Category Archives: Family

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!!!

 

God’s Still On HIS Throne??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #727

07 Friday May 2021

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Are You Ready, Be not conformed to this world, Blessed by God, By Him We Live, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Commitment Or Convenience, Compromise, Confessing Sin, Consider Your ways, Darkness or Light?, Erasing The Lines?, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Family, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, Forgiveness, God Bless America, God Is In Charge, God Knows His Own, God Who Sees, Godly Women, Good News, Healing, Holy, In The Beginning, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Saves!, Lies, Light In The Dark, Marriage, Mothers, No Sin No Need?, One Foundation, Only Jesus, Only One Way, Our God Reigns

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #727  God’s Still On His Throne???

 

As we approach Mother’s Day, my heart is often grieved for our nation and the sad state of families and the world’s degraded opinion of mothers.  The world around us is trying to erase the lines of God’s creation, morality and the gift of children is the saddest of all.  We have made children disposable—we have not only denied the blessing of children but have approved of and even promoted the killing of children because they are “unwanted”!

It makes me sad that we have bought the lies of the enemy and are killing our children on the altar of convenience.  And not only the lives of the unborn are at stake, but even the children that have lived are often neglected and mistreated to a degree that is unconscionable and yet we just go on like there is no tomorrow.  This situation is addressed in scripture—God’s Word tells us that this kind of disregard of God, His Word and human life would become rampant in the last days.

“This know also,

that in the last days

perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they

which creep into houses,

and lead captive silly women

laden with sins,

led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning,

and never able

to come to the knowledge

of the truth.”  2 Timothy 3:1-7

Reading this list is like reading a current newspaper—yet it seems to me as though we are reaping what we have sown!  We have denigrated the import of God’s design for mankind—for God created “male and female” and established marriage and the home as the foundation stone of society—not this crazy mixed-up circus that we see today!

“And God said,

Let us make man

in our image,

after our likeness:

and let them have dominion…

… over every creeping thing

that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man

in his own image,

in the image of God

created he him;

male and female

created he them.

28 And God blessed them,

and God said unto them,

Be fruitful,

and multiply,

and replenish the earth,

and subdue it:

and have dominion

over the fish of the sea,

and ….. over every living thing

that moveth upon the earth…

…2: 22 And the rib,

which the LORD God had taken from man,

made he a woman,

and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said,

This is now bone of my bones,

and flesh of my flesh:

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore shall a man

leave his father and his mother,

and shall cleave unto his wife:

and they shall be one flesh.”                      Portions of Genesis 1:26-28 & 2:22-24

And yes, before you ask, I believe in the Genesis account of creation—it is the foundation on which all other scripture stands, for if there was no creation, there was no Adam and Eve; if there was no Adam and Eve, there was no sin; and if there was no sin, there is NO NEED for a Redeemer!  Yet, Jesus IS The Redeemer of all who will come to Him in repentance and faith, for “all have sinned”! And Jesus Himself confirmed the truth of this Genesis account, and God’s design for mankind, marriage and the home!!!  (See Romans 3:23 & 6:23)

“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

God established marriage, the home and the important priority of parents, yet we have abandoned all of the above today.  Many, if not most, choose to live together without benefit of marriage—for marriage is seen as unimportant–, and if they marry it’s with a swinging door (and I know what it means to believe those lies, as I made some of those same mistakes in the past—and I praise God that HE does forgive, cleanse and restore through Jesus, when we come to HIM!) powered by divorce.  We leave children fatherless or motherless or often today, parentless.  Then we wonder why our culture is falling apart!  We wonder why our children are in distress!  We can’t figure out why our children and young people are committing heinous crimes.  Well, when we reject God and His Word, we will suffer the consequence.

What can we do?  We must come to God in humility and repentance for our part in this mess we have created in our land.  We must face our own sin, turn from it and cling to the cross and HIM who died for us!  We must once again cling to and stand for the righteous truth that God IS GOD, and we need to seek HIS face and HIS truth and live by it.  And we moms must cling to God’s truth NOT the world’s lies!

