Category Archives: TODAY

Today Is Only Today, Today??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #562

12 Wednesday Jun 2019

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #562    Today Is Only Today, Today???

 

“This is the day

which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice

and be glad

in it.”  Psalm 118:24

The “in it” is referring to today!!! This day.  This “day which the LORD hath made” is for me and you—and we can choose whether we will “rejoice” in it, and “be glad” in it!  That’s right, it’s my choice and yours whether we will respond to ‘today’ with joy and delight in the Lord, or doubt what God is doing, pout about it, and drop out of the race that God has “set before us”!

A runner (and I’m certainly not physically one of those—I don’t even run to the mailbox on a good day!!  Ha ha) doesn’t get to pick his lane, his track or the competition; he simply shows up at the meet and prepares himself to run ‘his’ best race!  And that, my friends is what God asks us to do—today!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run

with patience

the race

that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.”   Hebrews 12:1-2

We are called to “run” our own race—today, by keeping our eyes “fixed” on Jesus—not the track, or the competition, or the length, or the roughness of the track! We are to keep looking to Jesus and the prize of HIS person!  He is the prize, and spending eternity with Him, and reveling in HIS glory.

God hasn’t called us to cry over the race we lost yesterday, or the race we might win tomorrow.  God calls us to run ‘today’; to run our own race; to run that race with our eyes on Jesus not self; to run that race with confidence in the Lord who saves us, who keeps us, and who supplies our every need today.  We serve a God who is faithful today—he may be slow (in our time schedule) but HE is never late. We are to run with the knowledge that Jesus ran HIS race for our salvation, “despising the shame” of the cross, but willing to stay there for you and me!

Peter calls us to remember the One who not only came to save us, by “being the way”, but He also left us an example of total faithfulness and trust in God for our yesterday, our today, and our tomorrow!  What are you ‘fixed’ on today?

“For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

leaving us an example,

that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did

no sin,

neither was guile found

in his mouth:

23 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.”   1 Peter 2:21:24

This precious Lamb of God who loves us and came to be “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”  (See John 1:29), takes away the sin of all who will come to Him in repentance and faith “TODAY”!  For those of us who have already trusted in Him, our todays are to be given to His service—each of them, to do with as HE pleases for our spiritual growth and His eternal glory.  If you don’t know Him, you can come to Him today—for yesterday is gone, and you have no assurance of a tomorrow!  Today is the day—it’s all you have.

“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”.  2 Corinthians 6:2

Today! The author of Hebrews reminds us that it is all about ‘today’ (note that in the KJV it is to-day).  What are you doing with your ‘today’?

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith,

To day if ye will hear his voice,

 8 Harden not your hearts,

as in the provocation, in the day of temptation                                in the wilderness…

…12 Take heed, brethren,

lest there be in any of you an evil heart

of unbelief,

 in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily,

 while it is called To day;

lest any of you be hardened

through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ,

 if we hold the beginning of our confidence

stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,

harden not your hearts,

as in the provocation.”  Hebrews 3:7-8 & 12-15

Here we see that God calls us to be sure that we have heard HIS voice!  As I often say, “Saying so, doesn’t’ make it so!”  We must be sure that we have had a “today” when we repented of our own personal sin, believing that Jesus death, burial and resurrection paid for our sin!  It’s why He came, and we can trust our ‘today’ to His faithful and loving sacrifice for ‘my’ sin!

What are you doing with today?  Rejecting Him?  Putting Him off till tomorrow?  Serving Him faithfully and spending your ‘today’ rejoicing in His presence in your life ‘today’? I simply call each of us to examine our ‘today’!  For, as the title says, “Today Is Only Today, Today”!  In Jesus our todays and tomorrows are totally secure, and our yesterdays can be forgiven and removed “as far as the east is from the west”!   (See Psalm 103:12)

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:

for the morrow shall take thought for the things

of itself.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”    Matthew 6:33-34

Amen and Amen!!!

