Category Archives: Let You Light So Shine

Is It Laundry Day??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 10

08 Sunday Apr 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Forgiveness, Growing in Jesus!, He That Is Without Sin, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Knowing God's Word, Let You Light So Shine, Made like Jesus!, No Sin No Need?, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Transformation, Transformed life, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 10 Is It Laundry Day???

 

For most reading this post today, the memories of “laundry day” may not conjure up what it does for some of us who are older. While I don’t remember having to wash in a ‘tub’ in the yard, with water heated over a fire, I do remember helping my mother use an old wringer washer—where you have to wash the clothes in the tub, agitate them and then wash another load; after you were finished with the “dirties”, then you drained the water and filled it with clean rinse water and did the process again, running the rinsed clothes through the “wringer” which removed most of the water from the clothes and then you hung them on the clothesline to dry. Most of us today have automatic washers and dryers, and laundry day is when you run out of clean clothes and decide to do the ‘laundry’ inside! While those are precious memories, I was thinking more in the vein of cleansing our souls—not just the soul cleansing that saves us, but the responsibility of keeping our lives clean before our Lord and Master—a spiritual laundry day—every day!

“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 139:23-24

When we come to know Jesus, He saves us from sin, but we remain in a body of flesh, and in a broken, sinful world; which means we must be on our guard all the time to keep ourselves free from the dust and the dirt of walking through this life! The Apostle John gives us great insight in his first letter to the believers of his day—it’s still true today!

“That which we have seen and heard

declare we unto you,

that ye also may have fellowship

with us:

and truly our fellowship is with the Father,

and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4 And these things write we unto you,

that your joy may be full.

5 This then is the message

which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you,

that God is light,

and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

7 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 1:3-10

Simply put, John is telling us that until we face our sin we can never be saved—we wouldn’t need to be saved if we had no sin (or we think we have no sin!) —yet when we are saved we are still going to face and struggle with sin in this world, and only Jesus can give us victory over either situation. But we must see sin as sin—seeing our own sin as sin; and when we do that we must come to God for forgiveness and cleansing. But those who completely deny the reality of sin, in general or in their own lives, are calling God “a liar” and “his word is not in” them! Sin is the issue, and only Jesus is the cure! Only the “blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”, and that is our state of “being” when we are “born again”!

“John to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace be unto you,

and peace,

from him which is,

and which was,

and which is to come;

and from the seven Spirits

which are before his throne;

5 And from Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness,

and the first begotten of the dead,

and the prince of the kings

of the earth.

Unto him

that loved us,

and washed us from our sins

in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests

unto God

and his Father;

to him be glory

and dominion

for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:4-6

Jesus loves us so much that He gave Himself to pay for our sin, and to make us “kings and priests unto God”! Only because He cleanses us from our sin to save us, and continually makes us clean as we regularly recognize our sin, failures and shortcomings and:

“confess our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us our sins

We are forgiven by the blood of Jesus which “cleanseth us from all sin”, and that is our only hope. But when we have that hope we are to share it and not refuse to share what we have received—either the Gospel itself, or the forgiveness that Jesus has extended to us. And that is a big order—a command of our Lord, “freely ye have received, freely give” (See Matthew 10:5-25 for the entire message and context!)

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet to be partakers

of the inheritance

of the saints

in light:

13 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 1:12-14

Amen and Amen—that’s all I can say—we have been:

Made partakers

Delivered

Translated (changed)

Redeemed

And FORGIVEN!!!

And since we have been forgiven, we must forgive!

“And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12

“And be ye kind

one to another,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

even as God

for Christ’s sake

hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Because I am forgiven—I am to forgive! How can I refuse to forgive others when I have been forgiven? Yet there is another side of this I’d like us to consider, we are to forgive because we all have those from whom we need to ask forgiveness, and just as importantly, we are to forgive and respond to them with grace and truth whether they forgive us or not. So often we have a box that we want to put relationships into, and often times the things that we are expecting from others are foreign to what God has given to us. God didn’t forgive me because I did ‘back-flips’ to deserve it; He forgave me because He loves me and had already made provision for my forgiveness.

