Category Archives: Troubles

All His Ways Are Good??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #453

13 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Changed Lives, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Follow Me, God of all comfort!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Made like Jesus!, Praise God Today!, Rest In The Lord, The Only Way, Trials, Troubles, Trust God

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #453 All His Ways Are Good???

 

God is ever at work in our lives—and HE is good all the time, for goodness is HIS nature! He is righteous and true, holy and just, He IS love– among His other attributes. As I heard it described recently, God isn’t a jumble of part goodness, part love and part all these other things to make a “Job’s mix”; but God is 100% love, 100% truth, and on and on with all the attributes of God! So as God is working in our lives, HE is always just, true and He is love! When things seem to overwhelm us, our God has it in control—whether for our instruction, our growth, our correction, or our increased usefulness in the Kingdom!

“Behold, happy is the man

whom God correcteth:

therefore despise not thou

the chastening

of the Almighty:

18 For he maketh sore,

and bindeth up:

he woundeth,

and his hands make whole.”   Job 5:17-18

As an old praise song says:

“Praise Him in the morning, Praise Him in the noontime. Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him when the sun goes down!” (Lyrics by Byron Cage)

We are to praise Him with our lives, not just our tongues, and when our hearts are set on HIM, we will find the peace, confidence, and joy that comes only from walking with Jesus! And we can walk with complete confidence in God’s sovereignty in every thing that is going on in our lives. Just “fix your eyes” on Jesus and:

“Trust in the LORD,

and do good;

so shalt thou dwell in the land,

and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and he shall give thee the desires

of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;

trust also in him;

and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness

as the light,

and thy judgment

as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD,

and wait patiently for him:

fret not thyself

because of him who prospereth

in his way,

because of the man who bringeth

wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger,

and forsake wrath:

fret not thyself

in any wise

to do evil.” Psalm 37:3-8

God is ever working on our behalf and I pray that you can find comfort today for whatever issues you are facing. God is at work on behalf of His children, whether for correction, or for training, or to draw you nearer to Himself!

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation

which speaketh unto you

as unto children,

My son, despise not thou the chastening

of the Lord,

nor faint

when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son

whom he receiveth.” Hebrews 12:5-6

Scripture goes on to assure us that God is ever working in our lives for our good and His glory, that we will be a minister to others in all our ways—often when we’re not even looking!!!

“Now no chastening for the present

seemeth to be joyous,

but grievous:

nevertheless afterward

it yieldeth

the peaceable fruit of righteousness

unto them

which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands

which hang down,

and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths

for your feet,

lest that which is lame

be turned out of the way;

but let it rather be healed.”    Hebrews 12:11-13

So whatever you are facing, remember that God is at work in all who belong to Him. And if you don’t belong to HIM, you can come to HIM today!

“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

I WILL Trust In YOU, LORD!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #451

06 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Fearfulness, Fearlessness, Growing in Jesus!, I Will Never Leave You, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Look UP, Made like Jesus!, Safe In The Storm!, Sanctuary, The Word, Trials, Troubles, Trust God

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #451 I WILL Trust In YOU, LORD!!!

 

We all have trials and difficulties—it’s common to all of us—but what’s not common is the ability to trust our past, present and future to The Lord God Almighty through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, I want to take a few minutes this morning to remind us all to just look up!

“And when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

and lift up your heads;

for your redemption

draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

I know the immediate context of this verse is the “latter days”, yet we can take heart today because this is true whenever or whatever the difficulty, or how hard of a trial we are encountering. Our hope is in our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and HE will see us through. It hasn’t caught Him by surprise, and as one of my favorite evangelists says, “God never says, ‘oops’!” And I’m sure glad that’s true. God is ever at work molding His own and making us more and more like The Son.

“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.” Romans 8:28-29

God’s purpose for you and for me is that we will become more and more like Jesus!!! And my dear friends, when we get a hold on that reality, it will transform how we view the difficulties that come upon us! God isn’t wasting one iota of our circumstances—HE is orchestrating them to lead us closer to Himself, and more like Jesus!!! I can’t balk at that!

So whatever your situation or circumstance today, step back and take another look up, and remember that God has YOU in HIS hand, and He’s not letting go! You can trust Him and overcome your fears and frustrations when we just remember to “lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”! And I believer He is more “nigh” than we believe! Take heart my friend—don’t be afraid—don’t give up—press on—for we win!

