Category Archives: SIN

Where Is Your Cross? Bible Ballistics: BBs #379

26 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Every Knee Shall Bow, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, SIN, The Word, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #379 Where Is Your Cross?

 

As we look around at our world it grieves me to see so many who claim the name of Jesus, but just that; they claim His name for their own reasons, without any regard for the One who gave His life on the cross for our salvation. They have no desire for a personal relationship with Jesus, but seem to only desire the benefit that can be gained from the use of HIS Holy name, or from His people. What are we to do? Jesus told us long ago about that question, and it’s one that we won’t be able to answer, except as we trust our lives to Him and follow where He leads. While we are called to stand for truth, and against blatant sin and disregard of the Holy Scriptures, we cannot always tell the real from the fake. But God can!

“Nevertheless the foundation of God

standeth sure,

having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are his.

And, Let every one that nameth the name

of Christ

depart from iniquity.”    2 Timothy 2:19

I have been fooled by some, I’ve been disappointed by some, and I’ve been greatly encouraged by the genuine and living faith of others. Our job is to follow the shepherd and feed the sheep, even the ‘pretenders’. We can’t force-feed those who aren’t hungry because they’ve gorged on the swill of the world, or those who are repulsed by the Word of God that we offer; but our job is the same as Jesus called Peter to before He ascended.

“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had dined,

Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me

more than these?

He saith unto him, Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

He saith unto him, Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved

because he said unto him

the third time,

Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”  John 21:12-17

Without going into the depths of this marvelous encounter that Peter had with our Lord, I want us to focus on the simple way that the Master restored ‘Peter the sheep’! And as He led Peter through this exercise of soul-searching, He gave Him only one command, “Feed my sheep”!! The lambs—the young, inexperienced, head-strong lambs; the older sheep—the head-butting ones, the grumpy ones, the hungry ones, the cast-down ones—Jesus called Peter to “Feed my sheep”! And we are to feed the sheep, but we can only share what we have received, leaving the “herd” selection to the Master. Jesus told us about this, in the parable of the wheat and the tares—He knows it all!!!

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay;

lest while ye gather up the tares,

ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,

Gather ye together first the tares,

and bind them in bundles to burn them:

but gather the wheat into my barn.”   Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus knows the wheat (His own sheep) and the tares (The wolves in ‘sheep’s clothing’), and He will render a just verdict of reward. The verdict is based on what you/I do with Jesus, the One who died to save us and give eternal life to all who will come! Only you can decide what you will do with the cross: will yours be only a piece of jewelry, with no love or commitment to the One who died on it; or have you come to Jesus, taking up your cross and following HIM? “Jesus Christ, and him crucified”—He’s MY choice?

Kewpie Doll Christianity??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 3

23 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by in Choose You This Day!, Every Knee Shall Bow, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Kewpie Dolls?, Salvation, SIN, The Word, The Word Or The World?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.3  Kewpie Doll Christianity???

 

This might seem like a strange title, but I think it very descriptive of much of ‘American’ Christianity. We have gone way beyond the ‘easy believism’ that many warned about for years, to a blatant attempt to change the Gospel into something palatable for the masses—whether or not they are willing to hear and receive the way of the Cross! Jesus proclaimed openly on more than one occasion that HE IS the only way to God. The “Kewpie Doll” came from a cartoon character in the early 1900’s and I fear this is what many are wanting to make of the Gospel, just another venue of ‘entertainment’ and ‘distraction’—not the life and death issue that it is. The problem is SIN, and there is only One Way to solve the problem—His name is Jesus!

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord,

we know not whither thou goest;

and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:5-6

Jesus is ‘the way’ to God—the only way! The way of repentance and faith in Jesus, for without Him there is no hope to escape the penalty of sin, which is death (See Romans 3:23 and 6:23).

“I said therefore unto you,

that ye shall die in your sins:

for if ye believe not that I am he,

ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:44

John chapter 8 is an amazing chapter, in that Jesus was confronting the ‘religious’ leaders of His day—those who had perverted God’s way even then. Jesus knew that He was the Son of God, yet those leaders denied Him, hated Him, and rejected His message. They refused to believer that He was the Son of God, yet Jesus very clearly told them, as He is telling people today, HE is the ONE and only way. Jesus and His substitutionary, atoning death for sin IS the only remedy for sin, the only provider of salvation, the only way to God! And when Jesus saves us, He changes us! A God change—not a man made change–a transformation that only God works in the hearts and lives of the saved, for Jesus came to redeem us from our sins, not IN them.

