Category Archives: A Father’s Love

The End From The Beginning??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #757

08 Friday Oct 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Believe IN Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Creation, Creator, Creator of ALL, Cross, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Ready or NOT Here Jesus Comes!

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #757  The End From The Beginning???

 

I was teaching earlier this week and we were talking about the import of the creation account in Genesis 1, and I thought we’d take a brief look at how encouraging it is to know the creator—He who began this world—and –He who will bring it to a conclusion.  And not only the creation of our world, but the “re-creation” of me and you who have been “born again”.

“Being confident

of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work

in you

will perform it

until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

We can find great confidence and assurance when we understand that Genesis chapters 1-11 are the foundation of it all.  If God didn’t create our world as HE claims HE did, then there was no beginning as God said there was, there was no Adam and no Eve, there was no sin, and we don’t need a Savior to save us from the “wages of sin”!  BUT, praise God HIS Word is true, and we can base every decision and choice in our life on HIS truth—HE who set all things in place—HE who is coming to complete His work of salvation in full.

“In the beginning

God created

the heaven

and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form,

and void;

and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God

moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said…”.  Genesis 1:1-3a

Here we find God The Father and God The Holy Spirit, but where is Jesus, God The Son, you might ask?  He was there as the “said”, or “the Word” of God, both the ‘living Word’ as well as HE who permeates the ‘written Word”—its very subject and object, if you would, the ‘conduit’ of creation!

“In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word

was with God,

and the Word

was God.

2 The same was

in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him;

and without him

was not any thing made

that was made.”   John 1:1-3

It is most interesting to me, that Jesus confirmed creation, but we often miss it. Yet, by Jesus’ own testimony God was the creator in the beginning, and HE also established marriage “in the beginning”.

“And he answered and said unto them,

Have ye not read,

that he which made them

at the beginning

made them male and female,

5 And said, For this cause

shall a man leave

father and mother,

and shall cleave

to his wife:

and they twain

shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain,

but one flesh.

What therefore

God hath joined together,

let not man put asunder.”  Matthew 19:4-6

How does all of this give us hope?  Because it is our constant reminder that “our God reigns”; HE began it all and HE will bring it all to its proper conclusion in HIS time!  I can’t believe the time is very far off.  Are you ready?  Do you know the ONE who forgives our sin, saves us, and gives us eternal life?  Or are you choosing to believe the lies of the enemy of your soul, and doing your own ‘thing’?  God loves you and gave HIS “only begotten Son” to die for you, if you will but repent and trust to His blood which was shed on the cross at Calvary to save and transform your life!  Jesus is coming for HIS own, and HE will accomplish His purpose; will you be one of HIS sheep—or bear the penalty for your own sin?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

I’ll simply ask you to ponder these things and fix your eyes on Jesus.  HE is coming soon.  Please be ready!

“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold, the tabernacle of God

is with men,

and he will dwell

with them,

and they shall be

his people,

and God himself

shall be with them,

and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away

all tears from their eyes;

and there shall be no more

death,

neither sorrow,

nor crying,

neither shall there be any more pain:

for the former things

are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said,

Behold, I make all things new.

And he said unto me,

Write:

for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me,

It is done.

I am Alpha

and Omega,

the beginning

and the end.

I will give unto him that is athirst

of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh

shall inherit all things;

and I will be his God,

and he shall be my son.

8 But

the fearful,

and unbelieving,

and the abominable,

and murderers,

and whoremongers,

and sorcerers,

and idolaters,

and all liars,

shall have their part

in the lake

which burneth

with fire

and brimstone:

which is the second death.”   Revelation 21:3-8

Amen and Amen!!!

My Hope Is Secure??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 21

12 Sunday Sep 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Fear, Fearlessness, Holy Living, HOPE

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 21  My Hope Is Secure???

 

“As the hart panteth

after the water brooks,

so panteth my soul

after thee, O God.

2 My soul thirsteth for God,

for the living God:

when shall I come

and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my meat

day and night,

while they continually say unto me,

Where is thy God?