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

And our old standby reminder:

“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

Blessings on your day, and remember—Look UP! Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

In The Shadows??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #441

02 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Me, God of all comfort!, Growing in Jesus!, I Will Never Leave You, Love, Perseverance, Rest In The Lord, Shadows, The Only Way, The Word, TODAY, Troubles

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #441        In The Shadows???

 

There are many around us today who are going through difficult circumstances, trying times, and deep sorrows and grief, so I thought we’d take a few minutes today to remind ourselves that even though the “shadows” come, we serve the God of light—He is light, and He walks with His own—even in the dark!

Daniel rehearsed the character of God as he praised HIM for answering his prayer for help along with his three friends, who were in peril of their lives. It is an amazing reminder of who our God IS, and that we can praise HIM also! Today!!!

“Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God

for ever and ever:

for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times

and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth the deep

and secret things:

he knoweth what is in the darkness,

and the light dwelleth with him.”    Daniel 2:20-22

God knows the valley that you are going through—no matter how dark it seems, no matter how long that valley may seem, and He is with us through it all.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil:

for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff

they comfort me.”   Psalm 23:4

I pray that this brief post will encourage your heart today no matter where you are, or what you may be going through; and that you will remember that God never wastes any opportunity to use our circumstances to grow us in His grace– and to display His love and grace in us, making us a beacon of His love, light and grace to a world that needs Jesus!!! A world that is in the dark!

“Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort them

which are in any trouble,

by the comfort

wherewith we ourselves

are comforted of God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ

abound in us,

so our consolation also

aboundeth by Christ.”   2 Corinthians 1:2-5

And this “God of all comfort” is ready to comfort and encourage you today; won’t you look up and open your heart and mind to see His hand extended to you! And as I close our time together today, I’d like to share an old gospel song that God brought to my mind as I sat here writing this post. May it comfort and encourage you and it has my heart so often through the years, especially when those “shadows deepen, and my heart bleeds”!

We’ll Talk It Over

By Ira Stanphill

“Tho’ shadows deepen, and my heart bleeds,
I will not question the way He leads;
This side of Heaven we know in part,
I will not question a broken heart. 

We’ll talk it over in the bye and bye.
We’ll talk it over, my Lord and I.
I’ll ask the reasons – He’ll tell me why,
When we talk it over in the bye and bye. 

I’ll trust His leading, He’ll never fail,
Thru darkest tunnels or misty vales.
Obey his bidding and faithful be,
Tho’ only one step ahead I see. 

We’ll talk it over in the bye and bye.
We’ll talk it over, my Lord and I.
I’ll ask the reasons – He’ll tell me why,
When we talk it over in the bye and bye. 

I’ll hide my heartache behind a smile
And wait for reasons ’til after while.
And tho’ He try me, I know I’ll find
That all my burdens are silver lined. 

We’ll talk it over in the bye and bye.
We’ll talk it over, my Lord and I.
I’ll ask the reasons – He’ll tell me why,
When we talk it over in the bye and bye.”

May you recognize that our awesome “God of all comfort” is simply waiting for you to reach out to HIM!!! Have a blessed day my friend and know you are loved and prayed for. Amen and Amen!!!

Clean And Pure! Really??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #437

16 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Anger, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Holiness, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Living Right, Made like Jesus!, Purify Your Hearts, Salvation, The Only Way, The Word, Trials, Troubles, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #437   Clean And Pure! Really???

 

We talked last time about Jesus—the real “Valentine”—The One who loves us and gave Himself for our salvation. But how are we to live this life of faith—the life of a child of God. Well there’s only One way to have a clean and pure walk with God, and that’ to walk with HIM, by the power of His Spirit.

“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

Only by God’s power can we succeed in any part of life, and He has given His Holy Spirit to dwell within each one whom He saves.