“In the LORD put I my trust:

how say ye to my soul,

Flee as a bird to your mountain?

2 For, lo,

the wicked bend their bow,

they make ready their arrow upon the string,

that they may privily

shoot at the upright in heart.

3 If the foundations be destroyed,

what can the righteous do?

4 The LORD is in his holy temple,

the LORD’S throne is in heaven:

his eyes behold,

his eyelids try,

the children of men.

5 The LORD trieth the righteous:

but the wicked and him that loveth violence

his soul hateth.

6 Upon the wicked

he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone,

and an horrible tempest:

this shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the righteous LORD

loveth righteousness;

his countenance

doth behold the upright.”  Psalm 11:1-7

God sees and HE knows!  Our job is to confess our own part—without pointing fingers at everyone else but ourselves—then Jesus can and will respond with “healing in HIS wings”!  And oh, I can’t express the joy of knowing Jesus and the healing and restoration HE brings to my heart, soul, mind and life!

“But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us

our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:7-10

And just as the key word above is “IF”, the “key word” in another passage we often quote, is “IF”; may we who are “HIS” truly repent, receive HIS forgiveness and be cleansed to walk forth in HIS light and glory?  May we sincerely ask GOD to bless America once again, and be willing to obey?

“If my people,

which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14

And if you’d allow me, “then and only then”!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

(And I’m taking Sunday off for Mother’s Day—so Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms and women of godly influence!  May God bless you and yours!)

 

Ignoring The Manufacturer??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 04

25 Sunday Apr 2021

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Be not conformed to this world, Bibe Study, Blessed by God, By example, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Discernment, Discipline, Encouragement, Faithful, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Family, Father's Way!, Follow Jesus, God Is In Charge, God Knows His Own, He Died That We Could Live, If not now? When?, Inspiring Others, It's Your Choice, Jesus Saves!, Knowing God's Word, Living Right, Manufacturer's Warranty

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 04 Ignoring The Manufacturer???

 

We all buy things these days, and most of the things that we purchase come with a manufacturer’s instructions and usually a warranty (Some even call virtually every day to remind you of your car warranty!  Ha ha ha), but the warranty is usually dependent on the fact that we have followed the instructions for the item.  We have a personal, human manufacturer who has also given us perfect instructions for ‘operation’; but the choice is ours—will we follow HIS instructions and heed to HIS warnings for prime operation, or will we choose to go our own way without regard to HIS instructions but choose wisely there will be a test.

“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

When we choose to “serve the LORD”, we have aligned ourselves with The One who loves us more than anyone else in this world!

“A new commandment I give unto you,

That ye love one another;

as I have loved you,

that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know

that ye are my disciples,

if ye have love

one to another.”  John 13:34

And what does God’s love look like?  That’s clearly stated in God’s Word.

“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.”  John 3:14-19

God loved us so much that HIS plan was always that HE would pay for our sins through HIS own Son, The “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”!

He painted a most amazing picture of this for Abraham in Genesis 22.

“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…

…. 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.”                               Portions of Genesis 22:7-13

And Abraham went on, I think, to let us know that he caught a glimpse of what God was promising:

“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 22:14

Historians say that the mountain where God took Abraham and Isaac is the same mountain where God offered “HIS only begotten son” to pay the price for our sin with HIS own blood!

“Husbands,

love your wives,

even as Christ also loved the church,

and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it

with the washing of water

by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself

a glorious church,

not having spot,

or wrinkle,

or any such thing;

but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  Ephesians 5:25-27

And one of the most beautiful pictures of what Jesus did for us out of “His great love”, is painted by Peter in his first letter to believers.

“For this is thankworthy,

if a man for conscience toward God

endure grief,

suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it,

if, when ye be buffeted for your faults,

ye shall take it patiently?

but if, when ye do well,

and suffer for it,

ye take it patiently,

this is acceptable with God.

