Bible Ballistics: Is Your GPS Working??? Vol. 6#04

Many of us have a GPS in our automobiles, whether a factory item or an after-market portable one that we utilize.

GPS: “global positioning system”; a space-based satellite navigation system that provides location and time information.”

We use a GPS to tell us where we are, how to get where we are going, as well as various other conditions on the journey. When we use the GPS, we have the option of following directions or going our own way. When we miss a turn, or stop for food or drink, the device begins to advise us to “turn round”, “make a U-turn” or some other timely device to get you back on the recommended path. We have an opportunity to correct our direction, or we can ignore the advice and “go our own way”. Sometimes we know more than the “GPS” does about our destination, but the device is pretty reliable—if we have kept it updated!! Walking with God is a similar scenario—let’s examine the premise.

We must make note of the unique differences—

God is GOD, the only GOD—Sovereign and Eternal:

“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. 40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.” Deuteronomy 32:39-40

We must acknowledge Him as God:

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Ex. 20:3

God is our only hope:

“I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Psalm 18:1-3

Following God gives us all we need, but it will cost us. While we are called to “love one another”, we must understand what real love is. Real love, God’s kind of love, is always true, it always does what is best for the recipient, and that means telling truth, God’s truth. We are called to love our fellow Christians; we are also called to love the world– as Jesus did. We are to call others out of sin into HIS marvelous light, that we all might “obtain mercy” and be the “people of God”.

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12-13

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

Being the “people of God” has a price tag, it means we align ourselves with our Savior, but it also means we will encounter the same responses that Jesus did:

“These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me

before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.  

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him that sent me.  

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them,

they had not had sin:

but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23 He that hateth me

hateth my Father also.”

John 15:17-23

We know that when Jesus came He addressed the issue of SIN. We must share this same truth. He called men to repent and follow Him, but instead most clung to their own ways and even killed the one who loved them more than anyone else ever had, or ever will, as Peter declared shortly after the ascension of Jesus:

“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12

There is only one way—no matter how many people reject that way—and that way is Jesus, the one who came to save us from 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

He came because of SIN—it was the issue then—it’s the issue now. We who follow Jesus and accept His Word as truth are being accused of every evil under the sun—from being ‘homophobes’, to being Nazis, hate mongers and other various and sundry derogatory terms of despite. Yet when we come to Jesus it is to be made new in Jesus Christ, and have spiritual vision—to see God’s kingdom and God’s way.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:3-7

We MUST be “born again”—born of the Spirit of God, transformed into the ‘sons of God’, and as ‘sons of God’, becoming those who walk with God, agree with God and spread the good news of salvation, even when we are being aligned for speaking truth. We must stand fast—it’s a matter of life and death. Jesus came to give us life—to deliver us from sin and it’s penalty of death.

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

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23

Jesus came to give us true, eternal, righteous life–

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:  

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.” John 1:10-13

So the question is, which GPS are you following? Are you following God’s Word and His ways, or are you following your own estimation of life? Are you making your own road map, your own rules, your own way? Or are you reading, hearing and heeding the Word of God? You get to choose but remember, the “wages of sin is death”, regardless of the SIN!!!   God’s Word is not a ‘cafeteria Bible’—it’s all true or it’s not true at all. You can choose your own direction, but God has set the consequences for each choice!!! Jesus and life? Or man’s way to death? Which gate will you go through? Will you depend on the world’s “global positioning system” or be in “God’s positioning relationship at the CROSS”? You get to choose—the consequences are already set! Will you be part of the ‘many’ or part or the ‘few’? Please choose wisely—it really is life or death!

“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

Bible Ballistics: BBs #166 What About The Evil Day???

You can’t miss all the hoopla going on around us—the promotion of evil and the degradation of God, His Word and those people “foolish”, “ignorant”, and “out-of-touch” enough to truly believe God, follow Jesus and live by the Word of God.

