Category Archives: All Sufficient God!

Through All Things…HE IS Here!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #739

30 Wednesday Jun 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Amazing Grace, Encouragement, God of all comfort!, God's Faithfulness, HOPE, Trust God, Trusting Jesus, Truth

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #739 Through All Things…HE IS Here!!!

 

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee,

O Jacob,

and he that formed thee,

O Israel,

Fear not:

for I have redeemed thee,

I have called thee by thy name;

thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters,

I will be with thee;

and through the rivers,

they shall not overflow thee:

when thou walkest through the fire,

thou shalt not be burned;

 neither shall the flame

kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the LORD thy God,

the Holy One of Israel,

thy Saviour…..”   Isaiah 43:1-3

I would like to share a few things this morning that I pray will lift our hearts and encourage us today in whatever trials we may be encountering.  GOD IS ALWAYS HERE! THERE!  EVERYWHERE!  Just look up and call upon HIM!

“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

Jesus IS God, and HE loves you and me and calls us to lean upon HIM in every situation; I have found HIM faithful, and HE has NEVER failed me—EVER!  So run to HIS throne today, no matter how frightened, frustrated, confused, tired or weary you may be—HE IS THERE for you/me right now!

“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

We can come “boldly” to our loving Lord, not in arrogance or presumption, but with bold confidence, knowing that HIS open arms are ever waiting for us to run into, no matter the situation.  He is ever working on our behalf, bringing us to glory—HIS GLORY to share!

“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

HE IS my confidence and can be yours!  Amen and Amen!!!

Making Worship For Me Or GOD? Bible Ballistics: BBs #737

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

Posted by in All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Amazing Grace, Are You Ready, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, False Lives, Holiness, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, Repentance, REvival, Righteousness, Salt & Light, Salvation

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #737. Making Worship For Me Or GOD?

 

I may lose some of you today, but I must share the burden on my heart.  I am so grieved with the worldly things that are called ‘worship’ today; there was a time when holy things came out of the church to the world, but it seems to me, that many times now and in many places, the world has been invited into the ‘church’ to attract a crowd!  Let’s draw a crowd is the new “mantra” of the church in many ways, rather than lifting up Jesus, and calling people to repentance and faith, then “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”!  (See Matthew 28:19-20). We spend way more time teaching people “books about The Word”, if we teach them anything, rather than teaching them “The Word of God” and how to apply it.

“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…

… 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…

…14  And as Moses

lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man

be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.”   Portions of John 3:3-15

As Jesus told the crowds shortly before His death—for HE knew HE would give HIS life for our salvation– HIS CROSS was, is and ever shall be the only way to God.  Jesus gave HIS life for yours/mine; knowingly, willingly, lovingly—yet we think we can come with our pretty words and claim HIS salvation without cost! Yes, salvation is the “gift of God”, but we can’t hold on to our way and cling to the cross at the same time!

“And I,

if I be lifted up from the earth,

will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said,

signifying what death he should die.”   John 12:32-33

Jesus had a lot to say about the “cost” of following HIM; but we seem to have neglected that part of Jesus’ message.

“I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

… 5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 & 5

Repent means to make a 180-degree turn, from my sin into the arms of Jesus, trusting in His substitutionary (in my place), atoning (making up for wrong), sacrifice (payment for my sin)!  And there’s even more!

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If

any man

 will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life

for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange

for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

Yet the popular “t-shirt” philosophy of the day rules with total disregard for what Jesus said, I’ve seen several of late and it grieves my heart!  You fill in the blank, “I love Jesus, BUT_____”: I drink a little, I cuss a little, I fornicate a little, I lie a little, I steal a little, I disobey God a little (a lot really!)!  What kind of transformed life is this?  Jesus made it clear.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”    John 14:15

We have so compromised the message of Jesus, that we have a culture—a church—which believes and preaches the love of God apart from the holiness of God; or that God calls those who come to HIM to take up their own cross, denying themselves to follow Jesus—not in our own power but in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  And my friend, if you don’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit, you DON’T have Jesus! Ouch!  Hard but true according to GOD’s WORD!