4 When I remember these things,

I pour out my soul in me:

for I had gone with the multitude,

I went with them to the house of God,

with the voice of joy

and praise,

with a multitude

that kept holyday.

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul?

and why art thou disquieted in me?

hope thou in God:

for I shall yet praise him

for the help of his countenance.

6 O my God,

my soul is cast down within me:

therefore will I remember thee

from the land of Jordan,

and of the Hermonites,

from the hill Mizar.

7 Deep calleth unto deep

at the noise of thy waterspouts:

all thy waves and thy billows

are gone over me.

8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness

in the daytime,

and in the night his song

shall be with me,

and my prayer

unto the God of my life.

9 I will say unto God my rock,

Why hast thou forgotten me?

why go I mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?

10 As with a sword in my bones,

mine enemies reproach me;

while they say daily unto me,

Where is thy God?

11 Why art thou cast down,

O my soul?

and why art thou disquieted within me?

hope thou in God:

for I shall yet praise him,

who is the health of my countenance,

and my God.”  Psalm 42:1-11

As we consider many of the things going on around us, we can often become what the Psalmist describes as, “cast down, O my soul”……and our souls may become “disquieted in me”!  Yet, we can take heart and have the same confidence that the Psalmist had, and surely “hope thou in God”.  We must keep our eyes on Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith”!

“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

Our call is to follow Jesus, keep our eyes on HIM, and to run the race that HE has set before us; all in the assurance that many have experienced the faithfulness of God before us—in believing the witnesses, laying aside sin and the weights of trials that surround us, running the persistent race, with our Lord and HIS Word in view!  We must recognize that the great “cloud of witnesses”, are not a stadium of spectators, but the faithful who have walked the journey of faith before us.  In fact, many of them gave testimony to God’s faithfulness in chapter 11—known as the faith chapter!  And as we experience more and more of God’s faithfulness we can truly learn to walk consistently by faith!  And oh, what a faithful GOD we serve!  Paul gave us great advise for pursuing excellence in following our God.

“Brethren,

I count not myself to have apprehended:

 but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth

unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling of God

in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore,

as many as be perfect,

be thus minded:

and if in any thing

ye be otherwise minded,

God shall reveal even this

unto you.”  Philippians 3:13-15

As we pursue the prize of our calling in Jesus, may we truly learn to live the crucified life: crucified to self and alive unto Jesus our Lord and King in all our ways!

“I am crucified

with Christ:

nevertheless

I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith

of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”   Galatians 2:20

So, my friends, where is your hope placed?  Don’t let the enemy deceive you into hoping in yourself or the world, for God truly is our “very present help in trouble”!  And if there was ever a world in trouble, we’re living in it!  But don’t lose heart—we win because our GOD wins!!!

“Seeing then

that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast

our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points

tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16

Oh, what a God we serve!  Will you serve HIM with your whole heart?  Will you walk in confidence of HIS grace and mercy toward us!  May your week be full of blessings and grace!

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power,

 and of love,

and of a sound mind…

…. 9 Who hath saved us,

and called us

with an holy calling,

not according to our works,

but according to his own purpose and grace,

which was given us in Christ Jesus

before the world began,”   2 Timothy 1:7 & 9

Amen and Amen!!!

Joyfulness Is Contagious!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #751

08 Wednesday Sep 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, God's love, God's provision, Joy, Joy Is Contagious!, Joy To The World?, The Joy of The Lord!, The Light of The Word IS Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #751  Joyfulness Is Contagious!!!

 

I truly believe this statement of our title—joyfulness is contagious—but we must have joy before we can share it!  I also believe that we can often be distracted from the “joy of the Lord” and become consumed with the “doubt of the world” instead.  Joy is a choice of those who belong to Jesus; a choice to walk in the confidence that our God gives and overcome the doubt that surrounds us.

