Category Archives: Knowing Or Going?

We Don’t Always Know Now??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 17

25 Sunday Sep 2022

Posted by in Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Know Whom I Believe, Knowing GOD, Knowing Or Going?, Not Of This World, Nothing New, Now is the time....

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 17   We Don’t Always Know Now???

“Boast not thyself

of to morrow;

for thou knowest not

what a day may bring forth.”  Proverbs 27:1

I was checking the news earlier today, and there was another automobile accident with a fatality; we’ve had multiple reports of this kind of thing in the last few months, and it leads me to share a bit of God’s Word to remind us that we don’t know what tomorrow (even the rest of today) holds for us!  God reminds us through this proverb that we are not in control over the circumstances and environment around us!  Jesus spoke of this reality, and I think we need to consider that we only have “now”!  I know for me, it is so easy to let my mind run so far afield of where I ‘am’, and fret over what I don’t know or see, yet we are called to walk by faith, trusting God like Job!

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.”  Job 13:15

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand

at the latter day

upon the earth:

 26 And though after my skin worms

destroy this body,

yet in my flesh

shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see

for myself,

 and mine eyes

shall behold,

and not another;

though my reins be consumed

within me.”  Job 19:25-27

Do you know?  I know that I know that I know that I know…I know!!!  What do you know?  What do you value? Is it Jesus?

“Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat,

or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body,

what ye shall put on.

Is not the life

more than meat,

and the body

than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air:

for they sow not,

neither do they reap,

nor gather into barns;

 yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought

can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought

for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field,

how they grow;

they toil not,

neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you,

That even Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,

which to day is,

and to morrow is cast into the oven,

shall he not much more

clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father knoweth

that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought

for the morrow:

for the morrow

shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Matthew 6:25-34

OH, my goodness—please help me, Jesus, to learn what real faith is—to learn how to keep my eyes on YOU and not the world—to seek you first—to learn to trust you when I see nothing but trouble, and the evil in the world—may I be like Job and camp out on YOU, LORD Jesus, walking right before you, no matter what!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside

every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy

that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:1-4

Will we measure our lives by God’s Word or the world’s?  Have we become molded to the world’s view?  May we receive the word of challenge and encouragement which Paul shared with the believers at Rome, that our life will be a testament before the world of all that is “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”!  It won’t look like the world’s way or be very popular with those around us!  The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“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.”  Romans 12:1-2

May we pursue the will of God in all we “are and do” remembering there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain, and there are little feet following us!  Where will we lead them?

Amen and Amen!!!

Make That Call??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #732

02 Wednesday Jun 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, All About Jesus!, Be not conformed to this world, Bloom Where You're Planted!, Choose You This Day!, Discernment, Doers or intenders?, Don't Wait, Just DO it!, Knowing Or Going?, Obedience, One Day Too Late?

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #732 Make That Call Today???

 

I would like to share a bit of a challenge with you today, one which I’ve been reminded of from time to time throughout the years, and one which I try to practice regularly, even continually: and that’s to “listen” to God’s promptings on our hearts!  As we read our Bibles and pray, God will bring people to our remembrance who have affected our lives—those who have helped us, encouraged us, or taught us some great life lesson, or even challenged us to change in a positive way.  I think God isn’t just prodding our memory but perhaps prompting us to “DO” something!  Maybe we need to write a note—yes, a real pen and paper correspondence, almost a lost art today—or make a phone call (Facebook doesn’t count, I’m talking about real human connection)—or maybe even a visit, or Facetime, Zoom or some other “face to face” connection!  A call to say thanks, I was thinking of you!  Why? You ask!  Because time is fleeting and one day that person won’t be here, or you won’t be here to have that opportunity to “make someone’s day”!  TODAY is all you or I have—let’s use it; and here are some scriptures to help us along our way! God has put people in our path for a reason, let’s fulfill our purpose!

“But exhort one another daily,

while it is called To day;

lest any of you be hardened

through the deceitfulness of sin…

…. 15 While it is said, To day

 if ye will hear his voice,

harden not your hearts,

as in the provocation.”  Hebrews 3:13 & 15

It is so easy to become hardened not only through the “deceitfulness of sin”, but by the crazy hustle and bustle of “busy-ness” today; yet we are called to consider what God has for us to “BE” and “DO” this “day” and not be so distracted by the demands of “tomorrows” which may not come.  We are to be faithful workers for our King and, servants who pay attention to our Lord’s voice.  Not only spreading encouragement, help and correction but also the message of salvation to those who are lost.  It is so easy—so very easy—to be caught up in the demands of ‘living’, the call of the ‘things’ in our life, or just, as Oswald Chambers says, to be distracted by the “mundane”!  Look up>follow!

