Check Your Knees??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 9

10 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by in Check Your Knees???, Choose You This Day!, Every Knee Shall Bow, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, Sharing Our Faith!, The Only Way, The Word, Today and Forever

≈ Leave a comment

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.9 Check Your Knees???

 

One of my favorite passages about Jesus is found in Philippians chapter 2, where Paul calls us to have the mind of Christ; and the only way that anyone can have the mind of Christ Jesus, is to be ‘born again” by the Spirit and power of God.

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe

on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.” John 1:10-13

Jesus came to impart the “new birth”, just as He told Nicodemus in John 3:

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.”    John 3:3b

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter

into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”   John 3:5b-7

Jesus wants us to understand that salvation isn’t something that we can accomplish for ourselves—no matter how hard we may try. Salvation only come to those who will see their own sin, and come to the Savior for this ‘new birth’ of salvation. Just as we see above, it is being “born… …of God.” It’s not what family you are born in; it’s not by working up the will to change; and it’s not brought by the will of others; it is the supernatural work of God that changes sinners into saints!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Some of you are asking, “What does this have to do with my knees?” Well, that’s a good question and the answer is found in the first passage that we mentioned at the beginning of our post today. Let’s dig in and see what we can learn about out knees, and why they are important to our spiritual welfare.

“Let this mind be in you,

which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who,

being in the form of God,

thought it not robbery

to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

8 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 2:5-11

So what is Paul telling us? Well, let’s start at the end of the passage if you would, for as we’ve already said, without being born again it’s a moot issue, but what must we do to come to Jesus for this new birth. It’s really simple, but it’s never easy, because it’s never easy to give up our own will and bow to Jesus. Jesus came and laid down His life for our sin when He “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Just as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:21 God sent Him to die as the sinless Lamb of God, to pay for our sin, so that we could receive the “righteousness of God” and be found IN Him!

And because of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, God has given “him a name which is above every name”; and that name requires a response—a response that involves YOUR knees and mine.

“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”!!!

I need to make something clear in all of this, God has declared, “every knee should bow” and believe me (well really you need to believe GOD!) “every knee” will bow, and “every tongue” will confess. But wait, not everyone is confessing Jesus, and certainly not every knee has bowed before Him! Well, what we need to realize is that the time is coming when it will happen! So, if it is going to happen, what is the question? The question isn’t “Will you bow?” But the question is ‘When will you bow?’ What am I talking about? I am talking about the fact that

God has declared His way to the world:

“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

Jesus came because He loves us—He loves the world—and He IS The Way for us to be forgiven of our sin and have eternal life. And while God’s love is unconditional—He loves everyone—His forgiveness is totally conditional on what we do with Jesus, The Son of God, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It is what Jesus came to do, and unless we bow before Him as Lord and Savior while we have the opportunity, we will bow before Him as the judge of all men, with no opportunity of salvation!

So the question is simply, will we choose to bow before the Lord who died for our sin, and receive His salvation and the ‘new birth’ and be ‘born again’? Or will we refuse Him and His saving sacrifice and grace and bow before the “Great White Throne” to pay for our own sin? What have you done with Jesus? Have you bowed your knee before Him? Jesus won’t ask what church you belong to; He won’t ask how many times or where you were baptized; He won’t ask how much ‘good’ you have done; He won’t even ask what ‘bad’ you have done, for He already knows the answer to all those questions. The only question that will be asked is “What have you done with Jesus, and His sacrifice for your sin?” And regardless of what others may think of you, the only thing that will matter is whether you have bowed before the Lamb of God, for no matter how impressed others are with you, it’s what Jesus knows that will count in the end. His name calls for all to bow the knee and proclaim HIM LORD, and the standard is The Word of God—the written Word, the Bible, and the Living Word, Jesus!

“For the word of God is

quick, (alive)

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

The measuring stick will be The Word of God! How will you stand? What will be your defense—your works, your money, your prominence, your history, your family, your open mind, your position, or something else? It won’t matter, for the only defense in that day will be the “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son” that “cleanseth us from all sin” (See 1 John 1:7)! Will you bow your knees now or then? Your eternity depends on your choice.

“Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father

which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me

in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a

wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded

upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a

foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall

of it.”    Matthew 7:21-27

You can choose to be ‘wise’ and have your house built on the rock of salvation; the One before whom you have bowed your heart and mind in repentance (of your sin), and faith (in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for YOU!), or you can choose to be like the ‘foolish man’! It’s your choice. But choose wisely, there is a test at the end.

“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

Praying that you will seek God and His way—Jesus, He’s waiting for YOU!!! And if you know Him—let it shine!!!

