Bible Ballistics: BBs #85 Desperate Futility or Deep Faith??

We’ve heard it– another prominent person ends their life. One who was outstanding at his trade: who had won all the recognition, accolades, awards and rewards of celebrity fame. Yet, life had been a struggle for him, as it is for all of us, but he had found no peace in all the worldly trappings. This precious life, given to each of us by God, was ended in desperation. A desperation that Jesus died to alleviate!!

Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:9-11

We can come to this ‘good shepherd’, or be pawns of the ‘thief’ who comes to ‘steal, and to kill, and to destroy’. Without Jesus, we have no defender against the cruel demons that plague men’s souls, we are children of disobedience, deceived by the enemy (see Eph. 2:1-3) But God came in the flesh to redeem those who would believe. It appears that this latest victim of the ‘thief’ had no inclination toward the Savior nor recognized his need for ‘redemption’, but while only God knows that, and He does; let us consider some significant truths.

Even genuine believers are sometimes deceived into doing harmful things to themselves and others. And we are called to help the weaker brothers; that we might all be found blameless when Jesus returns. But those without the Savior face an eternity of torment worse than what they’ve experienced in life. Not pleasant but true!!

In contrast, one seemingly ‘insignificant’ saint passed into eternity Monday, with little fanfare. She stepped out of the weariness of a failing body, into the arms of Jesus. Her last weeks and months had not been pleasant, but even in her pain and frailty, her thought was almost constantly, “I want to go home, to be with Jesus”. She held the line with grace, and confidence in the one to whom she belonged. Her passing leaves a great sorrow in the hearts of those who loved her, even though she received few accolades in her life. She gave love, laughter and joy to innumerable people, including me. I thank God that I had the privilege to know her and share in just a small part of her life. Her accolades are in eternity with her Savior. And while you won’t hear about her on the news, Jesus has welcomed one of His own into glory. Why? Because she had placed her faith in Jesus not the trappings of the world.

I’d just like to close with some sober scriptures for each of us to ponder.

Hebrews 9: 27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” We will all die—no second chances.   Where will you be? Those that you love?

2 Cor. 5:6-8, “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” If we choose Jesus here, we’ll be with Him forever there-in heaven. To not choose Him is Hell, for eternity.

Philippians 1:23-24, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” While I’m here, I am here with a purpose–to serve Him by helping others.

So?? Here’s our shot for today.

Don’t be deceived by the artificial trappings of the world—

they are empty clouds—

they will fail you.

Be sure you make the right choice—

because God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9b

James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

It’s your choice—desperate futility or deep-rooted faith?  Heaven or Hell?

Bored in Church – Point of View.

A great word form Kirby Anderson.  I wish I could have said it so concisely and well.  My thanks to Point of View for permission to share this post..

Bible Ballistics: In The Game or On The Sidelines?           Vol. 4 #14

We in the US know that it’s ‘Football’ Time!! Time for high school, college and professional ballgames, virtually every day of the week. But there is a great difference between ‘playing ball’ and ‘watching the ballgame’!!

The ‘players’ train, run, lift weights, practice plays and eat to stay in shape for the game. They study game films to know the plays, strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. All this to play in the game, for 60 minutes each week, for a season.

We saw a group of motorcycle riders the other day, all stopped to eat at the same place. Now you could surmise that they were bikers by their attire, their boots, head garb….etc., and it came to me that they were identified as ‘bikers’ by these things. But they could have all these things and still not be a biker!! How, you might ask? They could have all the paraphernalia that identified them outwardly as a biker but without a ‘motorcycle’ they aren’t really a ‘biker’.

Just like a ‘Football Player’ is only a ‘player’ when they play the game. The ‘arm chair’ quarterback may have clothing, helmets, and even know every play in the book, but unless he gets in the game, he’s only on the sidelines. I believe there is a parallel to our Christian life. We can claim to know Jesus, have all the outward trappings—we can wear Christian themed clothing, giant crosses, and even carry a big Bible, but if we aren’t in the game, what’s the point?

Matthew 7:22-23 says, “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.”

Saying so doesn’t make it so. Jesus makes it clear that just claiming to be a Christian, even doing ‘churchy’ things isn’t what makes us a ‘Christian’. A Christian is one who belongs to Jesus—being ‘born again’, saved by grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8-10, “ 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.”

We are totally saved by grace—God’s work imparted to us by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work of dying for our sins. But we are saved with a purpose—“ created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”; to do good works for, in and through the power of Jesus Christ. I don’t do good works to be saved, but I do good works because I am saved. I am to be in the game and not sitting on the sidelines or in my ‘arm chair’.