“But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God

dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus

from the dead

dwell in you,

he that raised up Christ

from the dead

shall also quicken your mortal bodies

by his Spirit

that dwelleth in you.”  Romans 8:9-11

Paul also goes on in Romans 12 to call us to a holy walk, a holy life before God and the world.

“11:36 For of him,

and through him,

and to him,

are all things:

to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God

hath dealt to every man

 the measure of faith.”   Romans 12:1-3

What are you thinking?  Who are you seeking?  God, others or simply self?  We seem to have made the message, the music and the ministry of the ‘Church’ about gratifying the flesh rather than calling men to repent and asking God to send real heaven-sent, Holy Ghost “RE”vival!  When our music makes people want to do the ‘boogaloo’ dance instead of breaking our hearts for our sin and neglect of our Lord, and falling down before God Almighty, what do we expect?  Well, if you’ll pardon my ‘French’, I think we have gotten exactly what we’ve asked for: crowds with no conviction—people with no power—followers with no fire!  Oh, precious Lord, please send the convicting power of YOUR HOLY SPIRIT upon our hearts, that our churches may fall down before you in repentance, restoration and renewal to the Bible and The CROSS!  “There Is Power In The Blood” (written by Lewis E. Jones) and nowhere else.  May we truly sing “Revive Us Again” (written by Willian Mackay), and not “I’m Satisfied With ME” (instead of asking “Is my Savior satisfied with me?” from “I Am Satisfied With Jesus”, Written by B.B McKinney).

“If I regard iniquity in my heart,

the Lord will not hear me:”  Psalm 66:18

James made it very clear that we will give an account.  So, those of us who claim the name of Jesus, and especially those of us in positions of leadership, I pray that we fall down before our God and ask HIS forgiveness as we repent and humbly seek HIS face!  May we truly take James’ advice and humble ourselves “in the sight of the Lord” asking that HE “shall lift you up”!  Oh, Jesus may it ever be so—today!

“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.

4 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 4:1-10

May we not be like Cain, bringing the fruit of our own hands, expecting to please God doing “our own thing”, building on the sand and not the “Rock”! Jesus still saves lives today!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;”   Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Romans 6:23

Please Lord, have mercy on us today.  Amen and Amen!!!

Up, Down, Or Around??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 10

21 Monday Jun 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abundant Life In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Children, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Conviction, Faith, Faithfulness, Family, Father's Way!

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 10  Up, Down, Or Around???

 

I’m sorry to be late with this post, but it’s been a bit hectic around our house, and we have some health issues that come up pretty regularly these days, and we just have to do what we can, when we can—so here I am on this Monday morning instead of our normal Sunday evening.  But God’s Word stands true and faithful no matter the timing of our lives!  And for that I am totally grateful.  I want to start with a Psalm of encouragement for each of us, and then hopefully touch on the import of the family dynamic.

“I will

lift up mine eyes

unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the LORD,

which made heaven and earth.

3 He will

not suffer thy foot to be moved:

he that keepeth thee

will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel

shall neither slumber

nor sleep.

5 The LORD is

thy keeper:

the LORD is

thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall

preserve thee from all evil:

he shall

preserve thy soul.

8 The LORD shall

preserve thy going out

and thy coming in

from this time forth,

and even for evermore.”  Psalm 121:1-8

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that regardless of the chaos in our lives, the peace and sovereignty of God never ceases or changes!  He truly is the one to whom I “lift up mine eyes”!  How about you?  Is something keeping your eyes cast down?  What draw of the world is calling you away from The One who loves you and gave His life for yours; that you and I could have salvation, forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with our God?  He’s waiting for you to look UP and remember HIS faithful provision for you and me!  Lift up your eyes—seek The ONE who is waiting for you to open the door and let HIM come in and walk with you every step of the way.  I can’t even express how I feel to know and experience HIS presence in the grief, the sorrow, the fatigued days, the demanding days when you/I feel that we can’t go on—but by God’s all-sufficient grace we can go on, IN JESUS strength!

“I know

both how to be abased,

and I know

how to abound:

every where

and in all things

I am instructed both

to be full

and to be hungry,

both

to abound

and to suffer need.