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

 

‘Dis’Traction Is No ‘Traction’??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #392

08 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Distractions, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Perseverance, The Only Way, The Word, TODAY, Traction, Walking With Jesus

≈ Leave a comment

Bible Ballistics: BBs  #392 ‘Dis’Traction Is No ‘Traction’???

 

I thought we’d take this Friday and remind ourselves to watch out for the “distractions” of the world, for when we get side-tracked by the distractions of the world, we wind up with ‘No Traction” spiritually. And when we aren’t going forward with Jesus we are not standing still, we are loosing ground. And God calls us to press onward not backward!

“Brethren,

I count not myself to have apprehended:

but 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.

15 Let us therefore,

as many as be perfect, (mature)

be thus minded:

and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded,

God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless,

whereto we have already attained,

let us walk by the same rule,

let us mind the same thing.”    Philippians 3:13-16

One of the big things that I believe that Paul is telling us today, is that if we will heed The Word, and learn how to walk with and before our God, we are to “keep up the good work!” We are to persevere in His ways.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”    Luke 18:1

We are often cautioned in the scripture to willfully press on, without distraction, keeping our eyes on Jesus—HE is our purpose! He will supply all we need to not “faint”!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run

with patience

the race

that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.

3 For consider him

that endured such contradiction

of sinners

against himself,

lest ye be wearied

and faint in your minds.” Hebrews 12:1-3

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture; for it reminds us so clearly that our goal is to follow Jesus. I don’t believe (as some do, and that’s ok) that this is the picture of a great sports arena in heaven, and the saints are sitting around cheering us on; rather I believe this is a summation of chapter 11 (The great chapter of faith!), reminding us that as those who have gone before us have been faithful, and have testified to the faithfulness of God, we are also to press on with no distractions, but rather “Looking unto Jesus”! And we can only do that when we determine to not be ‘distracted’ and loose our traction—not to loose our footing in the race. And, as the author of Hebrews so clearly reminds us, we are to run “the race that is set before us” with our hearts and minds “Looking unto Jesus”, not being distracted by the race that others may be running or any other distractions around us. We keep our traction by focusing on Jesus and running ‘our’ race in ‘our’ own lane!!!

We can do that all because Jesus is “the author and finisher of our faith”! He brings us to Himself, and He provides all that we need to run the race that HE has “set before us”! So take heart my friends, we serve the God who is able and faithful to supply our every need, if we’ll but keep our eyes ‘fixed on Jesus’! He is our ‘true’ north!

“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

He is “the author and finisher of our faith”; He knows where you are today. Look up, press on, and walk forward on your race—with ‘traction’ not ‘dis’tractions! God has a job for YOU—today! Go for it dear one—Go for it!!!

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10

You can do it!!! It’s hardly ever easy:

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”    Philippians 4:19

Glory To God In The Highest??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #391

06 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Confidence, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Praise God Today!, Salvation, The Only Way, The Word, TODAY, Walking With Jesus

≈ Leave a comment

Bible Ballistics: BBs  #391   Glory To God In The Highest???

 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14

I know it’s just September, but any time is the time to praise God for the gift of HIS Son Jesus, who came that we might have salvation and abundant life; but “peace on earth”? And what about “good will toward men”? What about the “glory”? We see strife, hatred and conflict on every hand, and unequalled disasters going on all about us. Where’s the “peace”? Where’s the “glory”? Where’s the “good will”?

Well, the answer is simple—it is all found IN Jesus! He is the “glory” of God; He is the “peace” of God; He is the “good will” of God toward a lost and sinful people! He is all of this and more; it is why Jesus came, to purchase eternal life for man at Calvary, to offer the ‘new birth’ to all who will believe! Let’s peruse just a few of the scriptures that remind us of HIS glory, grace and love toward us, so you can rejoice with me today!!!

“God, who at sundry times

and in divers manners

spake in time past

unto the fathers

by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days

spoken unto us

by his Son,

whom he hath appointed heir

of all things,

by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things

by the word of his power,

when he had by himself purged our sins,

sat down

on the right hand

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

This very Son of God, came and took on flesh to pay the penalty for sin, for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith—trusting to His finished work on the cross to not only pay our ‘sin debt’, but also to impart to us the new birth, new life IN Him! Jesus came that we might “….have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (See John 10:10) This one, who IS God, came to die for you and me. Even the prophet Daniel foretold of His position and glory, this ‘Son of Man’ and ‘Son of God’ who was promised by God The Father.

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”   Daniel 7:13-14

He has the glory, and He shares His ‘glory’, His ‘peace’ and His ‘good will’ as ‘God with us’—with all who will believe and receive Him and His sacrificial, atoning death for sin.

