Category Archives: Born Again

To Know HIM More Today??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 22

14 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Born Again, King Jesus, Take Up YOUR Cross

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 22     To Know HIM More Today???

 

We heard a good message this morning about our Good King!  Jesus, The King of Glory!  Oh, how blessed we are to know Him, to be His, to be privileged to share the “Good News’ of the salvation that our ‘Good King’ has provided through our Lord Jesus Christ—The very Son of God—our ‘Good King’!  And it’s HIM that we want to focus on today.

“Lift up your heads,

O ye gates;

and be ye lift up,

ye everlasting doors;

and the King of glory

shall come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

the LORD mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads,

 O ye gates;

even lift them up,

ye everlasting doors;

and the King of glory

shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

he is the King of glory. Selah.”  Psalm 24:7-10

And Jesus IS His name—He came through those ‘gates’ once in human flesh and blood!  He lived a perfect life, gave His life to die as the perfect Lamb of God, rose from the dead on the third day, and HE IS coming back again, to walk through those ‘gates’ again.  Do you know 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 was, is and ever shall be “one” with The Father!  And because HE IS God, His sacrifice was the ultimate, perfect sacrifice that provides salvation for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith!

“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 came—and oh how glad I am that He did; and because He did, we can have new life in Him, now and into eternity.

“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.

14 And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

 (and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

 of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.”   John 1:12-14

When we come to Jesus, He gives us His Holy Spirit to dwell within and to provide all that we need to live a life of godliness.

“Grace and peace be multiplied

unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power

hath given unto us all things

that pertain unto life

and godliness,

through the knowledge

of him that hath called us

to glory

and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us

exceeding great and precious promises:

that by these

 ye might be partakers

of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption

that is in the world through lust.”    2 Peter 1:2-4

But, not only do we have all we need for “life and godliness”, we have a Lord and Savior who is coming again to establish His Kingdom on this earth—and I believe HE is coming soon!  Are you ready?

“Let not your heart be troubled:

ye believe in God,

believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house

are many mansions:

if it were not so,

I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place

for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place

for you,

I will come again,

and receive you

unto myself;

that where I am,

there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go

ye know,

and the way

ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him,

Lord, we know not whither

thou goest;

and how can we know

the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”   John 14:1-6

Jesus is the only way to God, and we can not only be known of Him, but we can draw nearer and nearer to Him, and come to know Him more and more.  That is to be the pursuit of our lives—to know Him more each day.  To grow in intimate relationship and fellowship with Him! Paul paints a wonderful picture of this relationship that we are pursuing.

“But what things were gain to me,

those I counted loss

for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss

for the excellency

of the knowledge of Christ Jesus

my Lord:

for whom I have suffered

the loss of all things,

and do count them but dung,

that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him,

not having mine own righteousness,

which is of the law,

but that which is through the faith

of Christ,

the righteousness

which is of God

by faith:

10 That I may know him,

and the power of his resurrection,

and the fellowship of his sufferings,

being made conformable unto his death;

            11 If by any means I might attain

unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained,

either were already perfect:

but I follow after,

if that I may apprehend that

for which also I am apprehended

of Christ Jesus.

13 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.” Philippians 3:7-14

I’d like us to simply take a walk through this message, my paraphrase, if you will.  With Paul may we:

Measure life with Jesus ruler—

See all as rubbish, compared to Knowing Jesus—

Want to KNOW Jesus more than anything else—

Suffering for Jesus is less than HIS suffering for us—

Victory is in HIS righteousness imparted to us—

To KNOW Him more—is to be conformed to HIS image—

I haven’t arrived, but as I walk with Jesus, I will—

To ‘arrive’, I must

 Forget the past—

 Pursue what is ahead—

 Press toward the God’s ‘mark’—

 Seek His prize—JESUS IS the prize!

