Bible Ballistics: Vol4 #9 Deep or Wide-vs-Deep and Wide?

I was thinking this week about our ‘stature’ before God. In Daniel chapter 3, we see Nebuchadnezzar building a golden statue (or idol) that all were called to worship. This was sometime after the dream that Daniel interpreted for him about the ‘statue’ in chapter 2.

If you remember Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 2:38, “And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.”

Nebuchadnezzar seems to have obsessed on this ‘head of gold’, and some time after the interpretation was given, Nebuchadnezzar built a statue (presumably in his own image), and called all people to worship it. That would have been interesting enough, but something else amazes me. He was apparently so focused on himself, that he built it approximately 90 feet tall and only 9 feet wide!! That amazes me, and I couldn’t help but make a comparison to the way we often order our own lives. I would like to contrast two extremes and see if we can use this them to examine our walk with the Lord.

The first question. Am I building a balanced life with and before God? Or am I out of proportion in some way. Am I 6 inches wide and 60 feet tall? Or am I 60 feet wide and only 6 inches tall? Absurdity? Yes, but let’s take a closer look at our lives.

Am I a slab Christian, or maybe a pinnacle Christian? Balance before the world or extremes?

Let’s look at the word.

Psalm 1:1-6, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

Here we see God, through the Psalmist, make a contrast for us between the righteous and the ungodly. How does this passage describe the ‘righteous’?

He (or she):

Walks not in the counsel of the ungodly (world)–

Doesn’t stand around with sinners (opposed to God)—

Doesn’t sit with the scornful (contempt for God).

But he–

       delights in the law of God–

       meditates on God’s law day and night.

The results are, he:

Shall be like a tree planted by the river–

       Shall bring forth fruit in the proper season—

       His leaf shall not wither—

       His righteousness will prosper (not a reference to $$$).

In contrast, the ungodly are:

       NOT SO—

LIKE CHAFF (not genuine seed/fruit) which the wind drives away.

The result of these two life-choices is clear—

Who WILL STAND and who will NOT!!

“Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

      nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous:

but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

So in conclusion, let’s ask some questions.

Are you a growing, flourishing Christian—(like the tree)

Growing by the rivers of water

 In God’s Word,

 prayer and

 yieldedness to the Holy Spirit?

 Growing tall and wide,

planted deep in God,

exercising your personal dependence on Him?

 What’s the difference?

Will you topple over from being exalted in your own eyes, and becoming taller than the foundation upon which you are built?

Are you full of ‘knowledge’ and spreading out everywhere but with no depth of soil or soul, whereby you can grow and expand in usefulness to God and others?

Or are you balanced in all you ways?

 Are you walking with God,

avoiding the evil,

growing like a tree—

planted by God,

grown by God and

rooted deeply IN God—

His word,

prayer, and

His Spirit.

Proverbs 3:5-8, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”

 Are we–

Like chaff—look good but not genuine (Psalm 1)

 Like those saying ‘lord, lord….didn’t we’…(Matt 7)

 Like Neb’s statue—full of self and out of proportion (Daniel 2)

 Or like Psalm 23? (Portions of the chapter)

 “The Lord

is my shepherd;

I shall not want. …

lie down in green pastures: …

leadeth me beside the still waters. …

restoreth my soul: …

leadeth me in .. righteousness …

I will fear no evil: …

they comfort me. …

anointest my head…

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.”

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”#74  Happy 4^th of July to YOU!!!

I extend to you Happy and Blessed 4^th of July greetings, to those of you in the USA. For those of you who live elsewhere, a blessed and glorious Day to YOU also!!!

I have a few thoughts, that I hope will speak to each of us, regardless of where we live, as we ponder God’s Word today. I’d like share one of my very favorite verses, still as true and applicable today as when it was given to Solomon, many, many years ago.

2 Chronicles 7:14, “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.”

Just a few observations:

If my people—not the world, but God’s own people.

Romans 8:28b, “to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

humble themselves —not exalt themselves

1 Peter 5:5b, “for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

         Pray—cease their self-reliance and call on God

Parts of Matthew 6:10-11, “Our Father which art in heaven .. thy kingdom come…thy will be done on earth...”

         seek my face—Look to God instead of the world

Psalm 27:8, “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”

turn from their wicked ways—stop going your way, the world’s way, and turn around and go God’s way.

Luke 13:3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

So?? Here’s our shot for today. Pray with me today,

“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. Blessings!!!      

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”#73  Independence Day????

As we approach this 4^th of July, I thought we would take a brief look at “independence”.

Independence: ‘free from outside control; not depending on another’s authority”. If you would, independence is being ‘un’-dependent on another; for our intents and purposes the opposite of dependence—particularly toward God.

1 Peter 5:5-7 says, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

We Americans, value our ‘independence’ and hold it’s value high; it’s an important part of our heritage, which we rightfully hold in high regard. But when we bring that same ideology of ‘independence’ into the spiritual realm, we are on tenuous ground. God calls us to ‘dependent’ living.

Peter reminds us that God’s plan for our personal relationship with Him is ‘humility’. We are compelled to bow our hearts and lives before our Lord, in subjection to our Sovereign God Almighty and our Lord Jesus.. We are called to ‘humble yourselves….under the mighty hand of God”.

May we pursue humility and yield our lives to our God daily—and not only to humble ourselves before God, but also to submit ourselves one to another. Remembering that “…God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble….”. I need HIS grace. How about you?

So??? Here’s our shot for today. As we spend time this week celebrating America’s Independence, let’s be sure we are living in submission to God and our fellow believers. Or put another way, being—interdependent not independent.