21 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 2:19-25

So, my question for today is, are we willing to follow the life-warranty instructions that God gave us for passing the baton to those who follow behind us—especially our own children.  For if we lose those we love the most, how grieved we will be.  But let me also add this caveat, we can only lead our children to see and recognize truth; they must choose for themselves to follow or not; but when we fail to live truth and pass it on by our life and our words, we will always regret our failure!  Here’s the passage that defines the HOME’s job! (not the church’s, or the school’s or the government’s job—but the parents!).

May God speak to our hearts and may we hear and heed The Word of God, The Great Manufacturer!

“Know ye that

the LORD he is God:

it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.”  Psalm 100:3

Be sure not to invalidate the warranty—God won’t call on your cell phone; but HIS WORD is calling us to HIS truth continually—and it’s never a wrong number!  It’s what the Psalmist was referring to:

“With my whole heart

have I sought thee:

O let me not wander

from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart,

that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed art thou,

O LORD:

teach me thy statutes.”  Psalm 119:10-12

“Take heed unto thyself,

and unto the doctrine;

continue in them:

for in doing this

thou shalt both save thyself,

and them that hear thee.”  1 Timothy 4:16

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy;

whereunto ye do well

that ye take heed,

as unto a light that shineth

in a dark place,

until the day dawn,

and the day star arise

in your hearts:”  2 Peter 1:19

And one of the warrants HE has promised:

“The steps of a good man

are ordered by the LORD:

and he delighteth

in his way.

24 Though he fall,

he shall not be utterly cast down:

for the LORD upholdeth him

with his hand.”  Psalm 37:23-24

May it ever be so in our lives!

Amen and Amen!!!

A Father’s Way!!! Bible Ballistics: Vol. 15 No. 16

21 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by in A Father's Love, Family, Father's Way!

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 15 No. 16    A Father’s Way!!!

 

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there, and I want to share some thoughts on the import of fatherhood.  One of the major issues in our culture today is the lack of father’s involvement in the home and in the lives of their children.  I just want to share what I believe to be one of the most important passages on the family for your consideration today.  I pray that we will consider God’s truth, and as Paul said, “stand fast in the evil day”!

“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.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel,

and observe to do it;

that it may be well with thee,

and that ye may increase mightily,

as the LORD God of thy fathers

hath promised thee,

in the land that floweth

with milk and honey.

4 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 6:1-6

God’s call to His own was that they would heed His Word, and depend upon HIS provision and care, and know Him personally.  It is the basis of everything that makes a true godly home!  We must choose to love and follow God for our own selves first, before we can affect anyone around us—especially our children; and without the example as well as the talk we can’t truly lead anyone else to The Lord Jesus!  We can only share what we possess!

“What?

know ye not that your body

is the temple

of the Holy Ghost

which is in you,

which ye have of God,

and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify God

in your body,

and in your spirit,

which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Now, let’s look at what Deuteronomy lays out for us as parents—especially fathers—and ponder God’s design, and pursue HIS principles!  May God work a work that only HE can do in our hearts, our lives, our families, and our nation!  Speaking of the statutes of the Lord, Moses told us how to pass the torch of faith and truth to our children and those over whom God gives us influence (whether they are our own offspring or not!)!

“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.

10 And it shall be,

when the LORD thy God

shall have brought thee into the land

which he sware unto thy fathers,

to Abraham,

to Isaac,

and to Jacob,

to give thee great and goodly cities,

which thou buildedst not,

11 And houses full of all good things,

which thou filledst not,

and wells digged,

which thou diggedst not,

vineyards and olive trees,

which thou plantedst not;

when thou shalt have eaten and be full;

12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD,

which brought thee forth

out of the land of Egypt,

from the house of bondage.

13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God,

and serve him,

and shalt swear by his name……

…17 Ye shall diligently keep

the commandments of the LORD your God,

and his testimonies,

and his statutes,

which he hath commanded thee.

18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good

in the sight of the LORD:

that it may be well with thee,

and that thou mayest go in

and possess the good land

which the LORD sware

unto thy fathers,

19 To cast out all thine enemies

from before thee,

as the LORD hath spoken.