Simply said, but not easily done—but it is doable as we follow our Lord in all things—giving up self to seek the Savior!  This picture pricks my heart, every time I read it! It calls me to draw near to God and seek HIS face, and not my own ways.  Oft times that is difficult with all the busyness around us; but we must choose the things of “the Spirit” rather than the things of the flesh.  As Paul said so clearly:

“That I may know him,

and the power of his resurrection,

and the fellowship of his sufferings,

being made conformable

unto his death”

And as Paul told the Galatians and us there is only one way to be “made conformable unto his death”, and that is to “die” to self, even as our Lord called us to do!

“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

Jesus calls it ‘denying self…taking up our cross…and following Jesus’ (And ‘taking up’ your cross  doesn’t mean enduring your daily trails, but it means that I die to self, every day, living unto Jesus—by His power, provision and the presence of HIS Holy Spirit within us!).  Just as Jesus died to give us life, we must die to self, allowing HIS life to be seen through us!!!

“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?”  Luke 9:23

I pray that you will join me in “coming after” Jesus!  And the only way that we can live for HIM, is to die to my flesh.

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…

….25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,

provoking one another,

envying one another.” Galatians 5:16 & 25-26

Will you draw near to Him today? I pray that you know Him and will yield to His work in and through you.  If you don’t know Him, I invite you to call upon this same Jesus who gave Himself for YOU—in His own words:

“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.

16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son

into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world

through him

might be saved.

18 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.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”   John 3:14-21

Won’t you seek to know Him more today?  I pray that you will join me as we:

“press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling of God

in Christ Jesus”!

Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

Today Is Only Today, Today??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #562

12 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Born Again, Consider Your ways, The Word Or The World?, Time, Time Is Grace!, TODAY

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #562    Today Is Only Today, Today???

 

“This is the day

which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice

and be glad

in it.”  Psalm 118:24

The “in it” is referring to today!!! This day.  This “day which the LORD hath made” is for me and you—and we can choose whether we will “rejoice” in it, and “be glad” in it!  That’s right, it’s my choice and yours whether we will respond to ‘today’ with joy and delight in the Lord, or doubt what God is doing, pout about it, and drop out of the race that God has “set before us”!

A runner (and I’m certainly not physically one of those—I don’t even run to the mailbox on a good day!!  Ha ha) doesn’t get to pick his lane, his track or the competition; he simply shows up at the meet and prepares himself to run ‘his’ best race!  And that, my friends is what God asks us to do—today!

“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.”   Hebrews 12:1-2

We are called to “run” our own race—today, by keeping our eyes “fixed” on Jesus—not the track, or the competition, or the length, or the roughness of the track! We are to keep looking to Jesus and the prize of HIS person!  He is the prize, and spending eternity with Him, and reveling in HIS glory.

God hasn’t called us to cry over the race we lost yesterday, or the race we might win tomorrow.  God calls us to run ‘today’; to run our own race; to run that race with our eyes on Jesus not self; to run that race with confidence in the Lord who saves us, who keeps us, and who supplies our every need today.  We serve a God who is faithful today—he may be slow (in our time schedule) but HE is never late. We are to run with the knowledge that Jesus ran HIS race for our salvation, “despising the shame” of the cross, but willing to stay there for you and me!

Peter calls us to remember the One who not only came to save us, by “being the way”, but He also left us an example of total faithfulness and trust in God for our yesterday, our today, and our tomorrow!  What are you ‘fixed’ on today?

“For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

leaving us an example,

that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did

no sin,

neither was guile found

in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled,

reviled not again;

when he suffered,

he threatened not;

but committed himself

to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self

bare our sins

in his own body

on the tree,

that we,

being dead to sins,

should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes

ye were healed

25 For ye were as sheep

going astray;

but are now returned

unto the Shepherd

and Bishop

of your souls.”   1 Peter 2:21:24

This precious Lamb of God who loves us and came to be “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”  (See John 1:29), takes away the sin of all who will come to Him in repentance and faith “TODAY”!  For those of us who have already trusted in Him, our todays are to be given to His service—each of them, to do with as HE pleases for our spiritual growth and His eternal glory.  If you don’t know Him, you can come to Him today—for yesterday is gone, and you have no assurance of a tomorrow!  Today is the day—it’s all you have.

