Bible Ballistics: BBs #353     No Need To Fear???

 

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”     Psalm 56:3

We all have times when things arise that cause us to fear. And while fear, in and of itself isn’t wrong, fear is an emotion, like any other emotion, it must be recognized and controlled. The problems arise when we let the “fear” control us. The Psalmist knew fear, but he also points us to the best solution to dealing with fear—we must trust in our loving, sovereign God! Our God who is omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful), and omnipresent (all present). I heard someone say years ago (I think maybe Charles Stanley), “It’s not so much that God is every where, but more expressly that everywhere, God Is.” In other words, we are never out of God’s sight! He knows it all, and He can be trusted to care for His own!

This is one of the things that Jesus prayed for us before He went to the cross. In His ‘High-Priestly’ prayer for us in John 17, He prayed for His disciples who were present with Him, and He also for us, for you and for me!

“For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;                                                      

and they have received them,                                                                              

have known surely that I came out from thee,                                          

and they have believed that thou didst send me.

⁹ I pray for them:

I pray not for the world,

but for them which thou hast given me;

for they are thine.                                                                          

¹⁰ And all mine are thine,                                                            

and thine are mine;                                                                              

and I am glorified in them.” John 17:8-10

Jesus prayed for us; He prayed for you and me; He prayed for all who will believe in and receive His salvation by faith; He prayed for all who become His children by the “new birth” of salvation! But there’s more:

“Neither pray I for these alone,                                                                     but for them also which shall believe on me

through their word;

²¹ That they all may be one;

as thou, Father,

art in me,

and I in thee,

that they also may be one

in us:

that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.                                                                      ²² And the glory which thou gavest me

I have given them;

that they may be one,

even as we are one:

²³ I in them,

and thou in me,

that they may be made perfect in one;

and that the world may know                                                                that thou hast sent me,                                                                          and hast loved them,                                                                             as thou hast loved me.” John 17:20-23

Have no fear—if you belong to Jesus– He makes us ‘one’ with Himself and The Father. He is working in us so that “the world may believe” and that “the world may know” The ONE who saves and transforms lives by His death, burial and resurrection for the sin-debt of all who will believe! We belong to the “fearless” Redeemer—who overcame sin, death and hell for all who will believe in Him and receive the sacrifice that HE made at Calvary!

So take heart my dear friends, while fear may come, and almost always when we least expect it, we don’t have to wallow in it—we serve the God who IS in control. He is working in and through His children, and our job is to trust Him, to follow His leading, and let HIS light shine through us. So get in the Word, bend your knee before Him in prayer, seek His direction in all your ways, and go where HE sends you! Fearlessly!!! (Boldly but NOT arrogantly, there is a difference; we’ll talk about that another day!)

“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. ⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6

No fear! Remember whose side we are on!!! And go forward in confidence my friend—we win! You can overcome your fear! Remember our first verse from Psalms, “I will trust in thee”.

“What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Blessings on your ‘fearless’ day!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #352     Sowing And Reaping!!!

 

While we see and hear an abundance of violence, evil and corruption around us, what are we to think? Is there a reason for all this chaos? Is there an explanation or a solution? I think the answer to both of these questions is yes—but it may not be the answer that we want to hear. Why? Because many today are willfully deceived and have no desire to hear or receive truth. It’s your choice—what are you believing and following?

“Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. ³² It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.” Job15:31-32

Simply put, Job is telling us that for those who choose to trust in ‘vanity’, they will get just that—emptiness! They will see it themselves, and be “dried up” and no longer “green” and able to outgrow it! Food for thought, yet God has even more to say. While your confidence may not be in ‘vanity’ per se, where is your confidence placed? Is it ‘misplaced’ in yourself, in the government, in wealth, in fame, in success or ease?

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

“Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. ⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. ⁸ They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.” Psalm 20:6-8

God knows His own, and He continually works on our behalf, and we must remember that HE knows, even when others may not! Let’s be sure we aren’t deceived by the world, or just deceiving ourselves.

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”    Galatians 6:7-8

We look around at a world going amuck! Why? I believe there are two main reasons: the first, that man has rejected God—in private, and now, for the most part in our country, we are ejecting God from the public arena; secondly, that many of those who claim to belong to Jesus, display more worldliness than godliness! What’s inside will come out!

As a culture (often even Christian culture) we have decided that what God says is wrong, or misconstrued, and sin is really ok, acceptable and even desirable. God hasn’t changed! God calls His children to be “holy” not ‘worldly’. We can’t reach the world with the Good News that Jesus saves, if we live like the world, and attempt to ‘save’ the world with “worldly” means rather than the godly, Biblical, Holy-Spirit filled and convicting power of the CROSS!

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them,

and be ye separate, saith the Lord,                                                         and touch not the unclean thing;                                                           and I will receive you.                                                                                 ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you,                                                                   and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”       2 Corinthians 6:16-18

The call in the last times seems to be a call to us who are following Jesus today:

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4

My heart breaks for the suffering and chaos around us, and while I can’t change hearts—God can. We believers must turn to HIM in repentance, seeking His forgiveness and cleansing, seeking His face and committing to live holy lives before a corrupt and hostile lost world. We must be a holy people, who by God’s power can make a difference.