Are there those in your life who you think have withheld forgiveness from you? (Based on what you expect that forgiveness to look like?) Are we willing to offer ourselves to those who repel our expressions of reconciliation, and maintain a spirit of grace and openness? Do we often “choke” on that request which we avoid as long as possible, “Please forgive me, no strings attached?” Or do we admit guilt, but then demand that others do “back-flips” to express their acceptance of our apology? Are we arrogant in our repentance rather than humble and conciliatory? God forgives us and makes perfect provision for us to draw near to Him! Christ’s love and forgiveness are to be reflected in all our ways toward others (even the difficult and painful).

“Let us draw near

with a true heart

in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled

from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed

with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast

the profession of our faith

without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another

to provoke unto love

and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling

of ourselves together,

as the manner of some is;

but exhorting one another:

and so much the more,

as ye see the day approaching.”    Hebrews 10:22-25

Because I’ve been washed, I ought to respond to others with a pure and true heart, reflecting the glory of my King; the One who has forgiven me. And in closing, I’d like us to consider what Paul reveals about the transformed life! God saves sinners, but HE doesn’t leave us in our sin! If you think you can be saved and remain in the same state of sinfulness as you lived in before, you might want to check out what you think saved you? This is a bit lengthy, but I challenge you to spend some time pondering the truths that Paul lays out for us—truth doesn’t change!

“Know ye not

that the unrighteous shall not inherit

the kingdom of God?

Be not deceived:

neither fornicators,

nor idolaters,

nor adulterers,

nor effeminate,

nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves,

nor covetous,

nor drunkards,

nor revilers,

nor extortioners,

shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you:

but ye are washed,

but ye are sanctified,

but ye are justified

in the name of the Lord Jesus,

and by the Spirit of our God.

12 All things are lawful unto me,

but all things are not expedient:

all things are lawful for me,

but I will not be brought under the power

of any.

13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them.

Now the body is not for fornication,

but for the Lord;

and the Lord for the body.

14 And God hath both raised up the Lord,

and will also raise up us

by his own power.

15 Know ye not that your bodies

are the members of Christ?

shall I then take the members of Christ,

and make them the members

of an harlot?

God forbid.

16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?

for two, saith he,

shall be one flesh.

17 But he that is joined unto the Lord

is one spirit.

18 Flee fornication.

Every sin that a man doeth

is without the body;

but he that committeth fornication

sinneth against his own body.

19 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 6:9-20

We are “bought with a price”, by the blood of Jesus, and we are to “glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”! As we have been “forgiven”, we are to forgive, as the transformed, changed, cleansed and redeemed—“such were some of you: BUT”! Are you living like the transformed — forgiven and forgiving, regardless of what you “were”? By God’s power we can!

Jesus reiterates the transformation that will appear in the lives of His own as He closes the Revelation that He gave to John.

“He that overcometh

shall inherit all things;

and I will be his God,

and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful,

and unbelieving,

and the abominable,

and murderers,

and whoremongers,

and sorcerers,

and idolaters,

and all liars,

shall have their part

in the lake which burneth

with fire

and brimstone:

which is the second death.”  Revelation 20:7-8

So as we bring our thoughts together this evening, I’d just like to call us all to remember the verse that we started with today, and pray “without ceasing” that God would ever work in our hearts and lives to conform us into “the image of His Son”! Day by day, moment by moment, and in each and every situation—remembering that ‘such were some of you‘ we are forgiven!

“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 139:23-24

Is it your “laundry day”? May God do His cleansing work in us that ‘our laundry’ will shine for Jesus?

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Dan 12:5

What’s Eclipsing You??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #432

31 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Eclipse, Holy Spirit, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Let You Light So Shine, Salvation, The Only Way, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #432    What’s Eclipsing You???