“That we should be to the praise of his glory,

who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted,

after that ye heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation:

in whom also after that ye believed,

ye were sealed with that holy Spirit

of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance

until the redemption

of the purchased possession,

unto the praise

of his glory.”    Ephesians 1:12-14

Praise God it is HIS power not our own! As I’m was sitting here writing this—an interruption came! An interruption that has attempted to steal my joy and the power of HIS Spirit in me; an attempt to get my heart and mind off of my Lord and onto the works of my flesh—anger and frustration that take our minds off of HIM and onto ‘me’! But thanks to God’s gentle reminder, I am His and “this too shall pass”, and it’s: “Not by might,

nor by power,

but by my spirit,

saith the LORD of hosts”!

Talk about an ‘object lesson’ right in the middle of this post—God is so good—and He brought this very verse that I was about to write, right into my heart and mind for real!

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,

The spirit that dwelleth in us

lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.” James 4:5-8

Lord, I thank you that YOU remind me when my heart and mind start being distracted and get dirty by the interruptions of the world. Help me to “Cleanse” my hands and to “purify” my heart when the enemy tries to distract me from my calling!!! I’m so grateful that you are ever with us, working to make us more like our Master, our Lord and Savior, Jesus!!! May Jesus be praised in us always—and that can only happen when we yield to Your Spirit who is working within us 24/7! Amen and Amen. May you let God reveal your distractions to you today too!

“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….

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

shall tribulation,

or distress,

or persecution,

or famine,

or nakedness,

or peril,

or sword?

36 As it is written,

For thy sake

we are killed

all the day long;

we are accounted as sheep

for the slaughter.

37 Nay,

in all these things

we are more than conquerors

through him that loved us.”   Romans 8:28-29 & 35-37

Amen and Amen!!!

No Other Hope!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #434

07 Wednesday Feb 2018

Posted by in Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, HOPE, Jesus Is The Only Way!, The Word, Trials, Troubles

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #434    No Other Hope!!!

 

“Who hath saved us,

and called us with an holy calling,

not according to our works,

but according to his own purpose

and grace,

which was given us in Christ Jesus

before the world began,……..

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things:

nevertheless I am not ashamed:

for I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded

that he is able

to keep that

which I have committed

unto him

against that day.”   2 Timothy 1:9 & 12

I love the old Hymn taken right from this song, and it reverberates in my heart even this morning as my heart is heavy for people that I love who are in hard places! We all have times in hard places—some more difficult and heart wrenching than we can even imagine or communicate to others, but our GOD is faithful and HE hasn’t forgotten about YOU! And my friends, that is one of the reasons that God gives us each other—to carry the load; to bear the burden; to lift up the prayers; to grieve with those who can’t bear the burden alone!

“Bear ye one another’s burdens,

and so fulfil the law of Christ.”   Galatians 6:2

We can only bear the burdens of others because God is carrying us—the living Lord Jesus Christ “who loved me, and gave himself for me”, who not only died for me/us, but HE lives for us, ever interceding for His own, especially those who are so burdened that they have stumbled under the load, and cannot carry their burden alone!

“Wherefore he is able also

to save them

to the uttermost

that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth

to make intercession for them.”   Hebrews 7:25

Did you get that? Jesus is alive and is faithful to “make intercession” for YOU and me, my dear friends! Talk about a prayer warrior!!! The Prince of Heaven is ever making intercession for us! And because HE is who HE is—we can press on, knowing that He isn’t a dead savior, but our living Lord! Even Job had this great assurance!

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand

at the latter day

upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body,

yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself,

and mine eyes shall behold,

and not another;

though my reins be consumed

within me.”   Job 19:25-27

Job declared His confidence in God, regardless of how his circumstances seemed to contradict his relationship with God—Job knew who he knew, and who knew him!!!

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:1

We must simply decide where we will place our faith, our confidence! Will it be in men, in our circumstance, in doctors or drugs, in any other thing upon this earth? Or will we remember that our God REIGNS, and trust Him with it all, regardless of what our eyes behold or our ears hear?

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom,

neither shall fruit be in the vines;

the labour of the olive shall fail,

and the fields shall yield no meat;

the flock shall be cut off from the fold,

and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 The LORD God is my strength,

and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet,

and he will make me to walk

upon mine high places……”   Habakkuk 3:17-19

We serve a faithful God, The Lord who is at work no matter how things may look. So, whatever you’re going through, no matter how dark the skies may appear, no matter how tired and weary-to-the-bone you may be—look up–your “redemption draweth nigh”, and cast “all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

“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   Amen!!!