Category Archives: HOPE

Jesus IS Our Hope–Then–Now!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #610

13 Friday Dec 2019

Posted by in 'Tis The Season?, A Father's Love, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, Holy, HOPE, Jesus IS The Gift!

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #610   Jesus IS Our Hope—Then—Now!!!

 

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,

and the glory of the Lord shone

round about them:

and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them,

Fear not:

for, behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day

in the city of David

a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel

a multitude of the heavenly host

praising God,

and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

good will toward men.”   Luke 2:9-14

I know we’ve heard this again and again, yet it ever rings true in my heart!  Jesus IS the “good tidings of great joy” and those of us who have trusted in His saving grace, ought to ever be a reflection of this “good tidings of great joy”!  Our families’ future depends on it!  Our churches’ future depends on it!  Our communities depend on it! Our nation and our world’s future rests heavy on us; you and I who have received this “great joy” in salvation need to be diligent to share it as we have opportunity!

And on that line, I’d like to share a favorite passage of mine; one that we so desperately need to rehearse and take to heart in these “perilous times”!  Our children and grandchildren’s future depends on it!  I pray that you will join me in seeking God’s face during this special time of remembrance of HIS great gift of Jesus to us—to the whole world!  HE IS our only Hope!  If Jesus isn’t our hope, we have little to none!

God has given us the greatest gift ever; yet if we have that hope and don’t share it with our children and grandchildren, we will have failed to give them hope or any kind of assurance of a future!  May this message from Moses ring in our hearts today and ever!

For this has been such a burden on my heart for so long!  Will you join me in prayer for our families—our extended families—our church families—and our opportunity to affect the lives of families that God sends our way!  May we see the need to stand for Jesus in all our ways and seek to encourage others with HIS truth.  Any time I think about or teach about families there is one main passage that always comes to mind, and I encourage you to read it and take it to heart!

The two main points are simple—firstly, we must love God and know HIM ourselves, before we can pass it on to our children, our grandchildren, or those whom God brings into our lives!  Secondly we must continually watch for those teachable moments in the lives of others (especially our children and grandchildren), walking a walk that matches what we talk, then God can use us to make an impact on the lives of those watching (and others ‘watch’ us way before they ‘listen’ to us)– living in such a faithful way as to spark their curiosity.   Then when they ask “WHY” do you/we live this way; we are able to share our testimony of what GOD has done and is doing for us!  Simple—yes!  Easy—no!  But by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, we can make a difference.  It’s what our world is starving for—real believers living the truth that we talk about!

Me/You—”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.”  Deuteronomy 6:1-5

Me/You–“And these words, which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:

7 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.” 6:6-9

Them— “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?”

MeYou—”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.”  6:20-25.

And the joy for us, is that JESUS becomes our righteous when we repent, believe and receive HIM—the Gift.  Jesus IS the gift!

Amen and Amen!

Hush Money Or True Hope??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 03

01 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Approved Unto God, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Encouragement, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, Free Indeed?, God's Faithfulness, Gospel, HOPE, I Can Do All Things?, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, If not now? When?, JESUS, Light In The Dark, Overcoming By His Blood, Salt & Light, SIN, Speaking The Truth In Love, Stand Fast, That They May Know, The Word Or The World?, Trusting Jesus?, Truth is True, Witness

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 03  Hush Money Or True Hope???

 

We talked last week about ‘DIY’ and I’d like to take off on that idea and look from another side of the issue.  We are living in a culture that is so full of an “it’s all about me” ideology, and even when we speak truth, we are seen as ‘haters’! I hope that we can let scripture reveal true hope, not placating people with ‘hush’ money, so to speak, by our silence, rather than helping them see Jesus as we speak and share truth!

“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 truth, and without Him, we have no hope, no truth, no opportunity to reach a lost and dying world.  Yet when we follow HIM, we can see great things accomplished in His kingdom (even though the world may disregard what we call great ‘in Him’!)

“I can do all

things through Christ

which strengtheneth me.”   Philippians 4:13

In the way of the world, unless we have ‘riches’ we don’t have anything to offer; but God does things in ways that are so far beyond the ‘worldly’ way, that we can truly come to have hope and confidence in our Lord and HIS ways—and we aren’t to be ‘quiet’ about it, Jesus said the rocks would ‘cry out’ if men didn’t!

