everything?

• Am I acting presumptuously toward my possessions and spending money that I don’t really have in order to pursue a degree of wealth and/or success to which God has not led me?  Or to impress others? To keep up with others?
• Am I basing my decisions on spiritual principles or earthly greed?
• Where does my money go?
• Want to see what you really love—look at your checkbook.  Who do you pay the most?
• • Walmart?
  • Fast food?
  • Pleasures?
  • Ease?
  • Things you want but don’t really need?
  • The latest, fastest, biggest ……?
  • Presumptuous purchases?
    • Do I make snap decisions without consulting God, my spouse or good godly counsel?  (God tells us that husband and wife are to be “one”—that means not making isolated decisions without the consideration of the will of God, my spouse, or our calling and resources.  Spending money I don’t have can be presumption).
    • Am I in debt to fulfill my own lusts or the lusts of others.  Real love is NOT over-indulgent.

I must do that which is best by God’s standard.  Food for thought to last the week.  Take it to Jesus—ask His advice and guidance.  Open the BIBLE—measure your stewardship by God’s standard not the world’s.  It’s not just dollars and cents……but an attitude of gratitude and submission to God.  Blessings on your week.

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #2

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?.”

Another small and short verse but worthy of our attention today.  Again let’s simply ask our 5 ‘w’s’ and the ‘h’?

Who: the Lord

What: is MY light & salvation & strength

When: when I am fearful and afraid

Where: where ever I trust to, and follow him, Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  I simply must stay on HIS path and HE will light it.

Why: Because he tells me in Hebrews 13:5-6,  “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: 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.”

How: By remembering that HE is “my light…. my salvation….the strength of my life…”

So?  Here’s our shot for the day—God is Light, Salvation and Strength!!!   MY light, salvation and strength….  I am never alone!!!

So?  Walk in His light, salvation & strength !!!  Today!!!  Don’t allow darkness and weakness to rob you of HIS provision…  Keep looking up!!!

 

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #1

Our first “BB” is from Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  A very small and short verse but one packed full of power.  Let’s simply ask the 5 ‘w’s’ and the ‘h’?

Who: the Lord & Me

What: is MY shepherd

When: when I am His child—John 1:12,  “…power to become the sons of God”— “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice”.  John 10:4.  The shepherd always watches over his sheep, therefore always he IS my shepherd!!

Where:  “…he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him…..”,  John 10:4    Everywhere Jesus is and that’s clearly—everywhere!!

Why: Because,  “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.”  John 10:14-15  –“for God so loved…”

How: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”  Romans 5:1 Jesus paid it ALL!!

So?  Here’s our shot for the day–The Lord IS MY shepherd!!  Is HE YOURS?

So?  I/WE shall not want.   Simple but not easy.  Rest in Him today and know that if the Lord is YOUR shepherd, you need not want (lack or be short of anything essential….).  Have a blessed day and keep looking up…

 

 

Bible Ballistics: Whose Word?    August 4, 2013       Vol. 2 No.12

**We are trying a new format this week at the suggestion of a reader, and I’d love to have your feedback.  We desire to meet the needs of our readers and hope this will be a more “learner-friendly” format. It may seem to be a bit longer but is actually the same length in content just a bit more space taken to be easier to read, ponder and digest.**

After several recent conversations about the Bible and it’s relevance to us, I thought we’d look at the ‘Word’ this week, as one lady went so far as to say that only the actual words of Jesus Christ are inspired (you know, the ‘red’ letters). Curious thoughts, worthy of our attention and I feel compelled to address this issue of the validity of scripture briefly.

My first thought goes to the very words of Jesus himself,

• Luke 4:4 “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”  Jesus here was not only responding to temptation but quoting the Word of God as recorded in Deuteronomy 8:3,

•  “…. that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

In both of these verses we see that we are to live by “every” word of God. Of course there are some broad, summary passages. Let’s look at one.  Below we see Jesus’ response to a question from the religious leaders, here he summarizes scripture but doesn’t minimize it or suggest in any way that we don’t need the “whole counsel of God”.

• Matthew 22:35-40, “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  

In Psalm 138:2 the Psalmist writes,

• “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

God has magnified—or made more visible—His word to us. Through the Word, we can more clearly understand Him, His name and His character.  It is only through His Word and His Spirit that we can know Him or His word anyway.  To value and study the word of God is of extreme importance.

In Hosea 4:6 God speaks to Israel,

• “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”  God reveals to us here that when we don’t know and understand His word we are subject to misjudgment and error and their consequences. Israel and her prophets had refused to hear God’s warnings and gone their own way.  Whose way are we going?

• Isaiah 53:6 talks about his very thing, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Jesus came to pay for our “waywardness” or sin:

• “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”,  

• “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 3:23 & 6:23).  As we have said before, sin IS the issue. Regardless of our point of view, God calls sin, sin.  What do we call it?  How can we know what is sin?

So, what does all of this have to do with the earlier conversations that I mentioned?  Well, I think we are often hasty to think that we can relegate our need for God’s Word to just a few summary verses.  God has written all of it down and therefore all of it is important for us to:

• Read it,
• Study to know it,
• and then most importantly of all, apply it to our lives.

