Tag Archives: Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus

A New Thing? Really??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #699

31 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, For Such A Time As This, Not Of This World, Nothing New, One Day Too Late?, Only Jesus, Only One Way, SIN

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #699  A New Thing?  Really???

 

Just a brief word of hope and encouragement as we leave the year of 2020 and begin a new year with trepidation and uncertainty!  I hope these thoughts and scriptures will speak to you and me today!  Blessings on you and yours in this new year!

“Behold, I will do a new thing;

now it shall spring forth;

shall ye not know it?

I will even make a way

in the wilderness,

and rivers in the desert.”  Isaiah 43:19

Without digging into the depths of the context of this verse, I just want us to consider that God is ever at work, and sometimes God is doing things that we haven’t considered.  God told Israel here, through the Prophet Isaiah, that He was about to do something unexpected and awesome.  While Israel would have to experience the judgment of God in Babylonian captivity, for their disobedience, much like America, God wasn’t finished with HIS work in them—for them—and even through them; and He wanted them to be watching (with eyes to “see” and ears to “hear”).

Much like we talked about last time, we need to have “eyes to see”, and “ears to hear” what God has to reveal and speak to our hearts and lives as well as the opportunities that He has for us.  Much like the author of Hebrews wrote, we need to be willing to keep our focus on our Lord and not our circumstances.  As I am often heard to say, “we must be like Daniel and keep our eyes on our ‘LORD’ and not the ‘lions’ around us”!  Where is your focus?  May we be like our Lord and continually seek to “do the will of HIM who sent me” (See John 4:34)?  Ever seeking to “do the will” of Him who saves us!

“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

We must always remember that while circumstances continually seem to change there really is “nothing new”!  God’s got this and that—God’s got you and me (if you will but receive HIS Son in repentance and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary [taking your place], atoning [paying your sin debt], sacrifice [dying as the sinless, pure Lamb of God for our sin!] -See 2 Corinthians 5:21-)—and God knows what lies ahead—and we can trust to HIS care!

May we renew our commitment to be the reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ to a world lost and in need of a Redeemer!

“All things are full of labour;

 man cannot utter it:

the eye is not satisfied

with seeing,

nor the ear filled

with hearing.

9 The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done

is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said,

See,

this is new?

it hath been already of old time,

which was before us.

11 There is no remembrance

of former things;

neither shall there be any remembrance

of things that are to come

with those that shall come after.”   Ecclesiastes 1:8-11

 If you don’t know HIM, you can!  You can call upon HIM today and have a new life in the new year!

“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

Happy New Year to one and all.  Remember Jesus still saves, and changes lives today!Ecc

Amen and Amen!

Jesus IS My Source Of Strength!!!

06 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, By His Grace, Dependence, Encouragement, God of all comfort!, God's Faithfulness, HOPE, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, JESUS, Keeping our eyes on JESUS!

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #649 Jesus IS My Source Of Strength!!!

 

As many are struggling around us with the current crises, I simply want to take the time today to share with you some scriptures of encouragement.  We all need to remember WHO is the source of life, hope, and salvation—Jesus!

“I will love thee, O LORD,

my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock,

and my fortress,

and my deliverer;

my God,

my strength,

in whom I will trust;

my buckler,

and the horn of my salvation,

and my high tower.”  Psalm 18:1-2

He (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is our “high tower”, and so much more.

“The name of the LORD

is a strong tower:

the righteous runneth into it,

and is safe.”  Proverbs 18:10

Oh, how often I run into that “strong tower” when no one sees, when no one knows, when no one else understands—for HE reminds me that I am safe in HIS arms, under His wings there is comfort, help and restoration!

“Be merciful unto me, O God,

be merciful unto me:

for my soul trusteth in thee:

yea, in the shadow of thy wings

will I make my refuge,

 until these calamities be overpast.

2 I will cry unto God most high;

unto God

that performeth all things for me.”   Psalm 57:1-2

How often I need to be reminded that my strength comes when I kneel—rather than when I try to stand in my own strength, wisdom or power!  He is my all in all—always!