“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”.  2 Corinthians 6:2

Today! The author of Hebrews reminds us that it is all about ‘today’ (note that in the KJV it is to-day).  What are you doing with your ‘today’?

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith,

To day if ye will hear his voice,

 8 Harden not your hearts,

as in the provocation, in the day of temptation                                in the wilderness…

…12 Take heed, brethren,

lest there be in any of you an evil heart

of unbelief,

 in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily,

 while it is called To day;

lest any of you be hardened

through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ,

 if we hold the beginning of our confidence

stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,

harden not your hearts,

as in the provocation.”  Hebrews 3:7-8 & 12-15

Here we see that God calls us to be sure that we have heard HIS voice!  As I often say, “Saying so, doesn’t’ make it so!”  We must be sure that we have had a “today” when we repented of our own personal sin, believing that Jesus death, burial and resurrection paid for our sin!  It’s why He came, and we can trust our ‘today’ to His faithful and loving sacrifice for ‘my’ sin!

What are you doing with today?  Rejecting Him?  Putting Him off till tomorrow?  Serving Him faithfully and spending your ‘today’ rejoicing in His presence in your life ‘today’? I simply call each of us to examine our ‘today’!  For, as the title says, “Today Is Only Today, Today”!  In Jesus our todays and tomorrows are totally secure, and our yesterdays can be forgiven and removed “as far as the east is from the west”!   (See Psalm 103:12)

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:

for the morrow shall take thought for the things

of itself.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”    Matthew 6:33-34

Amen and Amen!!!

Do You Know What You’re Doing??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #561

05 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Approved Unto God, Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Consider Your ways, Cross, Follow Jesus, Forgiveness, Free Indeed?, Gospel, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, IN Jesus!, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Know not what they do, Knowing God's Word, Listening To God, Persecution, Perseverance, Power of The Cross, Salvation, SIN, The Word Or The World?, Transformed life, True Knowledge, Trust God, Trusting Jesus, Who are YOU following?

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #561    Do You Know What You’re Doing???

 

We live in a culture of knowledge and education, but sometimes we may have a degree of knowledge but not know what we need to know.  We used to talk about “common sense”, but I have come to say that, in my opinion, “common sense” isn’t very ‘common’ these days.  But even more important than “common sense” we need to have knowledge toward God—God sense—to know Him and His ways is to have true knowledge.  Jesus said something on the cross that haunts my heart and mind, mainly because it seems to be so true today!

“And when they were come to the place,

which is called Calvary,

there they crucified him,

and the malefactors,

one on the right hand,

and the other on the left.

34 Then said Jesus,

Father, forgive them;

for they know not what they do.

And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35 And the people stood beholding.

And the rulers also with them

derided him, saying,

He saved others;

let him save himself,

if he be Christ,

the chosen of God.

36 And the soldiers also mocked him,

coming to him,

and offering him vinegar,

37 And saying,

If thou be the king of the Jews,

save thyself.”  Luke 23:33-37

I find it most interesting that when you read the entire account of the crucifixion, everyone (except the believers who stayed at the cross) derided, mocked, and chided Jesus for not “saving” Himself.  It’s most interesting that by their own words they acknowledged that they ‘heard’ what He had said, that they ‘understood’ what He claimed of Himself, that they knew who He claimed to be—yet still rejected HIM.  And I’m so glad that HE didn’t ‘save’ Himself, so that HE could ‘SAVE’ us! But the phrase that I want us to take note of today is what still rings true today!

“Father, forgive them;

for they know not what they do”!

It’s important to realize that just having the ‘facts’ isn’t enough.  Just storing up information (even Biblical information) isn’t enough!  We must KNOW truth—JESUS IS The truth:

“And ye shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32

“Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater

than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

 because they know not him

that sent me.”  John 15:20-21

Jesus IS the test and the evidence of our faith—HE IS the only way to God; whether it is politically correct or not—Jesus IS truth, and without HIM we really “know not” what we do! Daniel talked about the last days in terms that ring so true today—a world stepped in ‘knowledge’, human intelligence and progress (so called) but without God it is to no good end!  Even though so many today are preaching a message of prosperity, Jesus preached a message of persecution and suffering for those who would truly hear HIS voice and trust Him in repentance and faith.