“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

Sometimes the simple things are the most profound—“he shall save his people from their sins”! He came to save us from our sins that we might have real victorious, overcoming LIFE, LIFE that cost Jesus His own life’s blood on the cross! How can we neglect the import and value of His sacrifice for our salvation? Why do we so often miss this part of the Gospel, watching our culture (even our churches) dilute its impact by denying its exclusive truth and power? Yes, it is exclusive in the sense that it truly is the only way—but God opens the door to all who will come to Jesus, believing that He IS God and that His death, burial and resurrection brings salvation to all who will believe and trust in His redeeming work on the cross!

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,

Whosoever will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

35 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it;

but whosoever shall lose his life

for my sake

and the gospel’s,

the same shall save it.

              36 For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:34-37

Jesus is the only “exchange” option for the souls of men. He gave His life for ours, and without His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice applied to our personal ‘sin’ account we must pay for our own sin. And my friends—that’s not the cutesy message that is often being presented today, it is imperative that we share the truth of the Gospel—the same message that Jesus proclaimed, not a new version!

“Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you,

I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me

are thieves and robbers:

but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it

more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.” John 10:7-11

What good, good news, news that we can boldly speak as God’s Word proclaims it, not as the ‘believe anything’ crowd would have us do. We can stand confidently in what God The Father, Jesus The Son, and the writers of scripture (Through the direction of The Holy Spirit!), have revealed about the saving, atoning, transforming power— the saving work of the blood of Jesus! It is His blood alone that brings “new life” to those who are dead in sin.

“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

The only good thing that I can claim is the “righteousness’ of Jesus!, the righteousness of The One who took my place and yours on the cross of Calvary, reconciling us to God. Jesus had “no sin” to pay for, but I had a sin-debt that I couldn’t pay without going to hell! Jesus stepped down from heaven to pay my debt—which HE didn’t owe, so you and I could have new life that we could never deserve—which cost Jesus His pure and sinless life poured out on that cross—my cross—because HE loves us. By His grace He provides salvation for all who will believe–a salvation which will be evident in our lives to one degree or another. Not every person will have the same gifts, or the same calling in their Christian walk, but all believers have a call and a walk.

“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 2:8-10

So whose work are you? Are you the work of the world or the work of God? Let’s look at those earlier verses in Ephesians 2. Take special note of the contrast between who we “were” and who we become “in Christ Jesus”.

“And you hath he quickened, (made alive)

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.”     Ephesians 2:1-7

As Paul proclaims, we need a Savior, because when we are lost, we are already “dead” in sin. Jesus made this same proclamation as He talked to Nicodemus. We can be bold in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, for it is the only cure for the deadly plague of SIN. And YES my friends, Sin IS the issue—and issue the world wants to deny.

“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.

17 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.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”    John 3:16-21

Everyone wants to quote John 3:16, but not nearly as many want to talk about the verses that follow. If we never deal with sin, why would anyone need a Savior? We must, I repeat—we must, preach the same Gospel that our Lord and Savior did, not a watered-down, half-truth version! Not the ‘Kewpie Doll’ Gospel that gives people a false hope and tells them that they can use Jesus’ name and hold on to their sin, with the ‘do it yourself’ Gospel. Only Jesus saves, and sin IS the issue! Until people recognize their sin, that they are ‘lost’ in it, they will never need a Savior to save them “from” it!

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened,

that it cannot save;

neither his ear heavy,

that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood,

and your fingers with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

4 None calleth for justice,

nor any pleadeth for truth:

they trust in vanity,

and speak lies;

they conceive mischief,

and bring forth iniquity.” Isaiah 59:1-4

Sound familiar? Like America? Sin IS the issue, and God has the only solution, which And Isaiah reveals as he describes the solution, which God had promised—a Lamb!

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:

and we hid as it were our faces from him;

he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:

yet we did esteem him stricken,

smitten of God,

and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities:

the chastisement of our peace was upon him;

and with his stripes we are healed.

6 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.