“And when the builders laid the foundation

of the temple of the LORD,

they set the priests in their apparel

with trumpets,

and the Levites the sons of Asaph

with cymbals,

to praise the LORD,

after the ordinance of David

king of Israel.

11 And they sang together by course

in praising

and giving thanks

unto the LORD;

because he is good,

for his mercy endureth for ever

toward Israel.

And all the people shouted with a great shout,

when they praised the LORD,

because the foundation

of the house of the LORD

was laid.”  Ezra 3:10-11

When we see God at work, we can truly learn to trust His hand as well as His heart toward us.  Here we have the children of Israel returning to Jerusalem and they are rejoicing that the temple is rebuilt.  And if you read the entire account, you see that some of the elders of the people wept for the remembrance of the original Temple of Solomon, yet God has restored them by His ‘outstretched arm’, and shown Himself faithful to a people (who much like us) had not been faithful to HIM!  They had suffered the judgment of God, and had truly reaped the ‘whirlwind’, yet God wasn’t finished with them!  His faithfulness is so much more than we can even fathom!  God had spoken truth through His prophets, yet they had listened to the false prophets, and ‘hushed’ up the men of God by ignoring them, persecuting them, and even putting many of them to death.  How sad that we are living in a very similar day.  Will we sell out to the purveyors of “hush money” or will we stand and speak God’s truth?

“And ye shall know the truth,

and the truth

shall make you free.”  John 8:32

Notice that He will “make you free” not ‘set’ you free—when Jesus saves us, He delivers us—especially from ourselves; and we are to give ourselves to Him, His way and His truth—all the way!

“And they overcame him

by the blood of the Lamb,

and by the word of their testimony;

and they loved not their lives

unto the death.”  Revelation 12:11

Jesus doesn’t simply issue a “get out of hell free” card; rather He saves and transforms lives to “be conformed” to HIS image.

“And we know

that all things work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.”   Romans 8:28-29

Jesus is ever at work conforming us into HIS image; but we have a part in that work as well, we are to yield to His Holy Spirit’s work in our heart and life, remembering that it’s ALL about Jesus. It’s not about ‘pride’ but humbly learning from HIM, following HIM, and touching the world as HE gives us opportunity.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed

to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

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

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God

hath dealt to every man

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

We can trust to HIS care, remembering what Jesus said!

“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

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, as we feast on His Word.

“Shew me thy ways,

O LORD;

teach me thy paths.

5 Lead me in thy truth,

 and teach me:

for thou art the God of my salvation;

on thee do I wait

all the day.”   Psalm 25::4-5

“For the word of the LORD is right;

and all his works are done

in truth.

5 He loveth righteousness

and judgment:

the earth is full

of the goodness of the LORD.”   Psalm 33:4-5

And to bring all of our thoughts together today, I’d like us to consider an encounter that Peter and John had, taking heart from these who had little in the world’s eyes, but who had JESUS, and they knew HE IS TRUTH—and they took no “hush” money!

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb

was carried,

whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple

which is called Beautiful,

to ask alms of them that entered

into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John

about to go into the temple

asked an alms.

4 And Peter,

fastening his eyes upon him with John, said,

Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them,

expecting to receive something

of them.

6 Then Peter said,

Silver and gold have I none;

but such as I have

give I thee:

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth

rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand,

and lifted him up:

and immediately his feet and ankle bones

received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood,

and walked,

and entered with them into the temple,

walking,

and leaping,

and praising God.”  Acts 3:1-8

Peter and John gave of what they had (who they possessed, and who possessed them), and yet they were tempted to cave!  And for time and space we’ll just jump to the response from the rulers.  (You can read chapters 3 and 4 for the whole picture!). They proclaimed Jesus at each turn, and when threatened they stood firm—and weren’t “hushed” up by threats; they were trusting to HIS care!  Remember not everyone is happy with God’s working in the lives of men, women, boys and girls!

