Bible Ballistics: Mirrors? February 9 2014 Vol.3 No.13

I had an interesting experience this week and it’s the basis of what I want to share today.  One of my children was leaving the house being a bit snippy and maybe even a bit sarcastic, and as they were walking off it hit me like a ‘ton of bricks’—“He’s acting like his mother”, so I popped out of the door and said,  “I see the family resemblance” in a joking way, but God brought to my heart the seriousness of my own words.  Whose likeness do I show to my children?  To others?

What kind of influence are we being on the lives of those around us?  Especially those who are still privileged to have young children around on a regular basis.  Is it just my words that affect them?  Or is it my actions?  My attitude?  There is an old proverb that says,  “Your actions are speaking so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying!!!!”   Does the Word have anything to say about that?  One of the things most of us do every morning is look in the mirror.  Now, we might not always like what we see staring back, but we look—then most of us comb, brush, fix-up and correct any part of our appearance that may need some attention after getting out of the bed.  Well, what about our character, our living?

James 1:22-26, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass (mirror): 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty (God’s Word), and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

Am I living the life of a ‘doer’ of the word, or a life of the ‘hearers only’?  In my walk?  In my home?  In my job?  In my “church”?  Ouch!!!  James says that if we are only ‘hearers’ we are ‘deceiving’ ourselves, and that our ‘religion’ is vain.  That’s pretty harsh, but a truth we all need to consider.

Genesis 18:19, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

God commended Abraham in saying that he would ‘command his children…..after him’, in other words, Abraham would not only teach his family with words but lead them with his actions. Our actions should be the defining mark of our lives.  Will God commend my handling of my ‘mirror’?  My reflection of HIM to my family and the world?

Joshua 4:21-22, “And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? 22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.”  We are to tell them what God has done for, and in us!!

And the ultimate chapter in all of scripture that shows how we are to live our lives before others, especially our children is Deut. 6:5-7, & parts of 20-25

“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: 7 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.” …20 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, …… before our eyes: 23 And he brought us out from thence, ……. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, ….. 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.”

God gives us a wonderful picture of a ‘mirror’ here, the reflection that we are to be of God’s truth, grace and character.  Moses tells us that it begins when we personally ‘love the Lord OUR GOD’ with our whole heart, soul and might.  We can’t share with our children or anyone else unless we know God personally, unless we are born again (see John 3:1-19).  We are to love God devotedly, and to live that love out in front of our family and the world.  Then I am to teach what I ‘personally’ believe to those under my influence—in all that I do.  To take advantage of every teachable moment, to live and express truth to my children and others in my sphere of influence.  God says that when we share with our children and live it before them, there will be a time when they will ask us why we ‘do what we do’.  We are then to share with them the truths of our relationship and experience with God.

What do you have to share?  What has God done for you? Have you shared it with your loved ones and friends?  Have you lived in such a way that others want to know why you live that way?  Thoughts to ponder for today.  As James asked, are we ‘doers of the word’?  Or ‘hearers only’?  Are we the one who looks in a mirror and forgets what it reveals?  Or are we the one who looks in God’s perfect law (His Word) and lets it transform us into a mirror of God’s character.

As 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

The choice is OURS!!!  We must choose wisely, others are watching and following US every day!!  What will they see in our “mirror” today?  Tomorrow?  Each day?

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #32  February 7, 2014

Forgiven? As I was praying this morning for a friend, I thought, “Lord why do we have to hurt, grieve and suffer for those that we love, who are rejecting you and your ways?”  The Lord clearly spoke to my heart.  ‘I hurt, grieved and suffered for a whole world in sin, can you not carry the burden with me?’  Ouch!!  Here are the scriptures that He brought to my mind.  Read, ponder and be encouraged.

Phil. 2:8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Luke 22:44, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Hebrews 9:12, “ Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

2 Cor. 1:5, “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”

Luke 23:34a, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

So what?   Jesus requested forgiveness for those who caused His death, so I am to pray for the ‘prodigals’ in my life to come to Jesus

–as Col. 1:14, says, ‘ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”.

