Tag Archives: Hebrews 13:5-8

The Old And The New??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #308

27 Friday Dec 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Diligence, Discernment, Discipline, God's got you and me!, God's grace is sufficient...always!, God's Time, God's ways are not our ways, Godly Character, Godly Instruction, Godly Parenting, Godly Wisdom, Holiness, Holy Living, Honor Or Dishonor?, Jesus--our all in all

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The Old And The New???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #308

As we close out 2024 and prepare to start a new year of 2025, there are a lot of things to consider; many take this time to reassess their goals, progress, financial practices, parenting skills, and in the craziness of our world, often just trying to “get by”!  But I’d like to take a bit of a turn here and call us to examine our walk with Jesus Christ The Lord.  If you know Him, then it’s a call to pursue holiness as we align our walk with the Word of God.  If you don’t know Him, I invite you to come to know Him in repentance of your sin, and trusting/believing in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.  If you’re not familiar with Jesus, I would direct you to read the Gospel of John in the Bible.

Let’s look at the message to struggling believers in the book of Hebrews; the author calls them to study the faith of others in chapter 11 (often called the hall of faith), but he doesn’t stop there.  He goes on to call them to holy living, and that is what I want us to consider as we approach this new year.  (I encourage you to read through chapters 11 -13 for the big picture, for I’ll only share portions of those chapters in this limited space…)

“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.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,

striving against sin.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation

which speaketh unto you as unto children,

My son, despise not thou

the chastening of the Lord,

nor faint

when thou art rebuked of him:”  Hebrews 12:1-5

Our challenge continues with an even greater call to obedience and the truth that God disciplines His own.  Discipline is an important part of child-raising—a part which many in our day have abandoned and we are paying an awfully high price for that choice.  But spiritual lack of discipline can be just as tragic, and the absence of it in a person’s life is a call to question one’s relationship with Jesus.  Let’s peruse what the scripture says.

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth

every son

whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh

which corrected us,

and we gave them reverence:

shall we not much rather be in subjection

unto the Father of spirits,

and live?

10 For they verily for a few days

chastened us after their own pleasure;

but he for our profit,

that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present

seemeth to be joyous,

but grievous:

nevertheless afterward

it yieldeth the peaceable fruit

of righteousness

unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down,

and the feeble knees;”  Hebrews 12:6-12

While I encourage you to ponder these things, I choose to end on a positive note, even as the author of Hebrews chose to do.  Remember whose you are, fix your eyes on the prize, Jesus, and run the race, knowing you are never alone!

“Let your conversation be without covetousness;

and be content with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear what man

shall do unto me…

8 Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.” Portions of Hebrews 13:5-

May the blessings of peace, joy, and contentment rule in the closing of the present year and follow you into the new year!

Amen and Amen!!!

A Testimony Of Truth??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #708

10 Wednesday Feb 2021

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, All Sufficient God!, Are You Ready, Assurance or Arrogance, Bloom Where You're Planted!, Choices And Consequences, Confidence or Presumption?, Daniel Prayed--Will You?, Daniel's choices, Dare To Be Different!, Faithful, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, Fear, Fearlessness, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #708  A Testimony Of Truth???

 

As we continue our look at Daniel chapter 3 and our friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we find that as they stood fast to their God and His truth, God proved Himself faithful.  We never have to prove God’s faithfulness, but when we are faithful to HIM and HIS Word, God will prove Himself faithful every time.  One of our problems today is that many who claim the name of Jesus have compromised, watered down and tried to change God’s truth—the ultimate truth of the Gospel and its total sufficiency to save and deliver!  Daniel and his friends knew that God was The Lord God Almighty and that HE would do that which was right, and they would stand fast in HIM and in HIS ways, leaving the results to GOD—not man!  Do we have that kind of faith today?  We can have that kind of faith or we can settle for the imitation version—which is empty and vain.  The kind that Jesus describes in Matthew chapter 7, and while I’m printing a lengthy portion for our consideration today, I pray that you will ponder the truth of what Jesus is telling us.  Just “saying so, doesn’t make it so”!  Are you a doer of “the word” or just a hearer and pretender?  Our friends in Daniel 3 were a most powerful example of the “real deal”!  Have you entered in at the “strait gate”?  It’s a question with eternal import!

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be

which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be

that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you

in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly

they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them

by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes

of thorns,

or figs

of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree

bringeth forth good fruit;

but a corrupt tree

bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree

cannot bring forth evil fruit,

neither can a corrupt tree

bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit

is hewn down,

and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits

ye shall know them.

