Category Archives: SIN

The Cancer Of Me? The Cure??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #765

23 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Be not conformed to this world, Crucified With Christ, Giving Or Taking?, God Knows His Own, Only Jesus, Only One Way, SIN, Sowing and Reaping, Speaking The Truth In Love

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #765   The Cancer Of Me?  The Cure???

 

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Our culture has made “ME” the focus of all of life, and we have forgotten the “WE” of family, home and community-be it the local area we live in, the church we belong to, or the people to whom we are related by birth, marriage, or choice!  God has called His own to a better way!  The way of the cross which is the only cure to the cancer of sin, self, and the stubbornness of “self”ishness!  For sin is the issue!

“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

You see, the cancer of sin will demand the life of all who do not come to God through the substitutionary (in my place), atoning (making me right at JESUS’ expense), sacrifice (the payment for MY sin) of Jesus Christ The Lord at Calvary.  What are you waiting for?  The cancer will not go away without a cure!  Even physical cancer won’t go away (except for divine intervention) without some kind of treatment for the disease, and most people head to the doctor for a regimen of some sort to cure the cancer.  But we have become content in our sin, selfishness and stubbornness and ignored, denied, or just passed over the only way to life!  And that way is Jesus alone—faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone!

“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

Only ONE WAY—and that is through Jesus via the CROSS.  No shortcuts, not substitutions, no self-help solution. The blood of Jesus is the only cure for sin…the only way to God, and to abundant life.

“Saying,

 The Son of man must suffer many things,

and be rejected

of the elders and chief priests

and scribes,

and be slain,

and be raised the third day.

23 And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

 let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life

for my sake,

the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged,

if he gain the whole world,

and lose himself,

 or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me

and of my words,

of him shall the Son of man

be ashamed,

when he shall come in his own glory,

and in his Father’s,

 and of the holy angels.”  Luke 9:22-26

Jesus makes it clear that being HIS follower will affect what others see in our life, behavior, and devotion!  To whom or what are you/I devoted?  To Jesus?  Then where is the fruit?  Jesus said in Matthew 7 that our connection to God should show in the fruit that our lives produce, and He goes on to say, (in Blanche’s paraphrase) “saying so doesn’t make it so”!

“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.

16 Ye shall know them

by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes

of thorns,

 or figs

of thistles?

17 Even so

every good tree bringeth forth

good fruit;

but a corrupt tree bringeth forth

evil fruit.

18 A good tree

cannot bring forth evil fruit,

neither can a corrupt tree

bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit

is hewn down,

and cast

into the fire.

20 Wherefore

by their fruits

ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he

that doeth the will of my Father

which is in heaven.”  Matthew 7:13-21

So, my friends, whose will are you accomplishing?  God’s, man’s or your own?  Jesus reminds us that there is only one way to God—the narrow road—and if we find ourselves contentedly walking with the crowd, we might want to check on our real spiritual condition.  Jesus makes it clear that when we are following HIM, we will do “God’s will” not someone else’s!  The same thing that Paul shared with us at the beginning of this article—”I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”!  It is truly “all about Jesus”!  The cure—Jesus– will enable us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice” in loving gratitude, and devotion for the sacrifice that HE gave for all who will believe and follow HIM!

“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

And in closing two passages that call us to examine ourselves to be sure we truly belong to Jesus.  No change in our life?  You might want to go before God and see what you think has saved you.  God will answer if we truly draw near to HIM!

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son

whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he

whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh

which corrected us,

and we gave them reverence:

shall we not much rather

be in subjection unto the Father of spirits,

and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us

after their own pleasure;

but he

for our profit,

that we might be partakers

of his holiness.”  Hebrews 12:6-11

And finally, simply put—no change….no Jesus; (not trying to twist words, just calling us to consider) you decide, have you been transformed by the cross.  If not, Jesus is calling to you to come to Him today!

“He hath delivered my soul in peace

from the battle that was against me:

for there were many with me.

19 God shall hear,

and afflict them,

even he that abideth of old. Selah.

Because they have no changes,

therefore they fear not God.”   Psalm 55:18-19

And Jesus Himself said:

“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

He’s waiting for YOU!

Amen and Amen!!!

A New Thing? Really??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #699

31 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, For Such A Time As This, Not Of This World, Nothing New, One Day Too Late?, Only Jesus, Only One Way, SIN

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #699  A New Thing?  Really???

 

Just a brief word of hope and encouragement as we leave the year of 2020 and begin a new year with trepidation and uncertainty!  I hope these thoughts and scriptures will speak to you and me today!  Blessings on you and yours in this new year!

“Behold, I will do a new thing;

now it shall spring forth;

shall ye not know it?

