Depending On Who’s Goodness??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #431

26 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by in Approved Unto God, Choices And Consequences, Dependence, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #431 Depending On Who’s Goodness???

 

We hear the expression, “Depending on”… the weather..the circumstances…my schedule…’I will’… do whatever. There are a lot of things that we “depend’ on in life, and there are many things that people depend on for their own eternal destiny, but are you depending on the right One?

I saw something this morning referring to the Tower of Babel; people who were depending on their own abilities, and wisdom to do what they wanted rather than what they knew God had told them to do—it didn’t work out for them–and it won’t work out for you! No matter how “good” we think our way is; no matter how many organizations (including the church, which in reality is an organism—not an ‘organization’), clubs, or philanthropic entities one may serve; our attempts to create our own ‘goodness’ or ‘righteousness’ will never succeed. Only God’s righteousness can take anyone to heaven.

“For since the beginning of the world

men have not heard,

nor perceived by the ear,

neither hath the eye seen,

O God, beside thee,

what he hath prepared for him

that waiteth for him.

5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth

and worketh righteousness,

those that remember thee in thy ways:

behold, thou art wroth;

for we have sinned……..

6 But we are all as an unclean thing,

and all our righteousnesses

are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf;

and our iniquities,

like the wind,

have taken us away.”   Portions of Isaiah 64:4-6

No matter how good we think we are God says that our efforts are “as filthy rags”! We have sinned—all of us—only God has the cure—salvation in the blood of Jesus!

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no,

not one:

11 There is none that understandeth,

there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way,

they are together become unprofitable;

there is none that doeth good,

no,

not one.” Romans 3:10-12

There is only ONE-WAY to be ‘good’/‘righteous’—and that Way is Jesus. Only the gift of God’s righteousness, that Jesus bought at Calvary, can give us a right relationship with God. All through the blood of Jesus Christ The Lord!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ….

God was in Christ,

reconciling the world

unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them….

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin

for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness

of God

in him.”   Portions of 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

We can deceive ourselves into believing that we are good enough to get to heaven, or we can believe God and come to Him through Jesus—The One who died for unrighteous, ungodly sinners, us. And only when we see our own helplessness in sin, will we need a redeemer—Jesus Christ, the only hope of salvation!

“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.”    Romans 5:5-6

I’m so glad that HE did! How about you? Are you still trying to ‘be good enough’? Jesus stands ready to save! I join with Paul and invite you to the “good” news of Jesus.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”   Romans 1:16-17   Amen!

 

Did You Say Wait??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #430

24 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in Confidence, Knowing God's Word, Patience, Perseverance, The Word, Thy Will Be Done, Wait on the Lord

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #430    Did You Say Wait???

 

Today is a reminder for me!!! We are going through some ‘season-of-life’ changes, and that can often cause us to take our focus off of Jesus and let it slip onto our circumstances—and when the big “W” word is involved, it can become a real challenge. So I want to share with you the reminder that I need today—God is in charge and when He asks me to “wait”, HE is working where I can’t see, and I can trust HIM!

What we have to decide is whether we are just going to talk about “trusting” God with everything, or if we are truly going to “let go….and let God” do whatever pleases Him, and wait for His purposes to come to pass! With this in mind, I’m sharing one of my favorite ‘reminder’ passages with you today, and I hope it will encourage us both to stay focused on our Lord and His will—rather than the frustrations that life can bring, especially when it involves ‘waiting’!

“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

Simple, but “NOT” so easy—but do-able as we follow God’s instruction from the Psalmist:

Trust God—and do right–

Delight in God—and He will provide—

Commit it all to God —and He will accomplish it—

Trust it all to God—for He knows the right timing–

Rest In The Lord—remember, He’s got it—

Wait patiently for HIM—for God never fails—

Don’t fret over wicked people—God sees the truth—

When we will give all these things to our Lord, He will enable us to have victory in:

Ceasing from anger—

Forsaking wrath (another word for anger)—

Not thinking/fretting about doing evil—

May we each search our own heart, seek God’s face and pursue HIS righteousness through the power of Jesus, the leading of His Holy Spirit, and the truth of His Word.

I’m praying for you and covet your prayers for us—then we’ll all benefit and draw nearer to The One who hears and answers prayer. Amen and Amen.

 

 

S.R.O.–How About You??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 26

22 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by in Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Every Knee Shall Bow, Heaven or Hell, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word, Walking With Jesus, When Will You Bow?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.26 S.R.O—How About You???

 

We’ve all heard the term “Standing Room Only”; it’s used for a situation at an event that doesn’t have enough seats for everyone to sit down at a particular time. Well my friends, I’d like is to consider another S.R.O. scenario: the day when Jesus comes again, and what we do with our time and our lives until He appears will dictate our position before Him when He comes—our eternal destiny depends on our choice.

In his letter to Ephesian believers, Paul calls followers of Jesus to stand up for Him, and in Him in order to not fall. Let’s look at some portions from that letter:

“Finally, my brethren,

be strong

in the Lord,

and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not

against flesh and blood,

but against principalities,

against powers,

against the rulers of the darkness

of this world,

against spiritual wickedness

in high places.