The only place to find forgiveness is at the cross. Jesus went to Calvary for me/us, I am to love and carry those ‘prodigals’ in my life to the cross in prayer, as Jesus prayed for them/us before, during and after the cross. (See Hebrews 7:25).  Knowing that the sufferings of Christ are being worked out in me, that I might receive His consolation and share it with the world, especially those ‘prodigals’ in my life.  Not to accept their sin, or condone it, but to pray that they will see it ‘as’ sin and turn form sin, to Jesus—HE is our/their only HOPE.

Remembering that, “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.”  Gal. 2:20.

So? Here’s our shot for today.  If I am saved, I am forgiven; therefore I can forgive by the power of the ONE who gave Himself for ME.  In Jesus’ story, the Father didn’t go to the pigpen to retrieve that prodigal, but He was ready for him when he repented and turned to HIM.   (See Luke 15)

So?  I pray for His Spirit to touch my ‘prodigal’, to look up. Our redemption draweth nigh and we can stand fast and intercede in their behalf and be there in His truth when they seek it. I pray this helps you as much as it did me.

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #31   February 4, 2014

On this blustery wintery morning let’s look at the God who understands and knows when we get “down”.  When the winds have overwhelmed, discouraged, tired us or brought fear: when confusion seems to reign in our hearts and minds.  Those days when the enemy is whispering in our ear constantly—what then?  Elijah, a prophet of God offers great insight.  He has just had the greatest public victory of his life but……………..

Portions of 1 Kings 19:2-20, “Then Jezebel sent …. unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, … if I make not thy life as the life of one of them (the prophets of Baal Elijah had killed) by to morrow about this time. 3 And ….. he arose, and went for his life, and came …… into the wilderness, and ….. sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life….. 5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And he looked…, there was a cake …… and a cruse of water …. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days …..unto…..the mount of God….. 12 …the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice….. 14 And (Elijah said) ….. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away…. 15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way …and Elisha …. shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room….. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal ……”

So?  Here’s our shot for the day!!!  YOU are never alone,

even when YOU think YOU ARE—

God has YOU in His hand. (See Hebrews 13:5-6)

So?  Stand firm in what you KNOW—the truth that–

GOD is here—where ever you are right NOW!!

He will provide—in the best way, at the best time!!

Food—for your soul and body…

Rest—He will give rest/sleep, to refresh body and soul!!

Direction—He will ‘direct your steps’, trust Him and obey!

Answers—listen for that ‘still small voice’, HE’s there!!

Help—He has an ‘Elisha’, to help YOU and learn from YOU!!

HOW???    “Christ in YOU the hope of glory” (Col 1:27b)

(Take time and read the whole story in 1 Kings 18 & 19)

Bible Ballistics: Super Groundhog? February 2, 2014 Vol.3 No.12

Well, as most of you that are local Oklahoman’s know, we are snowed in and I’m loving it.  Answered prayer for moisture from our Awesome God and a beauty that only our creator God can make.  It’s been lovely and I hope that you are having a great day wherever you live.

As I was up early this morning watching the pre-dawn sleet falling for about an hour, and then the lovely snow that fell until afternoon, I was thinking about the nations focus on the Superbowl and Puxatawney Phil.  A nation consumed with sports and ‘mother nature’, while at the same time rejecting the Creator God of the universe.  Seems a bit oxymoronic, like part of Romans 1:25 have we, “worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator “.  Have we really considered what’s going on around us, maybe even in our own hearts?

We are a nation that has walked the way of Romans 1:21-23,

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” 

I don’t mean to be abrupt, but think it through with me.  We don’t look to God (as a nation), we don’t acknowledge him in our day-to-day issues, we don’t ask for His provision.  Instead we look to a ‘ground hog’ to tell us what the weather is going to be, or we depend on a weather man who credits or blames ‘mother nature’, never realizing that the weather is in the hands of the God of the universe—not the government or the weatherman.  It’s amazing that we are so miss-focused.