“And who is he that will harm you,

if ye be followers of that which is good?

¹⁴ But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake,

happy are ye:                                                

and be not afraid of their terror,                      

neither be troubled;

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:                                                   and be ready always to give an answer

to every man that asketh you a reason

of the hope that is in you

with meekness                                  

and fear:

¹⁶ Having a good conscience;

that, whereas they speak evil of you,                 

 as of evildoers,

they may be ashamed

that falsely accuse

your good conversation in Christ.

¹⁷ For it is better, if the will of God be so,

that ye suffer for well doing,

than for evil doing.” 1 Peter 3:13-17

We are called to live lives that speak without words, while being ready to give an answer when our uniqueness calls people to question, “Why do you live in such a way?” The lives of those who belong to Jesus and follow Him, ought to be a testimony of His saving power—not just the empty words of those who claim “Lord, Lord” but don’t really know Him or the transforming power of the Cross-, the blood bought “new birth” which Redeemer imparts. So dear ones, my question to you is: What are you sowing? What are you expecting to reap? When Jesus, what harvest awaits YOU?

“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” Hosea 8:7

Will your harvest be life with the Lord of the harvest, or the “whirlwind”? We will reap whatever we are sowing!

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.16    The Many Or The Few???

 

Many believers have spent this weekend celebrating the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, yet it seems that many have their focus on the wrong things. Many today are more focused on bunnies, baskets, eggs and bright spring colors, and not The Risen Lord Jesus Christ. While there is nothing inherently wrong with bunnies, baskets or eggs, there is something totally wrong when Jesus and the great work of atonement that He accomplished at Calvary, is diminished for the sake of a popular message that will appeal to the masses and make the “church” fun, rather than a place where the conviction of the Holy Spirit works through the preaching of the “life-changing” message of Jesus, the Only Way, The Way of the Cross!

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:6

Jesus didn’t say that He was “a” way, He didn’t even say that He would “show us” the way! Jesus –“I am the way”! The “I am” declaring His deity; “the way” proclaiming that HE would be the atoning sacrifice for all who come to Him in repentance and faith. Jesus also didn’t say that He would simply ‘tell” the truth, but that HE is “the truth”; not One who simply “grants” life, but The One who is “the life”! He is the only way to God, and only God could love us enough to give us life in HIS “only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16b)

We celebrate The One who gained victory over sin, death and hell through His blood and His resurrection from the dead! We must consider not only what He has done, but also what it will cost us to follow HIM. While many say “Lord, Lord”, what does that really look like?

It’s not the popular message of just talk about Him, use His name for your own benefit, do good “churchy” works to impress God; nor is it self-sacrifice that impresses the world. It begins with the recognition that Jesus paid a price that we couldn’t pay, He died to relieve a debt that we couldn’t meet. Let’s see what Jesus said about this issue Himself.

“And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master,

I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

²⁰ And Jesus saith unto him,

The foxes have holes,                        

and the birds of the air have nests;

but the Son of man                        

hath not where to lay his head.

²¹ And another of his disciples said unto him,

Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

²² But Jesus said unto him,

Follow me;                                                  

and let the dead bury their dead.    

²³ And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. ²⁵ And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. ²⁶ And he saith unto them,

Why are ye fearful,

O ye of little faith?

Then he arose,

and rebuked the winds and the sea;

and there was a great calm.

²⁷ But the men marvelled,

saying,                                                          

What manner of man is this,

that even the winds

and the sea obey him!”    Matthew 8:19-27

Jesus tells us that we don’t follow Him in/for prosperity, we follow Him in ‘selflessness’! He told those who sought to follow Him, that in His earthly life He had no possessions, and that those who choose to follow Him, must be willing to forsake all to join Him; we are to consider the cost.

“ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

²⁷ And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

²⁹ Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

³⁰ Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

³² Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

³³ So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-33

Without getting into the deep intricacies of this passage, suffice it to say, Jesus is telling us that there is a cost to being His child and disciple. What cost have you tried to pay for your salvation? Only faith is required to come to Him, but real faith will be seen in the “crucified life”! Are we serving Jesus or self? Are we serving heaven or the world? Are we known by our worldliness or our godliness? Godliness doesn’t save, but the saved will reflect godliness as the ‘fruit’ of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,

where moth and rust doth corrupt,            

and where thieves break through and steal:

²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,      

and where thieves do not break through    

nor steal:

²¹ For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also.

²² The light of the body is the eye:

if therefore thine eye be single,

thy whole body shall be full of light.

²³ But if thine eye be evil,

thy whole body shall be full of darkness.

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness,

how great is that darkness!

