Category Archives: Praise God Today!

My God IS Sufficient!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #400

06 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, I Will Never Leave You, Made like Jesus!, My Grace Is Sufficient, Praise God Today!, The Word, Time Is Grace!, TODAY

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #400       My God Is Sufficient!!!

 

Just a brief word this morning to wrap up our day. Regardless of the trials that we may be facing I just want us to remember that our GOD is able, and sufficient to any task that we may face. I pray that this word will speak to our hearts and encourage us all on this Friday.

“And now, brethren,

I commend you to God,

and to the word of his grace,

which is able to build you up,

and to give you an inheritance

among all them

which are sanctified.”   Acts 20:32

 

“I commend you to God” because while I may not have the answers that you need—our God does!!! He knows and allows nothing to come into our lives that HE isn’t using to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ His Son.

“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

We can trust it all to God—“He never says ‘oops’!”! Even as the Apostle Paul sought God in prayer for an infirmity that was plaguing Him and God gave Him assurance that HE had it all under control.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure

through the abundance of the revelations,

there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,

the messenger of Satan to buffet me,

lest I should be exalted above measure.

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice,

that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me,

My grace is sufficient for thee:

for my strength is made perfect

in weakness.

Most gladly therefore

will I rather glory

in my infirmities,

that the power of Christ

may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,

in reproaches,

in necessities,

in persecutions,

in distresses

for Christ’s sake:

for when I am weak,

then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

And that same is still true for you and me! Even as the Doxology says, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow!” I pray that God will encourage each of us as we press on in His “grace” which is always “sufficient for thee”! Blessings on your day! Amen and Amen!

 

 

Glory To God In The Highest??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #391

06 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Confidence, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Praise God Today!, Salvation, The Only Way, The Word, TODAY, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #391   Glory To God In The Highest???

 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14

I know it’s just September, but any time is the time to praise God for the gift of HIS Son Jesus, who came that we might have salvation and abundant life; but “peace on earth”? And what about “good will toward men”? What about the “glory”? We see strife, hatred and conflict on every hand, and unequalled disasters going on all about us. Where’s the “peace”? Where’s the “glory”? Where’s the “good will”?

Well, the answer is simple—it is all found IN Jesus! He is the “glory” of God; He is the “peace” of God; He is the “good will” of God toward a lost and sinful people! He is all of this and more; it is why Jesus came, to purchase eternal life for man at Calvary, to offer the ‘new birth’ to all who will believe! Let’s peruse just a few of the scriptures that remind us of HIS glory, grace and love toward us, so you can rejoice with me today!!!

“God, who at sundry times

and in divers manners

spake in time past

unto the fathers

by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days

spoken unto us

by his Son,

whom he hath appointed heir

of all things,

by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things

by the word of his power,

when he had by himself purged our sins,

sat down

on the right hand

of the Majesty on high;”    Hebrews 1:1-3

This very Son of God, came and took on flesh to pay the penalty for sin, for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith—trusting to His finished work on the cross to not only pay our ‘sin debt’, but also to impart to us the new birth, new life IN Him! Jesus came that we might “….have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (See John 10:10) This one, who IS God, came to die for you and me. Even the prophet Daniel foretold of His position and glory, this ‘Son of Man’ and ‘Son of God’ who was promised by God The Father.

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”   Daniel 7:13-14

He has the glory, and He shares His ‘glory’, His ‘peace’ and His ‘good will’ as ‘God with us’—with all who will believe and receive Him and His sacrificial, atoning death for sin.

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given

unto us

all things

that pertain unto life

and godliness,

through the knowledge of him

that hath called us to glory

and virtue:

4 Whereby are given

unto us

exceeding great

and precious promises:

that by these

ye might be partakers

of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption

that is in the world

through lust.”     2 Peter 1:2-4

Amen and Amen! What glorious gifts of grace and love The Father has bestowed upon us through The Son. But there’s even more—He gives us peace. Not only the peace ‘of’ God, but peace ‘with’ God, the restoration of relationship and fellowship of fallen mankind with The Holy God Almighty of the universe!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access

by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope

of the glory of God…

…5 And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad

in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died

for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God

commendeth his love

toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

Oh what a glory! Oh what joy we ought to have in our hearts and on our faces—Jesus has given us new life, the ‘hope of glory’, He has given us ‘peace with God’ and He has given us the ‘good will’ of God Almighty in His love:

“toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”

So friends, I rejoice again today and will repeat it endlessly, regardless of the season!!!