We are quickly being seen as the “enemy”. But we shouldn’t be surprised, because Jesus told us it would come to this. There has always been opposition to those who love and trust the Lord God Almighty and those who choose to follow His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We must simply prepare ourselves for the onslaught, which may be simple but certainly NOT easy. We will be called to accept the challenge of Joshua that we talked about a while back:

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, (where we live now)

choose you this day whom ye will serve;   (the choice is yours)

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:          (choose self-made ‘gods’ as you desire)

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Many today are abdicating their choice and think it’s ok to ‘go along to get along’, and while that is a choice, it’s not ‘for’ God(He that is not with me is against me…Mt.12:30)!!! While we live in a culture that accepts anything that is ‘tolerant’, they won’t ‘tolerate’ those who are trying to live a true, moral, biblical life and worldview!!! Hence we have become the enemy and are being deliberately and diligently silenced and many are trying to eliminate our voice by making all that we believe ‘illegal’! Friends, we must wake up and we must equip ourselves for the challenges that are coming rapidly upon us. While this isn’t an exhaustive article, I want to call us all to consider what is going on around us, and to respond as God’s people. We are to take our stand on God’s side, but also God’s way. We have no need to be rude, crude or unkind, although we may be accused of it even when we are being diligently humble and compassionate but uncompromising toward God’s Word.

The truth is simply the truth, but the world and those who hate God, hate truth and hate US!!! Accept that, stand fast and remember what Jesus called us to do:

“But I say unto you,

Love your enemies,

bless them that curse you,

do good to them that hate you,

and pray for them

which despitefully use you,

and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father

which is in heaven:

for he maketh his sun to rise

on the evil and on the good,

and sendeth rain

on the just

and on the unjust.”

Matthew 5:44-45

We can only do this as we heed this principle:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh……… 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16 & 25

And we must remember the parameters of the battle. As Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:10-13:

“Finally, (NOW)

my brethren, (We who belong to Jesus)

be strong in the Lord, (remember it’s NOT you alone)

and in the power of his might. (the omnipotent God)

11 Put on the whole armour of God, (PUT IT ON)

that ye may be able to stand (and NOT fall or fail)

against the wiles of the devil. (Satan IS the enemy)

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, (men and women are not our enemies, Satan IS)

but against principalities, 

against powers,

against the rulers of the darkness of this world,

against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you (PUT IT ON)

the whole armour of God, (ALL OF IT)

that ye may be able to withstand

in the evil day,

and having done all, to stand.”

So??? Put on YOUR armor and STAND—in TRUTH! Today!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #165 Less Or More Than These???

We’ve talked recently about being parents who walk with the Lord and share what Jesus has done, is doing and will do for us with our loved ones. We’ve also considered the truth that we don’t have to do all this alone. We know that Jesus gave His life for us, and it was HIS love that sent Him to Calvary—not obligation—but love, and He has called us to ‘love’.

“This is my commandment, 

That ye love one another, 

as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:12-13

And while “lay down HIS life for his friends”, is what Jesus did for us, it doesn’t stop there! When we receive His love and salvation through repentance and faith, we also receive HIS love in our hearts, and we are called to lay down our lives for others! But how are we to do that? Only by the power and love of God within us.

“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.”  Romans 5:5

So what are we to do with this love? Let’s see what Peter learned from Jesus. Let’s see if this love of Jesus, which we receive, should make a difference within us and toward others. Let’s examine John 21:15-17:

“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.”

This interesting encounter took place after the resurrection–

After Peter’s denial of Jesus three times–

After the three days of grueling torment and struggle that the followers of Jesus went through before the resurrection brought them eternal hope and assurance of the deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for them and for us.

Now, here in this intimate setting of breakfast on the seashore, Jesus takes Peter down a road of restoration. Three times Jesus asked Peter to confirm his love for his Lord, and three times Peter responded in the affirmative. And the last of these three responses indicates Peter’s recognition and acknowledgment of the sovereign omniscience of his Lord and ours.