How I view the Word of God will affect how I use it, and if I will measure all of life by it’s content.  By excluding parts of it as unimportant or of little value to “me personally”, I may come to wrong conclusions regarding issues of life.  Issues of the past, present and future—the issues of life—all of life.

I would call us to follow Paul’s advise to young Timothy in

• 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tell us that “..all scripture is given by inspiration of God….”

• Let’s be sure that we are studying the Word for knowledge, wisdom and application, not just seeking empty facts, or proof texts to argue over.

• Let’s be sure that we are feeding on the Word to “grow thereby”. (1 Peter 2:2)

A diet of only one thing gets pretty tiring after a while, as well as lacking in nutrition.  If we only study one part of scripture it will leave us ill equipped to help others or ourselves with the Word.  We must spend enough time in scripture to understand it and know how to apply it to life.

• Yes read it through, but trust it through.

• Keep searching the Word for new insights to God’s character, His will, His ways and His purposes.

As it says in Isaiah 55:7-9,

• “ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

May we pursue God and His holiness through HIS Word(s).

• Psalm 19:7-12

“The law of the Lord is perfect,    converting the soul:

the testimony of the Lord is sure,        making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right,     rejoicing the heart:

the commandment of the Lord is pure,     enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean,       enduring for ever:

the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:

sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them              is thy servant warned:

and in keeping of them             there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors            cleanse thou me from secret faults.”  (And my faults will stay secret to me if I don’t know the word….  Read all of Is 55—it’s great)

And with that we’ll call it a day!!  Have a blessed week thinking “on these things”…. And “increasing in the knowledge of God”… (Phil 4:8 & Col 1:10)

Bible Ballistics: Hot House?                                           July 28, 2013                 Vol. 2 No.11

As we endure the “dog days of summer”, I hope it is pleasant where you are.  We have enjoyed some cooler days recently and that brings me to our topic this week.

The “hot house” — an unnatural environment used for raising plants out of season or natural climate, or often used to encourage the rapid growth or development of something or someone.

I have thought about this during the recent days as we have had lots of rain here in Virginia and although I don’t have much of a “green thumb” I have seen the plants on our porch flourish as if they were in a “hot house”.  The measured sun, the moisture and my vigilant care—sort of – have brought the reward of lovely plants that are growing and blessing us with beauty.

I couldn’t help but think of us as Christians.  Are we “hot house” Christians?  Do we only flourish when things are controlled or perfect and for our own benefit, or do we trust in the Lord enough to allow Him to grow us where we are planted, to bring us to bloom where we are?  Do I trust God to do His work to “conform” me into the image of Jesus?

• Romans 8:28-29 reminds us, “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.” 

God has promised that HE is working all things to conform us into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Am I willing to trust God to lead, direct and accomplish His purpose in me?

• The Psalmist writes  in Psalm 37:23-24, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”  What makes a good man or woman, boy or girl?  Only Jesus!!!

• Psalm 119:132-133 says, “Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. 133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”   Luke 13:2-5 “And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”   Jesus calls us to repent and trust Him for our salvation, not our own goodness.

•  Paul also shows us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  And again in John 3:3-7,  “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? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”  

 Jesus declares that we must be “born again”, we must be born of God’s spirit to have eternal life.

• John 1:12-13 “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.” , points out to us that this “new birth” is a work of God!!!  It can’t be inherited from your family, it can’t be worked up by your own goodness or ethics, and it can’t be imparted from one person to another.  It is a supernatural work of God.  Jesus died on that awful cross to pay for my sin.  For your sin.  For all sin.  In Matthew 1:21 the angel told Joseph,  “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”   Jesus came to SAVE us from our sins.  SIN is the issue.  Jesus overcame sin, and we live for Him by His Spirit within us.

• Colossians 1:27 says, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christinyou, the hope of glory:”

When we are born again we receive the Spirit of Christ as the “earnest” of our salvation,

• Ephesians 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” 

When we receive the Holy Spirit we have the empowerment to “bloom where we’re planted”, to “grow where we are planted”, to be all that God wants us to be. Day by day to become more like Jesus.  To be one that doesn’t need a “hot house” to grow, but one who allows God to do HIS work in and through me.

• In John 4:34, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work..”.    God’s will and work accomplished in and through me.  Jesus, the very Son of God, came not to do His own work but the work of His Father here on earth.  Whose work am I doing?  Whose work are you doing?

Do you require a “hot house” environment to work for God?  Do you only trust Him when things are good?   Job said two things which I’d like to paraphrase here: first          “shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord and not adversity?”, and the second “though He slay me, still will I trust HIM.”?

Do we know enough about God to trust Him as Job did, to keep on keeping on when things seemingly turn against us on every hand?

Are we learning to “Lean on Jesus”, as the song says? Or are we like the people of Israel in the days of the Judges, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes”….

Do I have to be pampered, tended to and bottle fed by others or as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:2, do we “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 

Am I growing?   But don’t stop at the milk, as Hebrews 5:12-14 reminds us “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” 

We are to press on to maturity and grow to eat that meat of the “Word” and not stay on the milk.

Are you willing to step out in faith and obedience and let God do HIS work in and through you?

Are you ready to be growing and blooming where God has placed you?

I hope you will ponder these things this week and let God do HIS work in your heart and mind.  Have a great and blessed week growing and blooming where ever God has YOU!