Category Archives: I Can Do All Things?

How Much Good Is Enough??? Bible Ballistics: Vol.11 No. 07

11 Sunday Mar 2018

Posted by in Amazing Grace, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Grace, He That Is Without Sin, How much goodness is enough?, I Can Do All Things?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, My Grace Is Sufficient, No Sin No Need?, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word, Time Is Grace!

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No.07 How Much Good Is Enough???

 

I was most encouraged by the message I heard this morning, as it reminded me of the awesome wonder of “Grace”—God’s “Amazing Grace” for sure! But what is grace? We’ve all heard the definition of grace, “underserved and unmerited favor”! But grace goes so much farther than this simple idea. What is it that saves us? It is God’s grace for sure, but what does that look like?

Let’s peruse some familiar passages in scripture and see what we can conclude. Is it our goodness that saves, or is it God’s goodness? Goodness which according to Paul’s letter to the Romans is totally underserved! But I praise God that HE has saved me anyway!!! That HE is willing to save all who will come to HIM through Jesus!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access

by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice

in hope of the glory

of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God is shed abroad

in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 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 5:1-11

We are “justified” by faith in Jesus; made right with God—we who were “without strength”, who were “the ungodly”; and yet God loved us “while we were yet sinners”—all who are apart from Jesus!!!

“while we were enemies,

we were reconciled

to God

by the death of his Son“

There is “none righteous, (good before God) no, not one” –apart from Jesus’ righteousness, we are all lost! And that’s what we must come to understand! It’s all about the sacrifice that Jesus made, not how “good” we can be! We can’t be good enough to cover the sin we’ve already, committed, much less the sins that we fall to each and every day! Paul has even more to say to the Ephesians, which reiterates the truth that we are all “sinners”, in need of a Savior—and only God’s grace provides the solution to our need—Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-6)!!!

“And you hath he quickened,

who were dead in trespasses

and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked

according to the course of this world,

according to the prince of the power

of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also

we all had our conversation

in times past

in the lusts of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires of the flesh

and of the mind;

and were by nature the children

of wrath,

even as others.

4 But God,

who is rich in mercy,

for his great love

wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together with Christ,

(by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together

in heavenly places

in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come

he might shew

the exceeding riches

of his grace

in his kindness

toward us

through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

which God

hath before ordained

that we should walk

in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10

Did you get that?

“we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

which God

hath before ordained

that we should walk

in them”

It’s all about HIM—not about us! We “are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus”! There aren’t enough good works that we can do to ‘save’ ourselves, and because of that—sin– GOD sent us Jesus to do what we could never do—save ourselves! There aren’t enough good works to make up for the sin that we have done, are doing and will do—never enough!

“Therefore

if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us

to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit,

that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world

unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then

we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you

by us:

we pray you

in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled

to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

God accepts Christ Jesus’ sacrifice—our sin placed on HIM–and credits to our account Jesus’ perfect righteousness! He who “knew no sin” took on my sin, because He loves me, and you; all so that you and I might be made “the righteousness of God in him”! And it’s only “in him”! Only One Way—Jesus! And as Paul also said in another of his letters, when we know Jesus:

“I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

As Jesus himself reminds us, when we “abide” in Him, He will supply everything that we need to live, grow and be of service to HIM!

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch

in me

that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch

that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word

which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch

cannot bear fruit

of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide

in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”    John 15:1-5

So, my question for us today is, how much goodness are you depending on? How much goodness must one have to be right with God? Whose goodness? How much grace must God show to you before you will believe that He has made provision for YOU?

“But God

commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us”

Until we see ourselves as “sinners” we will never need a Savior! There is not enough ‘goodness’ in the world to save—but there is a ‘good’ God who has already paid the price to all who will come to Him in repentance and faith.

“Testifying both to the Jews,

and also to the Greeks,

repentance toward God,

and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”    Acts 20:21

Amen and Amen!!! Grace at it’s best—IN Jesus!!!

Dignity Or Dishonor??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 03

11 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Dignity, Dishonor, I Can Do All Things?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, The Only Way, Thy Kingdom Come, Trials, Vision

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No.03 Dignity Or Dishonor???

 

Dignity: “bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of a situation or occasion…”

Antonyms of Dignity: “dishonor, indecency, bad manners, worthlessness….”

Dishonor: “lack or loss of honor; disgraceful or dishonest character or conduct… a cause of shame or disgrace….”

We hear a lot these days about dignity or the lack of it around us, particularly in the public arena, and while it is often connected with ‘pomp’ or ‘ceremony’, it is also something that we ought to practice in our everyday living. One of the songs that I sing regularly in my private time with God (And yes I think singing is a wonderful way to worship God privately as well as corporately—it’s amazing what singing privately to God will do to create an atmosphere of intimacy with HIM!) has a verse I’d like us to consider today; “Be Thou My Vision”, by Dallon Forgaill.

“Be Thou my battle Shield,

Sword for the fight;


Be Thou my Dignity,

Thou my Delight;


Thou my soul’s Shelter,

Thou my high Tower:


Raise Thou me heavenward,

O Power of my power.”

