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Category Archives: Not Of This World

Where Is Your Sin??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #598

25 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by Blanche in A Father's Love, Abundant Life In Jesus, Not Of This World, Nothing New, Overcoming By His Blood, Salvation, Seeing Truth, SIN, Speaking The Truth In Love, The Blood Of Jesus, Trusting Jesus, Truth is True, What's In Your Heart?

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1 John 1:10, 1 John 1:7-9, Choose You This Day!, Colossians 1:12-14, Deuteronomy 12:8, Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, Hebrews 4:12-13, John 1:10-13, Judges 17:6, Judges 21:25, Revelation 1:5-6, Salvation In Jesus, SIN, Sin IS the issue, Sin Or Salvation, The Blood of Jesus Cleanses from SIN

Bible Ballistics: BBs #598       Where Is Your Sin???

 

The issue today doesn’t seem to be “sin”, for according to the world’s standard there isn’t any!  Much like God’s people in the book of Judges, we are totally living in a “selfie” culture in more ways than one.  God warned of the danger of this kind of living, and just as few listened in the past, few are hearing truth today.  Let’s take a walk-through God’s Word this morning to see what God has to say!

“Ye shall not do after

all the things that we do here this day,

every man whatsoever is right

in his own eyes.”  Deuteronomy 12:8

As I’ve heard the old saying, “I’m ok; you’re ok; we’re all ok!”; I don’t think so?  It’s not a new idea, even as Solomon said:

“The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done

is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said,

See, this is new?

it hath been already of old time,

which was before us.”  Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

Even as Israel wrestled with the truths of God after the death of Joshua, our culture—our world—is set on self, no matter the consequences.

“In those days there was no king in Israel,

but every man did that

which was right

in his own eyes.”   Judges 17:6

“In those days there was no king in Israel:

every man did that

which was right

in his own eyes.”  Judges 21:25

My question for today is the same as our title today: “Where is your sin?”  Is it covered by your own arguments, justification, and excuses or is it under the blood—the blood of Jesus?

“If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

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

God makes it clear that sin is the problem, we have it—we can’t fix it—but Jesus has!  He can and will forgive sin for those who will come to HIM in repentance and faith!

“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

Just as Jesus said, we “must be born again”—by God’s grace, mercy and power, expressed in His “only begotten son”!

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them

that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”   John 1:10-13

And praise God Jesus takes care of our SIN when we are “born….of God”! Jesus cleanses us “from all sin”!  Oh, praise God for HIS amazing grace toward we sinners; for HE washes away our sin through the blood of Jesus!  As the old hymn says, “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus”!  (Written by Robert Lowry in 1876)

“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.”   1 John 1:7-9

Oh, praise His name–His blood will cover our sins; or it will hold you accountable for rejecting HIM—and God’s Word is the standard, not our ‘selfies’!

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul

and spirit,

and of the joints

and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things

are naked

and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:12-13

So, my friend, where’s your sin?  Mine is under the blood of Jesus, my Lord and Savior!  If you don’t know Him, He is waiting for YOU to come to HIM, that you may know His “abundant life” today!

“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 …to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”   Revelation 1:5-6

Amen and Amen!!!

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Whose Box Are You In??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 08

06 Sunday Oct 2019

Posted by Blanche in Amazing Grace, Beauty of Holiness, Children, Choices And Consequences, Consider Your ways, Dare To Be Different!, Encouragement, Family, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, Holiness, IN Jesus!, In The Beginning, Knowing God's Word, Living Right, Not Of This World, Only One Way, Seeing Truth, Suffering With Jesus, That They May Know, The Father of Lies!, The Word Or The World?, Truth is True, Walking With Jesus

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1 Peter 3:1-9, Believing God's Word, Colossians 1:14-17, Following Jesus, God's Way or The World's?, John 15:12-13, John 15:17-21, John 1:1-5, John 8:42-47, Living For Jesus, Proverbs 31:30-31, The Deceit of The World, Titus 2:1-8, Whose Box Are You In?

Bible Ballistics: Vol.14 No.08     Whose Box Are You In???

 

I’m going to broach a subject that may cause me to lose some of you, but nonetheless, it’s a topic that I feel that Christian women need to consider, especially in light of what we are teaching our young girls and young women.  I think that we have allowed the world to dictate and sway our thinking about women.  Being a woman who was adversely affected by the tripe that was touted in the 60’s about ‘women’ being ‘liberated’, and “bringing home the bacon”, “cooking it up”, and being the “everything to everyone”—the sex-goddess without an apron in the kitchen.  Well, I’m here to tell you—we were lied to!  God’s plan is the only plan that will bring us joy, peace and the opportunity to influence our families, our world, so we can see mountains moved for Jesus.  What I’ve learned in these years of failures and successes is that ultimately, finding out what GOD said about us as women, the home, and our ‘true north’ of focus, is that the only ‘box’ that brings true fulfillment is knowing and pursuing God and His plan.