“And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2 Being grieved that they taught the people,

and preached through Jesus

the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them,

and put them in hold unto the next day:

for it was now eventide…

….16 Saying, What shall we do to these men?

for that indeed a notable miracle

hath been done

by them

is manifest to all them

that dwell in Jerusalem;

and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it spread no further among the people,

let us straitly threaten them,

that they speak henceforth to no man

in this name.

18 And they called them,

and commanded them

not to speak at all nor teach

in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them,

Whether it be right in the sight of God

to hearken unto you

more than unto God,

judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things

which we have seen

and heard.

21 So when they had further threatened them,

they let them go,

finding nothing how they might punish them,

because of the people:

for all men glorified God

for that which was done.”   Portions of Acts 4:1-21

So my challenge for us today is a call to be faithful to our Lord; to grow in His Word, to be bold—but not arrogant, to be confident—but not prideful, to be ready to follow HIM in all—no matter where HE leads us, or what the cost may be.  We won’t let the enemy ‘hush’ us up, but we will “stand fast in the evil day”!  We never know how God will use our willingness to obey!

“But speaking the truth in love,

may grow up into him

in all things,

which is the head,

even Christ:”  Ephesians 4:15.

Amen and Amen!

Jesus IS Our Hope!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #529

06 Wednesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, HOPE

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #529    Jesus IS Our Hope!!!

 

Sunday’s post was a bit heavy, so I thought I’d simply like to share a word of encouragement and hope this morning.  So, buckle your seat belt, and let’s take our day to Jesus!

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;

and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”    James 4:6-8

James reminds us that it’s God who gives us grace to live by, but we must draw near to HIM and resist the enemy of our souls.  May our hearts be humble before Him, as we stand fast and resist the devil, as we draw nigh to God cleansing our hands, hearts and minds.  As we continue to draw near to Him, we can have the confidence of Job.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand

at the latter day

upon the earth:”  Job 19:25

Our hope is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—our soon coming KING—HE is our confidence and hope.

“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 shared this with the disciples after telling them of His leaving that would be followed by His absolute return.  Even Job knew that his “Redeemer” would stand on this earth—in victory as the King–only after coming as the suffering servant who would pay for our sin.

“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.”  John 14:2-4

Jesus gives us the confident assurance of HIS return; and while the disciples were baffled at this conundrum (look it up 🙂 ), Jesus assured them of who He was!  I can’t comprehend the sadness and disappointment that they struggled with for that three days between the crucifixion and Resurrection Sunday!  But WOW!  The riddle was no longer a riddle—just the power and glory of the resurrected Jesus, giving them the confident hope and assurance that helped them take the Gospel throughout the whole known world!  Powered by His Spirit to confident boldness, and courage to speak truth!

So, take hope today—Jesus is coming soon, and HE knows where you are today, and will make the way clear as you “draw near to” HIM! Blessings on your day!  Amen and Amen!

Failure Isn’t Fatal!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #508

14 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by in A Father's Love, Beauty For Ashes, Failure Isn't Fatal, Follow Jesus, Forgiveness, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Holy Spirit, HOPE, JESUS

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #508  Failure Isn’t Fatal!!!

 

“If we confess

our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us

our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

As believers in and followers of Jesus, we sometimes think that we have failed our Lord and ruined our ministry, but God says different. Then there are also those times that we are striving diligently to yield to the Spirit’s leading and everything seems to fall apart; but our God clearly tells us that He is ever at work in our lives. While we ought to continually search our hearts for secret sin as well as known sin. And not only does God call us to “confess” our sins (And yes that is plural, for we all fail regularly, and ‘confess’ simply means to agree with God that the sin in our lives, IS sin!), He assures us that when we face our sin and bring it to HIM, that HE will not only forgive us, but He will also “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”! God also knows that we often struggle to know our own hearts—and when we bring that to Him, HE will hear our prayer and reveal any short-coming or sin that we are truly desiring to set aright!

“Search me,

O God,

and know

my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be

any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23

While the Psalmist knew that God would hear and reveal his own heart in a way that he could keep “short accounts” with his God, for the believers since the cross and the New Covenant of grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit we have that privilege continually as The Spirit is our ever-present intercessor!

