Bible Ballistics: Your Choice?????? Vol. 4 #13

How do we know the answer to any particular question? We have to dig out the answer. Well, there is a question that every one of us will answer one day. Will you bow before Jesus? The answer is ‘Yes’.

Philippians 2:8-11, “ 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.”

You see, the question isn’t really ‘will you bow?’ The question is when? Will you bow before Him now as your Lord and Savior or before Him as your judge when He comes in glory?

Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

How do we get our name written in the ‘book of life’? There’s only one way–through Jesus. John the apostle wrote in John 6:42-48 (take note of verse 44),

“And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life.”

God initiates salvation—He calls us to Himself through Jesus—the only way.

John 1:10-13, “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.”

And in John 14:6 Jesus confirms this statement ….

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.“

Jesus also talks about this issue in Matthew 7:15-17,

“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.”

The way of salvation is through Jesus, and He tells us here that it is a ‘narrow way’. He also points out for us, that it is the way of the ‘few’. We will never be in the majority. While America was founded by many who believed in Jesus, and who by the Word of God determined that ‘freedom’ was given to us by God: yet we have abandoned God and His ways. Even the church in America is quickly abandoning the ways of God and welcoming the ways of the world into the ‘church’. That is never what we were called to do.

Jesus called us to lift HIM up—nothing but Him and His sacrifice for our sins. We have only one confidence, and that is Jesus, His death burial and resurrection.

John 12:32-33, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.”

And with Paul, I declare,

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2. Only one message–one way—Jesus!!!

It cost Jesus His life to pay for our sin. We must recognize our sin and believe that only Jesus’ death paid for that sin, so that through His death I can have eternal life!

1 Corinthians 15:1-5, “ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:”

Paul tells us that the ‘good news’ is:

Jesus is the Gospel=the good news.

The Gospel =If we receive it – we are saved.

       If we don’t receive it or pretend to =we are lost.

There is a vain faith—that which is ingenuous—imitation. Are you real?

We can only deliver what we have received–(Not what we have never received)

That:

1^st—Christ died FOR OUR SINS

                      **according to the scriptures**

              2^nd—Christ was buried—he really died

                      **for our sins** he didn’t just ‘swoon’

              3^rd—Christ was raised from the dead the 3^rd day

                      **according to the scriptures**

       And there were witnesses to his resurrection—

              **IT’S A FACT NOT FICTION OR FABLE**

So the question remains. What have YOU done with Jesus?

Many of you who receive and follow Bible Ballistics are already believers in Jesus, and you must be asking, “Why are we talking about salvation again?” Well—one good reason is that the blood of Jesus is what writes our name in the book of life—‘only’ the blood. The blood of Jesus that ‘cleanseth us from all sin’.(see 1 John 1:7) Those who are lost need to hear the good news, and we who are saved need to be reminded to share the good news. So take this opportunity to “choose you this day”…

Have you bowed the knee?

Are there those in your circle who haven’t?

What will you choose?

Will you share what you have received?

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; ………. but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Bible Ballistics: BBs #82 Blessed by Obedience??

As I sit here writing this morning, I thought of all the blessings that God so abundantly showers on us. We’re so grateful for rain, here in Oklahoma, and though we still pray for more, we are grateful for what God has sent to our parched, drought stricken land. I also thank Him for the pleasure I enjoy seeing the amazing hummingbirds that come to feed at my flowers and feeder.

We are a blessed people in more ways than we even acknowledge. Sometimes we thank everyone but God. Sad!! But I’d like to talk about another aspect of blessing, the specific blessings we can receive based upon scripture.

Let’s look at Rev 1:3,

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

 A blessing promised in the ‘reading’ of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. But let’s take a closer look. For many years I only perceived part of this promise—‘ Blessed is he that readeth’. But it doesn’t stop there, the ‘blessing’ is to those who ‘read….hear……..and keep (or obey)’ the things written in the book. Oh!! Not just read it, but hear (receive) and obey (do) what we’ve read and heard. Changes the outlook doesn’t it—we must obey, to receive this blessing.

So?? Here’s our shot for today. Are we cheating ourselves out of the blessings of God, by not obeying Him when He speaks to us?

Whether it’s through His word,

prayer,

the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts,

or the counsel of wise and godly people,

we are to hear

and adjust our lives to conform

to His Word

in our daily living.

To know and yield to His assurance in Romans 8:29,

“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.”

Food for thought. Have a blessed weekend! And count your blessings, thanking God for them!!

 

 

 

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #81    What’s Your Source????

We’ve talked about being ‘plugged in’ to Jesus, and if we claim to be a believer, a ‘Christian’, then our lives and conversation ought to reflect our source of life!! What comes out of our mouths is a reflection of what’s inside our heart.

While we live in an ‘anything goes’ culture, that shouldn’t be our ‘standard’? We have a different source of life—Jesus!! The culture should be attracted to us because we reflect Jesus. They will never be attracted to Jesus through us when we look, act and talk like the rest of the world. What comes out of your ‘mouth’? Your fingers — texting, messaging or FaceBooking? Do you say or print things that bring shame to our Lord, or worse blaspheme God or use HIS name in vain? Are you being a reflection of His glory or conformed to the world?

James 3:8-11, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”

Only God can tame the tongue but we must yield it to Him first—along with our heart!!! Are you being an honorable reflection of Jesus, or conforming to the ‘world’?