13 Wherefore

take unto you the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to withstand

in the evil day,

and having done all,

to stand.

14 Stand therefore,

having your loins girt about with truth,

and having on the breastplate

of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod

with the preparation

of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith,

wherewith ye shall be able

to quench all the fiery darts

of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation,

and the sword of the Spirit,

which is the word of God:

18 Praying always

with all prayer

and supplication

in the Spirit,

and watching thereunto

with all perseverance

and supplication

for all saints;”    Ephesians 6:10-18

Paul calls us to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” so that we will be able to “stand” in enemy territory—knowing that our enemy isn’t “flesh and blood”, but the unseen forces of the devil—and yes, he is real! Four times Paul calls us to “be strong” or “to stand”, and we can only do that in the “power of his might”! And we can receive that “power…..to stand” as we kneel. We must come to Jesus in repentance and faith, trusting in His work of salvation on Calvary. Paul talked about that in his letter to the Philippians, reminding us that the question isn’t “Will you bow?” but when will you bow?

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 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 2:8-11

Jesus came because He loves us; He came to be the ‘suffering servant’ of Isaiah 53, to be the perfect sacrifice for sin—the Only sacrifice for sin. And our eternal destiny—yours and mine—depends on what we do with that gift of salvation bought by His blood!

“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.

19 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 3:16-19

We must decide if we will bow before at the cross and receive the gift that Jesus offers to all who will come to Him in repentance and faith, or if we will ‘stand’ against Him; but remember the day is coming when those who ‘stand’ against Him will “bow”, speechlessly, with no recourse, no Savior, but ‘standing’ before Judge Jesus at the Great White Throne.

“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.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell

delivered up the dead which were in them:

and they were judged

every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”   Revelation 20:11-15

There will be ‘standing room only’ before that Throne; no one will be sitting this one out! Those who have chosen to refuse the love that God has for them will give an account of why they refused to ‘bow’ before The Son of God! They will stand alone before the God who created them and who provided the salvation that they rejected. They will ‘bow’ before King Jesus as their judge with no opportunity for forgiveness and salvation -–that is only available in this life. Even as scripture tells us:

“And as it is appointed unto men

once to die,

but after this the judgment:”   Hebrews 9:27

This life is important, it is the only opportunity that we will have to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and have our sins forgiven; not a “get out of jail free’ card to escape hell, but a life-transforming gift of eternal life that Jesus purchased at Calvary with His own, sinless perfect life’s blood! And when He saves us, heaven is our destiny because He writes our names in the “book of life”! So the questions that we must all answer are, “Will I stand on my own?” or “Will I bow before the Son in this life now, as Savior and Lord, or will I bow before Him then, as Judge?”

I know these are sobering questions, but they are questions that are of eternal import—what you decide to do with Jesus will determine whether you face a heavenly home or an eternal hell! I can’t think of anything more important, even though most these days, want to simply disregard Jesus as ‘pie in the sky’ and live like there is no tomorrow. Well my friend, there is a tomorrow—and only God knows what it holds. But when we come to Jesus, we can have confidence knowing Who holds our tomorrows (Oh, that might make a great song!). And we can trust Him to continue to do His work in us—for our good and His glory.

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work

in you

will perform it

until the day of Jesus Christ:”   Philippians 1:6

Jesus is coming soon; I believe that with all my heart. And while I don’t know the day or the hour, I know that when He comes, I’m going with Him!!! How about you? There is “Standing Room” only to kneel before Him today, and know we will never stand before that Great White Throne (Although believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of what we have done, or not done for Jesus, but that’s a subject for another day. See Romans 14:10 & 2 Corinthians 5:10, and it’s also pictured in 1 Corinthians 3:1-15)!

I pray that we will each examine our heart today and listen to His Spirit, drawing near to the Savior—either to bow before Him as Lord and Savior to receive His gift of salvation; or to draw nearer to Him and learn to know Him better if we are already His! Have a blessed week walking with Jesus, and “…take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”! Amen and Amen!

Who’s Standard??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #429

19 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Changed Lives, Every Knee Shall Bow, Holy Spirit, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Plumbline?, Salvation, SIN, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #429    Who’s Standard???

 

I’d like examine a message that Amos spoke to his people—a message that is apropos for us today. Much like the days of the judges, we have become a people who are going their own way! The Word shares this assessment twice in the book of Judges, and it is worthy for us to consider today.

“In those days there was no king in Israel,

but every man did that

which was right

in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6

“In those days there was no king in Israel:

every man did that

which was right

in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25

 What I’d like us to question today is “Who’s standard are we following?”, what standard are we ordering our lives by, God’s or the world’s? Is it our own way or God’s way? Until we recognize ourselves as sinners and come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we will never know the power and presence of God’s Holy Spirit who will lead us “in the way everlasting”! (See Psalm 139:23-24)

“All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned every one to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him

the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

Until we recognize “sin” as “sin”, why would we need to repent? Why would we need a Savior to redeem us through His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice? Only the Holy Spirit of Jesus can open our eyes and lead us to the cross!

