Daniel Prayed–Will You??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #591

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #591  Daniel Prayed–Will You???

 

I would like to paraphrase of a passage of scripture that has grabbed my heart this week as I was reading and studying for a Bible study class.  I pray that it will reach out to your heart and call each of us to be willing to identify with the desperate condition of our land, our culture, and our world!  I will share my paraphrase and at the end Daniel’s actual prayer.  I would encourage you to spend some time in Daniel chapter 9 this week.

I determined to pray,

fast,

and seek God’s face

in total mourning. 

I prayed unto The Lord, my God;

confessing my own sin

as well as the sin of my people. 

I praised God for His awesome power and might, for His faithfulness to keep His word, His covenants, and His promises—both those for blessings and those for judgment.

O Lord, we have sinned, doing wrong, behaving wickedly, rebelling against YOU, oh Lord, and we have forsaken Your Word, Your will, and Your ways.

We have not heeded or listened to those you sent to preach truth to us all; to our fathers and mothers; to our teachers and professors, to our mayors, governors, congressional leaders, and our judges and presidents; to all the people of our land!

O Lord, you are the righteous Lord of all, and even knowing your truth, we have rejected You, Your word, and Your ways.  We deserve the confusion and chaos that is rampant in our land, for we have turned away from You to go our own way—those who claim Your name as well as those who don’t know you at all—those in the country—those in the city—those who are educated—those who are less educated; all have walked away from Your way!

O Lord, we deserve the consequences of our choices that have come upon us, but by Thy mercy we have not been totally consumed—the small and the great—the rich and the poor—those of every political persuasion!  We have abandoned truth for lies, and now can’t grasp how we could be in the shape that we are in.  We have sinned against You!   

Praise Your name, O Lord, for we have abandoned You, and yet your mercy has been extended to us beyond measure.  You have called us again and again back to Yourself, yet we have continued to refuse to respond in repentance or faith!

You have called again and again, yet we have all refused to hear Your word, and can’t comprehend why we are reaping the harvest that we sowed!

We haven’t heeded Your Word and or responded to your grace and truth, instead we have continued to cling to our sinful and wicked ways, doing our best to relabel all our pet sins and legitimize them.

O Lord, we don’t deserve your mercy because of our great sin, but O Lord, we ask that you restore us to your favor by bringing conviction, grace and truth to those who will heed.  Spare us from your judgment, which we totally deserve, and save us.

 O Lord, hear the prayer of your servants, and save us today?  You are righteous, holy and good—and we need the salvation that Jesus bought for us at Calvary!

O Lord, hear? 

O Lord, forgive? 

Oh Lord, hearken and do

your work of grace and redemption upon our land,

not because we deserve it,

but because of Your great love and mercy!  Amen and Amen

And here is Daniel’s prayer for his people, made in total identification with his sinful people, may we not exalt ourselves, but identify with our fallen nation and seek God’s face while there is still time.

And I set my face unto the Lord God,

to seek by prayer and supplications,

with fasting,

and sackcloth,

and ashes:

4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said,

O Lord, the great and dreadful God,

keeping the covenant and mercy

to them

that love him,

and to them

that keep his commandments;

5 We have sinned,

and have committed iniquity,

and have done wickedly,

and have rebelled,

even by departing from thy precepts

and from thy judgments:

6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants

the prophets,

which spake in thy name

to our kings,

our princes,

and our fathers,

and to all the people of the land.

7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee,

but unto us confusion of faces,

as at this day;

to the men of Judah,

and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and unto all Israel,

that are near,

and that are far off,

through all the countries

whither thou hast driven them,

because of their trespass

that they have trespassed against thee.

8 O Lord,

to us belongeth confusion of face,

to our kings,

to our princes,

and to our fathers,

because we have sinned against thee.

9 To the Lord our God belong

mercies

and forgivenesses,

though we have rebelled against him;

10 Neither have we obeyed

the voice of the LORD our God,

to walk in his laws,

which he set before us

by his servants

the prophets.

11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law,

even by departing,

that they might not obey thy voice;

therefore the curse is poured upon us,

and the oath that is written

in the law of Moses the servant of God,

because we have sinned against him.

12 And he hath confirmed his words,

which he spake against us,

and against our judges that judged us,

by bringing upon us a great evil:

for under the whole heaven hath not

been done as hath been done

upon Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses,

all this evil is come upon us:

yet made we not our prayer

before the LORD our God,

that we might turn from our iniquities,

and understand thy truth.