I Only Have Today??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #525

23 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in TODAY, Today And Tomorrow, Transformed life

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #525    I Only Have Today???

 

“This is the day

which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice

and be glad

in it.”   Psalm 118:24

We attended the funeral of a dear friend earlier this week; a man whom I watched grow in the Lord and become a mighty man of The Word. I don’t say this to brag on anyone but Jesus: to remind you and me that we have today and we can choose to do God’s work this day (and each today that God grants to us) or not. My friend and his wife chose to seek God’s face through His Word, to be what God called them to ‘be’—which led to their ability to ‘do’ what God led them to do.

My friend learned to seek and depend on God for each day. Having physical issues that made him very cognizant of his mortality and dependence on God, he gave testimony that he was truly rejoicing in the “day which the LORD hath made”, and being grateful for each one that God granted him, to use each one wisely and well. We were blessed to visit with him the day he died and he was still smiling and we had a great prayer time together! My friend chose to serve God through it all, and I thank God for the treasure of his friendship through the years! Yet so often I have encountered people who are “on hold” toward God.

What do I mean? I mean that many people put God “on hold” as they are looking for a “better day” to serve God. “I’ll serve The Lord when I get this new job.” “I’ll join your Bible study class when the kids get in school.” “I’ll praise God when things turn around!”   “I can’t serve God ‘now’, I have 7 ballgames to attend.” “I’ll get involved in the church when we get our new house finished.” And this list could go on and on. But the Psalmist brings reality into focus, calling us to recognize that today is all we have to use—yesterday has passed– tomorrow may not come. We are to live each day with, for and by the power of God in all we do!

“Boast not thyself of to morrow;

for thou knowest not

what a day may bring forth.”   Proverbs 27:1

What’s your plan for today? Does it include time for God? Does your day start with God, or do you find yourself at the end of the day, saying to yourself and/or God, “I’m sorry, I just ran out of time to seek you Lord!” We each have the same “time bank balance” every day; we are each given the same 24 hours daily—it’s up to us what we do with them.

Jesus addressed this same issue and calls us to live for Him today, each day, in all that we do, and not plan Him right out of our lives. Jesus never called us to be haphazard nor careless in the care of our loved ones, but He does call us to seek HIM first! I’ll simply leave you with the words of our Lord and Master and let them sink into your heart and mind—use today while you have it. God will lead and guide if we will but listen, hear and obey!

“Behold the fowls of the air:

for they sow not,

neither do they reap,

nor gather into barns;

yet your heavenly Father

feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought

can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field,

how they grow;

they toil not,

neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you,

That even Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed

like one of these.

30 Wherefore,

if God so clothe the grass of the field,

which to day is,

and to morrow is cast into the oven,

shall he not much more

clothe you,

O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father knoweth

that ye have need

of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought

for the morrow:

for the morrow

shall take thought

for the things

of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”   Matthew 6:26-34

Amen and Amen.

 

Looking Ahead With Confidence??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #518

28 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by in 'Tis The Season?, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Commitment Or Convenience, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Encouragement, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Grace, Growing in Jesus!, Holy Spirit, JESUS, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Perseverance, The Lord Is My Shepherd, The Word, The Word Or The World?, TODAY, Tomorrow, Trust God

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #518 Looking Ahead With Confidence???

 

As we approach a new year ahead, let’s take a few minutes to assess our progress. It is helpful to look back and consider our successes and our failures, and while I’m not much on making “resolutions” for the New Year, I do think we can benefit from asking God to help us see where we can improve our walk with HIM! As we seek His face and the leadership of His precious Holy Spirit, we can press on faithfully. And while not dwelling on it, we can consider our past while we pursue the present that God is calling us to! But remember that the enemy will try to keep us focused on our failures, paralyzing us to going forward with Jesus—don’t listen to him! Paul gives us some good advice in this arena.

“Brethren,

I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling of God

in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 3:13-14

We must accept the past as just that—passed! While our past will always affect our present and our future it doesn’t have to dictate our direction or paralyze us from serving our Lord! God has called us to be a reflection of HIS glory to a lost and dying world, and He will supply our every need as we walk forward in HIS service.