“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 way to God, Jesus, and we must recognize the import of “abiding” in HIM!

“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.”  John 15:4-5

Even as Daniel was told hundreds of years earlier:

“But thou, O Daniel,

shut up the words,

and seal the book,

even to the time of the end:

many shall run to and fro,

and knowledge shall be increased…

…9 And he said,

Go thy way, Daniel:

for the words are closed up

and sealed

till the time of the end.

10 Many shall be purified,

and made white,

and tried;

but the wicked shall do wickedly:

and none of the wicked shall understand;

but the wise shall understand.”    Daniel 12:4 & 9-10

So, the question is, would Jesus pray for us “Father, forgive them, for they ‘know not’ what they do”?  Not because we didn’t hear, but because we refused to truly respond with our heart and mind, and heed what was revealed to us.  Will we be those who “fight against God”, or will we hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Many in Israel heard, and recognized that God could be in this “message of Jesus”, but they truly knew “not what they do”!  How about you?  What/Who do you know?

“And now I say unto you,

Refrain from these men,

and let them alone:

for if this counsel or this work be of men,

it will come to nought:

39 But if it be of God,

ye cannot overthrow it;

lest haply ye be found

even to fight against God.”   Acts 5:38-39

Here we see the religious leader’s response to Peter and John (and the other disciples), and later as Paul stood before a similar group of leaders, they made almost the same determination—they weren’t all ready to condemn Paul, but they refused to believe his message of Jesus! We can expect no different response today.  How about you?

“And there arose a great cry:

and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose,

and strove, saying,

We find no evil in this man:

but if a spirit

or an angel hath spoken to him,

let us not fight against God.”  Acts 23:9

But praise God we have Jesus as our security, and our hope; so, don’t let persecution or ridicule discourage you—we belong to the ONE who has changed us from “enemies” of God, to being His child—a son of God!

“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.”  John 1:12-13

All because of Jesus!

“For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died

for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love

toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath

through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more, being reconciled,

we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.” Romans 8:6-11

We can be redeemed by the blood of Jesus, that atoned (paid for) for our sin.  And when we “know” Him, and are “known” by HIM, we can press on in victory!  We can KNOW HIM, and declare with Paul:

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss

for the excellency of the knowledge

of Christ Jesus my Lord:

for whom I have suffered the loss

of all things,

and do count them but dung,

that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him,

not having mine own righteousness,

which is of the law,

but that which is through

the faith of Christ,

the righteousness which is of God

by faith:

10 That I may know him,

and the power of his resurrection,

and the fellowship of his sufferings,

being made conformable

 unto his death;”  Philippians 3:8-10

Live, Breathe, Be??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 16

02 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Amazing Grace, Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Consider Your ways, Crucified With Christ, Filled With His Spirit, For Such A Time As This, IN Jesus!, It's Your Choice, JESUS, SIN, The Love of God, The Word Or The World?, Trusting Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 16   Live, Breathe, Be???

 

I have friends, and you probably do too, who have chronic illnesses, in fact I have several friends who have not only chronic illnesses, but genetically based diseases.  That would be a hard thing to deal with, knowing that you could pass on a disease to your children and/or grandchildren, especially since it is out of my/your control.; but there’s something else that we need to consider, for it is even more far-reaching than a chronic disease, and if not treated appropriately, it is truly fatal.  That is “SIN”, and while we all pass it on to our children and our grandchildren, there is something that we can do—something that IS within our control!  And that something is JESUS!  While we may not have a choice about the genetic pool that is passed on to us, we do have a choice about our response to sin, and the choice that we make will affect those around us whether we are related or not!

Scripture clearly tells us that we are all afflicted with the disease of sin!