 

Many people watched the “Lunar Eclipse” this morning as a shadow moved across the moon. It was an interesting sight and a rare combination of a “Blue Moon” (A blue moon is the appearance of 2 full moons in the same month!), an eclipse (generally speaking, an obstruction of light), and a blood moon (The phenomenon of an eclipse when there is a reddish hue on the moon due to atmospheric particles reflecting sunlight, causing the red hue during the eclipse.). As I watched the amazing sight this morning before daylight, my mind ran through so many things, the main one being the question, “What are we reflecting?”

As believers and followers of Jesus, we are to reflect HIS glory, not our own. Jesus is our “sun”, so to speak—HE is the light of our lives, and others should see Him in us.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the light of life.”    John 8:12

Much as the ‘sun’ gives light and life to planet earth, Jesus is our “light of life”. Just as God set the ‘sun’ in the sky, HE sets the “Son” in hearts that are born again, imparting the power to live as HIS children, by His Holy Spirit within us—power to reflect HIS light and glory to a lost and dying world. Even as Paul testified of when he stood before King Agrippa, may we truly understand our calling?

“To open their eyes,

and to turn them from darkness

to light,

and from the power of Satan

unto God,

that they may receive forgiveness

of sins,

and inheritance

among them which are sanctified

by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18

Paul took his mission seriously, and shared the Gospel everywhere God sent him that he might “turn them from darkness to light”! The mission hasn’t changed, yet to fulfill our mission, we must stay in a position to reflect the true light—Jesus, The light that saves and transforms lives!

“This then is the message

which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you,

that God is light,

and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

7 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.”   1 John 1:5-7

It’s all about Jesus, ‘The Light’—the “light of the world”—whose light should be what others see in us! Just a few thoughts for us this morning, am I walking “in the light, as he is in the light”? Or have I been walking “in darkness”, dimming the reflection of my Lord? Have I ever been born again, and received the light of Jesus? Questions that we each must answer for ourselves, but questions that will make an eternal difference, not only in our own life, but also in the lives of those who are watching and following us!

The Lord gave me this picture many years ago, and I think of it often as I strive to be His faithful child and follower.

“If I am the moon and Jesus is the sun, then I will have an affect on the “earth” — the world around me. When I am in direct relation to the sun (the Son!), then His light will be reflected in all I do to the world around me. If I come between the sun (the Son) and the earth, then all that people see is me, and I block out the true light of my Lord—The Son/sun!

But on the other hand if the world/earth gets between me and Jesus—my sun/The Son—there is no reflection at all. For when I am out of direct relation to my sun/ The Son, I have no light to give! For as Jesus said of Himself, “I am the light of the world”, and my job is to reflect HIS light and glory, not my own. Yet when I stand in His way, there is no true light for others to see, just as when I let others—the world—stand between Jesus, and me I have no light to shine. And my job is to shine, and I can’t do that without my ‘source’.”

John records Jesus’ instructions to us in this regard, and may we all ponder His words today.

“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

May we ever be found reflecting HIS glory—bringing “forth much fruit”! Ever being “doers of the word”—HIS Word!

“But be ye doers of the word,

and not hearers only,

deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word,

and not a doer,

he is like unto a man

beholding his natural face

in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself,

and goeth his way,

and straightway forgetteth

what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law

of liberty,

and continueth therein,

he being not a forgetful hearer,

but a doer of the work,

this man shall be blessed in his deed.”   James 1:22-25

Be blessed today!!!

Pressing On God’s Way??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #424

03 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Dare To Be Different!, Holy Spirit, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Let You Light So Shine, Living Right, The Only Way, The Word, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #424 Pressing On God’s Way???

 

I have been mostly ‘off’ of Facebook for a while, except for posting my Bible Ballistics Blog, yet I have noticed a lot of posts advising people to “detox” in the New Year—get rid of people who are ‘negative’, lie, cheat, etc.! As I noticed these ideas, I couldn’t help but think, “I’m so glad that God doesn’t “detox” Himself of us when we mess up.”