“Then he said unto them,

Go your way,

eat the fat,

and drink the sweet,

and send portions unto them

for whom nothing is prepared:

for this day is holy unto our Lord:

neither be ye sorry;

for the joy of the LORD

is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

This passage is from the prophet Nehemiah’s instructions to the people as they celebrated the completion of the wall around the city of Jerusalem.  If you take the time to read the entire book you will find that Nehemiah had led the people in not only a building project, but a project that was completed under great difficulty and opposition.  Here Nehemiah was encouraging the people to put their confidence in God’s provision, and to remember that “the joy of the LORD is your strength”!  It is what we must remember and count on as well.

No matter the challenge, God is ever faithful to provide us with everything that we need; there is never a trial or test that catches our God unaware!  He is ever faithful to provide, especially for HIS own—and God knows those who are really HIS own!

“Nevertheless the foundation of God

standeth sure,

having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are his.

And, Let every one

that nameth the name of Christ

depart from iniquity.”   2 Timothy 2:19

And as Jesus said, HE knows HIS own sheep, and they know HIM, and follow HIM!  The question is, who are you following?  From whom or what do you get your strength? The world’s praise?  A bottle (no matter what is in it)?  Success on your job?  Wealth, fame, popularity, or any other worldly prize?  If your confidence and hope are not in Jesus, you have allowed yourself to be misdirected.  But the straight way is still here!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.

29 My Father,

which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man

is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.”  John 10:27-30

For those who deny Jesus’ deity, this passage sets it straight; Jesus made this clear and certain statement of His own deity, “I and my Father are one”!  For those who claim that Jesus never claimed to be God, here is the true statement that HE made, and HE IS GOD!  And back to that straight way!

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be

which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be

that find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14

This is a contrast that many don’t want to consider today, but Jesus said it, and that settles it, whether you/I believe it or not!  If I may paraphrase, Jesus said that there is a wide, easy, popular way that MANY will choose—but it leads to destruction!  Yet Jesus called us to choose the “strait gate”, even though it is narrow, difficult, and not very popular, for “few there be that find it”!  It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test.  And we who know Jesus and belong to HIM will have HIS joy, as well as HIS strength to press on for HIS glory and our good.

“As the Father hath loved me,

so have I loved you:

continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments,

ye shall abide in my love;

even as I have kept my Father’s commandments,

and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you,

that my joy might remain in you,

and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment,

That ye love one another,

as I have loved you.”  John 15:9-12

So, will you walk in “the joy of the Lord”, or flounder around in the lies of the world?  Won’t you join me and choose JOY?

Please do—HE has never failed me and HE never will, and Jesus surely came that our “joy might be full”!  Let your joy be contagious!!!

“Nevertheless my lovingkindness

will I not utterly take from him,

nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.”  Psalm 89:33

“Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

Amen and Amen!!!

Faithful Provider, Always!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #750

27 Friday Aug 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, Abraham's Test, All About Jesus!, Faith, Faithful, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God Knows, God Who Sees, God's love, God's provision, Grace, Let go...and let God, Trusting God

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #750  Faithful Provider, Always!!!

 

“Know therefore

that the LORD thy God,

he is God,

the faithful God,

which keepeth covenant

and mercy

with them that love him

and keep his commandments

to a thousand generations;”   Deuteronomy 7:9

When things start (or continue) whirling around you and your strength seems to be sapped, your mind runs rampant with doubt, confusion, and uncertainty, it is then along with every other time in our lives that we need to look UP to our faithful Lord God Almighty, and HIS Son, Jesus, The Lamb of God which “taketh away the sin of the world”!  It is imperative that we understand the import of the truth that Jesus came to save sinners, and as Paul said, “of whom I am chief”, praise God, Jesus came to save sinners like me.

How about you?  Will you run to the One who died that you might have eternal life—abundant life—a transformed, holy life?  Oh, if I could sit down with you and share with you all that HE has done for me, pointing you to HIS cross.  It is why HE came.

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Jesus said of Himself:

“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

This went beyond even what John the Baptizer had said of Him!