“No man can come to me,

except the Father

which hath sent me

draw him….” John 6:44a

No matter what the world may say on every hand, there is only ONE way to be right with God, and that “way” is Jesus; and there is a time coming when every one will stand before God to give an account of what they have done with Jesus!

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 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 2:8-11

Jesus is the only way, HE is God’s plumb-line, God’s standard, God’s judge, God’s own Son, The One who gave Himself for us, but we must come to HIM His way! We must come to Jesus in repentance and faith! And can be saved, and He will make us a new creation “in Jesus”, and come to dwell within us in the person of The Holy Spirit! That is God’s standard, the only standard that matters; and there is a day coming when God’s grace, mercy and patience will end for those who reject HIM! And I can’t help but believe that day is closer than we may think. God told the prophet Amos to warn his people of this same principle:

“Thus he shewed me:

and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall

made by a plumbline,

with a plumbline in his hand.

8 And the LORD said unto me,

Amos, what seest thou?

And I said,

A plumbline.

Then said the Lord,

Behold, I will set a plumbline

in the midst of my people Israel:

I will not again pass by them any more:”   Amos 7:7-8

God was telling Amos that the days of His patient extension of grace to Israel was coming to an end, and if God’s patience came to an end with Israel’s sin—it will come to and end for those who are rejecting Him today.

So, how will you stand-up against God’s plumb-line? Have you created a standard of your own; are you following the ways of the world? Do you know Jesus? If you don’t, you can, if you’ll but listen for His voice that is speaking to your heart, and repent of your sin, trusting in Jesus’ payment for sin on the cross? I pray that you will come to Him. If you already know Him, may we ever be a reflection of HIS glory!

“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     

“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 Amen!

“This” Time Is Now!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #428

17 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Faithful is He that has Promised!, For Such A Time As This, Jesus Is The Only Way!, The Only Way, The Word, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, TODAY, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #428    “This” Time Is Now!!!

 

As we make our way through this cold winter weather that is gripping much of the U.S., I couldn’t help but think about the times that we live in—things are cold and then they get hot! When they’re cold everyone is crying for it to get warm, when it is hot, people clamor for it to cool off! It’s the nature of the dissatisfied human heart. But for those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ the King of Glory—we ought to look at things with different eyes; we ought to recognize that God is ever at work in our lives, regardless of the temperature, the time or the political climate. God has called us to serve Him faithfully wherever HE has placed us; or as someone as so aptly put it, “Bloom where you’re planted”; and while that isn’t scripture it does have it’s roots in scripture. Let’s take a ‘gander’ at The Word.

Esther was a godly young woman who found herself in a pagan culture, in the palace of a King—yet God hadn’t placed her there by mistake.

“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther,

Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape

in the king’s house,

more than all the Jews.

14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace

at this time,

then shall there enlargement

and deliverance arise to the Jews

from another place;

but thou and thy father’s house

shall be destroyed:

and who knoweth

whether thou art come

to the kingdom

for such a time as this?

15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,

and fast ye for me,

and neither eat nor drink

three days,

night or day:

I also and my maidens

will fast likewise;

and so will I go in unto the king,

which is not according to the law:

and if I perish,

I perish.

17 So Mordecai went his way,

and did according to all

that Esther had commanded him.”   Esther 4:13-17

Esther wasn’t looking to be a hero, but when confronted with the opportunity to serve God ‘where she was planted’, even at the risk of her life, she chose to be available to God, for His service, even if it cost her life—so she fasted, prayed and obeyed God!

What is your “such a time as this”? What circumstances are you wanting to change, get out of, rearrange or scream and cry about? Well my friend, those circumstances haven’t caught God by surprise. “God never says ‘oops’!” and He hasn’t misplaced you or me! We are living here, now because God created us “for such a time as this”—no matter what our “this” is!

Only “YOU” can do what God has created ‘you’ to do, and we ought not wait for someone else to do what God wants us to do. Just as Mordecai told Esther, God’s plans won’t be thwarted because of our cowardice, laziness, apathy, fear or greed—God will use someone else if we refuse to heed His call. And we will never know the blessings that God had for us if we fail to step up to the bat right where we are!

We’re not called to fret over tomorrow, or yesterday but to live “this” day to its fullest for Jesus, to follow Him anywhere/everywhere He leads—to minister His Word, His grace and His love in whatever way He has called us to minister! And YES, we are all ministers of that which we have received from Jesus! Praying always, as He taught us!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father

which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.(in me)

10 Thy kingdom come (in me)

Thy will be done

in earth, (in me)

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread……”.   Matthew 6:9-11a

We are to seek His kingdom, His will, and His provision for each day! Just a little further on in this ‘Sermon On The Mount’, Jesus spoke these words to all of us who are HIS!

“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

So what’s your “this”? You’re there for “such a time as this”; what will you do with your “this” today? Pray and obey, as Esther did, or desert? The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there’s a test at the end! Amen and Amen!