“Likewise the Spirit

also helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not

what we should pray for

as we ought:

but the Spirit itself

maketh intercession

for us

with groanings

which cannot be uttered.”    Romans 8:26

Yet we have even more assurance of our recovery from failure—our Lord, even as the author of Hebrews reminds us of HIM!

“Wherefore he is able also

to save them to the uttermost

that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth

to make intercession

for them.” Hebrews 7:25

Our Great High Priest, Jesus, is ever interceding for us and assures us of His faithful provision, grace and cleansing forgiveness!

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work

in you

will perform it

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

Our faithful God is working continually so that we will be “conformed to the image of His Son”! (See Romans 8:28-29) And time and space would fail us to mention those precious saints of old who failed and were restored to their Lord’s service—and so can we be, when we but recognize our sin, turn back to seek HIS face and receive His forgiveness and cleansing. David says it better than I can!

“Have mercy upon me, O God,

according to thy lovingkindness:

according unto the multitude

of thy tender mercies

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly

from mine iniquity,

and cleanse me from

my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions:

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only,

have I sinned,

and done this evil in thy sight:

that thou mightest be justified

when thou speakest,

and be clear when thou judgest…..

7 Purge me with hyssop,

and I shall be clean:

wash me,

and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness;

that the bones which thou hast broken

may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins,

and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God;

and renew a right spirit

within me.

11 Cast me not away

from thy presence;

and take not thy holy spirit

from me.

12 Restore unto me

the joy of thy salvation;

and uphold me

with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”   Portions of Psalm 51

God is in the restoration business—He takes ‘cracked pots’ like me and will restore us to become “vessels of honor”, and will so graciously and lovingly give unto us “beauty for ashes”!

So my dear friend, wherever you are—wherever you have been—if you will but seek His face and His heart, HE will meet you and take your ‘failure’ and “ashes” and give you “beauty” in exchange! Don’t despair or give up—but look UP to the One who loves you and has never said “oops”, He can restore you! He is waiting—run to HIM!

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,

to give unto them beauty

for ashes,

the oil of joy

for mourning,

the garment of praise

for the spirit of heaviness;

that they might be called trees of righteousness,   

the planting of the LORD,

that he might be glorified.”   Isaiah 61:3

The Battle Is God’s!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #443

09 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Confidence, Fearlessness, God of all comfort!, Holy Spirit, HOPE, I Will Never Leave You, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Praise God Today!, The Word, TODAY, Unexpected Interruptions, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #443 The Battle IS God’s!!!

 

We all have difficulties, trials, unexpected “interruptions”, and surprises, so I’d just like to take a few minutes this morning to remind us all that God is still God and HE has it.

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat,

Thus saith the LORD unto you,

Be not afraid

nor dismayed

by reason of this great multitude;

for the battle is not yours, but God’s…….

17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:

set yourselves,

stand ye still,

and see the salvation

of the LORD with you,

O Judah and Jerusalem:

fear not,

nor be dismayed;

to morrow go out against them:

for the LORD will be with you.”   2 Chronicles 20:15 & 17

We must always keep our eyes on Jesus, our Father God and His precious Holy Spirit. God has it—no matter where you are or what you are going through, remember, “the battle is not yours, but God’s”, so let Him have it!!! We can trust Him and walk in HIS Spirit.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying,

This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying,

Not by might,

nor by power,

but by my spirit,

saith the LORD of hosts.”     Zechariah 4:6

So as we go about our living ‘today’, may we remember that the battle “is not yours, but God’s”—and God is our strength and redeemer. Our part is to follow Him, keep our eyes on Him, and walk in the power, provision and wisdom of HIS Holy Spirit

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”   Galatians 5:1

God calls us to walk with Him, and He will provide our every need—our job is to consciously walk “in the Spirit” not our own selfish flesh and desires, but in HIS Spirit and HIS way.

“If we live in the Spirit,

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

And we can do that because Jesus has given us His Spirit, who empowers us to live through the new covenant; which is the indwelling Holy Spirit:

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory:”   Colossians 1:27

And the Christ in me—never fails:

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6

Amen and Amen. God’s got it!!!