Leading Or Mis-Leading??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #406

27 Friday Oct 2017

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #406    Leading Or Mis-Leading???

 

We all hear about someone having the “leading” role in some theatrical production, or even as children we all played follow the “leader”, and little school children love to be picked as the “leader” for the day. Most everyone wants to be a leader at one time or another, but what kind of leader are we being? And like it or not, we are all a leader in someone else’s life! So m y question for us today is a question that Dietrich Bonheoffer posed many years ago, will you “be a leader or a ‘mis-leader’”? The only way that we can be a true and faithful leader is to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the creator, savior and Lord of all!

Jesus calls us to follow Him, and as we follow Christ faithfully, we can rest secure as others follow us.

“For though ye have ten thousand instructors

in Christ,

yet have ye not many fathers:

for in Christ Jesus

I have begotten you

through the gospel.

16 Wherefore I beseech you,

be ye followers of me.

17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus,

who is my beloved son,

and faithful in the Lord,

who shall bring you into remembrance

of my ways

which be in Christ,

as I teach every where in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4:15-17

Paul called the Corinthians to be “followers of me” as he was a faithful ‘follower’ and Apostle of Jesus, leading them in “my ways which be in Christ”! What way are we leading those who are following us? There is a great responsibility for each of us, and the example we set for others ought to be faithful and true to God and His Word! Just as Jesus called us to follow Him, and sacrifice “self” to HIM!

“And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life

for my sake,

the same shall save it.”   Luke 9:23-24

We must loose ourselves ‘in’ Jesus, but we must also ‘come’ after Him with all our will, giving ourselves to following Him deliberately and consistently. Then, and only then, can others see HIM in us, and we will be leading them “to Jesus” and not to ‘self’! And we can only do this by the power that Jesus gives to those who are His, the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gives to those who come to Him in repentance and faith! And when we come to Jesus we are to abide in HIM and not the world; and then Jesus can be seen by those who are following us, for without HIM we will never lead them in the right direction!

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me

that beareth not fruit

he taketh away:

and every branch that beareth fruit,

he purgeth it,

that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean

through the word

which I have spoken unto you.

4 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 15:1-5

May we “abide” in Jesus! His work being seen in us, by the power of HIS Spirit, so others, who are following us, will see HIM! And that’s what it’s all about. Being leaders and never “mis-leaders”, as we die to self and live unto Jesus! Lead on dear friends—lead on as “Christ liveth in me”! Press on! Lead on—someone is following YOU!!!

“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

Servant OF, Or Served BY??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #405

25 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Servanthood

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #405    Servant OF, Or Served BY???

 

I’ve been teaching through the book of Daniel recently, and am always moved by the faithfulness of this man of God. In desperate circumstances this young man and his friends chose to be faithful to their God regardless of the culture around them. And faithful they were, in fact in the latter years of Daniel’s life even his enemies had to admit that the only way they could ‘trap’ him would be through his faithful devotion to “his God”! Even the pagan kings around him couldn’t help but see that there was something exceptional in this man. I want to focus on what King Darius had to say about “this Daniel” during the story of the “lion’s den”! Take some time today and read Daniel chapter 6 for yourself with the knowledge that Daniel was somewhere around 85 years old at the time. Not a novice in serving His God, but a man who had faithfully served his God for some 70 years in Babylon, and now in the face of death, his faithful service to God marches on!

“Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.

Now the king spake and said unto Daniel,

Thy God

whom thou servest continually,

he will deliver thee.” Daniel 6:16

Then again the next morning, as the king ran to the “lion’s den”, he cried out again:

“And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel,

O Daniel,

servant of the living God,

is thy God,

whom thou servest continually,

able to deliver thee

from the lions?” 6:20

The thing I want us to focus on this morning is how King Darius referred to Daniel, “servant of the living God”! You couldn’t be around Daniel for long and miss the truth that he “served” God—in all his ways. Daniel wasn’t a full-time, paid “Christian”; he was a full-time civil servant who served the kings of Babylon and Medo-Persia for some 70 years; yet all he did for each of these kings he did as a “full-time” servant of God Most High! Darius already recognized this about this man of integrity, and clearly proclaimed to Daniel as he put him in with the lions, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee”!!!

Now we get really excited when we focus on God’s deliverance of Daniel, but we miss the import of Daniel’s “servant-hood”! Oh? But that’s just humdrum every day stuff! NO! It’s the stuff that God expects of His own! Yet we live in a culture more focused on “what God can do for me” rather than “what can I do for the God who saved me form death and hell”? Daniel was devoted to The Living God who saved him, even though he was a captive in a foreign land, taken from his homeland, his family and the city that he loved! Oh? We are called to serve God—not to be served by HIM! He is God—we are not!!!

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel,

cannot I do with you

as this potter?

saith the LORD.

