Category Archives: Confidence

A Thankful Heart??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #291

22 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by in Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Gratitude, Gratitude Is Timeless, Gratitude to Generosity, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!, Prayer, Prayer or Panic?, Thankful, Thankfulness with joy!, Thanksgiving, The Word

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A Thankful Heart???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #291

Today I want to share a message of gratitude; gratitude to each of you that have been a part of Bible Ballistics, you make my heart smile!  So I just want to share some words of gratitude from God’s Word!

“Grace be unto you,

and peace,

from God our Father,

and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God

upon every remembrance of you,” Philippians 1:2-3

God is so gracious and kind to give us friends, acquaintances and loved ones to share our lives with, and I thank each of you for helping to make this blog beneficial, to those I haven’t yet met, as well as those I have known and loved for years.  May we continue to bless and encourage one another.

“I thank my God always on your behalf,

for the grace of God

which is given you by Jesus Christ;”  1 Corinthians 1:4

And more from Paul, and like many of you whom I have never met, Paul hadn’t been to Colossae either, yet because he had heard of their faith in Jesus, he prayed for them and sent an amazing letter to encourage them. (Read it today!)

“We give thanks to God

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

praying always for you,

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,

and of the love which ye have

 to all the saints,” Colossians 1:3-4 

This theme of gratitude and praying for one another is found throughout scripture, and it is there to remind us that we are to care for one another as we have opportunity and pray for our fellow believers continually.  God hears and answers prayer—not always in our way or in our in our time, but I serve a prayer-answering God, I hope you do to!  I pray that you know Him as well.  As we develop and grow in our attitude of gratitude, it is amazing to see the blessings of God; for we are all blessed, we all aren’t always paying attention.  Look up my friends, Jesus loves you and so do I.

“Rejoice evermore.     

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks:

 for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus

concerning you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Of course we couldn’t end a post on gratitude without a word from the Psalms; oh how replete are they with the joy of the Lord, comfort for the sorrowful, hope for the downtrodden, and the eternal message that our “God reigneth”!

“O give thanks unto the God of heaven:

for his mercy endureth for ever.”  Psalm 136:26

May your day be full of peace “that passeth all understanding” as you thank God in all things.  Remember, we win!

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,

and as the voice of many waters,

and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,

Alleluia:

for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

7 Let us be glad and rejoice,

and give honour to him…”. Revelation 19:6-7a

Amen and Amen!!!

When Do You Need Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #290

20 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Holy, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, HOPE, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Relying on self or Jesus?, Seeing Truth, Seek ye first The Kingdom of God, Self-sufficient or Dependent on Jesus?, The Word

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When Do You Need Jesus???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #290

Life happens, time flies, and the world around us seems to suck us in sometimes but are we who claim the name of Jesus depending on Him or our own devices—the amazement of the techno-world gadgets, our own wisdom, intelligence or are we walking with our Lord, as the old song says, moment by moment!  There are days that I know that I am conscious of depending upon my Lord second by second.  I’d like to share some scripture that may help us to keep our eyes on Jesus—for one of Satan’s ploys is to keep us going on the toddler’s cry, “I can do it myself!”  How about you?  Are you leaning on the promises and truths that God’s Word provides, or something else.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,

All power is unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore,

and teach all nations,

baptizing them

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them

to observe all things whatsoever

I have commanded you:

and, lo,

I am with you alway,

even unto the end of the world. Amen.”                Matthew 28:18-20

Acts also records Jesus’ instructions as He was about to ascend to heaven, and they are words on which we must depend and keep in mind, for our strength is small, but as Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”!  And Jesus made it clear that, “without me you can do nothing…”!

“And he said unto them,

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,

which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But

ye shall receive power,

after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses

unto me both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  Acts 1:7-8

When we are born again, we receive the gift of Jesus’ Holy Spirit to go with us; we could take a whole session to discuss the things which Jesus said The Spirit would work in and through us but suffice it to say we have all we need in Jesus by The Spirit’s work!  It’s one of the reasons that Paul warned the believers at Thessalonica to “quench not the Spirit”!  Stop the maverick lifestyle!  If you don’t have The Spirit, you don’t have Jesus.

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 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.”  Romans 8:8-9

How can we do this?  You hit the nail on the head; “I” can’t but with The Holy Spirit’s work “we” can!  Remember what Jesus said, “without me you can do nothing…”; how much “nothing” are you spending in your own resources?  Let’s check out some great advice from scripture.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall                                        

not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

“If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:25

Paul also gave some great advice to young Timothy.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing

the word of truth.”   2 Timothy 2:15

Isaiah also shared an amazingly helpful word that I rely upon continually.

“And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity,

and the water of affliction,

yet shall not thy teachers be removed

into a corner any more,

but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,

This is the way, walk ye in it,

when ye turn to the right hand,

and when ye turn to the left.”  Isaiah 30:20-21

So my question for us today is, “Are you walking with Jesus?  Do you need Him, or are you the ‘solo flight’ of the year?”  I close with a passage that is probably familiar to most, yet I want to explain the context.  Jesus is calling to the church at Laodicea who claimed His name, yet Jesus described their attitude as “needing nothing”!  They had become self-sufficient, and Jesus called them to come to Him.  I find it most interesting that Jesus is outside knocking on the door to get in!  Are you walking in your own self-sufficiency or have you opened the door to Jesus and learned to depend upon HIM continually?

“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

Amen & Amen!!!