14 Therefore hath the LORD watched

upon the evil,

and brought it upon us:

for the LORD our God is righteous

in all his works which he doeth:

for we obeyed not his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God,

that hast brought thy people forth

out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand,

and hast gotten thee renown,

as at this day;

we have sinned,

we have done wickedly.

16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness,

I beseech thee,

let thine anger and thy fury

be turned away from thy city Jerusalem,

thy holy mountain:

because for our sins,

and for the iniquities of our fathers,

Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach

to all that are about us.

17 Now therefore, O our God,

hear the prayer of thy servant,

and his supplications,

and cause thy face to shine

upon thy sanctuary that is desolate,

for the Lord’s sake.

18 O my God,

incline thine ear,

and hear;

open thine eyes,

and behold our desolations,

and the city which is called by thy name:

for we do not present our supplications

before thee

for our righteousnesses,

but for thy great mercies.

19 O Lord, hear;

O Lord, forgive;

O Lord, hearken

and do; defer not,

for thine own sake,

O my God:

for thy city

and thy people

are called by thy name.”   Daniel 9:2-19

Even so Lord Jesus!  Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

 

God’s Standard Will Stand–Will You??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #590

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #590  God’s Standard Will Stand-Will You???

 

We live in a culture that becomes more and more focused on ‘self’ each day.  But we who have been “born…..of God” and cleansed by “the blood of Jesus Christ” must remember to keep our eyes on Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith”!  We must recognize the danger, the lies and the deceit of the enemy of our souls—the enemy of the souls of all men, and “stand fast in the evil day”!  Today, I simply want to share from The Word of God some things to remind us of His truth, even when it’s hard!

Every person must come to Jesus on their own, and no matter how much we pray for it, or desire if for others, only the convicting power of the Holy Spirit can open the eyes of the spiritually blind—may we ever pray for His work to continue, and that we will share God’s truth at every opportunity—spreading the seed as we ask HIM to bring the harvest!

Then said I,

Woe is me!

for I am undone;

because I am a man of unclean lips,

and I dwell in the midst

of a people of unclean lips:

for mine eyes have seen the King,

the LORD of hosts.”  Isaiah 6:5

Isaiah came face to face with God (spiritually) and recognized his sin, and God delivered him from his sin, and that is what we each must do at some point!  We must acknowledge our sin, for if one has no sin—why would he/she need a savior?  Jesus said that repentance is the flip side of faith, for until I see “me” as a sinner, I’ll never need to trust Him, for I have it all under control (I think!).  Jesus is the answer—but until ‘I’ recognize the need, the answer is of no benefit to ‘me’!

And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Jesus Himself makes this very thing clear!

I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them,

think ye that they were sinners

above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:3-5

We can point fingers at other sinners, but without repentance and faith in Jesus, we are in the same boat as they!  Yet, you may ask, what is the standard?  The standard is “The Word Of God”—both the written Word and The Living Word, Jesus!

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

And my friends—it is Godwith whom we have to do”!  While I can’t judge your heart (for sometimes we can’t even truly judge our own hearts), God can and will.  There is a day of reckoning coming, and I pray that you will heed the voice of God speaking to you today and respond in repentance and faith!

And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face the earth and the heaven

fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged out of those things

which were written in the books,

according to their works.”   Revelation 20:11-12

Paul reminds us as well:

For it is written,

As I live, saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow

to me,

and every tongue shall confess

to God.

12 So then every one of us

shall give account

of himself

to God.”   Romans 14:11-12

So, my question for us today is, are you/I ready to give an account?  It is an account that will be measured by God’s standard, not our own.  We can choose to bow before Him now as our Lord and Savior, or we will bow before Judge Jesus with no recourse of grace!  The choice is yours/mine but choose wisely for there is a test coming!

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

Just remember hell is hot and eternity is long—your choice about Jesus will determine your future.  Defy Him or follow Him—the choice is yours!

Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life

for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?

27 For the Son of man shall come

in the glory of his Father

with his angels;

and then

he shall reward every man

according to his works.”   Matthew 16:24-27

And remember if you belong to Jesus:

Ye are of God,

little children,

and have overcome them:

because greater is he

that is in you,

than he

that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4

Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

 

Faithful When We Are Faithless??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 06

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Bible Ballistics: Vol.14 No.06 Faithful When We Are Faithless???