Bible Ballistics: I pledge allegiance??? Vol. 4 #8 6/29/14

As we prepare to celebrate ‘Independence’ Day, here in America, I thought we’d look at ‘allegiance’.—“loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior, or of an individual or group or a cause”. To what or whom are we giving allegiance? We say the ‘Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag, we are loyal to the country we love, to brands we use, to people, to organizations….etc., the list could go on. But my question today is, “Have you pledged your allegiance” to the one who saves? Do you claim the name of Jesus and yet give Him no loyalty or commitment, for whatever reason?

Romans 11:36 says, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Glory to Him who created all things, including faith. Glory to Him who saves!!

 We live in a time of ‘selfies’: ‘self’ pics, ‘self’-indulgence, ‘self’-gratification, and ‘self’-righteousness. We have, in many ways, neglected and even ignored the wonderful gift of conviction. Because it’s not of ‘self’, but of God. The conviction of the precious Holy Spirit, who brings men to see their sinful state and burdens them to come to the cross. And when we come to the cross it is worthy of all our allegiance–All that we have, the very breath that we breathe for all is ‘of Him…through Him….to whom be glory…”

But what’s the importance of ‘conviction’? Is it important? While we don’t hear this preached much these days, we need it. What is ‘conviction’? Conviction means to “convince” of something. To be convinced of one’s own sin.

2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Romans 3:23-24, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” Are you convinced?

Jesus paid the price for sin, but unless and until we see ourselves as ‘sinners’, we see no need of the Savior.  Conviction is the work of the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) who brings people to see themselves as a sinner, lost before a Holy God. In Romans, Paul reminds us that while we are/were lost, Jesus paid the price for our redemption (buying us back) from the debit we owe– as sinners.

Romans 5:8-9, “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.”

Romans 6:22-23, “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.” (See Ephesians 2 also)

We who belong to Jesus are ‘free from sin’ and it’s power and are now servants of God, rather than servants of sin. We have obtained this life through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus—because the ‘wages (payment) of sin is death’, but the death of Jesus, when we trust HIM, gives us eternal life. Jesus delivers us. The Spirit brings this ‘short-coming’ to our hearts and souls—only then can we see the significance of Christ’s redemption–The payment HE made for ‘MY’ debt.

In Genesis 3, we see sin enter the world, man hiding his sin, by hiding himself from God, and God’s response. So, what did God do? He came ‘asking’, “Where art thou?” Did God not know where they were? Of course He did. Then why ask? So that ‘they’ would recognize where they were. They felt the shame and embarrassment of sin, but didn’t know what to do until God came to them. God, in his mercy and grace, walked them through the sin in their lives, revealed to them the harm, degradation and evil of their sin and showed them the way to be restored (in part) to fellowship with God. He provided a sacrifice for them. He showed them that the sacrifice of blood was required to cover their sin and restore their relationship to God, until the ‘once for all’ sacrifice was made by His own Son.

Hebrews 10:10, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

God brought them to see their sin, and by His Holy Spirit He is still revealing sin, and restoring people to relationship with HIM because of Calvary. Have you been there?

 God hasn’t changed—He is still the initiator of Salvation:

 John 6:44, “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.”

And John 14:5-7, “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. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”

Without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, there is no saving faith. God initiates salvation–it is never our idea!!!! No, you didn’t think of it yourself. God brought you to Himself through the convicting of the Holy Spirit, and without God’s initiation—there is no saving faith, there is no salvation. As we’ve looked before at John 1:12-13,

“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.”

Think back in your own life.   What are you counting on to save you?

A prayer,

baptism,

your faithful work in the church?

These are all good things but they don’t achieve, win or gain salvation for anyone.

 John 5:38-40 says, “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

Are you refusing to come to Jesus?

Or pledging ‘self’ to Him?

Real faith comes from God, is imparted to us by God, but is preceded by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Until we know that we are sinners, why would we need a Savior? From what would we need to repent and be saved. It’s like trying to give ‘chemo-therapy’ to a person who doesn’t know they have cancer. Why would someone undergo such a harsh remedy if they didn’t realize that they have a terminal cancer, in need of treatment? Why would anyone come to Jesus who is good enough on their own? They wouldn’t.

So where is our allegiance?

 Is it to our God, who has brought us to repentance and faith?

 Is it to ourselves and

 our own ability to do enough good to get to heaven?

Have you heard the voice of the Spirit, calling you to the Savior?

Do you belong to Jesus and hear that ‘still small voice’ calling you to forsake the world and cleave to your Savior?

 What ever our need—

 God is our only hope.

 Spend some time

in quietness

 before the Lord,

 listening to that precious Holy Spirit

 speaking His heart to ours.

 To know and obey the dearest one to our souls,

 in our living TODAY!!!

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”#72 Headache????

Continuing in our conversation about ‘time’ and ‘daily living’, I didn’t discover our topic today, I have one. I’ve had a headache off and on all this week, and I hardly ever have headaches. Not in years!!! Welllllllllll, guess what I discovered this morning while taking my vitamins and medications—no blood pressure pill all week.   DUH!!! Can’t believe I did that!!!

That brought to mind a scripture that also refers to our use of everything around us, including time. How often do we get a spiritual ‘headache’, only to find that we haven’t taken our medication—The Word of God and prayer? We’re not thinking right, and it hurts us.

The cure—

The Word!!!

Philippians 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus humbled Himself unto the will of the Father, even unto death—the death on the cross. I am called to do the same. I’d just like to share a couple of passages this morning about our dying to ourselves. Not doing work for Him, but yielding to HIS work IN us.

1 Peter 2:23-25, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

So? Here’s our shot for today.

Galatians 2:20-21, “ 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.21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

I am dead to self—

alive to and by Christ—

walking in His finished ‘work’—

not works of the law—

but by HIS Spirit IN me.

 Yield!!! Today. It’s better than aspirin!!!