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no,

not one:”  Romans 3:10

That means that sin is the issue—we all have it, but only Jesus can provide the cure (so to speak)!

“For all have sinned,

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

All–that means me; and that means you!  Every human being is born into sin (except the God-Man Savior, Jesus), and we can choose to respond to the gospel of Jesus, hear the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit, repent and receive the saving grace that He died to provide; or you can choose to pay for you own sin!

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Romans 6:23

We are all born in sin, but when we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we don’t have to die in our sin.  Jesus has already done that for us; therefore, Hell doesn’t have to be our future.  We can have life now and forever—abundant life IN Jesus!

“Then said Jesus unto them again,

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me

are thieves

and robbers:

but the sheep did not hear them.

9 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 10:7-11

Jesus IS the good shepherd, for HE gave His life for our salvation, all because God loved us.

“We love him, because he first loved us.”  1 John 4:19

What a wonderful verse!  Salvation was, is and ever shall be God’s idea, God pursued us, for salvation is always initiated by God—it’s not our idea!  We can only respond to HIS grace which has been extended to us as His Spirit reveals Him to us.  Have you heard His voice? His knock at your heart’s door?

“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

And to be the Redeemer, Jesus gave His own life, of His own will to save us!  God sent Jesus to pay for ‘my’ sin and ‘yours’!

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God

among you by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge

of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified

and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”   Acts 2:22-24

Not only preached by Peter and the apostles, but also foretold by Jesus Himself.

“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:

them also I must bring,

and they shall hear my voice;

and there shall be one fold,

and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me,

because I lay down my life,

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received

of my Father.”   John 10:16-18

Jesus came out of love for us and obediently lay down HIS life for me and you!  Praise God for His amazing grace that saves and keeps those who will come to HIM! Oh, to have the words to describe the wondrous grace that He has bestowed on me/us, and to express the gratitude that fills my heart.  And because of that gratitude and recognition of the blessings of God, we ought to behave in accord with what we have received.  I truly believe that one of the problems we face today is an overabundance of people who profess what they don’t possess!  But God knows those who are HIS, and Jesus made it clear that what’s in our hearts will come out—one way or another; sooner or later!

“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

We can find victory in living when we learn to depend on the direction, provision and instruction of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit.

“16 This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…..

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”   Galatians 5:16 & 24-25

How much we miss when we forget that when we belong to Jesus, He provides all we need for faithful, godly living.

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power

hath given unto us

all things that pertain

unto life and godliness,

through the knowledge of him

that hath called us to glory

and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us

exceeding great

and precious promises:

that by these

ye might be partakers

of the divine nature,

 having escaped the corruption

that is in the world through lust.”  2 Peter 1:3

Power to overcome is found in The Spirit and The Word of Him who laid down His life for me and you!  We can live and prevail by His grace, as we die to self and live “in Jesus”!

“For in him

we live,

and move,

and have our being;

as certain also of your own poets have said,

 For we are also his offspring.”  Acts 17:28

“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

All because Jesus holds it all together—right now, and always.

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,

and upholding all things

by the word of his power,

when he had by himself purged our sins,

sat down on the right hand

of the Majesty on high;”  Hebrews 1:3

So, a few questions, “In “whom” (or how) do you ‘live, and move, and have your being”?   Have you died to self at the cross, to live by “faith of the Son of God”?  The choice is yours but choose wisely; there is a test at the end!

One last word to challenge our minds!

“And be not drunk

with wine, wherein is excess;

but be filled

with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody

 in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always

for all things

unto God and the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves

one to another

in the fear of God.”  Ephesians 5:18-21

Are you “filled with the Spirit” (which means to be pervaded, controlled by) or is something else ‘controlling’ you? (It matters not if it’s drugs, liquor, sex, greed, lying and deceit, power, manipulation, ego, sloth, or ambition).  What are you filling your life with!

Believe It Or Not??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 12

05 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Encouragement, Every Knee Shall Bow, Follow Jesus, Gospel, Hearing God, I Can Do All Things?, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Not Of This World, Salvation, Seeing Truth, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Truth

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.12      Believe It Or Not???