I will even make a way

in the wilderness,

and rivers in the desert.”  Isaiah 43:19

Without digging into the depths of the context of this verse, I just want us to consider that God is ever at work, and sometimes God is doing things that we haven’t considered.  God told Israel here, through the Prophet Isaiah, that He was about to do something unexpected and awesome.  While Israel would have to experience the judgment of God in Babylonian captivity, for their disobedience, much like America, God wasn’t finished with HIS work in them—for them—and even through them; and He wanted them to be watching (with eyes to “see” and ears to “hear”).

Much like we talked about last time, we need to have “eyes to see”, and “ears to hear” what God has to reveal and speak to our hearts and lives as well as the opportunities that He has for us.  Much like the author of Hebrews wrote, we need to be willing to keep our focus on our Lord and not our circumstances.  As I am often heard to say, “we must be like Daniel and keep our eyes on our ‘LORD’ and not the ‘lions’ around us”!  Where is your focus?  May we be like our Lord and continually seek to “do the will of HIM who sent me” (See John 4:34)?  Ever seeking to “do the will” of Him who saves us!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run

with patience

the race

that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him

that endured such contradiction of sinners

against himself,

lest ye be wearied

and faint

in your minds.”  Hebrews 12:1-3

We must always remember that while circumstances continually seem to change there really is “nothing new”!  God’s got this and that—God’s got you and me (if you will but receive HIS Son in repentance and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary [taking your place], atoning [paying your sin debt], sacrifice [dying as the sinless, pure Lamb of God for our sin!] -See 2 Corinthians 5:21-)—and God knows what lies ahead—and we can trust to HIS care!

May we renew our commitment to be the reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ to a world lost and in need of a Redeemer!

“All things are full of labour;

 man cannot utter it:

the eye is not satisfied

with seeing,

nor the ear filled

with hearing.

9 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.

11 There is no remembrance

of former things;

neither shall there be any remembrance

of things that are to come

with those that shall come after.”   Ecclesiastes 1:8-11

 If you don’t know HIM, you can!  You can call upon HIM today and have a new life in the new year!

“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.”   John 3:16-19

Happy New Year to one and all.  Remember Jesus still saves, and changes lives today!Ecc

Amen and Amen!

Really Thankful Or What??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #693

20 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Gratitude, Gratitude Is Timeless, Ingratitude, SIN

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #693  Really Thankful Or What???

 

“And be not drunk with wine,

wherein is excess;

but be filled

with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody

in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always

for all things unto God and the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another

in the fear of God.”  Ephesians 5:18-20

Paul reminds us, along with the Ephesian believers, that our lives matter—not just our words, and feelings, but our lives—our living.  We live in a day when outside substances are the rage—sipping wine, taking drugs—of all sorts–pursuing sexual lusts, or just getting a little relief from any or every source but Jesus!  Yet Paul calls us to be “filled with the Spirit”—not by various outside substances.  Would you/I rather be controlled by the world’s elements or by the Spirit of God, who will direct our steps in God’s ways—yielding a heart full of gratitude?  What a testament to a world pursuing “self”!

“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

While gratitude is often overlooked, God reminds us of its importance!  In Paul’s warning to the Romans about the consequences of sin—where it leads, what it does to those who pursue it, and how our ‘ingratitude’ can be a sign of danger to our souls —a warning sign that is totally apropos in today’s culture.

“For the invisible things of him

from the creation of the world

are clearly seen,

being understood

by the things that are made,

even his eternal power

and Godhead;

so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God,

they glorified him not

as God,

neither were thankful;

but became vain

in their imaginations,

and their foolish heart

was darkened.”  Romans 1:20-21

So, as we consider the “or what” in contrast to gratitude, where do you and I stand?  Have we bowed the knee before The Lord Jesus Christ, or do we continue to go our own way—with no regard for the God who gives us breath, or His Son who came that we might have life—eternal life in glory as well as abundant life with Jesus here and now—life to be grateful for; life that can be used by our Lord to make a difference in a world of greed and selfish attention to “me” first in all things!  God’s life within us—a new life for which we can be eternally grateful.  So, how is your “attitude of gratitude”?  Do you have one?  May we shout with the Psalmist and praise our God as we express our gratitude toward HIM before a world desperately needing to see it in us?

“Enter into his gates

with thanksgiving,

and into his courts

with praise:

be thankful unto him,

and bless his name”

Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

 

Eyes Open! Really? To What??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #678

21 Friday Aug 2020

Posted by in Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Darkness or Light?, SIN, Truth, Truth is True, Wisdom

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #678  Eyes Open!  Really?  To What???

 

Just a brief word this morning to help each of us to guard our hearts, and minds; we are bombarded with so much information, how do we discern the true from the false?  How do we separate the sheep from the wolves?  Only by the power of God’s Spirit and His Word.