7 He was oppressed,

and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth:

he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,

so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment:

and who shall declare his generation?

for he was cut off out of the land of the living:

for the transgression of my people

was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death;

because he had done no violence,

neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;

he hath put him to grief:

when thou shalt make his soul an offering

for sin,

he shall see his seed,

he shall prolong his days,

and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper

in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul,

and shall be satisfied:

by his knowledge shall my righteous servant

justify many;

for he shall bear their iniquities.”    Isaiah 53:3-11

A Lamb was promised who would come and “bear their iniquities”—yours and mine. I encourage you to spend some time thinking on, praying over and absorbing the truths of what Isaiah tells us that Jesus did for us on that cross. All this planned by God, set in motion before the world began, and all because He loves us and wants a relationship with us—His creation! How about you? Are you buying (or selling) the ‘cartoon’ Gospel that makes Jesus just one option among many, or have you chosen to cling to “The Old Rugged Cross”? It was, is and ever shall be God’s only plan. There is no plan “B”! Never was—never will be! John The Baptizer recognized and revealed who this Lamb was, as He came on the scene to take care of man’s sin problem.

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away the sin

of the world.” John 1:29

“And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever shall call on the name

of the Lord

shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God

among you by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did

by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge

of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”    Acts 2:21-24

It was all from God, “by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God”! God sent Jesus to die willingly, not by the clumsy, or chance design of men, but by the wonder of His plan of saving grace.

“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…….

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God

commendeth his love

toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified

by his blood,

we shall be saved

from wrath

through him.

10 For if,

when we were enemies,

we were reconciled

to God

by the death of his Son,

much more,

being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.”    Romans 5:1-2 & 6-11

That’s not cutesy or cheap—it is the redeeming, saving plan that transforms the hearts and lives of all who will believe in Him.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption

of children

by Jesus Christ

to himself,

according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace,

wherein he hath made us accepted

in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

the forgiveness of sins,

according to the riches

of his grace;” Ephesians 1:5-7

“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 1:13-14

So my friends, it’s all up to you! Will you come to God through the saving power of the blood of the Lamb, or will you fall for the lies of the enemy—the one who doesn’t give life but is the thief of souls who:

“cometh not,

      but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy”!

The choice is every person’s to make, and if you have chosen to truly receive the salvation that Jesus bought for you and me at Calvary, then you can have the power to live that abundant life which He gives. Salvation wasn’t cheap to God—it cost Him His Son; may we ever recognize the import and value of God’s amazing gift of salvation. And when we come to Him, and become His child, He is ever working to conform us into the “image of 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.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?” Romans 8:28-31

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”   Romans 11:29

You can count on God to accomplish His purpose in His own! It’s His free gift, but it’s not cheap or do-it-yourself!

“I said therefore unto you,

that ye shall die in your sins:

for if ye believe not that I am he,

ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:44

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”   Revelation 20:15

Only Jesus can write your name in HIS book, with His blood!

An Open Letter To My Dear Ones! Bible Ballistics: BBs #377

19 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Free Indeed?, Salvation, SIN, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Trials, Troubles, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #377 An Open Letter To My Dear Ones!

 

This is a bit off the beaten track for me, but I feel clearly led to share some things with you today that are on my heart. You, my friends, are all dear to me, yet there are those in my life and yours, (or even you, yourself) those “dear ones” close to us who are hurting beyond measure. They are the ones I want to reach out to today. And whether you are one who is hurting, confused, off-track, aimless, misguided or just weary of the battles, I am praying that this word today will bring you to Jesus’ light, truth, comfort and grace. I know that Jesus IS the answer to every need in our lives. So today, whether you are the “dear one” who is hurting, or one of your “dear ones” is hurting—this is for you.

We live in a culture that is consumed with self, and we have allowed that “self” mentality into the churches even accepting blatant error to please the ‘selfies’. Jesus never changed His message to suit any particular seeker, yet as He spoke truth to all, He saved and delivered any who came to Him as the answer to their need. He IS that answer to all our needs today. The problem is that we want to come to Jesus our own way—we want to be saved “in our sins” rather than being saved “from our sin”!

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Jesus came that we might have eternal life, free from the penalty of sin (death), and the power of sin in our lives. While the old hymn, ‘Just As I Am’ (Written by Charlotte Elliott) proclaims the truth that we must come to Jesus, “Just as I am, without one plea”, we must realize that Jesus came to save sinners “from their sins”! Clearly, we must come to Jesus without any plea of our worthiness or of our own ‘self’ righteousness, deserving His saving grace; we must come to Him willingly recognizing, and ready to abandon, our sin to cling to HIM. Another favorite hymn comes to mind, and says it much better than I can, “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” (Amazing Grace, John Newton) Jesus finds the lost sheep (you and me) to bring us home to Him; He would never find a sheep and leave it where He found it to die. In fact, He loves us so much that He not only finds us, but He puts His Spirit within us so that we can truly say, I “was blind but now I see”! Without God’s amazing salvation and redemption, we have no ability to see the truth that Satan is so busy trying to keep people from seeing. The truth that Jesus saves us “from” our sin! Amen and Amen!