 

I have a brief message today, brief in the sense that I have little to say about the passage I want to share with you, but rather want to let you ponder the words of Jesus!  I truly believe that the day of His approaching return is very near, and we live in days when, like the people who heard and saw Jesus in person, men are unwilling to heed the voice of the Son of God.  And as Jesus said Himself, HE is the only way.

“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

Jesus IS the only way to God, and regardless of what the world says, there is NO other way. And when we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we will find that HE is sufficient to our every need, and all that we do is dependent on HIM!  Even as His child, I am only profitable to God as I yield to and depend on the work of God in me through the Holy Spirit of Jesus!  How sad that so many who claim to know Him, preach a different gospel—one of self-reliance, greed, and prosperity—rather than the call of Jesus to “take up your cross and follow me…”!

“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.”   John 15:5

Without Jesus there is no future but death and hell, but with Him we can have eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ—for our sin! (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Jesus is our life, hope and assurance, and truly “without me ye can do nothing”!  But with Him we can truly say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  (Philippians 4:13)

The passage from John’s Gospel,  is Jesus’ own message to those who refuse to receive HIM! I simply ask that you read this passage and ponder its content, and the heart of the Messiah who spoke it to us all those years ago!  Do you know Him?  Are there those whom you love who need to know Him?  Will you determine today to be a reflection of The Savior to a lost and dying world?  Will you stand by the truth of The Word rather than the ‘gospel of convenience’ that is clamoring all about us?  The choice is yours, but remember, there is a test at the end!  His love is written in RED!

“Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that heareth my word,

and believeth on him that sent me,

hath everlasting life,

and shall not come into condemnation;

but is passed

from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

The hour is coming,

and now is,

when the dead shall hear the voice

of the Son of God:

and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself;

so hath he given to the Son

to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority

to execute judgment also,

because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this:

for the hour is coming,

in the which all that are in the graves

shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth;

they that have done good,

unto the resurrection of life;

and they that have done evil,

unto the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing:

as I hear,

I judge:

and my judgment is just;

because I seek not mine own will,

but the will of the Father

which hath sent me.

31 If I bear witness of myself,

my witness is not true.

32 There is another that beareth witness of me;

and I know that the witness

which he witnesseth of me

is true.

33 Ye sent unto John,

and he bare witness unto the truth.

34 But I receive not testimony from man:

but these things I say,

that ye might be saved.

35 He was a burning and a shining light:

and ye were willing for a season

to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have greater witness

than that of John:

for the works which the Father hath given me

to finish,

the same works that I do,

bear witness of me,

that the Father

hath sent me.

37 And the Father himself,

which hath sent me,

hath borne witness of me.

Ye have neither heard his voice at any time,

nor seen his shape.

38 And ye have not his word

abiding in you:

for whom he hath sent,

him ye believe not.

39 Search the scriptures;

for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me,

that ye might have life.

41 I receive not honour from men.

42 But I know you,

that ye have not the love of God

in you.

43 I am come in my Father’s name,

and ye receive me not:

if another shall come in his own name,

him ye will receive.

44 How can ye believe,

which receive honour

one of another,

and seek not the honour

that cometh from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you

to the Father:

there is one that accuseth you,

even Moses,

 in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses,

ye would have believed me:

for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings,

how shall ye believe my words?”   John 5:24-47

Whose words will you believe?  God’s Word both written, spoken, and the “living Word”, or will you choose to believe the one who will “come in his own name”?  And as John the Apostle wrote—there is “one” coming, but there are many of “his” already at work.  Be aware, be prepared, be saved while you still can!

“Beloved,

believe not every spirit,

but try the spirits

whether they are of God:

because many false prophets

are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that confesseth

that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not

that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

is not of God:

and this is that spirit of antichrist,

whereofye have heard that it should come;

and even now already

is it in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3

Satan is alive and well on planet earth!  But we win because:

“Ye are of God, little children,

and have overcome them:

because greater is he that is in you,

than he that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4