13 I can do

all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.”   Philippians 4:12-13

Paul also reminds us that God’s promises are faithful; because God IS God, and because JESUS IS His greatest promise–fulfilling God’s promise of salvation at Calvary (a promise that goes all the way back to Genesis 3:15), and we can depend on every promise of God!  But we also must remember that we have to respond to God’s call to those promises, and many of them are preceded by a great big “IF”!  (See 2 Chronicles 7:14 & Psalm 81:8 to list two!)

“For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,

who was preached among you by us,

even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus,

was not yea and nay,

but in him was yea.

20 For all the promises of God

in him

are yea,

and in him

Amen,

unto the glory of God

by us.

21 Now he which stablisheth us with you

in Christ,

and hath anointed us,

is God;

22 Who hath also sealed us,

and given the earnest of the Spirit

 in our hearts.”  2 Corinthians 1:19-22

Jesus IS the ultimate culmination of every promise of God, even those yet to be fulfilled in HIS return!  Yet God left us some instructions to enable us to pass the baton of faith to the next generation; and sadly, we have failed to heed God’s Word and its instruction to our total detriment.  But I pray that we still have time, “if” we will seek HIS face and do HIS will!  Let’s simply consider God’s plan—it works.  We’ll look at some sections (but I encourage you to read the whole 6th chapter for yourself) rather than the whole chapter for time and space sake.

“Now these are the commandments,

the statutes,

and the judgments,

which the LORD your God

commanded to teach you,

that ye might do them

in the land whither ye go

to possess it:

2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God,

to keep all his statutes

and his commandments,

which I command thee,

thou,

and thy son,

and thy son’s son,

all the days of thy life;

and that thy days may be prolonged.”   Deuteronomy 6:1-2

God instructed His people to heed HIS Word and to pass it on!  We have decided that is unnecessary today; let every child choose for himself—and while every person does have the right to choose, we are to lead them to know and choose God’s way.  Even as Joshua declared: “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”!  I think the catch in our day and culture is that we have chosen to serve other things before God.  We want to claim HIS name for our benefit and in times of trouble but make HIM optional the rest of the time; but Moses set a different standard, let’s continue.

“Hear, O Israel:

The LORD our God

is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt

love the LORD thy God

with all thine heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy might.

6 And these words,

which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:”   Deuteronomy 6:4-6

God makes it clear that “godly” families begin with those who have chosen to believe in God, HIS promises and HIS plan of redemption, by grace, in faith—for you see the plan never changed—it’s always been about salvation by grace through faith in a coming Messiah, and for us that very Messiah, Jesus Christ The Lord—crucified, buried and risen again for the “forgiveness of sin”!

“Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”   Colossians 1:13-14

Have you been forgiven?  Have you been to the cross to find new life, in a new birth from Jesus, through HIS shed blood for your sin?  It’s the only way, Jesus said so Himself.

“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

Even Moses told the people that they had to know God themselves before they could share HIM, HIS truth, and HIS ways with anyone else.  It is our responsibility to share what we have with those we love, especially our children and grandchildren.  But you can’t share what you don’t have!  So, what do we share, and how?

“And thou shalt teach them

diligently

unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them

when thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign

upon thine hand,

and they shall be as frontlets

between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them

upon the posts of thy house,

and on thy gates.”  Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Simple but profound instructions; we are to live lives before our children that reflect the glory, truth, and power of God.  We are to take advantage of every teachable moment to share God with them.  We are NOT to leave it to the church, the school, or the grandparents!  PARENTS are to pass on their faith—and whether or not we deliberately instruct our children, our lives will instruct them in one thing or the other!   We are to live godly before our children (and the world): in our ‘talk’, when we ‘sit around’, when we ‘are on the go’, when we ‘go to bed’, when we ‘get up in the morning’, when we ‘work with our hands’, what we choose to ‘look at’, what we ‘have in our homes, for décor, entertainment, for attire’!  We will either lead them to the cross or to hell!  It’s your choice but choose wisely the eternal destiny of our children is at stake.  And God tells us how it will work.

“And when thy son asketh thee

in time to come, saying,

What mean the testimonies,

and the statutes,

and the judgments,

which the LORD our God

hath commanded you?

21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son,

We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt;

and the LORD brought us out of Egypt

with a mighty hand:

22 And the LORD shewed

signs

and wonders,

great and sore,

upon Egypt,

upon Pharaoh,

and upon all his household,

before our eyes:

23 And he brought us out from thence,

that he might bring us in,

to give us the land

which he sware

unto our fathers.