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

good will toward men.”

Amen and Amen. Won’t you rejoice with me today?

Unexpected Interruptions??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #390

01 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, I Will Never Leave You, Praise God Today!, The Word, TODAY, Today and Forever, Trials, Troubles, Unexpected Interruptions, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #390   Unexpected Interruptions???

 

We all have “un”expected interruptions, as an old Yiddish proverb says “Man plans, God laughs!” and that’s a pretty accurate observation. We are so busy making “plans” that we often forget to ‘live’ our lives, particularly to ‘live’ them for God, seeking His will and desire for our every step.

The prophet Jeremiah called his people to repent and turn to God for some 40 years, with very little response. He called them to return to their God and avoid God’s judgment of the coming Babylonian captivity, but to no avail—they just kept right on doing their own thing; making their own ‘plans’ with no regard for the God they claimed as their own! As I’m often wont to say, “Saying so, doesn’t make it so!” We must examine our plans, and seek to pursue the ways, plans and will of God—for He knows what lies ahead. As another prophet penned (Daniel after the fall of Jerusalem, in Babylonian captivity, as a servant of Nebuchadnezzar the king) in Daniel 2:20-22:

“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.”

Daniel was praising God for answered prayer, and in his praise he rehearses the character of God for us. Jeremiah warned the people of the coming judgment, but also the mercy that God wanted to bestow upon them. Yet even in His judgment of sin and the discipline of His own people, God’s desire is for our good and His glory. Exactly what Jeremiah reminded the people of as He preached of the perfect goodness of God to all who would come to HIM!

“For I know the thoughts

that I think toward you,

saith the LORD,

thoughts of peace,

and not of evil,

to give you an expected end.

12 Then shall ye call upon me,

and ye shall go

and pray unto me,

and I will hearken

unto you.

13 And ye shall seek me,

and find me,

when ye shall search

for me

with all your heart.”    Jeremiah 29:11-13

So often this passage is taken out of context, and while God does have good things for us, it’s not always what we would pick! God is interested in our ‘holiness’ not our ‘happiness’: happiness is always connected to circumstances, holiness is spiritual in nature and reveals the desire of God to mature us, and bring us into an intimate relationship with Him. And when we learn to recognize the hand of God in all things, we will gain a confidence and maturity that can sustain us through any trial or detour! God calls us to “seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart”, but we are often too distracted with our own plans to “seek” Him! But following God’s way is always the best and always the most rewarding, although it will almost always be the way of the ‘greatest’ resistance—the world won’t like the one who faithfully stands with and for God!

“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.”    Isaiah 59:7-9

Oh to understand the things that God wants to teach us! Oh to learn to follow Him expecting the unexpected; to go where He leads regardless of the interruption; to declare with the Psalmist that our steps are ‘ordered’ by The Lord—expected or not!

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”   Isaiah 30:21

Wherever you are walking today, remember that if things turn around, seek God and look for His Hand, He is at work for our good and His glory!!! Things aren’t always what you think they are. God is working that which will produce “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”!

“For all things are for your sakes,

that the abundant grace

might through the thanksgiving

of many

redound to the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not;

but though our outward man perish,

yet the inward man

is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction,

which is but for a moment,

worketh for us

a far more exceeding

and eternal

weight of glory;

18 While we look not

at the things which are seen,

but at the things which are not seen:

for the things which are seen

are temporal;

but the things which are not seen

are eternal.”   2 Corinthians 4:15-18

So remember today, what you see isn’t really what you get—God’s glory is so real and we must keep “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”; (See Hebrews 12:2), knowing that God is working ‘all things’ for our good, that we might “be conformed to the image of his Son”!!! Amen and Amen! (See Romans 8:28-29) Just keep following Jesus—through the expected and the “un”expected!!! Whatever is going on, it hasn’t caught God by surprise!!!

