Tag Archives: Faith

Daniel Prayed–Will You??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #591

27 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Amazing Grace, Confessing Sin, Daniel Prayed--Will You?, Daniel's Prayer, Transgression

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #591  Daniel Prayed–Will You???

 

I would like to paraphrase of a passage of scripture that has grabbed my heart this week as I was reading and studying for a Bible study class.  I pray that it will reach out to your heart and call each of us to be willing to identify with the desperate condition of our land, our culture, and our world!  I will share my paraphrase and at the end Daniel’s actual prayer.  I would encourage you to spend some time in Daniel chapter 9 this week.

“I determined to pray,

fast,

and seek God’s face

in total mourning. 

I prayed unto The Lord, my God;

confessing my own sin

as well as the sin of my people. 

I praised God for His awesome power and might, for His faithfulness to keep His word, His covenants, and His promises—both those for blessings and those for judgment.

O Lord, we have sinned, doing wrong, behaving wickedly, rebelling against YOU, oh Lord, and we have forsaken Your Word, Your will, and Your ways.

We have not heeded or listened to those you sent to preach truth to us all; to our fathers and mothers; to our teachers and professors, to our mayors, governors, congressional leaders, and our judges and presidents; to all the people of our land!

O Lord, you are the righteous Lord of all, and even knowing your truth, we have rejected You, Your word, and Your ways.  We deserve the confusion and chaos that is rampant in our land, for we have turned away from You to go our own way—those who claim Your name as well as those who don’t know you at all—those in the country—those in the city—those who are educated—those who are less educated; all have walked away from Your way!

O Lord, we deserve the consequences of our choices that have come upon us, but by Thy mercy we have not been totally consumed—the small and the great—the rich and the poor—those of every political persuasion!  We have abandoned truth for lies, and now can’t grasp how we could be in the shape that we are in.  We have sinned against You!   

Praise Your name, O Lord, for we have abandoned You, and yet your mercy has been extended to us beyond measure.  You have called us again and again back to Yourself, yet we have continued to refuse to respond in repentance or faith!

You have called again and again, yet we have all refused to hear Your word, and can’t comprehend why we are reaping the harvest that we sowed!

We haven’t heeded Your Word and or responded to your grace and truth, instead we have continued to cling to our sinful and wicked ways, doing our best to relabel all our pet sins and legitimize them.

O Lord, we don’t deserve your mercy because of our great sin, but O Lord, we ask that you restore us to your favor by bringing conviction, grace and truth to those who will heed.  Spare us from your judgment, which we totally deserve, and save us.

 O Lord, hear the prayer of your servants, and save us today?  You are righteous, holy and good—and we need the salvation that Jesus bought for us at Calvary!

O Lord, hear? 

O Lord, forgive? 

Oh Lord, hearken and do

your work of grace and redemption upon our land,

not because we deserve it,

but because of Your great love and mercy!  Amen and Amen”

And here is Daniel’s prayer for his people, made in total identification with his sinful people, may we not exalt ourselves, but identify with our fallen nation and seek God’s face while there is still time.

“And I set my face unto the Lord God,

to seek by prayer and supplications,

with fasting,

and sackcloth,

and ashes:

4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said,

O Lord, the great and dreadful God,

keeping the covenant and mercy

to them

that love him,

and to them

that keep his commandments;

5 We have sinned,

and have committed iniquity,

and have done wickedly,

and have rebelled,

even by departing from thy precepts

and from thy judgments:

6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants

the prophets,

which spake in thy name

to our kings,

our princes,

and our fathers,

and to all the people of the land.

7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee,

but unto us confusion of faces,

as at this day;

to the men of Judah,

and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and unto all Israel,

that are near,

and that are far off,

through all the countries

whither thou hast driven them,

because of their trespass

that they have trespassed against thee.

8 O Lord,

to us belongeth confusion of face,

to our kings,

to our princes,

and to our fathers,

because we have sinned against thee.

9 To the Lord our God belong

mercies

and forgivenesses,

though we have rebelled against him;

10 Neither have we obeyed

the voice of the LORD our God,

to walk in his laws,

which he set before us

by his servants

the prophets.

11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law,

even by departing,

that they might not obey thy voice;

therefore the curse is poured upon us,

and the oath that is written

in the law of Moses the servant of God,

because we have sinned against him.

12 And he hath confirmed his words,

which he spake against us,

and against our judges that judged us,

by bringing upon us a great evil:

for under the whole heaven hath not

been done as hath been done

upon Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses,

all this evil is come upon us:

yet made we not our prayer

before the LORD our God,

that we might turn from our iniquities,

and understand thy truth.