“But ye are a chosen generation,

a royal priesthood,

an holy nation,

a peculiar people;

that ye should shew forth the praises

of him who hath called you

out of darkness

into his marvellous light:

10 Which in time past were not a people,

but are now the people of God:

which had not obtained mercy,

but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

When we receive the mercy of God, we are equipped for HIS service, by His power and might—so we can go forward in confidence regardless of our past, for it has “passed”.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,

beseech you

that ye walk worthy

of the vocation

wherewith ye are called,”    Ephesians 4:1

We are His called, and He will accomplish His purpose in us as we yield to His Spirit, and walk in His strength, according to His Word and His grace. He is ever at work making us more like our Lord and Master, Jesus. You can take heart, for God is ever at work in and through His own.

“And we know

that all things work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

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.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?” Romans 8:28-31

I pray that you know HIM, and will commit yourself anew to yield to His working in you. He is your shepherd and His voice is ever leading you, and if you haven’t been listening—you can change that today!!!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.” John 10:27-30

If you don’t know HIM—I pray that you will hear His voice and invite Him in to sit on the throne of your heart! He is calling—won’t you open the door today? I pray that God will make Himself real to YOU today, for as Jesus says:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice, and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”   Revelation 3:20

It’s All About Jesus!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #509

16 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by in Amazing Grace, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Glory, Grace, JESUS, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Life, Praise God Today!, The Word, TODAY

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #509  It’s All About Jesus!!!

 

“For I am the least of the apostles,

that am not meet to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God

I am

what I am:

and his grace

which was bestowed upon me

was not in vain;

but I laboured more abundantly than they all:

yet not I,

but the grace of God

which was with me.

11 Therefore whether it were I

or they,

so we preach,

and so ye believed.”   1 Corinthians 15:9-11

I praise God for these words of Paul—“ by the grace of God I am what I am”! What a glorious confidence we can have in Jesus Christ our Lord, for He works His work in us through grace not our own frail efforts/works which Isaiah describes as “filthy rags”! (See Isaiah 64:6) We are to work for Jesus out of His power, grace and strength—never our own; so He can display His wondrous power before a lost and dying world who needs to see Him in us! You and I may be the only “Bible” that some may ever read; and if that is true what are they reading in me today?

We are to seek Him continually in prayer and Bible study—that is where we will grow in Him and He will take what we give to Him and transform it into HIS image for His glory! We simply need to press on with, for and through the power of Jesus Christ our Lord, learning to know Him more intimately each and every day! It’s simple but not easy—it requires devotion and commitment to the things of God rather that the things that call us from a dark and corrupt world trying to rob us of our testimony and influence—don’t succumb to the “wiles of the devil”, but press on with Jesus!

“That I may know him,

and the power

of his resurrection,

and the fellowship

of his sufferings,

being made conformable

unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained,

either were already perfect:

but I follow after,

if that I may apprehend

that for which also

I am apprehended of Christ Jesus

13 Brethren, I count not myself

to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling of God

in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 3:10-14

I can do this because of what Jesus has done for me/us!!! His life for mine—for yours! And when He dwells in us we can go forward in HIS power, love and grace!!! Press on dear ones—press on, so that:

“I may know him,

and the power

of his resurrection,

and the fellowship

of his sufferings”

Grace, my friends –grace that saves lost sinners like me!                                       Grace that takes cracked pots and makes us a glory to God!                                    Grace that heals broken hearts and lives, and makes them vessels of honor unto God! Amen! But how? By the indwelling of our Lord via His Holy Spirit living within us and empowering us for “His” work—not our own! (See Jn. 4:34)

“To whom God would make known

what is the riches

of the glory

of this mystery

among the Gentiles;

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory:”   Colossians 1:27

Remember to “forget” “those things which are behind” for God has a new day for you to live today– Right here—Right now. Go for it friend, just keep those eyes on Jesus!