I read a story recently of a person who was given a fine Swiss watch, but it quit running.  After taking it to several repair shops, who said they couldn’t fix it, someone was going to be in Switzerland on an unrelated task, so they took it to the original manufacturer and told them it wasn’t running.  Sometime later the person received the watch back in perfect running order!  How?  Because the original manufacturer “knew” the watch and what it would take to fix it—for they had created it.  And the point?  God is the “original” creator and He  designed us male and female for a reason; He established marriage with a purpose (and it wasn’t to set up a race for ‘superior and inferior’ member of the union)—but rather that the home would be a place where love would abound, where a man and a woman could grow and blossom into the people that God created them to be—and ‘In Jesus’ we can blossom as we were created to do—male and female, truly becoming ONE—propagating life and the Gospel!

“In whom we have redemption

 through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him

were all things created,

that are in heaven,

and that are in earth,

visible and invisible,

whether they be thrones,

or dominions,

or principalities,

 or powers:

all things were created by him,

and for him:

17 And he is before all things,

and by him

all things consist.” Colossians 1:14-17

God is creator, and The Son was right there with Him, so we can trust in our God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—Creator and sustainer!!!  His plan is the best plan ever–still!

“In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning

with God.

3 All things

were made by him;

and without him

was not any thing made

that was made.

4 In him

was life;

and the life

was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth

in darkness;

and the darkness

comprehended it not.”  John 1:1-5

We live in a culture that at this moment is promoting “strong” women—but often what they are promoting as ‘strength’ is more like defiance of the God-given characteristics of men and women!  We women were never created or called to be men, nor vice-versa.  God created ‘male’ and ‘female’ with intent and purpose; woman was brought to the man as a “completer” not a “competer”, and God made us to encourage and strengthen one another by our unique differences!  God made us as the crowning glory of His work of creation; and the home to be the nurturing incubator to build the next generation—for better or for worse!  Instead of caving to the culture, God wants us to call the culture to the cross—not fall in the gutter with them!

We talked last week about those who were “past feeling”, and this fits in today; we are living amongst a people who have decided that anyone who considers God’s way as the right way, is out of touch with reality!  The truth is that God IS true ‘reality’; yet we often let the world trap, fool and deceive us into accepting and joining in with their rejection and revision of God’s order, forsaking the truth for a lie!  Jesus dealt with these same issues when He walked this earth, the more truth He spoke the more those in positions of authority defied, denied and demeaned Him.

“Jesus said unto them,

If God were your Father,

 ye would love me:

for I proceeded forth and came from God;

neither came I of myself,

but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech?

even because ye cannot hear my word.

44 Ye are of your father the devil,

and the lusts of your father

ye will do.

He was a murderer

from the beginning,

and abode not in the truth,

because there is no truth in him.

When he speaketh a lie,

he speaketh of his own:

for he is a liar,

and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth,

ye believe me not.

46 Which of you convinceth me of sin?

And if I say the truth,

why do ye not believe me?

 47 He that is of God

heareth God’s words:

ye therefore hear them not,

because ye are not of God.”   John 8:42-47

One thing that we often forget is that Jesus warned us that if we choose to follow Him and go God’s way, then we would face the same things that he faced.  Many don’t like to consider this, for so many preach an ‘easy believe-ism’ that says if we follow Jesus we will always be accepted—healthy, wealthy, painless.  As I had someone tell me once, as I was teaching on suffering and persecution, ‘if you are nice to others, they will be nice to you’; and while that sounds really nice (and we are to be nice to others) it is not always true.  I’ll use the same answer now, as I used then, I simply asked about Jesus—did He always do right; yes!  Did He always respond in truth; yes!  Did He always speak the right thing, to the right person, at the right time, in the right way-yes!  Yet what did ‘they’ do to Him?  The “loved” Him to death—they cried out “crucify Him”!  Less than a week after Palm Sunday’s shouts of “hosanna”, they were crying “Crucify him…”.  We can expect the same—male and female!

