Mothers And Crosses??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 13

12 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Cross, Moms

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.13      Mothers And The Cross???

A Repost Edited from 2013.

A happy Mother’s Day to all-whether you be the mother or the child!!!  What a beautiful day to celebrate our mothers—and to celebrate The God who created us all-mother and child!!

“In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”    Isaiah 4:2

And Isaiah also wrote:

“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,     

which shall stand for an ensign of the people;

to It shall the Gentiles seek:                             

and his rest shall be glorious.”   Isaiah 11:10

These verses have a double reference, referring to the future time of the Lord’s return, and also to His “ensign” of the cross. We can take comfort and delight in the joy of the Lord today.  Our Lord who is beautiful and glorious and, I am convinced, soon returning, He who blesses us day by day in more ways than we are aware of!!!

I pray that you took some time to spend with your mother today, or at least spent some time in reflection of her if she is no longer with you; and whether you have/had the “perfect” mother or if you have less pleasant memories—God gave each of us the mother He planned and we can trust Him.  Psalm 139:13-17 reminds us that God knew everything about us—everything!

 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I    will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and  curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members   were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of    them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”

Consider the commonality of God and Mothers.   Both made sacrifices for us!!!  Consider and know that God IS—Jesus the Son IS—and God the Holy Spirit IS!!!!!  They are and always were, and without the sovereign, eternal, omniscient God of the universe we wouldn’t even exist.

 “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 he word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of        the Majesty on high”.   Hebrews 1:2-3  

God IS the creator who brought us into existence, and we know that although we sinned, HE had already planned for our redemption before the world was founded!!!  I find that amazing and am reminded that not only did our mothers give us birth, care for and provide for us, but I am also reminded of the GOD who “created” us, provided for our salvation and cares for us continually, through Calvary, and HE is the same God who gave us mothers!  So, whatever your childhood experience, whether good or difficult, God has always been, and continues to be there for you!!!! (see Hebrews. 13:5). He gave HIS own Son for our salvation, and Jesus came, lived and died that we might spend eternity with Him!

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”  John 17:24

Jesus confirms His own pre-existence before the world was made (also see Col 1:16 & John 1:3 which clearly reveal Jesus as “Creator”) and scripture tells us in several other places that our salvation was planned before we needed it!!!

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”                        Ephesians 1:4

And Peter wrote:

“But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without        spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the  dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”   1 Peter 1:19-21 

As the Dennis Jernigan song says, “I belong to Jesus”!!!  He loved us and gave Himself FOR us.  Do we truly understand that Christ Jesus gave His all for us at Calvary?  When we do, I think we will be able to say with Paul,

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”     1 Corinthians   2:2

Depending on the Cross for our life, breath and being, helps us to live our lives with HIM in mind, as we find in Galatians 2:20:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  

When we are born into a family, we take on the “name” of our family!  When we are “Born Again” we take on more than the “name” of our heavenly family, we actually receive the Holy Spirit of God who continually conforms us into Jesus’ likeness.

 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the        righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,  and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”   Philippians 3:8-10 

Always reminded that “I am crucified with Christ”, knowing that God is ever working in me. And much like our mothers were teaching us when we weren’t even aware of it, God is always at work in 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.”  Romans 8:28-29

God is ever at work, by His Spirit within us (Remember Romans 8:9b, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”), and we can trust His work– ever conforming us into the image of The Lord Jesus!!!

As we think today of our Moms, may we also spend each day appreciating The Lord who created them and us!!!

 “…… 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

May we commit ourselves anew and afresh to “press toward the mark”; taking our confidence from Colossians 1:27

 “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:” 

Christ is our eternal hope, His Spirit our total supply, and God the Father our complete confidence.  Praise HIM for giving us “Mothers”; but even more that HE GAVE US HIS OWN SON, for our salvation on the cross!!  May God bless you with joy and grace for this coming week’s work for His kingdom. Thank YOU, Lord, for mothers!

Teaching Or Learning??? Bible Ballistics BBs #555

10 Friday May 2019

Posted by in Moms, Teachers

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Teaching Or Learning is A Repost of Bible Ballistics: “BBs” #58  Moms-Teachers?????

As this is the Friday before Mother’s Day, I thought I’d take a little spin on the Proverbs 31 passage that we usually hear about on Mother’s Day. I’d like us to look at the beginning of the chapter rather than the end, which describes godly wives and mothers.

Proverbs 31:1-5, “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”

These words, usually credited to Solomon, are the words that he heard from his mother. What did she tell him?

The strength and courage of the soul should not be given to women or the things of the world that have robbed many a young man (and older men too, for that matter), particularly alcohol. Why women and alcohol? Because either or both can cause one to ‘forget the law, and pervert judgment’.

We see the contrast to the benefit of embracing wisdom.

Proverbs 2:10-11, “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:”.

So? Do you remember what your mother taught you about God and His word.

