Bible Ballistics: “BBs” #59  Trouble?????

It seems there is trouble on every hand. Weather, conflicts, political upheavals on every hand, financial woes. What do we do in these last days? In any days? Of course we go to the Lord and His word.

Psalm 119:10-12, “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.” (He’s teaching, are you learning?)

The Psalmist clearly reminds us that when we seek God we will find Him who will help us stay on track. How? Verse 11, makes it clear!!! When we hide the ‘Word’ in our hearts, His Spirit helps us to recall God’s words, His ways, and His encouragement. And this Holy Spirit who dwells within each believer will work out what we put in.

John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

We have all we need in the Lord and His Word. And a promise of help from Jesus Himself, that His Spirit would teach us. If we study–put it in–He will bring it out at the right time. Those who were with Jesus in person were promised that the Spirit would help them remember His very words. For us–read and study His Word, and He will help us to recall those things when we need them, whether for ourselves or others.

As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9,

“ 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;” God’s power–through us.

So?? Here’s our shot for today.

Get in the Word.

Stay in the Word.

Depend on the Word.

You can overcome. Today!

 

Bible Ballistics: Happy Mother’s Day!! May 11, 2013 Vol. 4 No.01

A Happy Mother’s Day to you moms, and a word of encouragement to the rest of you to make sure you’ve connected with your mom today if you are graced to still have her with you. I thought we’d look at some mothers of the Bible, and see what we can learn about motherhood and not only what it involves but also what it looks like when ‘fleshed’ out.

Let’s begin with the first mother, Eve. Genesis 2:18, 22-24, tells us what God had to say about wives (and subsequently mothers),

“18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him……..22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (help meet infers companionship)

God created woman to be a companion to the man, because ‘It is not good that the man….be alone”. Companionship is defined as ‘a feeling of fellowship or friendship’. God wanted man to not be alone, to have a companion for fellowship and friendship. Woman was created to be a completer to the man as they shared in the creation that God had given them rule over. We have allowed our culture to make men and women ‘competers’ rather than ‘completers’, to always be competing with one another instead of each spouse helping the other be all that God created them to be. God also brought the woman to the man, women will find much more satisfaction in their relationships if they would fulfill the role of the pursued not the pursuer. Not popular but grounded in scripture. And I think experience proves it true also.

Jesus himself speaks on this issue for us in Matthew 19:4-6, “4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

God made them at the beginning,

male and female—

one woman for one man.

God said marriage was the beginning of a new home,

and the man was to leave and cleave—to his wife.

They would become one flesh—

only works with a man and a woman—

one man and one woman. (Think about it??)

The story of Hannah begins in 1 Samuel 1, and because of the length of the story, we’ll just focus on some specific things that we learn about this woman, wife and mother. First of all she was in a less than desirable situation, she was one of two wives (not God’s ideal but she responded in a godly way to that which was not ideal), although Hannah was apparently the favorite wife she was barren and had no children. While the other wife was mother of several children. Having friends that have dealt with the pain of barrenness, I know this can be a painful place to be. Add to that the aggravation of another woman (wife) who constantly flaunted her children. Talk about a dysfunctional family. Your problems do have biblical solutions and examples of godly responses.

What was Hannah’s solution? Anger? The silent treatment? Retaliation against the offender? None of these were Hannah’s response. As I heard said many years ago, “I am not responsible for the actions of others, only my ‘reaction’ to them.” Hannah had taken this philosophy to heart and her solution was to take her aching heart to God. When the family went to God’s house to celebrate one of the festivals of God, Hannah took her brokenness before God. She was so broken that her earnest prayer was misunderstood by the ‘preacher’ (Eli the priest saw her mouth moving and no words coming out and rebuked her for being drunk!!!—is that being misunderstood or what?). Hanna explained that her actions were out of a heart of deep distress. Upon hearing her earnest defense Eli blessed her and said in verse

17, “Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.” Her integrity was evident.