“These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me

before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater

than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things

will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him

that sent me.”   John 15:17-21

Back to our thoughts about women and the family, one of the things I want us to consider is, what/who are we holding up to our children as “heroes”?  Who are we teaching/allowing them to dress like, behave like, and listen to?  The people that saturate the media with their ungodliness, or those who lived for God in the past as well as those who are living for Him and honoring Him now.  Are we teaching our young men and women that building a home is a priority, or that it’s simply an ‘add-on’ to living life for your selfish desires, if it fits in?  Are we teaching and leading our children, both our sons and our daughters, to value and pursue godliness, or have we abandoned them to the world, it’s glitz and glamour, and its vile icons?  Are we helping them be like the world or to pursue holiness?  I truly believe that godly women—moms, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, neighbors, and friends—can still make a difference in the world!  And whether they know it or not, the world needs true, biblical, godly men and women to lead us into the future.  Scripture gives us some guidelines; the problem is we seem to be failing to make teaching our young ones The Word of God a priority.  If your son or daughter can pitch a perfect no-hitter, or make 3-point baskets all night, or if they are a ‘fashion plate’ of modern dress, if they don’t know Jesus, what do they have?  We can’t assure that they will always make good choices, but we are to help them learn the difference between godly and ungodly; and not just our own children, but those we have the opportunity to influence; as well as other adults God sends our way!

“But speak thou the things

which become sound doctrine:

2 That the aged men

be sober,

grave,

temperate,

sound

in faith,

in charity,

in patience.

3 The aged women likewise,

that they be in behaviour

as becometh holiness,

not false accusers,

not given to much wine,

teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach

the young women

to be sober,

to love their husbands,

to love their children,

5 To be discreet,

chaste,

keepers at home,

good,

obedient to their own husbands,

that the word of God

be not blasphemed.

6 Young men likewise

exhort to be sober minded.

7 In all things shewing thyself

a pattern of good works:

in doctrine

shewing uncorruptness,

gravity,

sincerity,

8 Sound speech,

that cannot be condemned;

that he that is of

the contrary part

may be ashamed,

having no evil thing

to say of you.”  Titus 2:1-8

Paul says so much in these few verses, he is calling Christian men and women to live above reproach—that we don’t bring shame to the name of our Lord Jesus!  He calls us to pass on this ‘higher call’ to those among whom we have influence.  And whether we work outside the home or not, godly women should know that love is more importantly ‘acted out’ rather than simply ‘spoken’.  For to speak truth effectively, we must live it!  Continually!

And when we are living truth, we will be used by God to make a difference.  Why do we allow people with, to say the least, questionable character to be praised before our daughters?  Why have we abandoned the truth and power available through the ideal of godly, humble, powerful women of GOD?

It often escapes us that Paul’s admonition to the “older” women to teach the “younger” women, is a two-fold call; for every woman has someone in their life that is ‘younger’, and at the same time we have those who are ‘older’ than we are.  We are to share with one another the power of biblical truth for living!  Get off of your social-media and make a call, make a visit, connect with a real person—in person!  We are quickly losing the art of personal communication—and we need personal relationships NOT virtual ones!

What has happened to sharing with our young ones the call to be an ‘Esther’-a woman with an opportunity to rescue her nation; to be a Hannah, a praying woman and a self-less mother; to be a Ruth, a loving servant to her mother-in-law, and a humble convert and servant of God; to be a Deborah (and I’ll lose some of you here) a godly woman of God, used to be a powerful inspiration to encourage men to follow and accept God’s call to lead and overcome (not to take their place—oooops, I just lost some of you!)!  How about modern women of faith?  Corrie Ten Boom, a powerful woman of faith, truth and strength!   Amy Carmichael, a powerful woman of God who served tirelessly on the mission field! Elizabeth Elliot, who helped show the world that a godly widow can make a difference! Ruth Graham, a quite woman of faith, strength and courage, who supported her husband’s ministry and raised her children with dignity and truth to be servants of God!  The list could go on, but I think you get the point.  We often teach about the Daniels, and Josephs, and we should, but don’t forget God’s examples of godly women!  And one point I’d like to leave with you is to get your children and grandchildren into reading the biographies of the faithful servants of God from the past and the present!  May we be Proverbs 31 women who ‘fear The Lord’ and seek God’s praise over the praise of men, sharing with those around us?

“Favour is deceitful,

and beauty is vain:

but a woman that feareth the LORD,

she shall be praised.   

31 Give her

of the fruit of her hands;

and let her own works

praise her in the gates.”   Proverbs 31:30-31

Let’s stop binge-eating at the world’s table, and feast on The Word of God, and the company of other godly women! (or men as the case may be). Peter reminds us that God has a higher standard than the world—will we accept the challenge or fall for the lies of the enemy.  And note, Peter points out that our “life-style” of holiness (conversation) is more of a testimony than nagging (ouch!)!