²⁴ No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”    Matthew 6:19-24

Where is your treasure? Is your focus on eggs, baskets and bunnies? Is your focus on prosperity, wealth, success, popularity, power, ease, or influence? Have you decided to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost, or are you going your own way? There is a consequence to every choice. God has given every person the right and privilege to choose, but choose wisely, there is a test at the end—a consequence.

If we choose to follow Jesus, the presence and work of God in our lives will be evident. Yes, we all stumble and fail sometimes, but the work of God’s Spirit will be evident in our walk and life choices. When God is in us, His presence will be evident within us by our actions. (See James 2:18-26)

“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.

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:12-14

And being “born” of God enables us to grow in His Word by His Spirit. We can come to understand the difference between the “work of the flesh” and the “work of the Spirit” in our lives, so that we can follow Him “Where Ever He Leads”!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil

the lust of the flesh.

¹⁷ For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

¹⁸ But if ye be led of the Spirit,

ye are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;

Adultery,                                            

fornication,                                      

uncleanness,                                  

lasciviousness,                                    

²⁰ Idolatry,                                              

witchcraft,                                                

hatred,                                                    

variance,                                              

emulations,                                                  

wrath,                                                          

strife,                                                    

seditions,                                                

heresies,                                            

²¹ Envyings,                                            

murders,                                            

drunkenness,                                          

revellings,                                                      

and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is

love,

joy,

peace,

longsuffering,

gentleness,

goodness,

faith,

²³ Meekness,

temperance:

against such there is no law.

²⁴ And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

²⁵ If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.

²⁶ Let us not be desirous of vain glory,

provoking one another,

envying one another.” Galatians 5:16-26

My simple call to us today is that we examine ourselves, to see if we are walking “in the Spirit” or “in the flesh”? It is a question that requires an answer—and answer that only you and God know. Are you following Jesus or are you following the world? Is your life marked by the “works of the flesh” or the “fruit of the Spirit”? May we each examine our heart before God, and rejoice in the “Victory In Jesus” that the Resurrection delivered! Will you follow Him to life? Or will you follow the “broad way” to destruction? Two roads, but only One leads to “life”! Will you be part of the “many” or the “few”? It’s your choice.

“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 #351     The Real GOOD NEWS!!!

 

“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:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

This is The Gospel—that Jesus “died for our sins”, my sin and yours; that He “was buried“—He died for us; and that He “rose again the third day”; all of this done “according to the scriptures“; all that we might have eternal life. Jesus Himself talked of this sacrifice in John 3. (See Is. 53)

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world

through him might be saved.

¹⁸ 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.”  John 3:14-19

Jesus came that we might have life!

The choice is yours; will you believe in and receive what HE has already done for you? It is a choice of “life” or “death”, but death that has already been overcome if we will but repent of our sin, and trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sin.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,                                                    

and do not the truth:

⁷ But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,                                        

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7

The very same message that Jesus gave Nicodemus; it is a choice of light-vs-dark! Because “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” they are condemned already. Jesus loves mankind, and died that we might have life, and yet many choose to refuse the grace and mercy of God and die in their sin. God has given every person the privilege to choose, but there is a consequence for every choice. You are either under the “blood” or you owe your own “sin debt”!

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

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Sin, we all have it, and there is a ‘sin debt’ due, but the Good News is that Jesus has paid the ‘sin debt’ for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith. What will you choose to do about your debt? Jesus is calling today!

Bible Ballistics: BBs #350     Only ONE Name Will Save!!!

 

“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.

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:10-13

As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ, I’d like us to take just a few minutes today to consider whether our focus is on the ONE who saves, rather than all the other distractions of the ‘season’.

What a great testament to The Lord’s great love, power and saving work, that the disciples of the risen Lord—the resurrected Lord—the soon coming Lord and King—would have it said of their behavior: “they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” What a testimony!!! May it ever be said of us that we have “been with Jesus”! And while we obviously can’t “be” with Jesus in the flesh, when we come to Him in repentance and faith, we are brought into His presence and His Spirit is given to us, that we might reflect His glory, grace and love to a lost and dying world that we have “been with Jesus”.

This encounter of the disciples, gives us one of the most powerful and concise proclamations of the Gospel in all scripture—they boldly proclaimed to the religious leaders who were questioning the healing of the impotent man, the truth that it was all about JESUS! And what was so powerful about what they said? It was the truth about Jesus!

“This is the stone….      

the head of the corner……

Neither is there salvation in any other…..

for there is none other name under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved….”

And friends, that is what we celebrate in the Resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ. He bought our salvation with “His own blood”! And regardless of what the world around us says—there is only One way, and His name is Jesus. Just like the little ditty that I saw recently; “It’s not about the ‘bunny’, it IS about ‘The Lamb” of God!

So my simple question to you is: What have YOU done with The Lamb? Do you know Him? If not He’s waiting for you to hear His voice and respond in repentance and faith to His sacrifice and victory for YOU! If you know Him, can it be said of your life that you have “been with Jesus”! Or do people ask it as a question: “He/she has ‘been with Jesus?” Give it some thought this week! Blessings on your day!