(***)20 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 6:7-25

If I might put it in a nutshell:  if we will follow Jesus with our whole heart, and do that which pleases Him in all our ways, before our family and the world, the time will come in the lives of our children (and those He places in our circle of influence!), that they will ask “why” we do what we do.  Note, God didn’t say that they would ask “why” we “say” what we say, but that they would ask “why” we “do” what we “do” in following Jesus!  Do your children have anything to ask about?  Or is there so little difference between us and the world, that they have nothing to ask about.

May God bless you to see what HE is showing you/me today.  Blessings on you and yours.

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

 

Constant? Bible Ballistics: BBs #635

19 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by in Confidence, Consider Your ways, Constant, Courage, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Family, Trials

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Today I share with you a guest post by my friend Taryn Spurlock.  I thought her words so important that I am sharing them today rather than our regular posting time.  I hope you find it as touching and encouraging as I have.

Wednesday, March 18th, 2020

Taryn Spurlock

con·stant

/ˈkänstənt/

noun

    1. a situation or state of affairs that does not change. 

I’m a pretty routine person. We have a family of three that has pretty consistent order to our week. For me, most weekdays consist of a 4:20am alarm, workout, home a little after 6, quiet time, off to work at 7:30, Creede gets to school, and I get off at 5, and we move on to our evening activity depending on the day of the week. It’s how we roll. For the 1st time in the 11 years of my career I was sent home from work until further notice due to COVID-19 and the recommendations pertaining to my job. My daily situation changed really fast.

As I sit here on my porch writing this, the weather went from cold to hot rather quickly as well. Living in Oklahoma, I know what potential that has for a March day… STORMS. It’s gorgeous right now though. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, my son is out playing with his cousin. You see, that’s how life was rolling along for us… we just bought a new house with land, my husband’s busy season of work was around the corner, and we were all jiving just fine.

But one microscopic virus changed everything all of a sudden.

But you know what else it changed in less than 24 hours… ME.

This morning I found myself on my husband’s side of the bed kneeling and having a conversation with God. Acknowledging God was in control. Acknowledging this is out of my control. Asking God to change my heart. Asking God to protect us. Asking God to give my son and I a wonderful day together. Asking God to heal our country. Asking God to show me how to use my time not working as a hygienist wisely and for His glory.

  • Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I walked away with peace. 

●     Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Does that mean I haven’t thought about this crazy unknown situation today? No.

But I have remembered that moment beside my bed this morning many, many times.

So, as I mentioned, it’s looking beautiful right now and feeling nice outside. But I know the chance of storms are there.  So, I also spent some time this morning cleaning up the porch and making sure things outside were hunkered down, etc.

I’M PREPARING.

●     Proverbs 6:6-11

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, …

Storms are going to come. Sometimes they come with a warning and sometimes there is no warning at all. Regardless, they will come. God has commanded us to be good stewards. Last Sunday our church was unable to meet “like normal” in order to aid in limiting potential COVID-19 spread. I was unable to drop our tithe check as usual. Right after we were informed of our new work situation, I went to my wallet to get $5 I owed somebody at work and saw the check. My second patient didn’t show so I went to the church and dropped it off. KNOWING the storm was here, I also knew it did not change the fact I was to obey in the giving of my tithe. Normally, that is a routine thing that I never think twice about. That day, God increased my faith and said, “this doesn’t change.”

  • Malachi 3:10

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need…

●     Proverbs 3:9

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

My husband and I have always strived to live within our means. People have made fun of us at times for the things we refuse to spend money on and our thoughts on saving. But I am so thankful for the sunny days where we had the opportunity to prepare. It may be different. It may be hard. It may do some damage to “our plans.” However, in the end, the sun will come back out.

●     Proverbs 21:20

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

●     Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.

God not only wants me to prepare for the storms financially, but also spiritually. My relationship with Him is what drove me to my knees this morning. I knew he would be there. I knew He already knew my heart. I knew I was safe there because He had been there before both on the sunny days and the stormy days.

I plan to spend the next few weeks looking for the ways God can use me in such a time as this.

While this storm may change our constant. Our God is constant in His love and promises toward His children. And because of that, TODAY AND EVERY DAY, I PRAISE HIM.

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Malachi 3:6

For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.