Long story, short, God heard and honored Hannah’s faithful response to her situation and God gave her a son, Samuel. Hannah kept her vow to God and brought Samuel back to the place of worship and entrusted him to Eli to serve in God’s house, for His purposes all his life. Samuel was probably 3-5 years old when Hannah kept her word and gave this precious gift for which she had prayed so earnestly, back to God as her gift of obedience. Wow!!! We can’t really comprehend her actions but God honored her faithful life and prayer by giving her more children, and using Samuel to minister to the Kingdom of Israel his entire life. What a mom. Scripture tells us that she made him a new coat every year and took it to him when they went to celebrate the feasts. Think on these things. Spend some time this week reading the first few chapters of 1 Samuel; you will be humbled in this woman’s presence.

The last women I’d like to look at are a mother and grandmother that Paul spoke of in 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:5, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

2 Timothy 3:15, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (Who taught him? Of course mom and grand mom.)

Here we find a mom and daughter who did their work for God in the life of their son/grandson. Timothy was half Jewish and half Greek. Scripture doesn’t tell us if his father was a believer, but it clearly reminds us moms and grand-moms, that we can influence our children for God if we will

faithfully live the word before them,

teach them the scriptures and lead them to Jesus.

We have a high calling from God.

Let’s stand fast in these evil days

and instill in those that come behind us,

the powerful truths of God

and lead them to the Savior.

It doesn’t matter how much we teach our family

about popularity,

money,

or fame

if don’t lead them to the Savior through His Word.

We may be guilty of doing what Jesus warned against. I close with this admonition that I hope you will consider in your life, as I will. We can only share that which we have and know ourselves.

Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Mom?????

 

 

Bible Ballistics: “BBs” #58  Mom’s-Teachers?????

As this is the Friday before Mother’s Day, I thought I’d take a little spin on the Proverbs 31 passage that we usually hear about on Mother’s Day. I’d like us to look at the beginning of the chapter rather than the end, which describes godly wives and mothers.

Proverbs 31:1-5, “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”

These words, usually credited to Solomon, are the words that he heard from his mother. What did she tell him?

The strength and courage of the soul should not be given to women or the things of the world that have robbed many a young man (and older men too, for that matter), particularly alcohol. Why women and alcohol? Because either or both can cause one to ‘forget the law, and pervert judgment’.

We see the contrast to the benefit of embracing wisdom.

Proverbs 2:10-11, “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:”.

So?  Here’s our shot for the day—????? Remember what your mother taught you about God and His word.

So?  ?????? Mom may have taught you right, but the learning is in your court. Deut. 30:19-20a,

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days:”

What will you choose?

Mike Keahbone challenged all believers to share their testimony on their Facebook page. I am always glad to share what Jesus has done for me, so here it is—the short version..

I was born and raised in a Christian home. We were a Navy family so we moved a lot. We were not with my dad a lot of the time since we had a home in Mobile, AL and if my mother didn’t like where he was stationed we went home to Mobile. I never went to the same school for 2 full years in a row. When I was 9 years old I walked an aisle and shook the preachers hand and every one took for granted that I knew how to be saved, but I didn’t. So I played church for many years after that, since I went to church faithfully, I knew all the words to use and I was publicly compliant. But there was a raging rebellion in my heart. I married 2 days before I graduated from high school. I had 3 children and still that rebellion was stirring inside me. On more than one occasion I tried to please God with my works but I never found the peace of mind and settling of that rebellion in my heart. I divorced my first husband and broke up two homes to marry my second husband.   What I forgot was that you reap what you sow, and 4 short years later he found someone he liked better than me.   The one thing that came out of that time was that finally called to my heart one day and said clearly to my heart ‘You don’t belong to me!!! ‘  Oh but God I must, I have this long list of works and accomplishments in the church. After a day-long argument with God, I fell on my face and repented of my sinful, rebellion and asked Jesus to save me and change my life. I’m so glad he did. I still had many bad habits and life-choices to work through. When husband number 2 left, I blamed God and entered a tragic 3^rd marriage in pure anger against God and it ended tragically after only 2 years. But God wasn’t through cleaning and refining me. Through heartache, life-changes and difficulties that we don’t have space for, God grew me into a woman who was willing to wait on Him and follow Him. After almost 9 years of singleness God brought me a wonderful godly man and we have shared 26 years together serving God and seeing Him work in and through our lives. It hasn’t always been easy, and we have face many challenges, yet I thank God and praise Him with every breath that I take, that He never gave up on me. And like many of that 60’s generation, I had a hard road getting to the truth and overcoming the lies that grasped our hearts. I thank God for the privilege He has given me to serve Him as a wife, mother, friend, teacher and musician. May all that I do bring Him glory.