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away

the sin of the world.” John 1:29

“I indeed baptize you

with water

unto repentance:

but he that cometh after me

is mightier than I,

whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:

he shall baptize you

with the Holy Ghost,

and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand,

and he will throughly purge his floor,

and gather his wheat into the garner;

but he will burn up the chaff

with unquenchable fire.”   Matthew 3:11-12

I love the Gospel of John for its beautiful and picturesque descriptions of Jesus and His many faceted work as the Lamb of God, The Good Shepherd, The Door, The Water of Life, The Bread of Life and more (I encourage you to delve into the Gospel of John and search these out for yourself!)!  This faithful God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is ever working on our behalf; and if we will but avail ourselves of His provision, we would find a hope, power, and strength to press on no matter the challenges that confront us.

One of my favorite examples of the faithfulness of God is found in Genesis 22, where God puts Abraham’s faith to the test, and the result gave Abraham, and us, a profound picture of the fulfillment of God’s promise to bless “all” through Abraham (See Genesis 12:3).  Let’s peruse just the highlights of this amazing truth.

“And he said,

Take now thy son,

thine only son Isaac,

whom thou lovest,

and get thee into the land of Moriah;

and offer him there for a burnt offering

upon one of the mountains

which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning,

and saddled his ass,

and took two of his young men with him,

and Isaac his son,

and clave the wood for the burnt offering,

and rose up, and went unto the place

of which God had told him.”   Genesis 22:2-3=

God called Abraham to yield up this “son of promise” and he willingly obeyed, as Hebrews makes so clear; for Abraham knew God would keep HIS promise.

“By faith Abraham,

when he was tried,

offered up Isaac:

and he that had received the promises

offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said,

That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up,

even from the dead;

from whence also he received him

in a figure.”  Hebrews 11:17-19

This is the crux of the story, that God gave Abraham a picture (“in a figure”) of what HE was going to do to fulfill HIS promises to Abraham; God would give HIS own son for us, just as God provided a ‘ram’ in Isaac’s place—God would provide “Himself”—”The Lamb of God”– to take “away the sin of the world”!  Redemption for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith, yesterday, today and until HE comes for HIS own!  For there is coming a time when many will find themselves coming one day “too late”!  But let’s finish up with Abraham’s story, with just a few verses to highlight the events, and you can fill in the rest as you take some time to read the entire chapter.

“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said,

My father:

and he said, Here am I, my son.

And he said,

Behold the fire

and the wood:

but where is the lamb

for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said,

My son,

God will provide himself

a lamb

for a burnt offering:

so they went both of them together.”  Genesis 22:7-8

And they went on and even as Abraham held the knife God spoke and provided! Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Jesus died for you and me!  God didn’t spare Jesus, because for you and me to be spared, “God so loved the world that HE GAVE” Jesus!!! (emphasis is mine).

“And Abraham stretched forth his hand,

and took the knife

to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him

out of heaven, and said,

Abraham, Abraham:

and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said,

Lay not thine hand upon the lad,

neither do thou any thing unto him:

for now I know that thou fearest God,

seeing thou hast not withheld thy son,

thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes,

and looked,

and behold behind him a ram

caught in a thicket by his horns:

and Abraham went and took the ram,

and offered him up for a burnt offering

in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place

Jehovahjireh:

as it is said to this day,

In the mount of the LORD

it shall be seen.”  Genesis 22:10-14

And in closing, I encourage you to ponder the wonder of what God truly revealed to Abraham!  Have you tuned your heart, mind, and ears to hear and see what the Lord has provided on your “Mount” of sacrifice?  I find it most interesting that it is likely that the same site of this experience for Abraham could have been the very spot of the sacrifice of God’s “only begotten son”!  Food for thought!

Wont’ you let HIM have your issues today?  It is so hard sometimes to humble ourselves and simply “let God” “be God”!  May this word from James remind and encourage each of us today.

“Humble yourselves

in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall

lift you up.”  James 4:10

Amen and Amen!!!