14 Therefore hath the LORD watched

upon the evil,

and brought it upon us:

for the LORD our God is righteous

in all his works which he doeth:

for we obeyed not his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God,

that hast brought thy people forth

out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand,

and hast gotten thee renown,

as at this day;

we have sinned,

we have done wickedly.

16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness,

I beseech thee,

let thine anger and thy fury

be turned away from thy city Jerusalem,

thy holy mountain:

because for our sins,

and for the iniquities of our fathers,

Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach

to all that are about us.

17 Now therefore, O our God,

hear the prayer of thy servant,

and his supplications,

and cause thy face to shine

upon thy sanctuary that is desolate,

for the Lord’s sake.

18 O my God,

incline thine ear,

and hear;

open thine eyes,

and behold our desolations,

and the city which is called by thy name:

for we do not present our supplications

before thee

for our righteousnesses,

but for thy great mercies.

19 O Lord, hear;

O Lord, forgive;

O Lord, hearken

and do; defer not,

for thine own sake,

O my God:

for thy city

and thy people

are called by thy name.”   Daniel 9:2-19

Even so Lord Jesus!  Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

 

You’re Not A DIY!!! Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 02

25 Sunday Aug 2019

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Born Again, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Compromise, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Dependence, Encouragement, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Filled With His Spirit, Flesh-vs-Spirit, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, God Is In Charge, God's provision, Gospel, Growing in Jesus!, Holy Living, If not now? When?, IN Jesus!, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Listening To God, Living Right, Make Like A Tree?, Plumbline?, Polluted by the world?, Salvation, Saved by grace, SIN, Sovereignty, The Only Way, The Word Or The World?, Trusting Jesus, Walking With Jesus, Who are YOU following?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 02  You’re Not A DIY!!!

 

We live in a culture of DIY—Do it YOURSELF!  But God never calls us to ‘fix’ ourselves but to yield to HIS love, work and transforming power.  I would like to share from the scriptures some food for thought to perhaps readjust our thinking.  I pray that it will touch hearts, encourage the faithful, convict those who have fallen for the lies of the enemy, by speaking the truth of God in love.  I do love and pray for each of you that will read this post, that God will speak HIS Word to your heart; that you will come to know that you don’t have to DIY; you simply have to “let God BE God”!

“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

God begins His work in us by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus—His substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice of Himself for us.  We couldn’t save ourselves and apart from Jesus we surely can’t keep ourselves!

“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

Just as a branch broken off of the tree will not grow—neither will we unless we abide in Jesus.  He has provided everything that we need to be faithful, successful followers of His!  God has called and equipped us to grow IN HIM!

“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

As Paul said above—God began it—and He will finish the work in His own!

“And we know

that all things work together

for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.

30 Moreover

 whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

 them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son,

but delivered him up for us all,

how shall he not

with him

also freely give us

all things?”  Romans 8:28-32

And how do we become HIS?  By coming to Jesus in repentance and faith!  Only One Way—only One Savior:  “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” And we come by faith in The One who died for you and me, who also said: “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”!  Amen! (See John 14:6 & 6:37)

“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 2:8-10

Instead of a DIY project, God calls us to die to self, and live unto Him, by Him and for Him!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed

to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

It’s all about JESUS!

“For of him,

and through him,

and to him,

are all things:

 to whom be glory

for ever. Amen.”  Romans 11:36

So my conclusion is that we must stop working on our own—doing our DIY project on ourselves–and let Jesus do HIS work in us, yielding to His Spirit, knowing His Word, His truth, and trusting to HIS perfect provision and providence (a word that we have mostly forgotten today)! Here are a few passages to help us focus on our Master Builder rather than ourselves!

“For it is God

which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh……

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,

provoking one another,

envying one another.”   Galatians 5:16 & 25-26

And more from our brother Paul:

“What?

know ye not

that your body is the temple

of the Holy Ghost

which is in you,

which ye have of God,

and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify God

in your body,

and in your spirit,

which are God’s.”   1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Finally, how do we know what it looks like to choose HIS way?  Again, Paul gives us an amazing contrast that I’ll leave with you!  You must decide if you will focus on the way of the flesh or The Spirit.