With Or Without??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #255

01 Sunday Sep 2024

Posted by in Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choices And Consequences, Choose Wisely, Choose You This Day!, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Great white throne, Guard Your Heart, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all, Judgment, Judgment Is Coming, Salvation, Saved by Grace Through Faith, The Word

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With Or Without???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #255

Is your life being lived with Jesus, or without Him?  Are you doing things your way, or God’s way.  God makes it clear in the closing chapters of The Revelation of Jesus Christ that it’s all about Jesus.  Before we approach the Revelation, let’s see Jesus’ own words about the decision of most import in life and death.

“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 3:16-21

Jesus made it very clear to Nicodemus, the religious leader in search of answers; answers that Jesus supplied with insight that we can heed or reject.  The choice is yours and mine—you and I are the “whosoever”—but remember there is a consequence to every choice, and not to be redundant, but Paul said it better than I ever could.

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

 if we faint not.”  Galatians 6:7-9

The issue is, what have you done with Jesus?  Have you been born again, by the blood of Jesus?  If you belong to Jesus, are you living for Him and sharing His truth with others as God gives you opportunity?  If you don’t know Him yet, you can; by the repentance of your sin, and trusting/believing in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sin.  Payday is coming, and the only acceptable payment is Jesus. (See John 14:6)

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face the earth and the heaven

fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things

which were written in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found

written in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15

So, the choice is yours; will you live your life with Jesus and His saving, transforming grace; or will you live your own way?  As I said, the choice is totally yours, but choose wisely, there is a test.

Even as Joshua called Israel so many years ago, “choose you this day”!

“Now therefore fear the LORD,

and serve him in sincerity and in truth:

and put away the gods which your fathers served

on the other side of the flood,

and in Egypt;

and serve ye the LORD.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,

choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods which your fathers served

that were on the other side of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites,

in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the LORD.”  Joshua 24:14-15

Amen and Amen!!!

The Lord Is Enough!!! A Word from THE WORD!!! #254

29 Thursday Aug 2024

Posted by in Confidence, Conformed to HIS image, Daniel Prayed--Will You?, Dare To Be Different!, Encouragement, Jesus Is The Only Way!

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The Lord Is Enough!!!  A Word from THE WORD #254

 

I would simply like to borrow part of David’s cry of praise to The Lord for His deliverance.  I pray that you will find encouragement in his words today—I always do!  God is so good, I pray that you know Him and rejoice in not just what He does, but Who He Is!  If you don’t know Jesus, you can—if you hear His voice calling you simply admit your sin to Jesus, repent (simply turning from your sin to Jesus precious, cleansing blood!) of it, and trust in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for you!!!  Jesus still saves and changes lives today!

“I will love thee,

O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is

my rock,

and my fortress,

and my deliverer;

my God,

 my strength,

in whom I will trust;

my buckler,

and the horn of my salvation,

and my high tower.

3 I will call upon the LORD,

who is worthy to be praised:

so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4 The sorrows of death compassed me,

and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about:

the snares of death prevented me.

6 In my distress

I called upon the LORD,

and cried unto my God:

he heard my voice out of his temple,

and my cry came before him,

even into his ears.”  Psalm 18:1-6. Amen!!!

Lift Up Your Eyes??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #252

21 Wednesday Aug 2024

Posted by in Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Jesus is able, Jesus Is Alive, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Look UP, Look up and Praise The Lord, Looking Unto Jesus, Looking up Or around?, The Word

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Lift Up Your Eyes???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #252

“And there shall be signs

in the sun,

and in the moon,

and in the stars;

and upon the earth

distress of nations,

with perplexity;

the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men’s hearts

failing them for fear,

and for looking after those things

which are coming on the earth:

 for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming

in a cloud

with power

and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

and lift up your heads;

for your redemption draweth nigh.”  Luke 21:25-28

I want to speak to the little words in this passage, rather than the nature of the prophecy; Jesus said that “there shall be signs”, and notice that this is plural—not just one but multiple signs—sadly multiple signs that most will not heed as from Jesus!  If we took time to go back and look at Matthew 7, we’d remember that Jesus referred to the “many” and the “few” in regard to finding and walking on the “narrow way”; a message much needed today, especially to remind God’s own that we are NOT in the majority!  From Genesis to Revelation, there is always a remnant of God’s own in this world, but they have seldom been in the lead!  But we are called to take note.  Jesus was speaking to His closest followers, yet even they doubted when He was put in the grave!  But, three days later they believed, and some 40+ days later they received the Holy Spirit to speak, preach and display the power of heavenly fire!

But to get back to our passage above, notice that Jesus said that “Men’s hearts” would be failing them because they will be looking at the “signs” and not the Savior!  He also implies that the signs will go on for some time, culminating in His return.

Then—and most importantly to we who belong to Jesus—Jesus told His followers that when:

“these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

and lift up your heads;

for your redemption draweth nigh…”!

Note that Jesus told us that when we see these thing “begin to come to pass” we aren’t to let our hearts fail (not over the weather, the politics, or the world crises, nor any earthly events) but we are clearly told what to do:

look up,       

lift up your heads;

And He tells us why we are to look up and lift up our heads, not let our hearts or our heads droop down over the events taking place but we can confidently look up because:

your redemption draweth nigh!

So, don’t fret over the events of the times, but rather take The Word of God and stand fast in “the evil day”!  Remember, Jesus has promised victory, and He will come, rule, judge and reign as God of all!!!  Get in The Word:

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,

and as the voice of many waters,

and as the voice of mighty thunderings,

saying,Alleluia:

for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”  Revelation 19:6

Amen and Amen!!!