Now I don’t believe we are to allow people to corrupt our hearts and minds with bad behaviors, but I do think we need to get back to thinking biblically and behaving towards others remembering that God has extended grace, mercy and forgiveness to us. I seriously think we need to stop being ‘taught’ and ‘trained’ in our faith, and behavior by the national media, social media, television and the movies. We need to do that which pleases God NOT man. While we are called to be aware of those around us, and to call them to a higher plain, we are to do it with truth and grace.

“That we henceforth be no more children,

tossed to and fro,

and carried about with every wind

of doctrine,

by the sleight of men,

and cunning craftiness,

whereby they lie in wait

to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love,

may grow up into him

in all things,

which is the head,

even Christ:” Ephesians 4:14-15

We are called to speak the truth in love—never discarding people because we don’t like their behavior; but by our life, love and example calling them to a higher plane that only Jesus lift us to! And when we hold ourselves to that ‘higher’ call, others will often do one of two things; they will desire to know the One whom we follow, or they will hate what we say and walk away in disgust. But we are to maintain our integrity, even as Job declared his confidence in God before his friends who were ready and willing to condemn him unjustly. We march to a different drummer!

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.” Job 13:15

Job understood that it is God who set the standard; it is God who will judge what we do with it; and Job was committed to live a life of integrity before God, regardless of what others thought of him. We who claim to follow Jesus can do no less! Yet we are to be cautious of our intimate companions—for they can affect our heart and our mind.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

And another passage from Paul reminds us that we are to press on in The Spirit not the flesh—and believe me (as you’ve seen for yourself), social media is inundated with the flesh!!!

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh

reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit

reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity,

let us do good unto all men,

especially unto them

who are of the household of faith.”   Galatians 6:7-10

While we are called to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (See Matt. 10:16), it is to be from a heart filled with the “love of God” which has been “shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost” and that ought never to be diluted with the hatred of the world! (See Ro. 5:1-10)

So I challenge each of us today, to determine in our hearts and minds to be a true reflection of Jesus to the dark and wicked world around us—uncorrupted by the “wiles of the devil”! We can choose to be “bitter” in the flesh, or we can choose to be “better” by the power of God’s Spirit and His Word working within us and manifested before others!

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking,

be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

even as God

for Christ’s sake

hath forgiven you.”    Ephesians 4:31-32

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Press on dear ones—Press on for Jesus!!! Amen and Amen!

Changed Lives??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 15

22 Sunday Oct 2017

Posted by in Changed Lives, Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Free Indeed?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Let You Light So Shine, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.15      Changed Lives???

 

A shorter article today than I normally write on Sundays, but I’d like to share a topic that’s dear to my heat. While we live in a culture that minimalizes the gospel and churches that promote a gospel of convenience and meaninglessness, the Gospel of Jesus is the Gospel of transformed lives—lives, hearts, souls and minds set free from sin.

We aren’t set free from the presence of sin yet, but we are set free from the power of sin in our lives as we will yield to the Holy Spirit of Jesus! God had promised The Messiah throughout the entirety of the scriptures, and Jesus was/is the fulfillment of all of those promises! Yet He wasn’t the promise that would save people “in” their sin, but “from” it!

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:21-23

Jesus was coming “save his people from their sins” by paying the price for SIN; and through His atoning, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross He would give His Holy Spirit to dwell within HIS own. Jesus came to be “God with us”! He was and is the fulfillment of the New Covenant—the Spirit of God within us, far beyond tablets of stone.

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant

that I made with their fathers

in the day that I took them

by the hand

to bring them out of the land of Egypt;

which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant

that I will make with the house of Israel;

After those days, saith the LORD,

I will put my law

in their inward parts,

and write it

in their hearts;

and will be their God,

and they shall be my people.”    Jeremiah 31:31-33

Jesus death and resurrection accomplished the New Covenant, which paid the price for sin, and enabled the Holy Spirit of God to dwell within each believer. When we claim to belong to Jesus (and Him to us) yet still relish the sin that He saves from (without any discipline from God), we might want to check what we think saved us, for the blood of Jesus saves the sinner from their sin and makes us a new creation. Jesus revealed HIS ‘New Covenant’ to his disciples before He went to the cross.

