Tag Archives: 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Because He IS Able??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 08

07 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by in A Father's Love, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Comfort, Confidence, Encouragement, Every Knee Shall Bow, Faithful is He that has Promised!

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.08. Because He IS Able???

 

I started this article on a different vein but felt that I needed to share something that is on my heart.  There are times when we just “feel” discouraged, defeated, confused, or distraught over things that are out of our control.  There are the times that we must rise above our “feelings” and stand on what we know!  And what we know has to be grounded in God and His Word!

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless

I am not ashamed:

for I know

whom I have believed,

and am persuaded

that he is able

to keep that

which I have committed

unto him

against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words,

which thou hast heard of me,

in faith

and love

which is in Christ Jesus.”    2 Timothy 1:12-13

Paul told his son-in-the-ministry, Timothy, that his confidence was in Jesus—regardless of his personal suffering for the Gospel or his circumstances; and we can learn a lot from this truth!  I love the old hymn that reiterates this truth as well—because I do “know whom I have believed” and that’s why and how we can “press on”!

Job understood this principle in the midst of the tragedies that overtook him.  He understood it and proclaimed it to his misguided, if well-meaning, friends who insisted that he must have sinned, or these things wouldn’t have happened to him.  While this seems to have been the first of the “prosperity” teaching, Job knew that his relationship with God was sure; even though he came to understand with even more confidence that God has plans that are far beyond what we can comprehend—HE IS God, not us!

“Seek ye the LORD

while he may be found,

call ye upon him

while he is near:

7 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.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow

from heaven,

and returneth not thither,

but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud,

that it may give seed

to the sower,

and bread

to the eater:

11 So shall my word be

that goeth forth

out of my mouth:

it shall not return unto me void,

but it shall accomplish

that which I please,

and it shall prosper

in the thing whereto

I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:6-11

As Job so succinctly declared:

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will

maintain mine own ways

before him.”  Job 13:15

Job knew that his confidence was in God Almighty, yet he also knew that his responsibility was to live with integrity before the God to whom he would answer. His answer didn’t have to impress his friends, for he would answer to his God!  And so will we—every man, woman, boy and girl, will give an account to the God who created us, and has offered us the salvation that Jesus bought at Calvary! James talked about our need to draw near to Him when we have the opportunity; for that opportunity will not always be available.

“And the LORD said,

My spirit shall not always strive

with man,”  Genesis 6:3a

“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.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.”    James 4:6-8

God loves us and has given us His Son, Jesus, who paid for our sin, if we will but come to God through Him (See John 14:6).  And God is ever at work growing us into the image of Jesus (See Romans 8:28-29).  He hasn’t gone to sleep, or forgotten where you are, nor has He taken time off—but He is ever working in our hearts and lives through every circumstance!  And I trust Him!  He has ever proven Himself faithful, especially in those times when I simply had to cling to what I know to be true, and march through my house repeating to myself, “I’m not giving up!  I’m not giving up!  I’m not giving up!”  For just like Paul, I cling to the fact (not the fairytale) that God is God, and I belong to Him!

“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 has me/you in His hand—we who have come to Jesus in repentance and faith in HIS substitutionary (in my place), atoning (Paying the debt I owed), sacrifice for sin (because I owed a debt I could never pay!)!  God is ever at work on our behalf!  Always!

“When thou passest through the waters,

I will be with thee;

and through the rivers,

they shall not overflow thee:

when thou walkest through the fire,

thou shalt not be burned;

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the LORD thy God,”  Isaiah 43:2-3a

You can trust in HIS care!  I know that some of you are walking through the fire today; yet God Almighty has never lost sight of where you are!  He has you in His hand.  Just look up, walk forward and press on with Jesus!

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding

in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know

that your labour

is not in vain

in the Lord.”   1 Corinthians 15:57-58

In other words—We Win!!!  So, tie a knot in that rope you’re holding onto, look up to the One who has the other end of that rope, and walk forward in confidence in HIM—not your feelings, or your circumstances!

And I’d simply like to close today with one of my favorite Psalms!

“I will lift up mine eyes

unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh

from the LORD,

which made heaven

and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot

to be moved:

he that keepeth thee

will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel

shall neither slumber

nor sleep.