Our Lord Jesus does know exactly where we are. He knows where I am! He knows where you are! And even more importantly for many of us, HE knows where we have been! He knows what we have done! And yet He comes to us and restores his own sheep to a place of intimate fellowship and usability!!! “Amazing grace—how sweet the sound“!!! Oh my what a Savior we serve—what a lover of our souls, hearts and minds we belong to. How grateful I am for His faithfulness.

“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

I’d like us to conclude this time together with the question that Jesus asked Peter, “lovest thou me more than these?” I have no need to enter the debate over what the “these” was, that Jesus spoke to Peter of. My question is simply for us: “lovest thou me more than these?” I don’t have to tell you. You know what the “these” is in your life. The question remains for us to answer, “lovest thou me more than these?” What is between Jesus and me today? Is it time, food, habits, desires, greed, fame, fortune or the lack there of? You can fill in the blank.

So??? Here’s our shot for today.

Do I love Jesus more or less than “these”?

Do you love Jesus more or less than “these”?

What is keeping us from feeding and tending to Jesus’ lambs and sheep?

What is keeping us from loving others with the love of God that is within?

Food for thought for this busy week, won’t you spend some time with your Lord! Ask and you will receive!!!

“Be still, and know that I am God:” Psalm 46:10a

Bible Ballistics: Who IS The Parent??? Vol. 6#03

This may seem like a strange question, but one that I think demands at least a modicum of attention, if not a major focus for people of the Word!!! People often ask “what’s wrong with kids today”? Well, simply put, the problem with ‘kids today’ is ‘parents’. Many parents have abdicated their position, role and responsibilities of ‘parenthood’ to various and sundry entities, organizations and/or influences on their offspring.

I know this is a tough subject and one that we couldn’t cover if we discussed it every week for the next year, but I would like to at least give us some food for thought, and challenge us to examine our attitudes and actions toward ‘parenthood’. Do we value the family and the order and structure that God Himself gave us to guide our parenting. While many think God’s Word is outdated and obsolete, I believe we would be well served to return to the principles that brought up centuries of children in Judeo-Christian homes dependent on the Word of God for direction. Let’s set the tenor of this article with that very Word of God. First and foremost let’s see what God expects:

Mark 12:30-31, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

We must ‘love’ God with all our heart, in other words, we must have a relationship with God ourselves before we can impart a love of, and respect toward God, to our offspring. We can only share that which we possess and have experienced ourselves. We cannot teach and instruct our children in that which we do not really know. The second passage that I would like us to consider is a familiar one:

“The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul:

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

      I will fear no evil:

for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil;

my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Psalm 23

Notice all the personal pronouns here. We must know the “MY shepherd”, and have a relationship with Jesus before we can share it with others, especially our children and grandchildren. I cannot share a Lord/Shepherd I do not know!!! Who are you sharing with your children? God gives us a pattern, which I believe to be the best in all of scripture, it’s found in Deuteronomy 6. Let’s examine portions of this great chapter, and sub-divide it into sections of order for clarity of the process I believe God is revealing to us:

Deuteronomy 6:1-6, The Instructions to Parents–

“Now these are the commandments,

the statutes,

and the judgments,

which the Lord your God commanded

to teach you,

that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:

2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God,

to keep all his statutes and his commandments,

which I command thee,

thou,

and thy son,

and thy son’s son,

all the days of thy life;

and that thy days may be prolonged.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel,

and observe to do it;

that it may be well with thee,

and that ye may increase mightily,

as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

4 Hear, O Israel:

The Lord our God is one Lord:

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thine heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy might.

6 And these words,

which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:”

Ring any bells? Isn’t that what Jesus said above? I believe it is! This greatest command deals with our relationship to God, because without a relationship with God we cannot be of real service to God or mankind. God instructs the parents—parents who are to be in right relationship with HIM, and focused on God and by that relationship are enabled– to pass the torch to the next generation!!! Praise God—it depends on His work in me, not just on me!!!