 

I have a word for today that I want to talk about with you all– faith—an oft misused and misunderstood term, but the bedrock and the very core of the Gospel we believe in.  The author of Hebrews put it in a nutshell for us, if you will.

Now faith is the substance

of things hoped for,

the evidence

of things not seen…

…6 But without faith

it is impossible

to please him:

for he that cometh to God

must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder

of them

that diligently seek him.”    Hebrews 11:1, 6

We must seek HIM—but it is HIS grace, convicting power, and the drawing of the Holy Spirit that calls us and draws us to Him.  Isaiah told of it, and even Jesus pictures it!

Seek ye the LORD

while he may be found,

call ye upon him

while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake

his way,

and the unrighteous man

his thoughts:

and let him return

unto the LORD,

and he will have mercy

upon him;

and to our God,

for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts

are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways

my ways,

saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens

are higher than the earth,

so are my ways

higher than your ways,

and my thoughts

than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain

cometh down,

and the snow

from heaven,

and returneth not thither,

but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud,

that it may give seed to the sower,

and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be

that goeth forth

out of my mouth:

it shall not return unto me

void,

but it shall accomplish

that which I please,

and it shall prosper

in the thing whereto I sent it.”   Isaiah 55:6-11

God is calling and has always called us to Himself—salvation is the work of God, not of our own hands!  If you don’t know Him, Jesus is calling you to Himself today; He has paid the price for your sin and mine!  And faith is being willing to see our sin, as sin, repenting of it, and receiving the sacrifice that HE has paid for all whosoever will!

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

Have you answered the door?  Maybe you have opened the door, yet lost hope due to your circumstances, well God knows your heart and your circumstances; and He also understands when we are too weak to hold on—that’s why HE holds us!

Jesus said unto him,

If thou canst believe,

all things are possible

to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child

cried out,

and said with tears,

Lord, I believe;

help thou mine unbelief.”  Mark 9:23-24

Oh, how often I have cried out to my Lord Jesus in this way—times when faith seems so distant that I can’t bear it, and yet the God who called me to Himself always meets me there; and He will meet you where you are!  No matter the difficulty, God is able to lift us up!  Praise be to HIS name!  Our God knows your heart, and even when we stand in danger of the fires of persecution, discouragement, or just plain weariness, our God is able.  We can stand with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, their Jewish names—each reflecting the character of God); and just as these three had Jesus meet them in the fire, remember that He will never allow you to go through it alone either.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

answered and said to the king,

O Nebuchadnezzar,

we are not careful to answer thee

in this matter.

17 If it be so,

our God

whom we serve

is able to deliver us

from the burning fiery furnace,

and he will deliver us

out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not,

be it known unto thee, O king,

that we will not serve thy gods,

nor worship the golden image

which thou hast set up.”    Daniel 3:16-18

We can trust ourselves to HIM just as these three did, for HE is always there (where ever ‘there’ is for you today!)!

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

Jesus Himself assured us of His presence—even when we fail, as we often do–HE is ever faithful to keep His own.

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

Have you heard His voice?  Have you repented of your own sin and opened the door to His’ knock?  Are you questioning His work in your life—look up and trust HIM!  He who bore our sins is faithful even when we are faithless!

For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died

for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love

toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

 9 Much more then,

being now justified

by his blood,

we shall be saved

from wrath

through him.

10 For if,

when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more,

being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.”  Romans 5:6-11

So, may we each take courage and hope in our faithful God!  He knows where you and I are, and He will provide!  He will help our unbelief—and we all have it from time to time–so just rest in His grace and in His promise to supply.

But my God shall supply

all your need

according to his riches

 in glory

by Christ Jesus.

20 Now unto God

and our Father

be glory

for ever and ever. Amen.”  Philippians 4:19-20

And in closing, one of my favorite reminders of the practice of faith and obedient walking with our Lord.

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

May God speak to your heart and lift you up where ever you are.

Amen and Amen!

Our Savior And Our Example!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #589

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #589 Our Savior And Our Example!!!

 

While Jesus IS our Redeemer and Lord, He is the One to whom we look, the One on whom we depend—and The One who IS the way to God—not one of many but the One and Only Way!

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 lay aside the glory of heaven to come to us, take on flesh and blood, live a sinless life, and die in our stead—all because He and The Father love us!