21 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.”   Matthew 7:13-23

What do we find in Daniel and his friends?  We find faith in action not just words.  They trusted to their God—and their GOD was, is and ever shall be faithful GOD of all creation!  Let’s pick up with the fiery furnace and see what God can do!  We begin with the fate of standing fast for God before an angry king—and there is no record of their fear and pleading, only their faithful walk of faith into that fire.

“Then was Nebuchadnezzar

full of fury,

and the form of his visage

was changed against

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego:

therefore he spake, and commanded

that they should heat the furnace

one seven times more

than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men

that were in his army

to bind

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego,

and to cast them

into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then these men were bound

in their coats,

their hosen,

and their hats,

and their other garments,

and were cast

into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

22 Therefore because the king’s commandment

was urgent,

and the furnace exceeding hot,

the flame of the fire slew those men

that took up

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego.

23 And these three men,

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego,

fell down bound

into the midst

of the burning fiery furnace.”   Daniel 3:19-23

Do you get the picture here—Nebuchadnezzar in his fury had them heat the furnace hotter than it ever had been—in fact, so hot that the men who took them up to cast them into the furnace died from the heat coming from the furnace.  What fires are you facing today—we all have our fires—but these precious children of God were facing a real “fiery furnace”, yet they had faith that triumphed over fear.  You can have that same faith too, if you’ll but exercise it!  And how do we do that?  We dig into God’s Word to know Him better, we pray to draw close to His heart, inviting Him to “be at home” in my heart, and fellowshipping with like-minded Bible believers in a church where you can hear HIS Word and grow in grace and truth, with a heart of gratitude!

“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

Praise God He is ever faithful, and our three friends found out just how faithful HE was—and so did the angry king, whose countenance “changed” again.  Let’s look:

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied,

and rose up in haste,

and spake, and said unto his counsellors,

Did not we cast three men

bound into the midst of the fire?

They answered and said unto the king,

True, O king.

25 He answered and said,

Lo, I see four men

loose,

walking in the midst of the fire,

and they have no hurt;

and the form of the fourth

is like the Son of God.

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near

to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace,

and spake,

and said,

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego,

ye servants of the most high God,

come forth,

and come hither.

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

came forth

of the midst of the fire.”  Daniel 3: 24-26

Not only did our friends find deliverance “IN” the fire, but they had the very presence of God with them (I believe a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ)!  And who was affected by this miracle?  Let’s see!

“And the

princes,

governors,

and captains,

and the king’s counsellors,

being gathered together,

saw these men,

upon whose bodies the fire

had no power,

nor was an hair of their head

singed,

neither were their coats changed,

nor the smell of fire

had passed on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said,

Blessed be the God of

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego,

who hath sent his angel,

and delivered his servants

that trusted in him,

and have changed the king’s word,

and yielded their bodies,

that they might not serve

nor worship

any god,

except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree,

That every people,

nation,

and language,

which speak any thing amiss

against the God of

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego,

shall be cut in pieces,

and their houses shall be made a dunghill:

30 Then the king promoted

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego,

in the province of Babylon.”   Daniel 3:27-30

You talk about a “turn-around”!  Consider all that we see here, and we don’t have time to go into detail, but I want to mention just a few of the highlights:

The tattletales were shown up and silenced—

The raging King was awe-struck with this GOD—

There was “NO” evidence of fire upon their person—

The King’s question of “what God” was answered—

God was recognized for HIS unique power!

Even the King had to acknowledge the might of The God of these three young men:

“because there is no other God

that can deliver after this sort…”!

What sort of testimony do we live before the world?  Are we willing to not “worship any god, except their own God” or are we selling out to the ‘loudest liar”?  I pray that you will look at this account with new eyes and a heart like our friends—for God rewarded their faithfulness in HIS time and in HIS way.  And because of their faithful stand in humility, integrity and respect, they were also rewarded by the king.  May God make my heart ready to be found faithful when the fires come.  May you find Him faithful today—and today—and today—!  HE IS still the same.q

“Let your conversation

be without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do unto me.

7 Remember them which have the rule over you,

who have spoken unto you the word of God:

whose faith follow,

considering the end of their conversation.

8 Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:5-8

Amen and Amen!!!

Does Jesus Really Care??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 15 No. 02

08 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Believe IN Jesus, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 15 No. 02  Does Jesus Really Care???