One thing that makes it so difficult for people today is that we all see ourselves as “good people”. We go to church, or we do good things, we aren’t prejudiced, we share, we pay our taxes, we are involved in charitable activities—but not one of these things can save us! No, not any or all of these ‘good works’ can save us, yet we’ll never seek the salvation that Jesus offers until we see ourselves as God sees us! Jesus speaks clearly to this issue in one of His messages to the seven churches—yes, His message to the ‘church’ deals with those who think they’re good enough to be right with God because of their ‘works’ and their ‘wealth’! Familiar??

“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.” Revelation 3:17-18

Jesus called the church at Laodicea to open their eyes and see the truth—Jesus Himself! They had become so ‘self’ satisfied that they didn’t even recognize their lostness! And much of America today is in that same boat. Jesus didn’t call them ‘good’, or ‘charitable’, or ‘holy’; He called them “wretched….miserable…..poor….blind….and naked”! Terms never used of the redeemed, but of those who have no relationship with Jesus! Shocking? Yes, but Jesus didn’t leave them with no hope. He called them to come to Him and find the real wealth—the gold of salvation in Christ Jesus alone, by faith alone (never by works, see Ephesians 2:8-10, works come out of our salvation, they’re never what saves us—ever!). He called them to come to Him for real garments of HIS righteousness!!!

“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”    Revelation 19:8

It is the righteousness that only Christ Jesus provides to those who come to HIM in repentance and faith.

“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 5:21

Jesus’ righteousness is the only ‘righteousness’ that God accepts—and we can only get it at the Cross! So my dear one, whatever you’ve been doing to try and solve your problems, to make yourself feel important, to prove to yourself and the world that you are “important”—stop riding on a merry-go-round that will take you nowhere and give your ALL to Jesus. You will never find your significance in impressing Christians at church (real or fake), or doing good works for men’s praise, or pretending that you are someone that you’re not; or in a bottle; or in sex; or in spending money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like, all to accomplish what? Only Jesus can truly save, redeem, and deliver us from our own sin!! And my dear one, SIN is the issue—yours and mine—and only the blood of Jesus can cleanse and save us from sin and its death penalty.

“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

So, my dear ones, will you give up your lies, to come to Jesus? He is knocking at your hearts door today (See Revelation 3:19-20), and only you can open that door to HIM, “I am come that they might have life, and ….. have it more abundantly.”

You Could Go To Jail For That? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 1

09 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by in Choose You This Day!, Persecution, Salvation, SIN, The Word, The Word Or The World?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.1 You Could Go To Jail For That?

 

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit,

I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

22 And the multitude rose up together

against them:

and the magistrates rent off their clothes,

and commanded to beat them.

23 And when they had laid many stripes

upon them,

they cast them into prison,

charging the jailor

to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge,

thrust them into the inner prison,

and made their feet fast in the stocks.”   Acts 16:16-24

This is a lengthy passage yet I wanted us to see that the preaching of the Gospel has never been popular. It wasn’t popular when it was proclaimed by our Lord Jesus; it wasn’t popular when Peter and James proclaimed the ‘name of Jesus’ to the people of their day; nor was it always received well when Paul took this same Gospel to the world of the Gentiles. And contrary to popular notions today, when we stand fast in the truth of God’s Word– the truth about sin, death and hell– the truth of the exclusiveness of The Gospel, as Jesus Himself proclaimed: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Paul and Silas had delivered a young woman from the demonic bondage who followed them around—how interesting to see that while the ‘demons’ acknowledged who Jesus was/is/and ever shall be, men are still denying the power of His name! Yet many today that claim His name are guilty of watering down the truth of The Gospel to accommodate the ‘political correctness’ of our day. As I heard someone say recently, “We worry about offending every one but God!” What a concise and true observation of our times, and those who stand for biblical faith/truth, are certainly among those who ‘no one’ is worried about offending. We must recognize that standing up for Biblical truth is becoming a dangerous thing to do.

Paul and Silas give us an example of how to “stand fast in the evil day” (See Ephesians 6:10-18), and we can take heart in the fact that the same God who cared for them, still cares for and provides for His own—in good times and bad!