24 And the LORD commanded us

to do all these statutes,

to fear the LORD our God,

for our good always,

that he might preserve us alive,

as it is at this day.

25 And it shall be our righteousness,

 if we observe to do all these commandments

before the LORD our God,

as he hath commanded us.”  Deuteronomy 6:20-25

In Blanche’s paraphrase: if we live in godly, and holy obedience before our children and have godly standards, it will stand out to our family and the world! And because it will be different than the culture around us, the day will come that our children will come and ask, “why” do we “DO” these things.  What we “DO” will make way more difference than what we “SAY”, if we don’t back it up with a life that matches our words!  What questions will your children ask?  And when they ask, we will have the opportunity to tell them what GOD has done and is doing in our lives—our testimony!  And believe me they will have questions, and our actions will affect them—for eternity!

So, the question for today is, “Where are you leading your family to?”  We can choose to take a path toward God or follow the world to hell.  The choice is yours, but please choose wisely, there is a test; not just a test for you but a test of the influence that you have shared with those who follow your steps!  And there’s only one life to share.

“And as it is appointed unto men

once to die,

 but after this

the judgment:”  Hebrews 9:27

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”             Revelation 3:20

‘Nuff said.  Amen and Amen!!!

 

Double Of Nothing IS ____??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #735

16 Wednesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, If not now? When?, IN Jesus!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Knows

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #735 Double Of Nothing IS______???

 

I am a bookkeeper by nature—but it wasn’t always that way.  When I was in High School, I hated math; my dad did his best to convince me to take ‘bookkeeping’, but I just kept telling him that I hated math and didn’t heed his advice (for he saw something that I couldn’t see then!)!  Sure enough, when I was about 22 or so, math finally clicked in my little pea brain!  So, of course I came to love “bookkeeping”!

Well, my friend Jesus knows what we don’t; even when HE asks us to go, or do, or accomplish some task that doesn’t make sense to us—we can trust that HE KNOWS something that we don’t know, yet.  How often I’ve regretted not taking a “bookkeeping” class, so I’d have more of a grasp of the things I’ve done in the keeping of financial records through the years.  All because I failed to take the wise advice of my earthly father!  How much more do we need to heed the advice of our Heavenly Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ THE LORD!  We all know that “double of nothing” is “nothing”!  It’s a family joke in our household about double of nothing; for when we married Zane asked me to quit work and stay home and tend to our home, which I most willingly agreed to, and he told me then he’d double my wages every week!  He jokingly tells people that, and I always chime in, “It took me 5 years to figure out that double of nothing, was nothing!”  Ha ha ha!  But in the spiritual realm it’s a tragedy that we have failed to realize that without JESUS, we are simply treading water, trying to double our ‘nothing’!  I would simply like to share one of my favorite passages with you this morning and call it a day.

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word

which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit

of itself,

except it abide

in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me,

he is cast forth as a branch,

and is withered;

and men gather them,

and cast them into the fire,

and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me,

and my words abide in you,

ye shall ask what ye will,

and it shall be done unto you.

8 Herein is my Father glorified,

that ye bear much fruit;

so shall ye be my disciples.

9 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.”    John 15:1-11

May you take this ‘food for thought’ and ponder the import of Jesus’ own words to His disciples before HE left this earth.  True then—true now! Are you abiding in “the vine” or trying to be and do things on your own?  As an old song says, “Without HIM, I could do nothing!” (Without Him, by Mylon Lefevre), and I don’t even want to try!  Won’t you “cast all your cares upon HIM”?  He’s ever calling you to abide—not run, not rush, not think up your own plans, programs, and propositions!  Abide in HIS plan and you’ll “bear much fruit” (but remember, you may not always see the crop!)!

“And now,

saith the LORD that formed me

from the womb

 to be his servant,

to bring Jacob again to him,

Though Israel be not gathered,

 yet shall I be glorious

in the eyes of the LORD,

and my God

shall be my strength.”  Isaiah 49:5

HE is here, calling YOU to abide!  What will your reply be?

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him;

for he careth for you.”  1 Peter 5:6-7

Amen!!!