Men and women are called to appreciate our respective differences, and pursue God’s work in our lives, as we share each with the other, and for the sake of time and space, I’ll only share a portion of 1 Peter 3.  I encourage you to read chapter 2 and 3 this week (In fact the whole book is a doable thing, and it’s all about suffering for Jesus—for living holy lives in a broken world!).

“Likewise, ye wives,

be in subjection to your own husbands;

that, if any obey not the word,

they also may

without the word

be won by the conversation

of the wives;

2 While they behold

your chaste conversation

coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning

let it not be that outward adorning

of plaiting the hair,

and of wearing of gold,

or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man

of the heart,

 in that which is not corruptible,

even the ornament

of a meek

and quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God

of great price…

….7 Likewise, ye husbands,

dwell with them

according to knowledge,

giving honour unto the wife,

as unto the weaker vessel,

and as being heirs together

of the grace of life;

that your prayers

be not hindered.

8 Finally,

be ye all of one mind,

having compassion one of another,

love as brethren,

be pitiful,

be courteous:

9 Not rendering

evil for evil,

or railing for railing:

but contrariwise

blessing;

knowing that ye are thereunto called,

that ye should inherit a blessing.”    Portions of 1 Peter 3:1-9

Let me close by saying, God created male and female—and we are to treasure the differences without yielding our God-given roles!  And yes, I believe we have “roles”—not subservient roles (either way) but roles of complementors and completers not competitors!  God calls us to love—agape love—to do that which is always for the other persons good, not just our own!  And sometimes it hurts to love that way, but I’m so grateful that Jesus loved me enough to give His life for mine.  How could I/we do less for one another, especially within a home!!!

“This is my commandment,

That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.”    John 15:12-13

Amen and Amen!!!

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Believe It Or Not??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 12

05 Sunday May 2019

Posted by Blanche in Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Encouragement, Every Knee Shall Bow, Follow Jesus, Gospel, Hearing God, I Can Do All Things?, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Not Of This World, Salvation, Seeing Truth, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Truth

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1 John 4:1-3, 1 John 4:4, Are You Ready, Believe It Or Not, Choices Count, Jesus Is Coming!, John 14:6, John 15:5, John 5:24-47, Ready Or Not

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.12      Believe It Or Not???

 

I have a brief message today, brief in the sense that I have little to say about the passage I want to share with you, but rather want to let you ponder the words of Jesus!  I truly believe that the day of His approaching return is very near, and we live in days when, like the people who heard and saw Jesus in person, men are unwilling to heed the voice of the Son of God.  And as Jesus said Himself, HE is the only way.

“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 the only way to God, and regardless of what the world says, there is NO other way. And when we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we will find that HE is sufficient to our every need, and all that we do is dependent on HIM!  Even as His child, I am only profitable to God as I yield to and depend on the work of God in me through the Holy Spirit of Jesus!  How sad that so many who claim to know Him, preach a different gospel—one of self-reliance, greed, and prosperity—rather than the call of Jesus to “take up your cross and follow me…”!

“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 15:5

Without Jesus there is no future but death and hell, but with Him we can have eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ—for our sin! (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Jesus is our life, hope and assurance, and truly “without me ye can do nothing”!  But with Him we can truly say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  (Philippians 4:13)

The passage from John’s Gospel,  is Jesus’ own message to those who refuse to receive HIM! I simply ask that you read this passage and ponder its content, and the heart of the Messiah who spoke it to us all those years ago!  Do you know Him?  Are there those whom you love who need to know Him?  Will you determine today to be a reflection of The Savior to a lost and dying world?  Will you stand by the truth of The Word rather than the ‘gospel of convenience’ that is clamoring all about us?  The choice is yours, but remember, there is a test at the end!  His love is written in RED!

“Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that heareth my word,

and believeth on him that sent me,

hath everlasting life,

and shall not come into condemnation;

but is passed

from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

The hour is coming,

and now is,

when the dead shall hear the voice

of the Son of God:

and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself;

so hath he given to the Son

to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority

to execute judgment also,

because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this:

for the hour is coming,

in the which all that are in the graves

shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth;

they that have done good,

unto the resurrection of life;

and they that have done evil,

unto the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing:

as I hear,

I judge:

and my judgment is just;

because I seek not mine own will,

but the will of the Father

which hath sent me.