So??????  Mom may have taught you right, but the learning is in your court. Deut. 30:19-20a,

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days:”

What will you choose?

Expect Suffering, Really??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #554

08 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Persecution, Perseverance, Suffering With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #554    Expect Suffering, Really???

We appear  to be living in a culture that is pervaded by an entitlement mentality.  I’m entitled to be happy and have my needs met, and ‘you’ are responsible to see to that! A stark contrast to the intent of the founders of this country who said, we have the ‘right’ to “life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness”; a totally different thing!  Even Christians are being influenced by this pervasive mindset!  We no longer desire to know God’s will, God’s Word or God’s way, but we simply want to be entertained for a time, have our ‘ruffled feathers’ soothed, and our consciences put to sleep as we continually seek to have our “ears tickled”! Paul confronted those of Athens with a similar issue on his journeys.

“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens,

I perceive that in all things

ye are too superstitious…

…24 God that made the world

and all things therein…

…. seeing he giveth to all life,

and breath,

and all things; …

..27 That they should seek the Lord,

 if haply they might feel after him,

and find him,

though he be not far

from every one of us:

28 For in him we live,

and move,

and have our being; …

..[and] commandeth all men

every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day,

in the which he will judge the world

in righteousness

by that man whom he hath ordained;

whereof he hath given assurance

 unto all men,

 in that he hath raised him

from the dead.

32 And when they heard

of the resurrection of the dead,

some mocked:

and others said,

We will hear thee again

of this matter.”   Portions of Acts 17:23-32

Paul shared the Gospel of Jesus with the Athenians, and they were eager to hear what he had to say until he got to the “resurrection” of Jesus, then they mocked and put him off.  Why would we expect people to treat us differently when we are sharing the truth of the Gospel?  We ought not! But we are to share continually the truth of Jesus, knowing that some will receive it others will not; and some will ridicule and oppose us.  Jesus Himself said that we should expect it!

“If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater

than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.” John 15:19-20

And if you remember correctly, ‘they’ put Him to death!  I would like to share a few passages of scripture with you to encourage you to remember that we are called to suffer with HIM! It’s not an option, for Paul made it clear that those who choose to follow Jesus will pay a price.

“Yea,

and all that will live godly

 in Christ Jesus

shall suffer persecution.”   2 Timothy 3:12

“The Spirit itself beareth witness

with our spirit,

that we are the children of God:

17 And if children,

 then heirs;

heirs of God,

and joint-heirs with Christ;

if so be that we suffer with him,

that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings

of this present time

are not worthy to be compared

with the glory

which shall be revealed in us.”   Romans 8:16-18

And in closing a wonderful message of assurance.

“Yea doubtless,

and I count all things but loss

for the excellency

of the knowledge of Christ Jesus

my Lord:

 for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

and do count them but dung,

that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him,

not having mine own righteousness,

which is of the law,

but that which is through the faith

of Christ,

the righteousness

which is of God

by faith:

10 That I may know him,

and the power of his resurrection,

and the fellowship of his sufferings,

being made conformable

unto his death;”  Philippians 3:10

All because of His provision for us to live the ‘crucified’ life!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith

of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Are you suffering with HIM?  Only you can answer that question; and if we’re not willing to live for Him under persecution, why would we think we’d be willing to die for Him?

 

 

Believe It Or Not??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 12

05 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Encouragement, Every Knee Shall Bow, Follow Jesus, Gospel, Hearing God, I Can Do All Things?, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Not Of This World, Salvation, Seeing Truth, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Truth

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.12      Believe It Or Not???

 

I have a brief message today, brief in the sense that I have little to say about the passage I want to share with you, but rather want to let you ponder the words of Jesus!  I truly believe that the day of His approaching return is very near, and we live in days when, like the people who heard and saw Jesus in person, men are unwilling to heed the voice of the Son of God.  And as Jesus said Himself, HE is the 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 IS the only way to God, and regardless of what the world says, there is NO other way. And when we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we will find that HE is sufficient to our every need, and all that we do is dependent on HIM!  Even as His child, I am only profitable to God as I yield to and depend on the work of God in me through the Holy Spirit of Jesus!  How sad that so many who claim to know Him, preach a different gospel—one of self-reliance, greed, and prosperity—rather than the call of Jesus to “take up your cross and follow me…”!

“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 15:5

Without Jesus there is no future but death and hell, but with Him we can have eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ—for our sin! (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Jesus is our life, hope and assurance, and truly “without me ye can do nothing”!  But with Him we can truly say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  (Philippians 4:13)

The passage from John’s Gospel,  is Jesus’ own message to those who refuse to receive HIM! I simply ask that you read this passage and ponder its content, and the heart of the Messiah who spoke it to us all those years ago!  Do you know Him?  Are there those whom you love who need to know Him?  Will you determine today to be a reflection of The Savior to a lost and dying world?  Will you stand by the truth of The Word rather than the ‘gospel of convenience’ that is clamoring all about us?  The choice is yours, but remember, there is a test at the end!  His love is written in RED!

“Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that heareth my word,

and believeth on him that sent me,

hath everlasting life,

and shall not come into condemnation;

but is passed

from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

The hour is coming,

and now is,

when the dead shall hear the voice

of the Son of God:

and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself;

so hath he given to the Son

to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority

to execute judgment also,

because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this:

for the hour is coming,

in the which all that are in the graves

shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth;

they that have done good,

unto the resurrection of life;

and they that have done evil,

unto the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing:

as I hear,

I judge:

and my judgment is just;

because I seek not mine own will,

but the will of the Father

which hath sent me.

31 If I bear witness of myself,

my witness is not true.

32 There is another that beareth witness of me;

and I know that the witness

which he witnesseth of me

is true.

33 Ye sent unto John,

and he bare witness unto the truth.

34 But I receive not testimony from man:

but these things I say,

that ye might be saved.

35 He was a burning and a shining light:

and ye were willing for a season

to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have greater witness

than that of John:

for the works which the Father hath given me

to finish,

the same works that I do,

bear witness of me,

that the Father

hath sent me.

37 And the Father himself,

which hath sent me,

hath borne witness of me.

Ye have neither heard his voice at any time,

nor seen his shape.

38 And ye have not his word

abiding in you:

for whom he hath sent,

him ye believe not.

39 Search the scriptures;

for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me,

that ye might have life.

41 I receive not honour from men.

42 But I know you,

that ye have not the love of God

in you.

43 I am come in my Father’s name,

and ye receive me not:

if another shall come in his own name,

him ye will receive.

44 How can ye believe,

which receive honour

one of another,

and seek not the honour

that cometh from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you

to the Father:

there is one that accuseth you,

even Moses,

 in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses,

ye would have believed me:

for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings,

how shall ye believe my words?”   John 5:24-47

Whose words will you believe?  God’s Word both written, spoken, and the “living Word”, or will you choose to believe the one who will “come in his own name”?  And as John the Apostle wrote—there is “one” coming, but there are many of “his” already at work.  Be aware, be prepared, be saved while you still can!

“Beloved,

believe not every spirit,

but try the spirits

whether they are of God:

because many false prophets

are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that confesseth

that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not

that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

is not of God:

and this is that spirit of antichrist,

whereofye have heard that it should come;

and even now already

is it in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3

Satan is alive and well on planet earth!  But we win because:

“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

But I Don’t Want To??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #553

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Dependence, Distractions, Faith, Follow Jesus, Holiness, I Can Do All Things?, IN Jesus!, JESUS, Keeping our eyes on JESUS!, Knowing God's Word, Press ON!, Stand Fast, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #553     But I Don’t Want To???

 

“O wretched man that I am!

who shall deliver me

from the body of this death?

25 I thank God

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So then with the mind I myself

 serve the law of God;

but with the flesh       

the law of sin.”   Romans 7:24-25

Romans chapter 7 closes with this desperate cry from Paul, “who shall deliver me from the body of this death?’ But Paul didn’t stop there—praise God! We do live in a body of flesh, that still wrestles with evil cravings, self-will, and tendencies to discouragement! But Praise God, Paul didn’t’ stop there—because God hasn’t stopped there.  Our hope isn’t in our flesh—OH how glad I am of that—but our hope is IN Jesus and the precious Holy Spirit whom He imparts to those who come to Him in repentance and faith.

That means that in those days when my flesh is doubting, pouting, and about to be ‘dropping-outting’ (as my pastor puts it), I don’t have to quit for I/we DO have a deliverer!

“There is therefore now no condemnation

to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit

of life

in Christ Jesus

hath made me free from the law

of sin

and death.

3 For what the law could not do,

in that it was weak through the flesh,

God sending his own Son

in the likeness of sinful flesh,

and for sin,

condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law

might be fulfilled

 in us,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.”   Romans 8:1-4

I don’t have to yield to the flesh—for I have The Holy Spirit of Jesus dwelling within me!  Therefore, I don’t have to give in to my flesh when it is screaming in my heart and mind, “I don’t want to!”; instead I can “stand fast in the evil day”! It’s not always easy, but it is simple to know that I can control my heart and mind by keeping my heart and mind set on Jesus, His Word and resisting the enemy of my/your soul! Here are a few scriptures for you to ponder today if you are wrestling with your mindset, as I often do!  Bring those thoughts “captive” to Jesus’ power, grace and holiness!

“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.” James 4:5-7

“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

And 2 passages that I rehearse to myself frequently may help you as much as they help me check those thoughts “at the door” of my heart and mind.  If it’s the devil wanting to get in, we CAN slam the door!

“Finally, brethren,

whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

 if there be any virtue,

and if there be any praise,

think on these things.”   Philippians 4:8

“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

I want to—and “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13

Amen and Amen!