So the first call is for parents to be right with God, what’s next?

Deuteronomy 6:7-9, The Method for Parents–

“And thou shalt teach them diligently

unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them

when thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,

and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them

upon the posts of thy house,

and on thy gates.”

God is very clear here about who is responsible for the instructing of children. It isn’t the government! It isn’t the TV! It isn’t the school! It’s not the day care! It’s certainly not the ‘village’. And it isn’t even the church!! “Wait a minute, did I say it’s NOT the church?” Yes, that is what I said! The church is to encourage, teach and instruct its members according to what is written in the New Testament scriptures, but all scripture teaches us that the primary responsibility for the instruction of children is THE PARENTS!!! Who said so? God said so!

How are we to accomplish that? First of all we are to live it! Then we are to focus on the things that God shows us:

Teach our children diligently—

We are to converse with our children of spiritual things—when?

When we sit together

When we walk around (drive for most of us)–

When we prepare for bed (nighttime truths)–

When we get up (breakfast truths)—

We are to bind them about us–

(My personal paraphrase, we are to be so controlled by God’s Spirit, that our children see Jesus in all that we do, everywhere we go)

              What do our children see in our lives?

We are to have a Biblical Worldview—

(My paraphrase again, we are to see all things through Biblical truths, and respond in Biblical ways before our family and the world.)

What do our children hear from our mouths?

       We are to decorate our homes in godly fashion—

What do our children see in our homes?

Do my walls project my love for Jesus?

Does my television project my love for Him?

Does my speech project my love for Him?

Do people feel Jesus’ presence in my home?

                      Do I exercise godly hospitality?

And finally in this chapter, God gives us the result of living this way, and it’s an amazing principle. Let’s examine it.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25, The Results For The Children–

“And when thy son asketh thee in time to come,

saying, What mean the testimonies,

and the statutes, and the judgments,

which the Lord our God hath commanded you?

21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son,

We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt;

and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: 22 And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: 23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.”

Simply put, God says if we will be faithful to live in a relationship with Him, if we will be faithful to live it before our children and grandchildren, then God will bring them to a place where they will ask us “WHY” we do the things we do. And when they ask, God says we are to share with them our personal testimony of His faithfulness to us. Not just the testimony of God’s faithfulness in general, but the testimony of God’s faithfulness to “ME”!!! It may not be today, or even tomorrow but the questions will come!

How about you? Are you willing to step up to the bat and measure your life by God’s call, or are you settling for the ways of the world? Only you can decide. I’d like to share a couple of passages for us to consider in closing.

Proverbs 22:6 (this is a principle NOT a promise)  “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Psalm 127:3-5, “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.”

So? Who’s the parent at your house? God’s kind of parent or the world’s? Are you willing to speak, walk, live and share Jesus in all you are and all you are doing? The ball is in your court!!!

 

 

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #164 Don’t Walk Through Alone!!!

We talked last time about remembering those who have paid the ultimate price, and because Jesus paid the debt due for ‘Sin’, we can have confidence that we are not walking alone. No matter the trial going on around us we can rest assured that Jesus is with us. What HE promises, HE delivers!!! I’d like to simply share a few words of encouragement for those walking through the waters of difficulty, or the fires of grief or even persecution for God. We can be encouraged because He has promised that we ‘never’ walk alone.

“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.” Hebrews 13:5

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:1-2

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-11

And how can we know His presence? Because Jesus promised to send HIS Holy Spirit to His won. When we are saved, we receive the Holy Spirit, the evidence of the New Covenant—God’s Spirit within us. We never have to walk alone.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:16-18

And His ultimate purpose:

“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

So??? Here’s our shot for today. Simply put—look up, trust Jesus, follow Him and press on. You NEVER walk alone!!! Praying that you will hear HIS voice and rest in HIS promises to YOU!!! Remember, rest in Jesus, He’s got YOU!