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed,

and sang praises unto God:

and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations

of the prison were shaken:

and immediately all the doors were opened,                                             and every one’s bands were loosed.”    Acts 16:25-26

These men of God were heard singing “praises unto God” in the midst of their incarceration—we pout when the a/c goes out. These men knew whom they served and were willing to accept the difficulty that came from sharing the One whom they loved and served as opportunity presented itself. Are we willing to pay the ‘price’ regardless of the ‘cost’? We are living in a time when the ‘price’ for serving Jesus is rising disproportionately; are we willing to pay that ‘price’, even if it means ridicule, avoidance, our popularity and friends, or even our employment situation? While there is a cost for being ‘set apart’ unto God, there is also great opportunity and reward. Paul and Silas saw God bless their labor of love and devotion to their call to “preach” the Gospel.

“And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open,

he drew out his sword,

and would have killed himself,

supposing that the prisoners

had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,

Do thyself no harm:

for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light,

and sprang in,

and came trembling,

and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said,

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said,

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and thou shalt be saved,

and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him

the word of the Lord,

and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;

and was baptized,

he and all his,

straightway.” Acts 16:27-33

Paul and Silas had the opportunity to see their jailor saved along with his whole household!! The captor became the ‘captive’ of Jesus Christ our Lord—all because Paul and Silas were unashamed to do God’s work and pay the price for doing so—even when that price was imprisonment. What price are we willing to pay? What Gospel are we sharing? The truth or a watered-down version that falls short of that which saves and delivers men from their sin. I desire to stand fast like Paul and cling to the cross, with all it’s wretched ugliness—the ugliness of sin– yet the lovely deliverance t the blood of Jesus gives to those who believe!

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

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

Even as Paul said to the Corinthians, will we cling to the Cross alone—which alone can save? The cross and the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, who shed HIS blood that we might have eternal life, escaping the penalty for sin!

“And I, brethren,

when I came to you,

came not

with excellency of speech

or of wisdom,

declaring unto you the testimony

of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing

among you,

save Jesus Christ,

and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness,

and in fear,

and in much trembling.

4 And my speech

and my preaching

was not with enticing words

of man’s wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit

and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand

in the wisdom of men,

but in the power of God.”    1 Corinthians 2:1-5

It is only the power of God through the Gospel that changes and transforms lives—that creates, births ‘sons of God’!

“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 1:12-13

God makes us His children by the power of His Holy Spirit, through faith in the blood of Jesus! The One who came to purchase our salvation at Calvary. What price would we refuse to pay for the eternal life that Jesus has given to us? It may mean a price that we haven’t considered. Yet scripture is replete with examples of those who were imprisoned for their faith, for doing right before God, yet disregarded by men, for standing “in the evil day”! Are we willing to follow Him? Are we truly ready to sing the old hymn, “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go”? Let’s consider some who did.

“Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.” Hebrews 13:23

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated,

ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33 Partly,

whilst ye were made a gazingstock

both by reproaches and afflictions;

and partly, whilst ye became companions

of them that were so used.

34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds,

and took joyfully the spoiling

of your goods,

knowing in yourselves

that ye have in heaven

a better

and an enduring substance.

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence,

which hath great recompence

of reward.” Hebrews 10:32-35

It doesn’t matter what our trials are here in this life, when we consider the “recompence of reward” that God has for us.

“But as it is written,

Eye hath not seen,

nor ear heard,

neither have entered into the heart of man,

the things which God hath prepared

for them that love him.”    1 Corinthians 2:9

What God has for those who love and serve Him, is beyond description or imagining. Will we trust and follow Him, or will we choose to go our own way? It’s a choice that we make every day, and just as Joshua called Israel to consider many years ago– the choice hasn’t changed!

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,

choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods

which your fathers served

that were on the other side of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites,

in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

And when we choose to “serve The LORD”, we need to understand that we will often stand alone; like Daniel and his 3 friends; or like Joseph when he was in Egypt, or Jesus as He walked up that hill to pay for our sin—but God is always our help in time of need.

“Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do

unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6

I praise God that I have learned, and am still learning, that when I walk with God, I am never alone—Never Alone!!! But we will face opposition—the world will not like our message any more than they liked and believed our Lord and Savior when He was here on earth. He told us ahead of time:

“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 15:18-21

Jesus warned us to expect to be treated just like they treated him, when we love and follow Him. Persecution is to be the expected response to the truth that we proclaim, and while we have not always experienced it to the degree that others have, but we are seeing an increase in persecution toward those who follow Him. We must decide which side we are on, knowing that it may cost us suffering.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

We must be prepared for the “evil day” that Paul talked about in Ephesians 6—it’s here.

“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

How sad that while we see these things around us on every hand, God’s people are often joining the enemy instead of turning away from the worldliness! How sad to my heart!

“Preach the word;

be instant in season,

out of season;

reprove,

rebuke,

exhort

with all longsuffering

and doctrine.

3 For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts

shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears

from the truth,

and shall be turned unto fables.”  2 Timothy 4:2-4

My friends we must decide if we will:

“Preach the word

 in season

 out of season”!

We must decide if we will faithfully:

“reprove,

rebuke,

exhort

with all longsuffering

and doctrine.”

Or in essence we choose to “be turned unto fables”. Even as Jesus said, there is only One Way to avoid condemnation.

“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 3:19

 

The Cat Food And The Light??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #374

07 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Let You Light So Shine, Salvation, SIN, The Cat Food And The Light?, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #374    The Cat Food And The Light???

 

We live out in the country and often have varmints arrive in our yard uninvited, partly just because the varmints wander around looking for food, but also because we have a cat! Now the cat doesn’t attract the varmints, but her food does. When the cat food is put out for the cat, she eats from the container throughout the day, but the varmints come when we’re not looking. We don’t send out an invitation to the neighbor’s dogs, or to the skunks, possums or raccoons—but they come any way! Why? Just because the cat food is there! And I am convinced, according to God’s Word, that is the best way to make an impact on the world around us for The Lord Jesus! By putting out cat food? No, by living for Jesus, being there and letting our light shine—The Light of Jesus Christ The Lord 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

“I am come a light into the world,

that whosoever believeth on me

should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46

Jesus declared Himself to be The ‘Light of the world’, and here in John’s account Jesus makes it clear that “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness”! When we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, when we are born again by His Spirit and grace, we clearly “shall have the light of life”! When we receive Jesus, we become a vessel to shine HIS light to the world. Why do we walk in the dark, when we have HIS light within us and without?

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

When we commit ourselves to study The Word of God, we will find the knowledge, wisdom and power to shine His light to a dark and wicked world. Much like the kerosene and oil lamps that we use during power failures, when we don’t keep the globes clean, the light is burning and shining inside, but the globe is so darkened with smut, that we can’t see much of the light. How are we living our lives? Are we letting the light of Jesus shine through a clean globe, or are we so ‘smutty’ that we have, in essence, “hidden” our light with the ‘smut’ of the world.

“Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill

cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light

unto all

that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine

before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

What do people see in my life? Do they see the light of Jesus, or do they see the smut of the world that I have allowed to dim the light that is within me? Jesus tells us that we are to “Let your light so shine” that the world will not only see good works, but that they will see our “good works” (the works that God does through our yielded life) and will be drawn to the light within us and “glorify your Father which is in heaven”! Our lives are to be a light in the darkness of sin around us. So the question is, “Are we shinning the light of Jesus, or are we putting our light “under a bushel”?” Is our light attracting those who are lost in the darkness, or is it so dim they don’t even recognize it as light?

May you, and I, “Let your light so shine”, being that life-saving lighthouse to those lost on the raging seas of sin; pleasing our Lord as we “Throw Out The Lifeline” (A hymn Written by Edwin S. Ufford) of salvation, rather than failing to shine the light on the rocks of peril that can destroy those out in the storms of life?

There is one other thing that I need to share about this issue of ‘shining’ our light to the world; there are those who won’t be attracted to the light, because they hate the light. There are evil people who have so rejected God and His ways, that they will also reject you. Don’t be surprised or amazed that not everyone will like or approve of your message when you share Jesus, but we are called to share as we have opportunity whether others respond or not. God calls us to shine—to be “fisher’s of men”– to shine and leave the results to HIM!!! But we are to shine, trusting Him whether we see the results we want or not.

Remember Jesus was, is and ever will be THE “light of the world” and they nailed HIM to a cross. Believe Him or not, shine or not, stay in the dark or come to the light—it’s your choice. But choose wisely—there is a test at the end!

“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 3:19

Men loved “darkness rather than light”—what do we love? Will we be HIS light—attracting the world to Jesus!