I believe we are, as Paul says in Romans 1, a people who

‘knew God’ (about Him) and yet ‘glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.’

We have abandoned the truth for a lie—

We have exchanged the Creator of all things, for our own wisdom—

We have become ungrateful for God’s provision not even acknowledging His hand—

We have become vain in our own ways rather than dependent on HIM.

And God declares that the result of our choices is a ‘darkened’ heart.

 Hearts that are dark,

having rejected the light.

Jesus himself referred to this in John 3:18-20,

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” 

Jesus equates darkness with evil, and evil deeds to those who refuse to accept and believe in HIM.  Just as he tells us in several other places that:

 ‘by their fruits ye shall know them’, and

 ‘ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins’.

So what is to be our response?  I believe that scripture is clear, but are we hearing it?  Or are we, as a song says, ‘not trying to change any hearts, we’re just getting used to the dark’?  Am I getting used to the dark?  Are you?  It’s so pervasive around us; it’s hard sometimes to even recognize it.  Are we so desensitized that we are oblivious to the evil around us?  I’d like to share one other passage, make a few comments and let you think about these things today and throughout this week.

2 Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

1—We are in the ‘last days’ (the last days began when Jesus came, became our sacrifice and ascended to the Father until His triumphant RETURN—which I believe is soon.)

2—The perilous times are upon us—ready or not they are HERE, NOW.

3—Men (and women, all mankind) shall be (are right now):

       LOVERS of SELF

              COVETEOUS

                      BOASTERS

                             PROUD

                                    BLASPHEMERS

       DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS

              UNTHANKFUL

                      UNHOLY

WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION (not caring for their own families)

       TRUCEBREAKERS

       FALSE ACCUSERS (LIARS)

              INCONTINENT (without self control)

                      FIERCE

                             DESPISERS OF THOSE WHO ARE GOOD

                                    TRAITORS

       HEADY (puffed up, usually about themselves)

              HIGHMINDED (simply put, conceited, self-exalted)

                      LOVING PLEASURES, NOT GOD

HAVING A FORM OF ‘GODLINESS’  (but without God’s power—hypocrites).

Conclusion: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY.

The choice is yours—Life or Destruction?

Matthew 7:13-14, “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.”    (Not because it’s not visible but they don’t want it).

Think on these things—they are of eternal import.

To the ‘Ladies’—But you guys can read it too!!!

How I miss the times when ‘ladies’ behaved like ‘ladies’.  A time when our ‘speech’, whether spoken or written was pure, and free from vulgarities, coarse language and cursing.  The time when men, even those who did use fowl language, didn’t speak those things in the presence of women and children.  A time much longed for, when people respected the need for civility, as well as uprightness and respectfulness in word and deed.

I speak to the women, the girls, the teens—to all females.  I encourage us to consider our speech, to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 15:18-20,

“18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man (or woman). 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man (or woman): but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man (or woman).”

I call us all, but especially us ladies—mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, cousins, all women– to check out our hearts and let the holy and pure dwell in our hearts and minds and affect that which comes out of our mouths (or our keyboards).   It’s kind of like they say about computers—trash in=trash out.  What’s in your heart?  God and His Word, or the world?  What’s inside, will come out!!!!!

May we be a catalyst in our world for ‘courteous’ and ‘holy’ speech to replace ‘vulgarity’ and ‘coarse language’.  Let’s make a positive difference in our world, rather than be those who are led to act like the world with an ‘un-lady-like’ vocabulary.  It does make a difference!!! Like it or not we are known and judged by our words—both what we say and what we write, whether in public media, or in private.  And I’d like to say, if you have to ‘apologize for the language’ before you write or speak it, then don’t use it—don’t speak it, or print it.  If it requires an apology it probably doesn’t need to be repeated.

May we each look deep within our hearts and ask God to show us the inappropriate and vulgar things that need to be eliminated and replaced in our hearts, our lives, and our language.  From an old woman who loves God and loves you, please consider the affect you are having on your own life, on those you love, and the world.   Be a ‘LADY’ not just a female—a godly Lady.