31 If I bear witness of myself,

my witness is not true.

32 There is another that beareth witness of me;

and I know that the witness

which he witnesseth of me

is true.

33 Ye sent unto John,

and he bare witness unto the truth.

34 But I receive not testimony from man:

but these things I say,

that ye might be saved.

35 He was a burning and a shining light:

and ye were willing for a season

to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have greater witness

than that of John:

for the works which the Father hath given me

to finish,

the same works that I do,

bear witness of me,

that the Father

hath sent me.

37 And the Father himself,

which hath sent me,

hath borne witness of me.

Ye have neither heard his voice at any time,

nor seen his shape.

38 And ye have not his word

abiding in you:

for whom he hath sent,

him ye believe not.

39 Search the scriptures;

for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me,

that ye might have life.

41 I receive not honour from men.

42 But I know you,

that ye have not the love of God

in you.

43 I am come in my Father’s name,

and ye receive me not:

if another shall come in his own name,

him ye will receive.

44 How can ye believe,

which receive honour

one of another,

and seek not the honour

that cometh from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you

to the Father:

there is one that accuseth you,

even Moses,

 in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses,

ye would have believed me:

for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings,

how shall ye believe my words?”   John 5:24-47

Whose words will you believe?  God’s Word both written, spoken, and the “living Word”, or will you choose to believe the one who will “come in his own name”?  And as John the Apostle wrote—there is “one” coming, but there are many of “his” already at work.  Be aware, be prepared, be saved while you still can!

“Beloved,

believe not every spirit,

but try the spirits

whether they are of God:

because many false prophets

are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that confesseth

that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not

that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

is not of God:

and this is that spirit of antichrist,

whereofye have heard that it should come;

and even now already

is it in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3

Satan is alive and well on planet earth!  But we win because:

“Ye are of God, little children,

and have overcome them:

because greater is he that is in you,

than he that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4

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Do You See What God Sees??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 12 No. 25

03 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by Blanche in Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Church:Dead Or Alive?, Consider Your ways, Every Knee Shall Bow, Follow Jesus, Gospel, IN Jesus!, JESUS, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus' Sacrifice, Just Jesus!, Lies, Not Of This World, Perilous Times Are Here, Plumbline?, Salvation, Seeing Truth, SIN, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Trust God, Who are YOU following?

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1 Corinthians 15:3-5, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Do You See What God Sees?, Hath an Ear Let Him Hear, How's Your Vision, Isaiah 6:9-10, John 1:1-5, Mathew 7:13-15, Matthew 16:13-15, Only One Way, Proverbs 14:12, Revelation 3:14-19, Revelation 3:20, Revelation 3:22, Salvation, Truth

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 12 No.25 Do You See What God Sees???

 

“This know also,

that in the last days

perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.”   2 Timothy 3:1-5

A powerful warning from the Apostle Paul; difficult times are coming—and that’s a fact.  But just as alarming as that is that today, I believe we are “there”!   We are living in “perilous times”, especially for those who choose to follow biblical Christianity.  But I’d like us to focus on an issue as important as the times, and that is how we see the times.  To put it another way, what is our plumb line of judgment in this day of peril?  Jesus gives an apt picture of misreading the truth, as He speaks to the Laodicean church in the book of The Revelation.

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;

These things saith the Amen,

the faithful and true witness,

the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works,

that thou art neither cold

nor hot:

I would thou wert cold

or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm,

and neither cold

nor hot,

 I will spue thee

out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest,

I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing;

and knowest not that thou art

wretched,

and miserable,

and poor,

and blind,

and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me

gold tried in the fire,

that thou mayest be rich;

and white raiment,

that thou mayest be clothed,

and that the shame

of thy nakedness

do not appear;

and anoint thine eyes

with eyesalve,

that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love,

I rebuke

and chasten:

be zealous therefore,

and repent.”   Revelation 3:14-19

While I believe that these letters were to seven literal churches, I also believe that they represent periods in church history (which when Jesus gave them, were periods in the future of the church), and that the Laodicean church represents the apostate church of the later days.  For most of my life I have believed that we lived in the time of the church of Philadelphia (the missionary church), but in recent years I have had to face the fact that I have lived long enough to see the church transition into the church at Laodicea; and I’d like us to consider what Jesus said to this church, both then and now!

Jesus identifies Himself as the “Amen”, the “faithful and true witness”, the “beginning of the creation of God”! He is the One who is the “so be it”—the “eye witness” of the future (in fact the author of “history” because “history” is “His-story” from beginning to end)!  God knew when He created us, what we would do, yet He created us any way, and JESUS was there.  Just as the Apostle John, who wrote The Revelation, said in his account of the Gospel:

“In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word

was with God,

and the Word

was God.