“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…

…..6: 1 We then,

as workers together with him,

beseech you also

that ye receive not the grace of God

in vain.

2 (For he saith,

I have heard thee

in a time accepted,

and in the day of salvation

have I succoured thee:

behold,

now is the accepted time;

behold,

now is the day of salvation.)”.   2 Corinthians 5:21-6:1-2

Who are you thinking about right now?  Don’t just sit there, get up and “DO” something:  make that call, write that note, walk next door, send those flowers, Facetime that loved one, whatever you can do, DO it!  Today!  Oh, the joy of hearing joy in the voice of someone whom you can encourage and lift up; or the smile of that one whom you haven’t checked on in a while, or the response to a note that made “the day” for someone you care about.  There are so many things that we leave undone, so many opportunities missed, let’s get busy today—sharing Jesus in whatever ways HE directs!  Let’s get your/my focus on listening to Jesus and making a difference in other’s lives not just our own!

“Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat,

or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body,

what ye shall put on.

Is not the life

more than meat,

and the body

than raiment?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father knoweth

that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:

for the morrow shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

 is the evil thereof.”   Portions of Matthew 6:25-34

Nuff’ said—GO—BE—DO God’s will for you!  Today-Amen!

Are We Knowing Or Going??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #421

22 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by in 'Tis The Season?, Choose You This Day!, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Joy To The World?, Knowing Or Going?, Salvation, The Only Way, The Word, Worship Him!

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #421 Are We Knowing Or Going???

 

As we approach Christmas Day, I want us to consider an unusual twist on a familiar part of the story of the incarnation and birth of Jesus. The most important part of the truth of Christmas isn’t in the celebrating, or the frou-frou, or even the food and fellowship that we enjoy during our celebrations, but the most important thing is what each person chooses do with Jesus?

Let’s consider two groups of people in this account; one group knew the facts yet had no interest in pursuing them or finding the ‘Newborn King’, the other group followed a star in faith, believing that it would lead them to The King—and they found HIM!

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying,

Where is he that is born King of the Jews?

for we have seen his star in the east,

and are come to worship him.

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him….he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes ….he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him,

In Bethlehem of Judaea:

for thus it is written by the prophet,….

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, …… he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9 When they had heard the king,

they departed;

and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east,

went before them,

till it came and stood over

where the young child was.

10 When they saw the star,

they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house,

they saw the young child with Mary his mother,

and fell down,

and worshipped him:

and when they had opened their treasures,

they presented unto him gifts;

gold,

and frankincense,

and myrrh.”     Portions of Matthew 2:1-11

When the ‘wise men’ found Him, they worshipped Him and gave Him gifts, expressing their own personal faith in, and love for Jesus and what He had come to bring—salvation to all who would believe. Yet those who knew the facts sat unaffected in Jerusalem, without any interest in going the short six miles, or so, to Bethlehem to see this long-promised Messiah and Savior! These strangers from the east came looking for the Messiah; they were “going without knowing”, much like Abraham. Yet when they came to those who did ‘know the place’, and found out where to go, they continued their quest, while those in the ‘know, didn’t go’! These religious leaders had no interest in finding Israel’s long-promised Messiah! That is amazing to me, yet not so much, for many today respond to Jesus in the same way; they know the facts about Jesus, but have no desire to know HIM personally. What about you?

What have you done with the King? Have you heard all about Him, but have no interest in bowing before Him, or worshipping Him, or loving Him? Or are have you chosen to seek and follow Him in faith and to worship Him in devotion, and obedience out of love and gratitude for the gift of His life given on the cross for our salvation? He knew He was born to die.

I pray that we will all be like the ‘wise men’ and seek the Savior Jesus Christ every day, being a reflection of HIS glory to a world in desperate need of a Savior!!! The choice is yours, but remember there’s a test at the end! May you truly know Him in fullness and truth, and rejoice in this season of celebrating His coming into our world to save and deliver us from our sin.

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

“And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.”     John 1:14

Amen and Amen!!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

HE truly IS “Joy To The World”!!!

**And just a ‘heads up’, our Sunday post will feature a guest writer, and I know you’re going to be blessed by what she has to share.**