Behold, as the clay

is in the potter’s hand,

so are ye

in mine hand,

O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:5-6

God is the potter—we are the clay! Not the other way around! We ought to be a “servant of the living God” rather than a ‘dictator’ to the God who reigns! So often we get it all turned around. Jesus made it so clear for us, yet we often forget! How quickly the culture distracts us, and we begin to seek to dictate to God what “HE” ought to do, rather than seeking His heart; yielding ourselves to be available for whatever He desires for us. I think that Daniel had perhaps prayed to be ‘delivered’ from the captivity to Babylon, but when he wound up there he determined to continue to be faithful to God. What have you determined to do where you are?

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself….”   Daniel 1:8a

Our heart ought to be focused and “purposed” on God’s will not our own!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father

which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth,

as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10

Are we praying “Thy will be done” on earth—in me? Or are we praying “My will be done” in heaven, and deliver it here “in earth” as I desire, ‘Lord’? Kind of diminishes the reality of ‘who’ is ‘Lord’, doesn’t it. But let’s wind this up with another word from Jesus Himself.

“And the apostles said unto the Lord,

Increase our faith.

6 And the Lord said,

If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

7 But which of you,

having a servant

plowing

or feeding cattle,

will say unto him by and by,

when he is come from the field,

Go and sit down to meat?

8 And will not rather say unto him,

Make ready wherewith I may sup,

and gird thyself,

and serve me,

till I have eaten and drunken;

and afterward

thou shalt eat and drink?

9 Doth he thank that servant

because he did the things

that were commanded him?

I trow not.

10 So likewise ye,

when ye shall have done all those things

which are commanded you,

say,

We are unprofitable servants:

we have done that

which was our duty to do.”    Luke 17:5-10

Ouch! Not convenient, is it? But it is a message for the heart of a “servant of the living God”; a call to those who are devoted to God and desire to have it said of us, “Thy God whom thou servest continually” will deliver you. Do you need to be ‘delivered’? Do you need ‘comfort’? Do you need ‘wisdom’? It can all be found as we yield ourselves to be a “servant of the living God”, rather than seeking to be ‘served by’ God and others! May we honor God as God!

Changed Lives??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 15

22 Sunday Oct 2017

Posted by in Changed Lives, Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Free Indeed?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Let You Light So Shine, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.15      Changed Lives???

 

A shorter article today than I normally write on Sundays, but I’d like to share a topic that’s dear to my heat. While we live in a culture that minimalizes the gospel and churches that promote a gospel of convenience and meaninglessness, the Gospel of Jesus is the Gospel of transformed lives—lives, hearts, souls and minds set free from sin.

We aren’t set free from the presence of sin yet, but we are set free from the power of sin in our lives as we will yield to the Holy Spirit of Jesus! God had promised The Messiah throughout the entirety of the scriptures, and Jesus was/is the fulfillment of all of those promises! Yet He wasn’t the promise that would save people “in” their sin, but “from” it!

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:21-23

Jesus was coming “save his people from their sins” by paying the price for SIN; and through His atoning, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross He would give His Holy Spirit to dwell within HIS own. Jesus came to be “God with us”! He was and is the fulfillment of the New Covenant—the Spirit of God within us, far beyond tablets of stone.

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant

that I made with their fathers

in the day that I took them

by the hand

to bring them out of the land of Egypt;

which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant

that I will make with the house of Israel;

After those days, saith the LORD,

I will put my law

in their inward parts,

and write it

in their hearts;

and will be their God,

and they shall be my people.”    Jeremiah 31:31-33

Jesus death and resurrection accomplished the New Covenant, which paid the price for sin, and enabled the Holy Spirit of God to dwell within each believer. When we claim to belong to Jesus (and Him to us) yet still relish the sin that He saves from (without any discipline from God), we might want to check what we think saved us, for the blood of Jesus saves the sinner from their sin and makes us a new creation. Jesus revealed HIS ‘New Covenant’ to his disciples before He went to the cross.

“And he took bread,

and gave thanks,

and brake it,

and gave unto them, saying,

This is my body

which is given for you:

this do in remembrance of me. 

20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying,

This cup

is the new testament

in my blood,

which is shed for you.”    Luke 22:19-20

The blood of Jesus IS the New Testament—not the 2nd portion of scripture– but the New Covenant that Jeremiah and Ezekiel promised! The New Covenant in the blood of Jesus, through repentance and faith, makes new creatures.

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,

that if one died for all,

then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all,

that they which live

should not henceforth live unto themselves,

but unto him which died

for them,

and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man

after the flesh:

yea, though we have known Christ

after the flesh,

yet now henceforth know we him

no more.

17 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,

and hath given to us the ministry

of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world

unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you

by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

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.”   2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Ephesians 2 reminds us that what we ‘were’ we no longer ‘are’—we were “dead in trespasses and sins” but through he blood of Jesus we are now “created in Christ Jesus unto good works”!!! Changed lives are the testimony of a true and supernaturally regenerate life. Life that only Jesus can impart through His blood! Its evidence being our service in “good works” which ‘God’ has purposed for us—not to earn our salvation–but as the testimony of our being saved “from” our sin!!!