“Looking unto Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

 

Knowing that: “……. he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25b

Amen and Amen!!!

 

What Time Is It??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No.15

20 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Dependence, Faith, For Such A Time As This, Holy Spirit, I Can Do All Things?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Made like Jesus!, Our God Reigns, Sovereignty, The Lord Is My Shepherd, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Thy Will Be Done, Time Is Grace!, TODAY, Tomorrow, Trust God, Wait on the Lord

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 15    What Time Is It???

 

We’ve been talking a lot about rushing and resting lately, and I’d like to continue in this vein of thought—from a biblical perspective. For without a biblical perspective we don’t have God’s perspective, and that’s how I pray that I/we can learn to view the world. As an old adage says, “Looking through ‘rose-colored’ glasses”, I’d like us to consider whether we are looking at the world with God’s view or the worlds’! Whose ‘glasses’ are we using?

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”   Hebrews 12:1-3

We must make it a priority to keep our eyes “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”. And when we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will enable us to see things through His eyes—to respond appropriately to any and every situation that we encounter. We can walk in the light that Jesus IS and that HE will provide to His own.

“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

Jesus is that light and HE will light our way, helping us see things as HE sees them, not as the world does—and there IS a difference.

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word

which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”   John 15:1-5

Jesus makes it more than clear, that when we walk in the Spirit—His Holy Spirit—we can accomplish HIS work rather than our own; just as Jesus was doing God’s will/work!

“But he said unto them,

I have meat to eat

that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them,

My meat is to do the will

of him that sent me,

and to finish his work.” John 4:32-34

We can choose our own way or God’s! What about you?

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…..

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”    Galatians 5:16 & 25

The problem we fight continually is the battle between our flesh and The Holy Spirit of Christ, which dwells within us! And it is a fight that we can win by the power of God alone. This has always been true and it’s still true now, and when we will walk ‘in The Spirit’, we are not only able to succeed in God’s work, but we can trust to HIS timing, and rest in His perfect grace and provision.

“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

Oh, what a wonderful promise fulfilled by the indwelling Holy Spirit given to us by the work of Christ Jesus at the cross.

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith

into this grace wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience;

and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.”    Romans 5:1-5

We can “glory in tribulations” because we know who we are ‘in Jesus’, and that His Holy Spirit is ever helping us know God’s will and God’s ways, and to walk in HIS peace! The “peace of God, that passeth all understanding”! We can truly learn to trust to, and rest in “His Time” in all things! And while it’s not easy, it is doable! Amen and amen! All by the power of God’s Holy Spirit!

Solomon shared this truth with us in such a beautiful way:

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:”     Ecclesiastes 3:11a

God’s timetable may not always match our expectations, but that’s what trust is all about—knowing that HE is GOD, and I am NOT! Ouch! Sometimes what looks good to us now, may not be the best for us and/or those around us.

“For man also knoweth not his time:

as the fishes that are taken in an evil net,

and as the birds that are caught in the snare;

so are the sons of men snared

in an evil time,

when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun,

and it seemed great unto me:”    Ecclesiastes 9:12-13

We aren’t always able to discern between appearance and what really is! But praise God Almighty, HE can and does see all things, and HE is at work on our behalf with one goal in mind, to conform us into the image of our Lord Jesus. So, I simply want to close with one of my favorite passages from Romans, and tell you that for years I never knew that there was a verse ‘29’! God isn’t erratic or unfeeling—all those things that come into our lives, and their timing are in the hands of our loving God with one purpose in mind! All that He sends, allows, and permits to come into our lives is to make us more like Jesus—no ‘ifs’, no ‘ands’, and no ‘buts’! Remember HE makes all things “beautiful in his time”—not mine! I hope this will minister to you this week as it has to me in recent days. Faithful is HE that has promised—and if you have been born again, HE is at your side!!!

“And we know that all things

work together

for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

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.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?”   Romans 8:28-31

IN HIS TIME!!!!