5 The LORD is thy keeper:

the LORD is thy shade

upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee

by day,

nor the moon

by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve thee

from all evil:

he shall preserve

thy soul.

8 The LORD shall preserve

thy going out

and thy coming in

from this time forth,

and even for evermore.”   Psalm 121:1-8 

God’s got this—remember that you/I can “know whom I have believed” because we are “persuaded that he is able”, for HE IS always able!  Look up at The Lord—not around at the ‘lions’ nipping at your heels!

Amen and Amen!!!

If It’s In It Will Come Out??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #357

06 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Victory IN Jesus!

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #537   If It’s In It Will Come Out???

 

“Shall not God search this out?

for he knoweth the secrets

of the heart.”  Psalm 44:21

We often talk about making lemonade out of the ‘lemons’ that we find ourselves with, but there’s a catch to that.  As the old adage asks, “What do you get when you squeeze a lemon?”  While most say, “lemon juice”, the truth is, you’ll only get out of the lemon what is in it! If it’s a dry lemon, you won’t get any juice at all—you’ll just squeeze and get nothing.  Well, our spiritual walk with God is much the same; when the squeeze comes—trials, burdens, sorrows, difficulties, or tragedies—and it will come, what you’ve put in your heart will come out; what we continually put into our hearts and minds, will be revealed when that ‘squeeze’ comes.  Jesus tells us the same thing, and more than once!

“O generation of vipers,

how can ye,

being evil,

speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man

out of the good treasure of the heart

bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man

out of the evil treasure

bringeth forth evil things.”    Matthew 12:34-35

And again, Matthew records:

“But those things

which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed

evil thoughts,

murders,

adulteries,

fornications,

thefts,

false witness,

blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man:

but to eat with unwashen hands

defileth not a man.”  Matthew 15:18-20

Jesus makes it clear that what is IN our heart will come out sooner or later!  We can fool others, we can even fool ourselves, but we will never fool God.  And when the crisis comes—what is inside will be revealed, and it may surprise even us! So, it’s important to spend time with God personally, reading His Word, praying and seeking His face, His will and His way.  I understand that we all have to deal with life, but we are to “walk in the Spirit”; meaning that we are to live every moment—at work, at home, at play, at school—asking, seeking, and knocking with God’s eyes and perspective in all we do.  Whether it’s making coffee for a friend, or washing dirty clothes and dishes, or digging ditches, or checking out of the grocery store—it’s all to be done by His power which is within each one who is His own.  But that means we must-–must—guard our hearts and minds from the attacks of the enemy.

“Keep thy heart

with all diligence;

for out of it

are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

And as Paul told the Colossians, we are to work and live in His love and peace (both of which only Jesus can impart to lost hearts and minds)!

“And above all these things

put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God

rule in your hearts,

to the which also ye are called

in one body;

and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

in all wisdom;

teaching

and admonishing one another

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing

with grace in your hearts

to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do

in word

or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God and the Father

by him.”  Colossians 3:14-17

We are to continually pursue the holiness of Jesus, and “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus”; and that doesn’t mean just slapping “in Jesus’ name” on the things we do, but doing His work, His way, for His glory and our continual surrender to HIM!  His name isn’t a magic “potion”, but HIS presence in HIS own is a supernatural power of grace, mercy and redemption!

So, what’s inside you?  Have you opened every room of your heart to Jesus’ presence, work and control? Or have you those locked off rooms that are coming out in the most inopportune times?  Jesus is ready, willing and able to forgive, restore and renew your life and walk with Him!  Won’t you join me today as we check out what’s “inside”?  It will come out, and what we have put in will truly come out!!!

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding

in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour

is not in vain

in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith That Works??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #517

26 Wednesday Dec 2018

Posted by in Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Jesus, Freedom To Or From?, Trust God, Truth is True, Work

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #517  Faith That Works???