“And he took bread,

and gave thanks,

and brake it,

and gave unto them, saying,

This is my body

which is given for you:

this do in remembrance of me. 

20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying,

This cup

is the new testament

in my blood,

which is shed for you.”    Luke 22:19-20

The blood of Jesus IS the New Testament—not the 2nd portion of scripture– but the New Covenant that Jeremiah and Ezekiel promised! The New Covenant in the blood of Jesus, through repentance and faith, makes new creatures.

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,

that if one died for all,

then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all,

that they which live

should not henceforth live unto themselves,

but unto him which died

for them,

and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man

after the flesh:

yea, though we have known Christ

after the flesh,

yet now henceforth know we him

no more.

17 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 5:14-21

Ephesians 2 reminds us that what we ‘were’ we no longer ‘are’—we were “dead in trespasses and sins” but through he blood of Jesus we are now “created in Christ Jesus unto good works”!!! Changed lives are the testimony of a true and supernaturally regenerate life. Life that only Jesus can impart through His blood! Its evidence being our service in “good works” which ‘God’ has purposed for us—not to earn our salvation–but as the testimony of our being saved “from” our sin!!!

“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

Changed lives are a testimony that we really belong to Jesus! Has He changed your life? May we ever live and reflect HIS truth before a lost and desperate world! Amen!!!

Daring To Be Different??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 14

16 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Dare To Be Different!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Let You Light So Shine, Living Right, Made like Jesus!, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Thy Will Be Done, TODAY, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.14 Daring To Be Different???

 

My husband and I took a trip to be with my brother in his church yesterday, and we were listening to some music as we drove. One of the songs that played as we traveled really spoke to my heart and resonated with the truths of the word in my heart, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about it today. The song was “I’ll Dare To Be Different”, by the McKameys, and it struck a chord in my heart!

There is a time in my remembrance, when people who claimed the name of Jesus, people who were born again, were most often found to be different from the world. Sometimes they were different in their appearance, but you almost always saw a difference in their behavior before the world—in their character, in their speech, in their treatment of others and often in their habits and companions. But today, we have accepted a “Gospel” of ‘inclusion’—anyone can just use the name of Jesus to get a ticket to heaven, but there is no cost or demand of that person to repent of obvious sin or to “be conformed to the image of His Son” (See Romans 8:28-29)!

When God calls someone to Himself, He calls us to come “Just As I Am”, but He loves us too much to leave us there—in fact Jesus came to save us “from” our sin—never “in” 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

We are called to follow Jesus, and that will always demand a change, because before we come to Jesus, we were going our own way—and that is never God’s way! In fact that is why repentance is essential—repentance is turning around, going a different way.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

That’s what sin is, missing God’s mark, going our own way, falling short of reflecting God’s glory—but sin has a high price! Apart from the blood of Jesus—the only thing that cleanses us from sin—we can’t be saved from death.

“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

This is why Jesus said we can be salt and light—because we can’t “be” light unless the “light of the world” dwells in us! It is that “blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”, which enables us to live a holy life before the world as well as before God. But if we never face our sin, why would we ever need a Savior? Only when we recognize our sin and turn to Jesus will we be able to live a life that is transformed by that very “blood of Jesus Christ” to reflect His love and glory to a lost and dying world. Yet it is only in dying to “self” and living a life sacrificed to the will of our Lord that we can make a “Jesus” difference in this world. Compromise is cheap and easy, but standing fast in the “evil day” is a work that demands our all by the power of God.

It is Jesus Christ Himself — “the truth”– who saves, delivers, and changes the hearts and lives of lost sinners into ‘saints’! Yet transformation isn’t just putting a new coat of paint on an old barn—it’s a change of nature and character that only the sacrifice of Jesus—His blood– on the cross could accomplish and deliver! And it shows!!!