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest,

which are these;

Adultery,

fornication,

uncleanness,

lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry,

witchcraft,

hatred,

variance,

emulations,

wrath,

strife,

seditions,

heresies,

21 Envyings,

murders,

drunkenness,

revellings,

and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit

the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love,

joy,

peace,

longsuffering,

gentleness,

goodness,

faith,

23 Meekness,

temperance:

against such

there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.”   Galatians 5:19-24

Remember the fruit can only come from abiding in the tree!  May we learn to measure with God’s plumb-line not the world’s; and abide in our LORD Jesus in all our ways!  Be fruitful!

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faithful Is HE Who Promised!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #536

01 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #536   Faithful Is HE Who Promised!!!

 

There is a conundrum (something that puzzles) in speaking of God’s promises, in that not all of His promises may apply to us specifically!  What do I mean?  Simply put, we must always consider the context of any promise, for some things that people consider ‘promises’ are simply principles of truth instead of promises; and also, some promises are to specific people in specific situations or times.  We can never violate the context to claim any promise!  Let’s look at some promises and principles.

“And the very God of peace

sanctify you wholly;

and I pray God

your whole spirit

and soul

and body

be preserved blameless

unto the coming

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he

that calleth you,

who also will do it.”   1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Paul was free to pray for his friends in this church—to pray for their sanctification and spiritual maturity unto “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Paul wasn’t speaking for God, but simply praying for his friends, and reminding them to trust The One who was able to grow them, the faithful God who had called them to Christ!  Our confidence must always be totally in HIM, not ourselves.

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth

take heed lest he fall. 

13 There hath no temptation taken you

but such as is common to man:

but God is faithful,

who will not suffer you to be tempted

above that ye are able;

but will with the temptation

also make a way to escape,

that ye may be able to bear it.”   1 Corinthians 10:12-13

There are those who debate what this passage means, and whether it is a promise; but I’d rather simply look at what Paul says!  He warns those who think they are ‘above’ stumbling, to take heed and remember that it is God who delivers, keeps and protects—not self!  Paul also reminds these believers that “God is faithful”, that we will never face anything that is outside of God’s sovereign control!  He assures them—and us—that no matter what temptation or trial we may face, GOD knows where we are, and HEwill provide a means to “able to bear it”!  God will get us through it, whether He gets us “out of it”, or as the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3 understood—if it’s not in God’s timing or will to deliver us “out of” the fire—HE is still faithful and will deliver out of or through–and we can trust HIM (so we will not bow before other ‘gods’)!

Job understood this principle of the faithfulness of God, and I pray that we will all learn to trust Him and rest in His promises and His principles—and there is often a difference.

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain

mine own ways

before him.”  Job 13:10

Job knew that God’s faithfulness was totally trustworthy, but he also understood that he had a responsibility to live a life of integrity before God and man. And we only do that, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, in the power of the cross, and by His indwelling Holy Spirit!  Job knew about abiding in God.

“Now ye are clean through the word

which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abidein me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abidein the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abidein 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 15:3-5

So, let us take heart today, no matter the trials or temptations that you/I are facing—our
God is faithful and we can draw near to Him!

“Let us draw near

with a true heart

in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled

from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed

with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast

the profession of our faith

without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised😉”   Hebrews 10:22-23

All because, “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”!

Amen and Amen!

 

Faith Trusts In The Dark!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #535

27 Wednesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Faith

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #535   Faith Trusts In The Dark!!!

 

Israel went through the wilderness for forty years, and sometimes we can feel like we are in that situation; but our God is faithful in the wilderness, in the valley and on the mountain top!  He is with us in the light and in the dark—no matter how we “feel”, we must walk by faith and rely on our confidence in The One who holds “today” as well as “tomorrow” not our ‘feelings’!  (That might make a great song 🙂 !)

I simply want to share a brief reminder for us today.  As so many across the country are in difficult situations with floods, blizzards, ice and storms, political chaos and fear, but we can take heart knowing our God has us in HIS hand.

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee,

O Jacob,

and he that formed thee,

O Israel,

Fear not:

for I have redeemed thee,

I have called thee by thy name;

thou art mine.

2 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,

the Holy One of Israel,

thy Saviour…:”  Isaiah 43:1-3a

We can be victorious IN JESUS, because our God reigns!  And a young prophet and servant of God, Daniel, reminds us that when we are faced with the crises of life—our God still reigns!!! You can trust HIM in the dark—always!

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel

in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 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.

23 I thank thee,

and praise thee,

O thou God of my fathers,

who hast given me wisdom

and might,

and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee:

for thou hast now made known unto us

the king’s matter.”  Daniel 2:19-23

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!!!