2 The same was in the beginning

with God.

3 All things were made

by him;

and without him

was not any thing made

that was made.

4 In him was life;

and the life

was the light

of men.

5 And the light shineth

in darkness;

and the darkness

comprehended it not.”  John 1:1-5

Jesus came as the living, breathing, flesh and blood, God-Man, redeemer of mankind.  He took on flesh and blood that He might die for our sin—so that we could live in HIM!  And this redeemer, Jesus, said that this church at Laodicea didn’t have clear vision.  What they saw to be true about themselves, Jesus said was not true!  Just as Isaiah told ancient Israel the truth about their perceptions, the church today, especially the church in America needs to take heed as well!

“And he said, Go, and tell this people,

Hear ye indeed,

but understand not;

and see ye indeed,

but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat,

and make their ears heavy,

and shut their eyes;

lest they see

with their eyes,

and hear

with their ears,

and understand

with their heart,

and convert,

and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10

And Jesus Himself said:

“Therefore speak I to them in parables:

because they seeing

see not;

and hearing

they hear not,

neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,

which saith,

By hearing

ye shall hear,

and shall not understand;

and seeing

ye shall see,

and shall not perceive:

15 For this people’s heart

is waxed gross,

and their ears

are dull of hearing,

and their eyes

they have closed;

lest at any time they should see

with their eyes,

and hear

with their ears,

and should understand

with their heart,

and should be converted,

and I should heal them.”    Matthew 16:13-15

All I can say is ‘oh me’ not amen, for the grief it causes to my heart.  But where do we live today?  We live in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile to those of us who cleave to The Word of God, and a biblical world view that interprets life, righteousness and opportunity through the lens of The Bible, as we trust to the leading of Jesus’ Holy Spirit!  As Jesus tells us, as well as the church at Laodicea, we must seek His perspective to know truth, for HE is truth.

See what this church said of themselves:

”I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing”!

And what is the church saying today—we are ‘mega’, we are ‘affluent’, we are self-sufficient, and because we are ‘faithful’ (in our own minds), we can “name it and claim it”!  What saddens me, and I’m sure it did The Lord, is that here was a church who, by their own declaration, said they had “need of nothing”!  In fact, as we check the rest of this letter, they had need of nothing—even Jesus—for we find Jesus saying to this church (and to any who will hear):

“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

Here is a church that was so self-sufficient, that they no longer needed The Lord!  He was on the outside, knocking to come in. And I believe that is where many churches today have relegated Jesus—claiming His name, but excluding Him, and His Word from their life and service.  When we relegate Jesus ‘out’ of our lives, our families, our churches and the public arena, what can we expect?  I personally believe that we can expect exactly what we are reaping in our culture today!  Go back and rehearse the list that we started with today.  The list of the characteristics of the last days!  Oh, dear ones—we are there—or if you would—they are here!  Perilous times are all about us.  We must seek the face of our Lord and stand in the gap for those about us today, for Jesus IS our only hope.  Are we sharing truth? May God have mercy on us today!  (See Ezekiel 22:30)

What do we see happening?  Reviling of the things of God, blasphemous behavior paraded and promoted on TV, in the movies, music, literature and every day speech and behavior.  It comes from men, women and children all around us, and it brings me to tears to see how far we have come in the last 50 years.

How sad that we let the small things creep in, and just as the story of the frog in the pot—who made himself comfortable in the cool water, then the heat is turned up so gradually that he doesn’t realize that he is in “HOT WATER” until it’s too late to jump out of the pot—we are now in such hot water that it is uncertain whether we can get out or not!  Only by God’s mercy will we find hope and deliverance.

So, what are we to do?  We must, must, must pray and seek God’s face, listen to hear HIS voice speaking through His Word and His servants to see and discern things through the eyes of our Lord. Even as the writer of Proverbs wrote so long ago!

“There is a way which seemeth right

unto a man,

but the end thereof

are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

Even as Jesus said:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be

which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be

that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets,

which come to you

in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly

they are ravening wolves.”    Matthew 7:13-15

The rules haven’t changed no matter what the world may say.  Paul put it in a nutshell for us, and I share the truth of the gospel to bring this to a close—for without the truth of the gospel, we have no hope. And Jesus is the Gospel—His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for SIN—my sin and yours!