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given

unto us

all things

that pertain unto life

and godliness,

through the knowledge of him

that hath called us to glory

and virtue:

4 Whereby are given

unto us

exceeding great

and precious promises:

that by these

ye might be partakers

of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption

that is in the world

through lust.”     2 Peter 1:2-4

Amen and Amen! What glorious gifts of grace and love The Father has bestowed upon us through The Son. But there’s even more—He gives us peace. Not only the peace ‘of’ God, but peace ‘with’ God, the restoration of relationship and fellowship of fallen mankind with The Holy God Almighty of the universe!

“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…

…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.”    Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

Oh what a glory! Oh what joy we ought to have in our hearts and on our faces—Jesus has given us new life, the ‘hope of glory’, He has given us ‘peace with God’ and He has given us the ‘good will’ of God Almighty in His love:

“toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”

So friends, I rejoice again today and will repeat it endlessly, regardless of the season!!!

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

good will toward men.”

Amen and Amen. Won’t you rejoice with me today?

Unexpected Interruptions??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #390

01 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by in Confidence, Faithful is He that has Promised!, I Will Never Leave You, Praise God Today!, The Word, TODAY, Today and Forever, Trials, Troubles, Unexpected Interruptions, Walking With Jesus

≈ Leave a comment

Bible Ballistics: BBs  #390   Unexpected Interruptions???

 

We all have “un”expected interruptions, as an old Yiddish proverb says “Man plans, God laughs!” and that’s a pretty accurate observation. We are so busy making “plans” that we often forget to ‘live’ our lives, particularly to ‘live’ them for God, seeking His will and desire for our every step.

The prophet Jeremiah called his people to repent and turn to God for some 40 years, with very little response. He called them to return to their God and avoid God’s judgment of the coming Babylonian captivity, but to no avail—they just kept right on doing their own thing; making their own ‘plans’ with no regard for the God they claimed as their own! As I’m often wont to say, “Saying so, doesn’t make it so!” We must examine our plans, and seek to pursue the ways, plans and will of God—for He knows what lies ahead. As another prophet penned (Daniel after the fall of Jerusalem, in Babylonian captivity, as a servant of Nebuchadnezzar the king) in Daniel 2:20-22:

“Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:

for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times

and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth

the deep and secret things:

he knoweth what is in the darkness,

and the light dwelleth with him.”

Daniel was praising God for answered prayer, and in his praise he rehearses the character of God for us. Jeremiah warned the people of the coming judgment, but also the mercy that God wanted to bestow upon them. Yet even in His judgment of sin and the discipline of His own people, God’s desire is for our good and His glory. Exactly what Jeremiah reminded the people of as He preached of the perfect goodness of God to all who would come to HIM!

“For I know the thoughts

that I think toward you,

saith the LORD,

thoughts of peace,

and not of evil,

to give you an expected end.

12 Then shall ye call upon me,

and ye shall go

and pray unto me,

and I will hearken

unto you.

13 And ye shall seek me,

and find me,

when ye shall search

for me

with all your heart.”    Jeremiah 29:11-13

So often this passage is taken out of context, and while God does have good things for us, it’s not always what we would pick! God is interested in our ‘holiness’ not our ‘happiness’: happiness is always connected to circumstances, holiness is spiritual in nature and reveals the desire of God to mature us, and bring us into an intimate relationship with Him. And when we learn to recognize the hand of God in all things, we will gain a confidence and maturity that can sustain us through any trial or detour! God calls us to “seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart”, but we are often too distracted with our own plans to “seek” Him! But following God’s way is always the best and always the most rewarding, although it will almost always be the way of the ‘greatest’ resistance—the world won’t like the one who faithfully stands with and for God!

“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.”    Isaiah 59:7-9

Oh to understand the things that God wants to teach us! Oh to learn to follow Him expecting the unexpected; to go where He leads regardless of the interruption; to declare with the Psalmist that our steps are ‘ordered’ by The Lord—expected or not!

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”   Isaiah 30:21

Wherever you are walking today, remember that if things turn around, seek God and look for His Hand, He is at work for our good and His glory!!! Things aren’t always what you think they are. God is working that which will produce “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”!

“For all things are for your sakes,

that the abundant grace

might through the thanksgiving

of many

redound to the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not;

but though our outward man perish,

yet the inward man

is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction,

which is but for a moment,

worketh for us

a far more exceeding

and eternal

weight of glory;

18 While we look not

at the things which are seen,

but at the things which are not seen:

for the things which are seen

are temporal;

but the things which are not seen

are eternal.”   2 Corinthians 4:15-18

So remember today, what you see isn’t really what you get—God’s glory is so real and we must keep “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”; (See Hebrews 12:2), knowing that God is working ‘all things’ for our good, that we might “be conformed to the image of his Son”!!! Amen and Amen! (See Romans 8:28-29) Just keep following Jesus—through the expected and the “un”expected!!! Whatever is going on, it hasn’t caught God by surprise!!!