 

Gratitude Is Timeless!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #382

04 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Gratitude Is Timeless, Praise God Today!, Thanksgiving, The Only Way, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #382 Gratitude Is Timeless!!!

 

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD,

all ye lands.

2 Serve the LORD

with gladness:

come before his presence

with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD

he is God:

it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates

with thanksgiving,

and into his courts

with praise:

be thankful

unto him,

and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good;

his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth

to all generations.”   Psalm 100:1-5

Many people often regard God as the ‘great slot machine in the sky’! Drop in your coin, pull the handle and God is ‘obligated’ to supply you a ‘jackpot’! God forbid, He is our creator and worthy of our praise—not our efforts to manipulate and control HIM! If I might, I simply offer a few thoughts about how many people seem to really respond toward God and His sovereign grace, mercy and love!

“Complain to and about everything—even God Himself-

all ye lands!

Demand your way with God who is YOUR servant—

And complain about everything!

Stomp into His presence

in arrogance and discontent—

Reject God’s sovereignty—

After all “I” am the ‘Center of the universe’!

He is my ‘genie’ at my disposal—

To meet my every lustful whim!

Call Him into My gates–

With discontent and lustful greed—

After all I deserve more!

For The Lord is never enough—

He isn’t meeting My desires promptly—

His Word has no relevance to my life—

And if it did, I have no time to study it!

I am the only ‘generation’ that is important–      

In fact, I’m the only ONE that counts!”

While this is a bit much, I pray that we’ll each examine our own hearts, and see if we have an ‘attitude of gratitude’ toward God, or if our life is marked with ‘grumbly discontent’? We are often quick to call on God when things are out of our control, or when desperate situations arise; but are we as quick to recognize His presence, His love and His mercy and thank HIM for HIS provision? Or do we expect God to provide without having any sense of His worthiness of praise? May we truly possess the heart of the Psalmist and join those who are continually “thankful unto him”? I pray that we will each check our ‘attitude of gratitude’ quotient! Live praising HIM! Amen and Amen!

“For in him we live, and move, and have our being;” Acts 17:28a

“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

Praise God, It’s Today!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #378

21 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Knowing God's Word, Let You Light So Shine, Praise God Today!, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #378      Praise God, It’s Today!!!

 

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

I want to share a word of encouragement this morning—this ‘today’ that we have been given by God. God made it and has given it to us to use to His glory, for our good, and for the good of others as we have opportunity. And whatever ‘opportunities’ lay ahead of you and me, we are to see them as the gift of God. The question remains, ‘What will we do with them?’ Will we even see them as ‘opportunities’?

God has left nothing to chance—HE is working in our lives each and every day; and He has a goal and a purpose. It’s not an erratic happenstance, but a loving, intricate pattern that God is weaving in your life and mine. And dear friends, we can count on HIM to lead us where He wants us to be, if we will but hear and obey—and “rejoice and be glad in it”, praising Him in all things for His gracious and glorious plan for us.

“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

God is ever at work conforming us “to the image of his Son”, helping us be a reflection of His glory to a lost and dying world—to a hurting and desperate world. And we who follow Jesus, and have received the saving grace and salvation that Jesus bought at Calvary, are the only hope for the world. Yet we have allowed the world to distract us from our purpose! Let’s return to the passion of living for Jesus in all we do. Let’s stop allowing the world to shape us into its image, and stand fast for and with Jesus.

“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

We are transformed by The Word of God—getting into it, and allowing it to get into us, becoming a reflection of God’s glory to the world around us. And when yield to God’s work in and through us, He will continue to make us more and more aware of His hand in everything that we face!!!Then we can truly “rejoice and be glad in it”; living out the call in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:

“In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

TODAY!