“Give therefore thy servant

an understanding heart

to judge thy people,

that I may discern

between good and bad:

for who is able to judge this

thy so great a people?”  1 Kings 3:9

I love this verse and it’s one that I pray regularly, for we live in a world askew; and while I’m no “king” (as Solomon), I am a child of The King of Kings, and if we will ask, HE will help us to discern between the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and the best options in the human situations and decisions that we face and encounter continually.  But what we must remember is that the enemy doesn’t always (in fact seldom) speak truth, and we must hear with more than just our ears.

“For such are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

transforming themselves

into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel;

for Satan himself

is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing

if his ministers

also be transformed

as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end shall be

according to their works.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

We must be diligent to know God’s Word and measure what we hear by The Word not by our own human judgment and reason.  I heard someone reason that “love” justifies sin, reasoning if “they love each other” then sinful behavior is ok.  Well, I hate to differ, but God’s standard doesn’t change because of our lusts!  Sin is still sin no matter what we hear or say, or what we call it!

“There is a way that seemeth right

unto a man,

but the end thereof

are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25

And as Isaiah warned:

“Woe unto them

that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness

for light,

and light

for darkness;

that put bitter

for sweet,

and sweet

for bitter!

21 Woe unto them

 that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!”  Isaiah 5:20-21

God’s warning is as true today as when Isaiah wrote it; may we hear and heed while there is still time.

Amen and Amen!

Except The Lord Builds??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #665

08 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Remember, Repentance, Seeing Truth, SIN, Sovereignty

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #665 Except The Lord Builds???

 

“Except the LORD build the house,

they labour in vain

that build it:

except the LORD keep the city,

the watchman waketh

but in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

to sit up late,

to eat the bread of sorrows:

for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

3 Lo, children are an heritage

of the LORD:

and the fruit of the womb

is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;

so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man

that hath his quiver full of them:

they shall not be ashamed,

but they shall speak

with the enemies in the gate.”   Psalm 127:1-5

I would like us to consider the nature of our “building” activity; for it seems to me that we have become a nation of ‘independent’ builders—doing our own thing—rather than relying on the master builder—The Lord God Almighty!!!

The Psalmist tells us that when we don’t rely upon God’s work, and ‘do our own thing’, so to speak—it is vanity, and even when we set ‘the watchman’ it is vain, if we aren’t relying on God.  It reminds me of the picture that Jesus painted in Matthew 7 about the “wise man” in contrast to the “foolish man”!  The story implies that the houses looked the same on the outside, but the foundation makes the difference between success and failure (heaven and hell)!  If we build on “the rock of my salvation”, Jesus, we can stand fast, because our foundation, Jesus, is sure.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings

of mine, and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings

of mine, and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

We are in a culture war today, and people are choosing to build on the sand—our world has bought the lies of the enemy, and unlike the Psalmist, we (as a nation) don’t want God’s hand in our “stuff”—our world/nation wants to build its own way (on the sand), to reject the ‘master builder’ and set the foxes to guard the hen house, so to speak.  And I find it most interesting how the Psalmist ties the blessing of children into the blessing and gifts of the “master builder”; and that is one of the core issues of the battle we are in today—the value of life; life for the unborn, the old, the infirmed.

I find it interesting that the “land of promise” here in America (and in other prosperous nations) has become the “land of greed’!  We have forgotten that our very own “Declaration of Independence”, didn’t promise wealth, ease, and the promotion of greed, but rather

“Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

The opportunity to work and earn one’s success!  But when we leave God behind—or out completely—we will reap the consequences of our choices!  And I can’t help but believe that we are seeing the vanity of wrong choices all around us!  But my friends, we must stop ignoring the problem and seek our God’s face—His convicting move amongst us—the repentance of God’s people—and the restoration of the ‘light’ and ‘salt’ of HIS people!  After all, remember, that ‘revival’ is for God’s people; and when we will get right with our God, great and mighty things can happen as a result.

In closing, I would simply like to share some words from the scripture for us to ponder!

“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.”  Isaiah 55:6-9

“For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion,

and as a young lion to the house of Judah:

I, even I,

will tear

and go away;

I will take away,

and none shall rescue him.

15 I will go and return to my place,

till they acknowledge their offence,

and seek my face:

in their affliction

they will seek me early.”   Hosea 5:14-15

Even Jesus told the people of His day to repent!

“There were present at that season some

that told him of the Galilaeans,

whose blood Pilate had mingled

with their sacrifices.

2 And Jesus answering said unto them,

Suppose ye that these Galilaeans

were sinners above all the Galilaeans,

because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen,

upon whom the tower in Siloam fell,

and slew them,

think ye that they were sinners

above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?”  Luke 13:1-5

And as we have seen quoted regularly, may we truly hear what God is saying.

“If my people,

which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.”   2 Chronicles 7:14

God has spoken, He is speaking—if we will but receive His call—and He will accomplish His purpose through HIS SON Jesus Christ our Lord!  HE is coming again!

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue

should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory

of God the Father.”   Philippians 2:8-11

Amen and Amen!!!

Who’s building your ‘world’?