Bible Ballistics: Worship or Worldliness Pt. 3 May 4,2014

Continuing our look at Worship/Worldliness, let’s delve into the scripture and evaluate our perceptions of ‘worship’. What is worship? Most of our churches now have “worship leaders”, instead of ‘music directors’. Is music worship? We can worship through music, but in and of itself music isn’t necessarily ‘worship’. The dictionary says worship is “the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity”.   If we revere and adore God, would it not follow that we would desire to obey Him. Does His word give us any indication of what is acceptable worship? Real worship is seen in a life lived in obedience to God, and submission to His Holy Spirit—in or out of church.

We’ve written in our earlier articles, that God calls us to be holy, and that God’s judgment will begin with the ‘house of God’ (1 Peter4:17). God will judge us according to His ‘Word’ (Hebrews 4:12-13). He called those who went their own way rebellious, even their leaders. In Ezekiel 22 He also calls us to differentiate between the ‘holy’ and the ‘profane’ ( Profane: to treat something sacred with irreverence or disrespect.) Have we allowed and brought so much of the world into our churches that we no longer recognize that we may be profaning the very God that we claim to serve? Have we abandoned the ‘holiness’ of our God to once again cleave to the things of the world that we were saved out of? And not only cleave to them but actually bring them into His church. Let’s see what Jesus had to say in John 2:13-14,

“And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

Jesus made a whip and ran the sellers and moneychangers out? He makes it clear in verse 16, that we are not to make God’s house a place of ‘merchandise’ (a mart or emporium). Matthew gives us more insight when he records the second time that Jesus ran people out of His Temple, (and it was His because He is God)!!

Matthew 21:12-13, “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

Jesus reminds us that His house should be a ‘house of prayer’. Simply put, a place where we commune with God and He with us. Are we betraying the ‘house of prayer’, and seeking to create an amusement park? Are we going our own way and profaning God or seeking His heart and mind in all things?

Have we so focused on making the house of God ‘comfortable’, that it’s foreign and profane to God? Have we been so eager to transform the church into a palatable dish for the world that we have lost the power of God? Do we depend on the latest programs, books or plans to reach people, rather than depending on the ‘preaching’ of the Gospel, and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit? Are we turning our churches into a ‘den of thieves’ ?   Is God honored or profaned in our lives and gatherings? Do people know that we are following Jesus, or have we become so much like the world that there is nothing distinctly ‘Christ-like” in us, or in the church?

Are we honoring the one who purchased us with His own blood? Are we living as those who are forgiven, cleansed and called to walk in God’s way? Or do we go the way of the world? Hard questions that we must answer.

Hebrews 9:13-14, “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Saved to serve!!

Hebrews 10:4 & 12,”For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins….But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; “

1 Corinthians 3:16-17, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

We are blood bought, and become the Temple of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and we are held accountable. Are we defiling the Temple—our physical body and the corporate body, the church?

We are representatives of God to the world. What kind of representative are we? Are we calling the world to holiness or yielding our ‘holiness’ to be appealing to the world? We must remember that the truth of the gospel is not always, in fact seldom is, appealing to the lost. Conviction is most uncomfortable, but it is the only thing that leads to salvation. Is our corporate worship reverent and godly, or is it fleshly and worldly? Does it call people to know God better, or lull them to rest in their own self-righteousness? Are we patterning our lives and worship to follow God’s Word or popular trends? Are we offering sinners new and eternal life or just temporary relief?

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

Luke 18:13, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

The word for ‘merciful’ here is the same word that is elsewhere translated propitiation (payment in full for sin). A repentant sinner bowing before the Holy God and asking for payment for His sin. That should be our goal, to lead sinners to bow at the cross seeking His forgiveness and salvation through the blood of Jesus.

Isaiah 29:13-15, “ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” (Jesus referred to this in Matthew 15:8-9)

Our salvation makes us the temple, the dwelling place of the Spirit of God. Is HE at home in me? In my church? Is HE pleased with my choices or ashamed?  What does God say about us? Are we drawing near to God in reality or pretense? You must decide!!! Does God have my heart and my life, or do I just talk about it? Only you and God know the answer to that question.