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.”  John 3:16-18

Jesus is the only way to life!  No matter how many lies the enemy spreads—God’s Word stands true and is the standard of all judgment in the end; and there is a day of reckoning coming, but in Jesus we are saved from the judgment and wrath of God. The choice is yours and mine, but the consequences of our choice will follow us into eternity!  Choose wisely, there is a test!

Wherefore God also

hath highly exalted him,

 and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ

is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”   Philippians 2:9-11

The question isn’t ‘will you bow’; for God has declared that “every knee should bow”! As the old hymn says “nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling” (From ‘Rock of Ages’, by Augustus M. Toplady), Jesus came that we might have life and know that we are loved by a faithful Father God, who is working all things for our good and His glory—and they never conflict! (Even when we think they do!)!  But as we learn to know Him and come to trust to His care, we can follow the example of our Lord in the midst of every trial and difficulty.  Jesus didn’t come to simply ‘be’ an example, He came to purchase our salvation with His own blood, but in doing that He left us the greatest example of selfless love ever expressed!

I have learned and continue to learn that HE IS faithful at every turn, and when I keep my eyes fixed on Him, I can be victorious in this walk of faith with my Lord Jesus Christ!  Whatever you may be facing today, I can assure you that HE is faithful and worthy of our love, trust and devotion.  May you find strength and comfort in His Word.  I am praying for YOU!  We can join with Paul and say:

I can do

all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

And as Peter reminds us, no matter the suffering that we may encounter, we can trust in and rely upon the Lord who suffered the ultimate rejection, and a gruesome death, all for you and me!

For what glory is it,

if, when ye be buffeted for your faults,

ye shall take it patiently?

but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it,

ye take it patiently,

this is acceptable with God.

21 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 2:20-25

We can choose today, to trust to our God, or try to run our own lives; I’ve done it both ways and, believe me when I say, we can overcome and have victory when we “do all things through Christ” rather than trying to go our own way!  May we all “fix our eyes on Jesus” and “press on” today, and today, and the next today!  For dear ones, today is all we have, and HE is ever faithful!  May Jesus’ words bring comfort and encourage you today!

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!

 

 

 

By HIS Grace We Live And Breathe??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #588

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #588   By HIS Grace We Live And Breathe???

 

For in him

we live,

and move,

and have our being;

as certain also of your own poets have said,

For we are also his offspring.”    Acts 17:28

Paul’s message here was to the Athenians, as he shared the gospel of Jesus with them, seeking to bring them to Jesus.  For Jesus is our hope in all things, and just as Paul shared the truth of the resurrection and was rejected by these who were attentive to his teaching until he proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus, we too must stand by the truth of Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice for our sin, and His glorious resurrection from the dead, knowing that HE has won the victory over life and death—and IN HIM, we have that same victory!

Now this I say, brethren,

that flesh and blood

cannot inherit the kingdom of God;

neither doth corruption

inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery;

We shall not all sleep,

but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment,

in the twinkling of an eye,

at the last trump:

for the trumpet shall sound,

and the dead shall be raised

incorruptible,

and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible

must put on incorruption,

and this mortal

must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible

shall have put on incorruption,

and this mortal

shall have put on immortality,

then shall be brought to pass the saying

that is written,

Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting?

O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death

is sin;

and the strength of sin

is the law.

57 But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Corinthians 15:50-57 Amen!

I know this is a bit lengthy, but I just want to remind each of us that our hope is in JESUS, our soon coming King!  And while the storms and turmoil may rage around us continually—our Lord God Almighty and Jesus Christ HIS Son, still reign. GOD is on His throne.  We win—IN HIM!  And just for good measure another reminder from Paul, that it is by God’s grace that we have been saved—we didn’t earn it, we can’t be good enough to get it or keep it—but by HIS grace we can live victorious lives of faith and usefulness to our GOD, IN JESUS!

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.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God

commendeth his love

toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved

from wrath

through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more, being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy

in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom

we have now received

the atonement.”   Romans 5:1-11

I’ll simply say Amen and Amen and pray that blessings will abound around you (and remember, just because you don’t recognize them, doesn’t mean that they’re not there!). Amen!

So being affectionately desirous of you,

we were willing to have imparted unto you,

not the gospel of God only,

but also our own souls,

because ye were dear unto us.”    1 Thessalonians 2:8

From my heart to yours!  Amen!