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

When Christ Jesus saves us, we are made new—born again, as John 3:3&5 tells us. Born again of God, as John 1:12-13 says,

“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.”

God gives us new life; He equips us to be in the game. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12, we are saved to be in the game–by God’s power not our own!!

1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11-12, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal……. 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Every believer receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit manifests Himself in each believer with a special spiritual gift through which we are to minister within the body of Christ. We are saved to be in the game—not on the sidelines.

What are you doing for the Lord? Have you found your spiritual gift/gifts? Are you functioning within the body using your gift, which the Spirit gave you to minister through? We are each given a gift—as the Holy Spirit chooses– to function within the local body and beyond at every opportunity. What are you doing for the Lord with your gift?

Are you in the game, or sitting on the couch giving instructions to others? Are you wearing all the apparel but you don’t have a bike? Are you using Jesus’ name to blend in or stand out, and yet you don’t know Him in His saving power?

We will all give an account. If we belong to Jesus we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. If we don’t we’ll stand before God at the Great White Throne. (See Rev. 20)

1 Corinthians 3:11-15, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

Romans 14:10-12, “ But why dost thou judge thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?

for we shall all stand

before the judgment seat

of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess

to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account

of himself

to God.”

So, are you ready to give an account? Are you willing to get up and get in the game? Are you just dressing up to look like a Christian without knowing Christ? Are you a Christian but you’re still waiting on some perfect opportunity? Get right with God, come to Jesus and get in the game. The results are eternal!! Are you a Player or Spectator? It’s your choice. But the truth will be known one day!!

 

Bible Ballistics: BBs #84  “Miss”Understanding??

Have you ever been ‘misunderstood’? This popular adage of our day, usually spoken in jest, has a lot of merit as a question for us today. I’d like us to glean from a brief passage, something that can help us see that we often ‘miss’ ‘understanding’ God and His ways. Often we get so steeped in our cultural mandates and allures that we don’t really ‘understand’ what the Lord has said or is saying to us, or expecting of us. I don’t know about you but I have to regularly step back and look at things around me to realize that, once again, I have let the world steal and monopolize my time, energy and resources. (In fact constantly and continually!!)

Luke 18:31-34, “Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.

32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:

33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”

How many times has Jesus spoken to us and we were so distracted we ‘missed’ it? So caught up in the allure of the world that we thought, “Jesus couldn’t mean__”? How often have we spent more time with the techno-gadgets than we have in HIS Word? In prayer?

The disciples were with Jesus 24/7 yet they not only “Miss”understood His words, they just didn’t ‘get it’. And because they ‘missed’ the preparation He was giving them, they spent 3 horrified days between Calvary and the resurrection!! Because they ‘miss-understanding’ the advance warning!

So????  Here’s our shot for today. Check your ‘receptors’ and see if you’re ‘missing’ an important message that Jesus has been trying to tell you. I pray that my heart and yours will ‘overcome’ the pull of the worldly magnetism and not only ‘hear’, but also be ready to fully ‘understand’ what our LORD is speaking to us. As Jesus Himself said numerous times in scripture:

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith…..” Revelation 2:11a

Have an ear?????????? May it ever be so?

Bible Ballistics: BBs #83  Living On Purpose??

When my children were small and were found doing something wrong their initial response was often, “I did it on accident”!! It was hard to accept the responsibility of their wrong actions. We adults often have the same attitude about our wrong actions—we want to avoid the consequence of our choices. Let’s look at a young man from whom we can learn a great deal about choices. Daniel was caught—doing right ‘on purpose’.

Although Daniel was a captive in Babylon, he determined to do right even there. He chose to be right with His God regardless of his environment.

 Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

Daniel committed to godliness, even though he was in a pagan environment. He treasured his relationship with his God and made up his mind to live right before His God—no matter who else was watching. A teenage young man with courage beyond his years, a confidence in his God to match, and a respect and submission to the authority over him, that we can learn from today. It’s a call to living godly, and honorably even in an idolatrous pagan culture. (See Romans 13:1-7)

What was God’s response to these four young men?

Daniel 1:9, 19-20 “Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs…… 19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm..”

So? Here’s our shot for today? Let’s determine/purpose:

To live godly in a wicked and idolatrous culture.

 To render unto “Caesar that which is Caesar’s”.

 To have a heart of respect toward those with whom we disagree.

 To have respect for the office they hold–not approval of their actions.

May we live so honorably that others can say of us what they said of Daniel in his latter years:

“Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Daniel 6:4-5