“Where there is neither

Greek nor Jew,

circumcision nor uncircumcision,

Barbarian, Scythian,

bond nor free:

but Christ is all,

and in all.” Colossians 3:11

We can know that Christ Jesus is in us, because He has promised His Holy Spirit to all who come to Him in repentance and faith, in fact The Holy Spirit in us IS the evidence that we are HIS!  And Jesus gave us His promise that His Spirit will be with us.

“These things have I spoken unto you,

being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter,

which is the Holy Ghost,

whom the Father will send

in my name,

he shall teach you

all things,

and bring all things

to your remembrance,

whatsoever I have said

unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you,

my peace I give unto you:

not as the world giveth,

give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled,

neither let it be afraid.”   John 14:25-27

And may the words of Paul comfort and encourage us to keep our eyes “fixed on Jesus”, and not only receive His comfort and strength but share HIM with those around us!

“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 3:15-17

“Now the God of hope fill you

with all joy and peace in believing,

that ye may abound in hope,

through the power of the Holy Ghost.”  Romans 15:13

Amen and Amen!!!

A Struggle To Focus??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #559

29 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Armor of God, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Consider Your ways, Distractions, Encouragement, Filled With His Spirit, Follow Jesus, Growing in Jesus!, Holy Spirit, It's Your Choice, Obedience, The Only Way, The Word

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #559     A Struggle To Focus???

 

I just had an issue come up this morning as I was working on this post, and it reminded me of the challenge it is to keep our focus on God and keep our ways right before Him.  So, I’d simply like to share a few things to help us to keep our focus!

“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

In other words, “Looking unto Jesus” will help us to think right and live a consistent holy life, knowing what our salvation cost our Lord! Just as when we drive, we have to keep our eyes on the road, or we find ourselves veering off the road, we must “fix our eyes” (the NASB version) on Jesus in our daily walk to stay on track (and I’m to run “MY” race not yours or anyone else’s).

I try to begin each day by putting on the “armor of God”, so that I will be prepared for the battles of the day (for we are in a continual battle with the enemy of our soul—and he is an expert at ‘distraction’!). Paul talked about this ‘spiritual warfare’ in several of his letters, and we’ll consider a portion of a couple of them to encourage our hearts as we press on with, through and for JESUS!

“Finally, my brethren,

be strong

in the Lord,

and in the power

of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,

but against principalities,

against powers,

against the rulers,

of the darkness of this world,

against spiritual wickedness

in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you

the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to withstand

in the evil day,

and having done all,

to stand.”  Ephesians 6:10-13

Paul clearly tells us that we are in this “wrestling” match with our enemy, so we must be aware of the enemy and keep our heart and mind ‘suited’ up in our armor.  Spend some time today rehearsing that armor in verses 14-18—it’s a worthwhile practice to pray it on every day!  We need it!  And there’s another important passage in regard to this ‘spiritual warfare’ we are in, we must actively, diligently and faithfully bring our thoughts captive to “the obedience of Christ”.  And believe me, I have just as much trouble with my thoughts, as you do with yours—because the battle is in the realm of our minds, thoughts and focus!  Our walk in the flesh is determined by our success in the spirit!

“For though we walk in the flesh,

we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare

are not carnal,

but mighty through God

to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations,

and every high thing

that exalteth itself against

the knowledge of God,

and bringing into captivity

every thought

to the obedience of Christ;”   2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Living a victorious Christian life requires more than spending a couple of hours in ‘church’ one day a week!  It requires a daily, moment by moment walk with Jesus; learning to recognize the “wiles of the devil”, knowing that we can be victorious when we keep our eyes on Jesus; but that takes diligent effort and awareness of God’s presence in every step we take, and keeping right thoughts at every turn.  One key verse that I rehearse regularly, to remind myself to think right is from Philippians 4. (And a right thought life, will manifest itself in our choices—just as a wrong thought life will show up eventually in our actions!)  May these help you today!

“Be careful for nothing;

but in every thing

by prayer

and supplication

with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known

unto God.

7 And the peace of God,

which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts

and minds

through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren,

whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue,

and if there be any praise,

think on these things.”  Philippians 4:6-8

As Martin Luther was reported to have said:

“You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair”!

Amen and Amen!!!