“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

Oh, that we could truly return to a place of true worship of God—and I’m not talking about music, but a life lived in devotion and obedience to the will of God each and every day. A life that “is” a song of the love of Jesus before the world in all we do—not just on one day a week! It ‘is’ a life lived as “a living sacrifice” unto the One who gave His life for me! What less could we give for the One who gave it all that we could have life and miss death and hell for all eternity—for all who will believe and follow HIM!

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

And if “all have sinned”, then all need a Savior, we all need someone to pay the debt that we can’t pay—and only Jesus has done that!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Only Jesus can deliver us from this penalty of sin, and just as the simple John 3:16 says, God loves us so much that He was willing to send Jesus to come and die for us, that we might have “eternal life”—starting now!

“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.”  John 3:16

Without Jesus, we can’t be truly different. Lots of people can be “different” for a time, or for a reason, or to impress others; but what’s inside will eventually come out! What’s inside of you/me? If it’s not Jesus, then Jesus won’t be seen in you/me! For without HIS Spirit within, we aren’t HIS! And without being “HIS”, we can’t do HIS work, for HIS kingdom! And HIS is the only Kingdom that is an eternal one! It’s all about HIM, not me, but He will work in us!

“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 we arrive at the conclusion that being different isn’t an issue of ‘me’, but of ‘thee’! ‘Not my will, but thine be done’, is the mindset that we must embrace! It is the call that Paul gave to the Galatians, and it’s still the call that we must answer today!

“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

But what’s to be different about us? Is measured in terms of men or of God? Of course it’s God’s standard that we are to seek to meet—the standard of a heart right before God, not a dressed up ‘pig’, trying to win a county fair. We can wash, clean up, fluff up and parade the pig before the judges at the fair—we can even win first prize! But when we get that pig home, she’s going to head right for the mud! Why? Because she’s still a pig! And when we try cleaning up our own “act”—that is all that happens—an “act”! Jesus doesn’t just dress up “pigs”, He transforms lives—He makes us new in HIM! He puts His Spirit within all those whom HE saves—no Spirit=no Jesus!

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God

dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.” Romans 8:8-10

Jesus brings that which was dead in sin, into new life.

“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;)”.   Ephesians 2:1-5

Because God loves us so much—He reaches out to those (all of us) who are dead in sin!!! We are under the penalty of death, and only Jesus can and will save us and give to all who come to Him, eternal life—new life IN Jesus—Jesus IN us!

So my question is, “Who am I living for?” Am I still living in sin, doing my own thing? From where do I get my strength? Am I depending on the ways of the world or the power of Jesus? When I’m in need, where do I go? Do I run to a wine bottle, a bottle of pills, food, sex, shopping, gratifying the flesh in some other way, running to and with the world? What is your “comfort-food”, so to speak? Do you have to be like the world to find your satisfaction, peace and/or gratification? When people look at us, do they see Jesus or something—anything—else? Are popular culture and fads more important to you and me than “holiness” before our God? Or are you drawing closer and closer to the King? Do you bask in His presence, or does thinking on spiritual things and the Word of God make you uncomfortable? In fact what does make you “UN”comfortable, the things of the world or the things of God? Ouch? Do I measure what goes into my heart and mind by the Word of God or the Neilson ratings? Do I listen to things, or watch things that are offensive or even blasphemous to my God? Does the world reign in my home or the One whose shed blood “cleanseth us from all sin”? It is an evil world around us, and we must be diligent to know God’s Word so we can order our steps according to its principles.

New or old? What life are you living? May we simply ponder the words of Paul, who dared to be “different”, to be “a new creature” in Jesus. It cost Paul a lot to follow Jesus, what price are you willing to pay? Or have you already decided that you don’t want to “stand out” or “Dare To Be Different”? Choose wisely—we are accountable to God!

“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 Amen and Amen!!!