The first two verses talk about God being our “vision” and our “wisdom” and then it comes to this third verse and talks about God being not only our “vision”—how I see and look at things; and our “wisdom”—the truth of the “Word” put into action in our daily lives; bur also when we come to the third verse we can call on God to “be” our “battle Shield” and our “Sword for the fight”! Like Paul mentions in his call to take up the “armor of God” in Ephesians 6, we are in a spiritual battle whether we realize it or not. There is an enemy of our souls who desires to destroy our usefulness to God—but when we put on the armor of God we have the Spiritual power to live abundant life through 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 came to give “eternal life” to those who will come to Him in repentance and faith, and He said that He would not only give us “life”, but that we would “have it more abundantly”! Amen! Life that’s all about Jesus—not about me! He is the One who supplies our every need, and without Him we are working in fleshly vanity. Paul helps us understand that we must lean on Jesus, to walk “in the Spirit” not the 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.”    Galatians 5:16 & 25

Walking in the Spirit is where our victory is, because we are His and He is ours, but we must take up our armor and walk in HIS power, not our own! Jesus clearly calls us to “abide” in HIM!!

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me

that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch

that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word which I have spoken

unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch

cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”    John 15:1-5

Pretty plain isn’t it? Jesus said, “without me ye can do nothing”, and yet there is a reverse side to this equation that Paul boldly proclaimed to the Philippians.

“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

I can—but only “through Christ”–not on my own! And that is the whole idea behind the third verse of the song that I shared earlier, Jesus will be our “Battle shield”, and when He is my Lord and my defender, He will “Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight”, because HE is my all in all! Apart from Him, I can do nothing, but in, through and by HIM; I can do anything He calls me to do. I thank HIM for His faithful provision when those trials and difficult times come—and they will come, they do come; but our God is always faithful to the task! And when we “walk in the Spirit” we will find victory in HIM!!! Always! Even when it doesn’t look like we think it ought to look—remember it’s about Jesus, not me! “Thy Kingdom come….Thy will be done…”

“And have put on the new man,

which is renewed

in knowledge

after the image of him

that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,

circumcision nor uncircumcision,

Barbarian, Scythian,

bond nor free:

but Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:10-11

It is by His life in me that I can live victoriously—and for Him to live, I must die to “self”—each day, every day, just as Paul testified to the Galatians so long ago—true then—still true now!

“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

As I learn to walk with The Lord Jesus, yielding to His Spirit, resting in His grace and provision, trusting to His care; then I can truly learn to rely upon Him who “is all, and in all”! In Him I can find the strength and courage to respond to trials with dignity and not dishonor—dishonor to my Lord, or those to whom I am to be a witness and reflection of the glory of Jesus. And as that third verse of our song says, we can truly proclaim to the world that we desire HIM to:

“Be Thou my vision…….

Be Thou my wisdom……

Be Thou my battle Shield,

Sword for the fight;


Be Thou my Dignity,

Thou my Delight;


Thou my soul’s Shelter,

Thou my high Tower:


Raise Thou me heavenward,

O Power of my power.”

The “Power of my power”, the One who gives that victory, is also my:

 battle Shield—

Sword—

Dignity—

Delight—

Shelter—

Tower—

Power!

The choice is yours—will you walk in victory with Jesus, and reflect His power and Dignity to the world? Or will you go your own way and find that you’re wallowing in dishonor and disgrace? Jesus is calling—will you respond to His call? Questions only you can answer. But remember there is a test at the end!

“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 and Amen!!!

I CAN Do All Things??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #401

11 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Confidence, I Can Do All Things?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, ME, The Only Way, The Word, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #401       I CAN Do All Things???

 

“Not that I speak in respect of want:

for I have learned,

in whatsoever state I am,

therewith to be content.

12 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 4:11-13

I know that verse 13 is familiar to most Christians, but we often aren’t familiar with the context. Like much of scripture, most people haven’t taken the time to check out the context—the scriptures that go before and after the verse. We must always understand the words in light of their context! Spend some time considering the context of verse 13. Paul isn’t giving us a blank check to manipulate God in order to do whatever we please, but to BE yielded to HIM. Even Jesus revealed what “all things” is really all about!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father

which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day

our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus instructs us to pray, and calls us to pray ‘selflessly’ not focused on what “I” want or what “I” CAN do, but on what GOD can do; ever seeking God’s will, not my own. Asking what God wants us to do in order to accomplish His work!

“Thy kingdom come”—

“Thy will be done”—

Be sure and notice the pronouns that Jesus uses! He calls us to focus on God’s will being done, but He also directs us to pray using the selfless pronouns:

“Give us”—            “our daily bread”—

“forgive us”—        “our debts”—

“lead us”—             “deliver us”!

All this because it all belongs to GOD, and believers are His children!!! It is to be God and “us/our” not “I/me/mine”! So may we pray with Jesus, “not my will, but thine, be done”! Think on these things today!!! We can do all through Jesus, but it’s to be HIS will not “mine”! Always!!!

“For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory, for ever.”     Amen and Amen.