 

As most of you are aware, I lost my daughter just before Christmas past to a violent crime.  She was murdered by an ex-boyfriend (I use that term loosely), and I feel that it’s time to share some things about this difficult time, to be an encouragement to you in whatever trials you may be facing.  Let me preface it by sharing Paul’s testimony of God’s faithfulness, regardless of how things may look.

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice,

that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me,

My grace is sufficient

for thee:

for my strength is made perfect

in weakness.

Most gladly therefore

will I rather glory

in my infirmities,

that the power of Christ

may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure

in infirmities,

in reproaches,

in necessities,

in persecutions,

in distresses

for Christ’s sake:

for when I am weak,

then am I strong.”   2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Our tragedy seemingly came out of nowhere, but God was not caught ‘off guard’, and I take great comfort in the total and complete sovereignty of my God!  And while God is holy, righteous and pure and in our fallen word, sin does still work around us!  We sometimes forget that when Adam and Eve fell, they threw all mankind into the throes of the after-effects of sin.

“And unto Adam he said,

Because thou hast hearkened

unto the voice of thy wife,

and hast eaten

of the tree,

of which I commanded thee, saying,

Thou shalt not eat of it:

cursed is the ground

for thy sake;

in sorrow shalt thou eat of it

all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles

shall it bring forth to thee;

and thou shalt eat

the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face

shalt thou eat bread,

till thou return unto the ground;

for out of it wast thou taken:

for dust

thou art,

and unto dust

shalt thou return.”   Genesis 3:17-19

We live in a sinful, broken world, and while our personal sin doesn’t necessarily cause our trials and troubles, original sin causes the problems that surround us in our fallen world.  Original sin causes people to choose unwisely, to reject God, to go down a road that Jesus said, “leadeth to destruction”!

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be

which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be

that find it.”   Matthew 7:13-14

People still ask me, “How do you do it?”; and my reply is the same today as it was the day my daughter died, “God’s still God, God’s still good, and I still trust Him!”  Why? Because, like Paul, I have walked with Jesus through thick and thin; I have succeeded in my Christian walk and I have failed HIM miserably; I have felt exultant joy and indescribable sorrow; I have shouted glory to God on the mountain tops, and cried in deep despair when life seemed to turn to ashes; and in all these things, times, and crises I have had a loving Savior walking beside me who has NEVER failed me—NEVER!  And He will never fail!

“Let your conversation

be without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do

unto me.

7 Remember them

which have the rule over you,

who have spoken unto you the word of God:

whose faith follow,

considering the end of their conversation.

8 Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:5-8

As Paul declared God’s reassurance to him, we can count on the God whose “grace is sufficient for thee”!  And just as HE was “sufficient” to Paul, HE was, is and ever shall be “sufficient” to us!  HE IS my confidence, strength and hope in all things—especially recent events.  Jesus IS my total confidence because I have received Him as my Lord and Savior, and I have chosen to draw near to Him through His Word and, as the Psalmist said, I “delight” in HIM!  For you see, we have the God-given privilege to choose—we can choose that “broad …way, that leadeth to destruction” or we can respond to God’s call upon our heart and “Enter…in at the strait gate… which leadeth unto life”.  I didn’t just “choose” God on that fateful day that ended my daughter’s life, but I have walked with HIM for nigh unto 45 years, and I have always found Him faithful, even when I have had moments of “faithlessness”, just like everyone else.  We can choose to “stay down” or we can remember that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”, and repent and find His forgiveness and cleansing.

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us

our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

That’s shouting ground!  I’m not perfect, but I am forgiven, and I know where to find forgiveness when I fall—IN “Jesus Christ the righteous”!  How about you?  I would like to share a brief account of the experience that we have walked through these last weeks and months; I pray that it will serve as a beacon of hope to others, for I have no desire to “go public” for my own glory, but only and always the glory of my KING Jesus!

It was a typical, uneventful Thursday to begin with, as I was praying and reading as usual, yet I just couldn’t get my daughter off of my mind.  I clearly felt prompted of the Lord to call her, and we had our own little code, I texted her to ask if she was sleeping or working (as she was almost always working or trying to catch up on her sleep), and she answered that she was on her way to work. So, I called her (she has a car connection for her phone), and we visited for a while and said our ‘goodbyes’ and our “I love you”s, as she was almost to her store.  Then my eldest son called, as he usually does on weekday mornings, and we had a good visit and hung up about 8ish as usual.  I went about my reading and praying, and about 8:30 my brother called and asked if my middle son was still working at a particular store (he had been working at the same store that my daughter was then managing) and I said “no”, and he replied “good”; which shocked me and I asked, “Why do you say ’good’?”, and he said that a male and a female had been shot and killed at that store.  I told him I’d call him later and hung up, as he didn’t know that my daughter had taken over that store, and started to call my daughter’s phone continually, with no answer.