“For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died

for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again

the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:”  1 Corinthians 15:3-5

After all, it’s why He came—to save you and me “from their sins”!  (See Matthew 1:21). Amen and Amen!  So:

“He that hath an ear,

let him hear,

what the Spirit saith

unto the churches.”   Revelation 3:22

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Head>Heart>Hands??? (More Tidbits from Daniel#4) Bible Ballistics:Vol.11 No.22

08 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by Blanche in Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Jesus, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Growing in Jesus!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Not Of This World, Our God Reigns, Praise God Today!, Salvation, Sovereignty, The Love of God, The Only Way, The Word, Thy Kingdom Come, Transformation, Troubles, Trust God, Worship Him!

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 22 Head>Heart>Hands???   (More Tidbits from Daniel #4)

 

I’ve been thinking about Daniel lately and wanted us to search it out again for more that can help us live a “Daniel” life—a life of faith, confidence and power with, from and for God. That is something worth spending our time on. We’ll be looking at Daniel chapter 2, and while we’ll touch on the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, I want us to focus on the things surrounding that encounter. Lord willing, we’ll address the dream and it’s content in the next week or two.

It is important to remember that Daniel was part of the captives who were taken to Babylon to serve the king, yet his demeanor was always an honor to God and never a detriment. Oh, that we could live that kind of life and hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” when we face our Lord. So many today have a head knowledge of God and The Son Jesus, but don’t know Him, and it is important that we take that knowledge from our ‘head’ to our ‘heart’ and on to our hands.

When Daniel was confronted with a threat of death because of the ‘wisemen’ and their inability to know and interpret the king’s dream, Daniel had only one course of action—and it should always be our first recourse rather than our last!

“Then Daniel went to his house,

and made the thing known

to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

his companions:

18 That they would desire mercies

of the God of heaven

concerning this secret;

that Daniel and his fellows

should not perish

with the rest

of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed

unto Daniel

in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”   Daniel 2:17-19

Many times when we are confronted with difficult situation, crises, or uncertainty we work on a solution, try to figure it out, run to get answers from others, or just run head-long into situations without the wisdom of God. Daniel knew what James knew and shared with us.

“If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth is like

a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed.

7 For let not that man think

that he shall receive any thing

of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable

in all his ways.” James 1:5-8 

God wants us to bring every part of our lives to HIM! I hear so many people say that some things just aren’t important to God, but I must disagree, and I think that I can say that on the authority of scripture. God wants us to come to Him about everything, for HE often sees things differently than we do—God’s ways are the ways that we must seek, and He is ready and willing to reveal Himself and His way to us—we have but to ask! When we “lack wisdom” God wants us to “ask of God” and do so in faith, having total confidence in the ‘giver’ of “every good gift and every perfect gift”. God wants us to know HIM, to walk with HIM and to grow in HIM:

“But grow

in grace,

and in the knowledge

of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To him be glory both

now

and for ever. Amen.”    2 Peter 3:18

Knowing Him and His ways and provision was always on the heart of Daniel, and Isaiah had written these words long before Daniel caught Himself in trouble. In fact remember His decision in the beginning of the book:

“But Daniel purposed in his heart

that he would not defile himself

with the portion of the king’s meat,

nor with the wine which he drank:

therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs

that he might not defile himself.” Daniel 1:8

Isaiah said it clearly:

“Seek ye the LORD

while he may be found,

call ye upon him

while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts:

and let him return unto the LORD,

and he will have mercy upon him;

and to our God,

for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts

are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways

my ways,

saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens

are higher than the earth,

so are my ways

higher than your ways,

and my thoughts

than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down,

and the snow

from heaven,

and returneth not thither,

but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud,

that it may give seed

to the sower,

and bread

to the eater:

11 So shall my word be

that goeth forth

out of my mouth:

it shall not return unto me

void,

but it shall accomplish

that which I please,

and it shall prosper

in the thing whereto

I sent it.”   Isaiah 55:6-11

God is ever at work to draw people unto Himself, but He has given every person born into this world the freewill to choose to believe Him or not. God has made His love for us clear and Jesus paid the price for our sin—“For God so loved the world that He gave”—yet Jesus made it clear that we must choose, and there is a consequence for our choices. If we choose Jesus and trust to His blood to save us, we have life, but if we don’t choose HIM, we have chosen death, whether consciously or not—it’s still choosing.