Matthew 15:18-19, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” Do your words defile you before God?

James says that a fountain produces water true to it’s source-sweet or bitter. If our heart is sweet, then the words that come from our mouth should, no WILL, show it.

Jesus makes it even clearer. Words ‘defile’ not just because they come out of your mouth, but also because they actually come from the heart. Make the ‘heart’ pure and it will show in all you do and say.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Are you ‘in’ Christ Jesus?

So? Here’s our shot for the day.

What’s your source?

Is Christ Jesus seen

in your lifestyle,

your choices,

your actions?

Look around you; do people know you love Jesus by the way you live? Let’s make it so.

Isaiah 43:12b, “ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.”

What kind of witness are you?

 

Bible Ballistics: Final Recall ?????? Vol 4 #12

I’d like to share a burden that is weighing on me today. There is a time coming when every human being will be called to stand before a holy God and give an account of themselves. When that day comes there will be no opportunity to receive Jesus, the day of grace will have passed. What will you say when you stand before HIM? Are you ready to face God? Where have you placed your confidence?

If that day were today would you be ready? What are you counting on to be right before God? What rules your life? Have you given your life to Jesus or are you still sitting on the throne of your own heart? What things are you giving your life to? Who or what do you make time for? Is God on your priority list, or is He somewhere down in the, “when I get time” portion of your list? If you haven’t yet had time for Him, then it’s not likely that you will ‘find’ time for Him. In fact, I’ll guarantee that you will never “find” time for God. You must ‘make’ time for God. What are you making time for?

At that coming day, God won’t ask if you are current on trends, fads or how many friends you have. He won’t ask if you were popular, or how many gadgets you mastered, but He will ask what you did with His Son, Jesus. The one who came and died, was buried and rose again so that you could have life in Him. But as John 14:6 tells us, He is the only way to God. No matter what the world may say, God has said there is only one way—Jesus. And He changes lives.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Romans 14:12 says, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

How will your account look to God? Is Jesus your advocate or are you counting on something or someone else to make you right with God? Jesus has some stark things to say in Matthew 7, and I think it would serve us well to search out what Jesus says about “that day”.

Matthew 7:21-27, “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 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.”

In this part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we can learn a lot about ‘that day’ and appearances. Let’s search out what it says:

–Saying ‘Lord, Lord’ doesn’t make you a believer!

“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.”

How do I ‘do the will of the Father’? Only when I have received the righteousness of Christ—in salvation.

2 Corinthians 5:21, “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.” My sin replaced by HIS righteousness. Have you been to Calvary?

       –Many who say ‘Lord, Lord’ will be rejected

because they “work iniquity”. In other words, they talked a good talk, they worked a good work, they accomplished great miracles—BUT

—Jesus knows the truth—

       He said ‘depart from me’

              ‘ye that work iniquity’

       all they did was for self NOT God—

You can fool people but you can’t fool God…

Jesus goes on to make one of the clearest pictures of salvation in all of scripture. Yet, one that we often relegate to simply being a children’s song. Jesus makes a conclusion with this picture or parable.

–Therefore—concluding with the contrast/comparison  reveals that if you:

              hear His words and do them=

build on the rock—a sure foundation

storms WILL COME—

if you are built upon the rock the storms will not be able to destroy you because you are built on the rock.

              hear His words and don’t do them=

build on sand—

implying a similar looking structure

looking like the other by all appearances

But with a major difference—

an unsure foundation

                      storms WILL COME—

because there is no sure foundation the house collapsed and GREAT was its fall!!!

Looking good isn’t enough.

So in conclusion, what are you building on? Are you saying one thing and living another? Do you claim to know Jesus and yet have no time for Him, His word or His work? Remember—saying so, doesn’t make it so. Does the ‘spirit of Christ’ dwell in you? Have you heard His voice?

Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Please be sure who’s you are. Jesus is coming soon and I want to know that those that I love are going to join me in heaven. I pray that you will examine your own heart before God. If you’re His—press on with Him. If you’re not His, repent and believe and He will save YOU.

(See Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Revelation 3:20, 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, and if you need more information please message me, leave a comment, or email me and I’ll try to help any way that I can.)

He is coming soon. Please be sure you’re ready.

 

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #80    Is Your Light Plugged In????

We talked last time about being ‘strong enough’ to persevere and stand for Jesus with ‘joyfulness’. With that in mind, I’d like us to consider a question today about “lighting”. Matthew 5:14-16 says,

“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.”

Let’s draw some conclusions.

How are we light?

John 1:4,12-13 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men……. 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.”

Because Jesus IS life and light, He gives us life and light through salvation, so that we can be the ‘light of the world’.

Where are we to shine? To the world, “it giveth light unto all that are in the house”. We can shine before the world because:

“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 (See John 9:5 & 11:9) When we follow Jesus—we reflect HIS light to all those around us.

How are we to shine? Before the world by God’s power–to God’s glory.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Why?

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.  (We who are saved, see verses 8-9)

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, to do good works. Our work doesn’t save us, but His precious Holy Spirit, who dwells within believers, empowers, guides, and leads us to do good works for God because we are saved. We just need to listen, obey and follow. God has ordained it!!!

So? Here’s our shot for today. SHINE.

Live every moment in Jesus’ light,

and the world will see His light IN you.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

If you don’t have the light you can’t shine.

Check your source!!

                     Plug into Jesus if you’re not already!!

                            And live plugged in!!