I called a sheriff friend and asked if he could check to see if it was my daughter who was killed, and he said that was the ‘city’ police and they wouldn’t tell him any details in an active investigation (which I already knew) but I asked him to please check and he did, to no avail.  I then went to our local store where she had been the manager and talked to the present manager (my friend and hers) and she tried to call the district manager (as she would have been the first person the police would have called) with no answer.  I went back home and then my two younger sons started calling and saying they were on the scene and couldn’t find anything out, and they were both beside themselves so I told my husband that we needed to go to Lawton (about 30 miles from our home) to see what was going on (thinking that she could have confronted a thief).  When we left, we stopped by the local store to tell our friend that we were headed to Lawton, and she was bawling like a baby, so I immediately asked if she had just heard from the district manager, and she said, ‘yes’.  I asked if it was my daughter who was killed, and she said ‘yes’, so we immediately headed that way!  That was one of the longest drives that I have ever made, but I kept asking God to help me be and do whatever HE asked of me/us.

When we got to the scene, I went under the barrier and signaled for the officer to come, and he told me to get back out of the barrier and I told him I wanted to know if that was my daughter who had been killed.  We had a brief interchange, and after talking to another officer they told me that they had just identified the victim and sent me to the police station.  At the station the officers were most cordial and helpful to us in such difficult circumstances.  After answering their questions, I asked if the other victim was an employee, and they responded, “no” and I inquired who it was—and long story short—when he called out the name, it was my daughter’s former ‘boyfriend’ (for lack of a better term) and then I was able to tell him what had happened.  She was months out of the relationship–but desperate people do desperate things—and when he was unable to press her return, he intentionally stalked her, found her and shot her to death, then turned the weapon on himself.  I can’t describe the feelings that I experienced, but I know that my Lord was there with me, and I had the calm resolve to go through the interrogation and know that God was not caught off-guard or surprised—saddened, but not surprised.

As we returned home and began to take care of the things that you have to take care of, I found an unrivaled peace that I couldn’t explain, but as I told people on that day and still do, “God’s still God, God’s still good, and I still trust Him.”  I realize that my daughter had made some wrong decisions and choices and one of them cost her her life.  I am a private person, and I told my husband that night that I didn’t think I could write my blog the next morning, and he said to do what I felt like I could.  Through the night The Lord would wake me and give me a scripture, I’d go back to sleep, and then He would wake me with another scripture through the night.  When I woke up the next morning, I told the Lord that I didn’t think that I could write, and I heard His voice (not audibly) whisper in my spirit, “You have hope, others do not!  You. Must. Share. Truth. With. Them!”  And I went into my den and the words flowed so seamlessly from The Lord as I shared the truth of the peace that I felt, all “Because He Lives” in my heart!

I also had determined to avoid the media at all costs, and God spoke to my heart the same message, and after things were settled down a bit, I agreed to a TV interview, yet I still had only one message—God is faithful and women and men need to make choices in compliance with The Word of God!  Just because the world says “sin” is ok—God doesn’t, and the rules haven’t changed. (You can view it on Bible Ballistics FB page 12/31/19).

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

And this same Jesus who gave Himself for us, Is The One who keeps me/us secure in His Love, and like Job I clearly proclaim:

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.”  Job 13:15

So, in closing, my question for all of us is simply, do you “trust in him”?  Not just saying you “trust in him”, but with Job, understanding that our life choices are a testament to a faith in Him or a lack of the same!  I want to close with an old song that I heard just this week, in fact it inspired this post and I pray that it will speak to your heart as it did to mine; for Jesus really does care!

This song was written by Frank E. Graeff, out of personal trials, as he pondered on 1 Peter 5:7, and I’ve included the immediate context that reminds us of God’s perfect provision:

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:

7 Casting all your care

upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant;

because your adversary

the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast

in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished in your brethren

that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace,

who hath called us

unto his eternal glory

by Christ Jesus,

after that ye have suffered a while,

make you perfect,

stablish,

strengthen,

settle you.

11 To him be glory

and dominion

for ever

and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 5:6-11 

Does Jesus Care    By Frank E Graeff


Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress
And the way grows weary and long?

Refrain
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief there is no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long?

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.         

Amen and Amen!!!