“And you hath he quickened,

who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked

according to the course of this world,

according to the prince of the power of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all

had our conversation

in times past

in the lusts of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires of the flesh

and of the mind;

and were by nature the children of wrath,

even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy,

for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together

with Christ,

(by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together

in heavenly places

in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come

he might shew the exceeding riches

of his grace

in his kindness toward us

through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace

are ye saved

through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

which God

hath before ordained

that we should walk

in them.”    Ephesians 2:1-10

Changed lives are a testimony that we really belong to Jesus! Has He changed your life? May we ever live and reflect HIS truth before a lost and desperate world! Amen!!!

Without Fearfulness??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #404

20 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Every Knee Shall Bow, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Fearfulness, Fearlessness, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Made like Jesus!, The Word, TODAY, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #404       Without Fearfulness???

 

It’s so easy to let circumstances, situations or the sheer violence of our culture cause us to be fearful, but like we talked about last time God is our “help” in all times!

“God is our refuge

and strength,

a very present help

in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

And in this same Psalm God reminds us of what to do when we do become fearful—and we all have times of fearfulness (granted, some of us have more issues with fearfulness than others)!

“Be still,

and know

that I am God:

I will be exalted

among the heathen,

I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”    Psalm 46:10-11

“Be still” isn’t an easy assignment—because we are a people on the “move”! But God calls us to settle down, stop the fretting, just “Be still” and He will calm our souls to “know that I am God”!! To know that HE will be “exalted” before the heathen, before the whole world! There is a day coming when our God Almighty will make Himself known before the world and when that time comes we can rest assured:

“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 2:10-11

What a glorious day for those who “know” Jesus, those who have believed in His saving, atoning, substitutionary sacrifice for sin—my sin and yours; but a day of reckoning for those who have refused to believe or bow before Him! That day is coming and we can live in confident fearlessness, because He has called us to trust Him in all things! It is HIS work being done in and through us—“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works”! God is ever at work in and through us—fearlessly!  (See Ephesians 2:10)

“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

It is God who is at work in us and Paul rehearses that thought throughout the book of Philippians, and I’m so glad that he did!

“For it is God which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

Knowing that it is God who is at work in His own children, refocuses us on Him and His will for us without fear, but rather with confidence in HIS continual work in our lives as we “walk in the Spirit” and “live in the Spirit” –to God’s glory and our maturity in HIM! (Gal. 5:16 & 25) We can continually gain confidence in our God who calls us to stand fast without fear.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power,

and of love,

and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

It is HIS love working in us continually through His Spirit! (See Ro.5:1-8)

“There is no fear in love;

but perfect love

casteth out fear:

because fear hath torment.

He that feareth

is not made perfect

in love.

19 We love him,

because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:18-19

When we exercise our trust in God, in all our ways, we can experience His “perfect love”, remembering that HE is working in all things, and that we are being “conformed to the image of his Son”! Oh that today we might remember that trusting God in all things, will help us live without fearfulness from the world or from our own circumstances! And we can do this 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

Have a blessed and fearless day in HIM!!! Amen and Amen!

I’m Under His Wings!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #403

18 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, I Will Never Leave You, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Perseverance, The Only Way, The Word, Trials, Troubles, Under His Wings, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #403       I’m Under His Wings!!!

 

“He that dwelleth in the secret place

of the most High

shall abide under

the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD,

He is my refuge

and my fortress:

my God;

in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee

from the snare of the fowler,

and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee

with his feathers,

and under his wings

shalt thou trust:

his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”     Psalm 91:1-4

Just a word of encouragement this morning that we might remember that we have a God who cares. He loves us, provides for us, and ever knows where we are and we are never out of His care! I take such comfort and hope in that assurance, and the Psalmist expressed that same confidence in God Almighty, and you can take heart in its truth today!

As the Psalmist says here, others may question, but when we belong to Jesus, and His Father God Almighty, there is a secret place that others have no understanding of. It is a place where we ‘abide’ not matter ‘where’ we may be physically—in trouble, in trial, in suffering, in pain, in alarm, or fear, in physical confusion or uncertainty: as we look at our circumstances we can know that God has us in His hand, and under His wings. The Psalmist paints such a marvelous picture of the care of God, and in that \truth we can be confident of HIS perfect provision. We can know that God is “my refuge” and “my fortress”; that He will “deliver thee” (although not always in the way that we expect!), and “cover thee with his feathers”, resting assured that we can trust ourselves to HIS care! HIS truth will be our defense—and what is HIS truth? Well, let me tell you:

“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 truth, the very essence and reality of truth! Praise God the truth is the One who gave Himself for us—and that IS the truth, and HE has given to us HIS indwelling Holy Spirit to walk with us all the way. There is also another Psalm that refers to God’s care in the terms of ‘wings’, and that Psalm inspired one of my favorite songs.

“Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,” Psalm 17:8

This verse so spoke to Stephen Manders that he composed a wonderful hymn to express his confidence in this God who saves, delivers and keeps HIS own.

Under His Wings

By Stephen Manders

Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

Refrain
Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.

Refrain

Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus, I’m safe evermore.

Refrain

I pray that this precious song and the power of The Word will comfort and encourage you today, no matter where you may be walking. Remember:

“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