Category Archives: Sowing and Reaping

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!!!

What’s Turning Your Heart??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #713

11 Thursday Mar 2021

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Ask God For Wisdom, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Commitment Or Convenience, Compromise, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Dare To Be Different!, Dependence, Encouragement, Erasing The Lines?, Flesh-vs-Spirit, Follow Jesus, God Who Sees, God's Judgment, Good News, Sowing and Reaping, The Little Things., The Word, The Word Or The World?, Trust God, Truth

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #713   What’s Turning Your Heart???

 

“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old,

that his wives turned away his heart

after other gods:

and his heart was not perfect

with the LORD his God,

as was the heart of David his father.

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth

the goddess of the Zidonians,

and after Milcom

the abomination of the Ammonites.

6 And Solomon did evil

in the sight of the LORD,

and went not fully after the LORD,

as did David his father.” 1 Kings 11:4

What an indictment for us to consider today.  Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived (other than Jesus, the God-man Savior) made some foolish choices that cost him dearly.  God judged his sin, and the effects of it reached throughout his kingdom, and eventually resulted in a divided kingdom.  But for today I want us to consider the import of guarding our heart by keeping our eyes on Jesus and running the race that HE has set before us and called us to!  And then I’d simply like to share some scriptures with us about the heart and what a difference a right heart and right choices will make!  I’ve learned from experience and God’s Word that “little foxes” can ruin the crop of our heart and life!

“Take us the foxes,

the little foxes,

that spoil the vines:

for our vines

have tender grapes.”  Song of Solomon 2:15

We must guard the “crop” of our heart, for Satan is ever busy throwing his “fiery darts” to distract, deter and delay us until we’ve missed the opportunities of service to our Lord and King.

“Be not deceived:

evil communications

corrupt good manners.”   1 Corinthians 15:33

Or as the NASB puts it:

“Do not be deceived:

Bad company 

corrupts good morals.”  1 Corinthians 15:33 NASB

May we with the Psalmist ever pursue God and HIS truth rather than the prattle of the world.

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

And again, great counsel from the Psalmist.

“LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me;

give ear unto my voice,

when I cry unto thee.

2 Let my prayer be set forth

before thee as incense;

and the lifting up of my hands

as the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a watch, O LORD,

before my mouth;

keep the door of my lips.

4 Incline not my heart

to any evil thing,

to practise wicked works

with men that work iniquity:

and let me not eat of their dainties.”   Psalm 141:1-4

It is a fulltime job to keep our heart right with God and it requires diligence and determination to keep our eyes set on Jesus.

“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

Only Jesus saves and transforms lives—and the transformed heart, while regenerate, is not free from the trials and fleshly temptations that abound around us, but when we keep our hearts, minds and eyes “Looking unto Jesus” we will find the strength and courage to “withstand in the evil day…and having done all, to stand”!

We must be aware of our surroundings and the danger of compromise, for any reason.  We must keep our eyes on the prize—Jesus.  And while HE will deliver when we seek HIS provision and guidance, HE won’t violate our free will.  He is ever at work to conform us into HIS image, but we are called to “walk in the Spirit” and we will “not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”! (See Galatians 5:16 & 25).  Yet we can choose to compromise as Solomon did and reap the consequences of our choices, or we can trust to the care of HIM who completes HIS work IN US!

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work

in you

will perform it

until the day of Jesus Christ:”   Philippians 1:6

So, my friends, we all have a choice, recognize the dangers of compromise and avoid them, or succumb to the “wiles of the devil”!  What’s your pleasure, to allow the things of this world to turn your heart away from God, or to “stand fast in the evil day”?  Jeremiah put it quite succinctly.

“The heart is deceitful

above all things,

and desperately wicked:

who can know it?”   Jeremiah 17:9

God knows, God cares, and HE provides a way, if we will but keep our hearts and minds set on HIM.

“Shall not God search this out?

for he knoweth the secrets

of the heart.”  Psalm 44:21

And as the author of Hebrews put it, the standard is and will ever be The Word of God!  What’s your standard?  Like Solomon’s became, due to the influence of his pagan wives?  What’s drawing you away?  Culture, companions, media, sports, movies, popularity, power, lust…. the list could go on, but you get the point.  What will we choose?  But be careful, choose wisely there is a test.

“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

And if you want to see a picture of the contrast read and consider Psalm 1.  Blessings on you and yours….

Amen and Amen!!!

Harvest May Not Be Fun??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #690

06 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, All About Jesus!, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Follow Jesus, Judgment, Sowing and Reaping

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #690  Harvest May Not Be Fun???

 

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh

reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit

reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary

in well doing:

for in due season

we shall reap,

if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity,

let us do good unto all men,

especially unto them

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

I’ll have to confess; I don’t know if this article will be long or short!  As I sit here writing (typing) from the burden on my heart, I’m not sure where God will take us, but I pray that I’ll simply be a vessel for HIS truth, grace and the option of life or death that is given to every person on this earth.

Paul’s message to the Galatian church was a warning to choose wisely—with the facts in mind:

Don’t be deceived, which reminds us that deceit is abounding around us—

GOD won’t be mocked—HE keeps accurate accounts for all things, and all mankind–

What we choose to sow in our lives is our choice but—

The consequence is set to the choice, what you sow, you will reap—

If you choose to hear and obey God’s Holy Spirit, in choosing Jesus, and His “narrow” way, then you will reap life—

If you choose your own way and follow your selfish, fleshly lusts and desires, you will reap the corruption, and destruction the “broad” way yields—

Paul also cautioned those of us who belong to Jesus to beware that it’s wearisome to be faithful to God in the evil day and world we live in, but we are to not let the weariness overcome us, but he warns us to “faint not” in doing the things of God—His way!  Jesus Himself gave us this same warning, there are two options—two choices—which yield opposing results; and you might be surprised that He warned us that the right choice would not be the popular one!

“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.”   Matthew 7:13-14

Jesus’ warning is a message of great import to our nation and our world today—and what He said next is what we need to not only consider but be arming ourselves with The Word of God, that we will be able to discern between truth and error!  And believe me the “wolves” are howling right now!

“Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly

they are ravening wolves.”  Matthew 7:15

We must arm ourselves with God’s Word, so that we will recognize the error, even within the church.  Jesus warned us of that also and reminded us that even those who may fool men regularly, our God knows and there is a day of reckoning coming where every man will receive that which his own choices have yielded.  (See Revelation 20:11-15)

“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 13:24-20

One of Jesus’ most powerful words of warning is one that we all need to consider.  And as I share it in closing for today, my question is, “If Jesus called you out of this world, or if He returned today, what would you hear from HIM?”  And just FYI, the “day” He’s referring to is His time of judging that will come upon all men, and for the lost that will be at The Great White Throne. (See Revelation 20:11-15)

“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.

22 Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied

in thy name?

and in thy name have

cast out devils?

and in thy name

done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.

24 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 7:21-27

I pray that these words of warning will speak to your heart and that we each may take heed to our lives, our choices and the effect that we have on others.  It truly is a matter of “life and death”—for what you “reap” is dependent on what you “sow”—Jesus or?  Will your harvest bring joy or sorrow?

I’m praying for you.

Amen and Amen!!!