 

“But without faith

it is impossible to please him:

for he that cometh to God

must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder

of them that diligently seek him.”    Hebrews 11:6

“Now faith is

the substance of things

hoped for,

the evidence of things

not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

These are two of the quintessential passages about faith in all of scripture, helping us understand that faith isn’t an ethereal, unreal thing but truth that we haven’t seen or perceived with our physical eyes yet! Our faith and hope reveal that our trust in is secure and sure, for it is God in whom we have placed our faith. And having trusted Him through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can look forward to the things that HE has promised. Paul speaks of this assurance and hope in Romans 8, and when he speaks of hope he is referring to our confidence in God’s promises, His ability, and the surety of His ever-faithful deliverance of HIS own!

“And not only they, but ourselves also,

which have the firstfruits

of the Spirit,

even we ourselves

groan within ourselves,

waiting for the adoption,

to wit,

the redemption of our body.

24 For we are saved by hope:

but hope that is seen is not hope:

for what a man seeth,

why doth he yet hope for?

25 But if we hope for that we see not,

then do we with patience wait for it.”  Romans 8:23-25

So what about your faith and mine? Are we walking by faith in Jesus, or by sight? Much of the “name-it-and-claim-it” theology seems to focus our hope on being in this present world, and fulfilling our fleshly lusts rather than living for Jesus and looking for our reward with HIM. Trusting HIM to meet our physical needs in His will and His time. Remember what Jesus said, “Give us THIS day our daily bread”! And Paul told Timothy about keeping his “desires” in check: “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (Be sure and check out the context of 1 Timothy 6:8).

Faith is holding on to Jesus, not abstract mental assent, but having confidence in The One who saves and delivers. Holing on to Jesus as to a ‘life preserver’ in a sea of sin and darkness. Holding on to that “shield of faith” that we will be able to utilize it in our daily battles (and we are in a warfare, see Ephesians 2:10-18)—and to utilize a shield you must have a firm grip on the shield itself with complete confidence in it’s ability to protect and deliver! Doing HIS work in the midst of a dark, hostile world that most often doesn’t want to see the light. Even as Jesus Himself said, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (from John 3:19, and see 1 John to see more about the ‘light’)—our faith is from the light, and will grow us in the light when we yield to the Spirit’s leading in our lives—but only for those who have genuine faith. But what is genuine? W. E. Vine, in the “Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words” gives the most succinct definition of faith that I have found:

“The main elements in ‘faith’ in its relation to the invisible God, as distinct from ‘faith’ in man, are especially brought out in the use of this noun (Greek pistis, as described on page 222, under “faith”) and the corresponding verb, pisteuo; they are (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgment of God’s revelation or truth,….(2) a personal surrender to Him…..(3) a conduct inspired by such surrender… Prominence is given to one or other of these elements according to the context (of the passages listed which I haven’t included here for time and space sake). All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good “faith” without necessary reference to its proof.”

It is sad that people become confused and think that Paul says we are saved by faith not works—which is true—but they often misunderstand what James says about works. It’s like the proverb of the blind men describing an elephant as they grasp only one part of his anatomy, without seeing the “whole” context! We need to understand that real faith works—recognizing that real faith is in God, not self, dead works, wealth/poverty (and either/both can be consumed with greed!), or religion—when we know Jesus, The One who has called us to Himself, by His own blood!

James describes one who “says” he has faith, and Paul talks about “vain” faith—each one describing those who have lip service with no outward evidence of God’s presence and work. It’s what Paul reminded the Philippians of:

“Wherefore, my beloved,

as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation

with fear

and trembling.

13 For it is God

which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.”   Philippians 2:12-13

Paul didn’t say that we work “for” our salvation—but by faith we are to work “out” what God has put in! And my friends, when we belong to Jesus, it is because of the work that HE does in us; working it out in our daily living, so that others see Jesus in us! “Working out” our spiritual muscles with more passion and devotion than athletes do their physical bodies. I pray right now, that Jesus will help us to see that real “faith”, is dependence on HIM in every area of our lives; yielding to HIM; knowing HIM more each day; walking with HIM in every circumstance—the good, the bad, and the ugly! May we yield to Jesus’ HIS work in us—to a desperate world!

So my friends, I am praying that you/I examine our hearts, even as the Psalmist cried out to God, letting God do His perfect work of grace in me/you today—every day!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen!!!