Bible Ballistics: BBs  #385 Erasing The Lines???

As I’ve watched the ‘news’ lately (which I don’t do often, because it’s so ‘not’ new), I was taken with a thought that I’d like to share with you today. It seems that all of the ‘old’ ideas, principles, morals and standards are being erased little by little, and much like the frog in the pot of water that is turned up gradually, we have been lulled into ignoring the danger about us. We are about to find ourselves in a lot of hot water! The lines are being erased, and those of us that still believe that there ought to be ‘lines’ may find that we are in that proverbial pot of hot water when it’s too late to jump out of the pot. It seems that many around us are truly jumping ‘out of the frying pan, and into the fire’!

Those of us who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ The Lord, must reassess where we are—are we focusing on Jesus or have we allowed ourselves to become so wrapped up in the events going on about us that we have forgotten the call of Jesus to be salt and light in a world of darkness? Are we, like an old McKamey’s gospel song, “Getting Used To The Dark”? May God help us to see that He has never lost control and we don’t need to panic, or join forces with evil, or compromise our Biblical faith and standards—but we must recognize the enemy and be willing to “withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand”! But to stand, we must know what we ‘stand’ for.

“In the beginning

God

           created the heaven and the earth.”     Genesis 1:1

It all began with God, and He hasn’t lost control yet! Our God still reigns and He is working in this world, and He will accomplish His purposes in His own time, but to be found faithful we must know truth and stand fast in it, by the power of His Spirit (who dwells within every true believer)!

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,

Alleluia:

for the Lord God

omnipotent

reigneth.” Revelation 19:6

Amen and Amen! This should be our battle cry, and yes friends we are in a spiritual battle, but so many who are claiming the name of Jesus are trying to fight the battle with worldly weapons and that is not what we are called to do. We have a higher calling, with a higher purpose—we are called to obey Jesus, even when it may cost us everything. And in this day we may be called to join those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for following the commands of our Lord Jesus. Are we willing to be like Jim Elliott and Nate Saint and their friends, and go where God sends us, armed with HIS weapons? We must be willing and able, and to do that we must know what our weapons are, and what they are not!

“For though we walk in the flesh,

we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

but mighty through God

to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations,

and every high thing

that exalteth itself

against the knowledge

of God,

and bringing into captivity

every thought

to the obedience of Christ;”     2 Corinthians 10:3-5

And believe me friends, when I say, Jesus has never called HIS people to walk in the flesh, to sin, to erase the lines! It’s not ok to sin! It’s not ok to hate! It’s not ok to be mean, to speak ungodly things, to run rampant with riot and mindless vengeance! God calls us to bring every thought—every thought—captive “to the obedience of Christ”! And we can walk in obedience to Jesus, because it is Jesus that is holding it all together, but we must depend on HIS faithfulness and sovereign power. He IS still on the throne with His Father!!

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days

spoken unto us

by his Son,

whom he hath appointed heir

of all things,

by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory,

and the express image of his person, and upholding all things

by the word of his power,

when he had by himself

purged our sins,

sat down

on the right hand

of the Majesty on high;”     Hebrews 1:1-3

We who serve the living God and His Son, Jesus, are to walk in His Spirit that and “not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Yet what is going on all around us? Full-blown “lust of the flesh”! In most of our world people have forsaken the truth of God and chosen to believe the lies—from the ‘father of lies’, Satan. But God has made it clear that the lines haven’t been erased. Sin is still sin and God will judge every person according to HIS Word and His standard, not the world’s! Will you stand in “the power of HIS might”, or fall to the “wiles of the devil”? The lines haven’t been erased, and God’s standard will be the judge. Where do you stand?

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul           and spirit,

and of the joints          and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things are naked

and opened

unto the eyes

of him

with whom

we have to do.”   Hebrews 4:12-13

What/who are you choosing to follow? Will you believe and follow God’s Word or the ‘eraser’ of the world? Will you choose the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ or the ‘works of the flesh’? It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test at the end, and Jesus IS “the same yesterday, and today and forever”—no erasers allowed:

“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 3:19