“For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world

through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten

Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”   John 3:17-19

We can choose Jesus and life, or not; we can cling to our sins—our evil deeds, even though we excuse our sinful deeds and think our sin isn’t as bad as the sin of others—and miss life. Why would we do that? Because when man sinned in the beginning, he chose to believe a lie, rather than God, and we’re still doing that today! I beg you to be sure that you have made the right choice!

God is working to call men and women to Himself—it’s why Jesus came, and He is ever working to make His own into the image of Jesus, in everything in our lives!

“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

The evidence of His presence in our lives is the work of His Holy Spirit working in and through us and seen through the godly works of our hands. For when we truly consider God and come to Jesus, moving that information to our hearts in repentance and faith, then God does a work of transformation that appears in our lives, our walk, our speech, and our reactions and responses to people and situations. We are to be living testimonies to God’s grace and transforming power.

“Servants,

obey in all things

your masters according to the flesh;

not with eyeservice,

as menpleasers;

but in singleness of heart,

fearing God:

23 And whatsoever ye do,

do it heartily,

as to the Lord,

and not unto men;

24 Knowing that

of the Lord

ye shall receive the reward

of the inheritance:

for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:22-24

Paul also repeated these things to the Ephesians because we are to live our lives as servants of God—not as “as menpleasers”, but like Daniel, men and women, boys and girls, who are committed to live undefiled lives before God and man!

“Servants,

be obedient to them that are your masters

according to the flesh,

with fear

and trembling,

in singleness of your heart,

as unto Christ;

6 Not with eyeservice,

as menpleasers;

but as the servants of Christ,

doing the will of God

from the heart;

7 With good will

doing service,

as to the Lord,

and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing

any man doeth,

the same shall he receive of the Lord,

whether he be bond or free.

9 And, ye masters,

do the same things unto them,

forbearing threatening:

knowing that your Master also

is in heaven;

neither is there respect

of persons with him.”    Ephesians 6:5-9

Whether we are the ‘master’—the boss, or the ‘servant’—the employee, God calls us, saves us to live His glory before a world of sin and darkness. Daniel was a man of God who showed us how to live right no matter the situation, trial or difficulty.

Being people of character not just lip service. As I’ve heard it said, “Real godly character is when you do right when no one is looking.” Or “Real character is revealed by what you do in the dark.” And we can be those people of character because we are saved and kept by the same God who met the needs of Daniel and His friends. And when Daniel received the answer to his prayer, He didn’t forget God, but gave us a wonderful picture of who our God is, and how to truly worship HIM!!!

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God

for ever and ever:

for wisdom

and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times

and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth the deep

and secret things:

he knoweth what is in the darkness,

and the light dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee,

and praise thee,

O thou God of my fathers,

who hast given me wisdom and might,

and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee:

for thou hast now made known unto us

the king’s matter.” Daniel 2:19-23

What an amazing prayer of praise, may we come to know our God as Daniel did; may God’s character be seen in all of our actions, deeds, works and words—may God be praised in our living! Daniel’s faithfulness gave him a great opportunity to share the truth of The Lord God Almighty before the great king Nebuchadnezzar.

“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said,

The secret which the king hath demanded

cannot the wise men,

the astrologers,

the magicians,

the soothsayers,

shew unto the king;

28 But there is a God in heaven

that revealeth secrets,

and maketh known to the king

Nebuchadnezzar

what shall be in the latter days.

Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

29 As for thee, O king,

thy thoughts came into thy mind

upon thy bed,

what should come to pass

hereafter:

and he that revealeth secrets

maketh known to thee

what shall come to pass.”   Daniel 2:27-29

And yet Daniel never took the credit for God’s work!

“But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me

for any wisdom

that I have more than any living,

but for their sakes

that shall make known the interpretation

to the king,

and that thou mightest know the thoughts

of thy heart.”   Daniel 2:30

Daniel’s crisis was an opportunity for God’s Word and ways that Daniel knew in his head, would stir his heart and work out through his hands and feet! What do others see in us? Nebuchadnezzar saw something in Daniel—God! What do others see in our lives—from our head, to our heart and out through our hands and feet, our every day lives!

“And in the days of these kings

shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,

which shall never be destroyed:

and the kingdom shall not be left

to other people,

but it shall break in pieces

and consume all these kingdoms,

and it shall stand

for ever……

46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said,

Of a truth it is,

that your God

is a God of gods,

and a Lord of kings,

and a revealer of secrets,

seeing thou couldest reveal

this secret.”   Daniel 2:44-47 

May others be brought to say of our God, “that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings”! I pray that our God will help us stand fast in this evil day, that others will see the power of God in our lives. From our head—to our heart—seen by the world through our hands and feet!

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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