Tag Archives: Isaiah 55:6-11

Righteousness Exalts A Nation??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 18 No. 20

11 Monday Apr 2022

Posted by in Confidence or Presumption?, Consider Your ways, Look UP, Looking up Or around?, Righteousness, Righteousness exalts a nation, Unrighteous will not inherit, Unrighteousness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

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

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 18 No. 20   Righteousness Exalts A Nation???

“Righteousness

exalteth a nation:

but sin

is a reproach to any people.”   Proverbs 14:34

Righteousness: 1. the quality or state of being righteous…2.  righteous conduct……3. the quality of state of being just or rightful…

Scripture gives us the most profound and insightful thoughts on the subject, let’s look and consider God’s Word!

“Thy throne,

O God,

is for ever and ever:

the sceptre

of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

7 Thou lovest righteousness,

and hatest wickedness:

therefore God,

thy God,

hath anointed thee

with the oil of gladness

above thy fellows.”  Psalm 45:6-7

A reference to not only God’s righteousness, but the righteousness of the Lord Jesus who would be exalted for the sacrifice HE made for our sin at Calvary.

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”   Philippians 2:8-11

“And the heavens shall declare

his righteousness:

for God is judge himself.

Selah.”  Psalm 50:6

Jesus made a most profound and yet simple declaration about “righteousness”, and it is up to each of us how we will respond.

“Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat? or,

What shall we drink? or,

Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father

knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought

for the morrow:

for the morrow

shall take thought for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Matthew 6:31-34

Will we pursue the “first” of God’s kingdom, or our own?  Will we be recipients of God’s “righteous” provision in Jesus, whose death, burial, and resurrection for victory over sin is our only hope; or will we choose our own unrighteousness, refusing God’s offer of love, forgiveness, and salvation? It’s your choice!

Even as Paul told believers to put on the “breastplate of righteousness” –Christ’s righteousness–imparted to us by God’s grace, and our response of faith to the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice of Jesus for SIN!  When individual sin spreads through the land unchecked, it erupts into a state of national “UN”-righteousness.  What will be the result?  Just look around us!   We can disregard the gift of God and reap the consequences or accept Jesus, spreading the good news everywhere we go!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

We can choose to be a part of sharing God’s truth of redemption through Jesus, or we can be a part of acerbating the problem of “UN”-righteousness!  And just a few more scriptures regarding those who choose unrighteousness.

“Woe

unto them that decree

unrighteous decrees,

and that write grievousness

which they have prescribed;

2 To turn aside the needy

from judgment,

and to take away the right

from the poor of my people,

that widows may be their prey,

and that they may rob the fatherless!”   Isaiah 10:1-2

Will you choose God, while HE may be found!  May we pray and live a life that promotes righteousness, affecting real change in our world!

“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

The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test coming, and it may be soon.  Even as Paul encouraged us:

“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!!!

Validated Not Void!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #759

15 Friday Oct 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, All About Jesus!, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Salvation, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Truth is True

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: BBs #759     Validated Not Void!!!

 

Jesus IS the only way to God, eternal life, and abundant life in this world.  Yet, we so often slough Him off and go our own way.  I would like to share a few thoughts with you about The One who has bought our salvation, provided The Way to restoration with God, and our complete validation as a child of God—not just the creation of God, but a child born again by The Spirit of God.

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 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.”  John 1:11-13

This is truly the amazing grace of God who loves you and me!  But we must come while God is working in us, while HIS voice is calling us to Himself.  As God said in Genesis 6, “my spirit shall not always strive with man”!  Don’t pass by and ignore the voice of God who gave HIS “only begotten Son” to die in your place and mine; for all who will believe/trust, in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for SIN will receive new life in JESUS.  SIN is the problem—we all have it, we can’t fix it, but Jesus can and will fix it for you if you will but humble yourself, repent of your sin and receive HIS gift of eternal life.  Isaiah says it beautifully.

“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

And if I may make a bit of a tie in, God’s Word, that came forth from HIM IS Jesus!

“Jesus said unto them,

If God were your Father,

ye would love me:

for I proceeded forth

and came from

God;

neither came I of myself,

but he sent me.”  John 8:42

Jesus IS God, came from God, and is One with The Father, and Is The WORD that comes “forth out of my mouth”, as the Apostle John records for us.

“In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word

was with God,

and the Word

was God.

2 The same was

in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him;

and without him was not any thing made

that was made.

4 In him was life;

and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth

in darkness;

and the darkness

comprehended it not.”  John 1:1-5

       “I and my Father are one.”  John 10:30

The question is, will you choose to receive the ‘light’ and walk in it, or will you continue to walk in the dark and refuse to “comprehend” HIS light!  Jesus Himself, made it the clearest of all.  May you heed HIS Words?

“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

The choice is yours.  Darkness and hell, or the Light of Jesus, and heaven!  Choose wisely, there is a test!

Amen and Amen!!!

Faithful When We Are Faithless??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 06

22 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by in A Father's Love, Confidence, Contentment, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

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

Bible Ballistics: Vol.14 No.06 Faithful When We Are Faithless???

 

I have a word for today that I want to talk about with you all– faith—an oft misused and misunderstood term, but the bedrock and the very core of the Gospel we believe in.  The author of Hebrews put it in a nutshell for us, if you will.

“Now faith is the substance

of things hoped for,

the evidence

of things not seen…

…6 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 11:1, 6

We must seek HIM—but it is HIS grace, convicting power, and the drawing of the Holy Spirit that calls us and draws us to Him.  Isaiah told of it, and even Jesus pictures it!

“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

God is calling and has always called us to Himself—salvation is the work of God, not of our own hands!  If you don’t know Him, Jesus is calling you to Himself today; He has paid the price for your sin and mine!  And faith is being willing to see our sin, as sin, repenting of it, and receiving the sacrifice that HE has paid for all whosoever will!

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in

to him,

and will sup

 with him,

and he

with me.”   Revelation 3:20

Have you answered the door?  Maybe you have opened the door, yet lost hope due to your circumstances, well God knows your heart and your circumstances; and He also understands when we are too weak to hold on—that’s why HE holds us!

“Jesus said unto him,

If thou canst believe,

all things are possible

to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child

cried out,

and said with tears,

Lord, I believe;

help thou mine unbelief.”  Mark 9:23-24

Oh, how often I have cried out to my Lord Jesus in this way—times when faith seems so distant that I can’t bear it, and yet the God who called me to Himself always meets me there; and He will meet you where you are!  No matter the difficulty, God is able to lift us up!  Praise be to HIS name!  Our God knows your heart, and even when we stand in danger of the fires of persecution, discouragement, or just plain weariness, our God is able.  We can stand with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, their Jewish names—each reflecting the character of God); and just as these three had Jesus meet them in the fire, remember that He will never allow you to go through it alone either.

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

answered and said to the king,

O Nebuchadnezzar,

we are not careful to answer thee

in this matter.

17 If it be so,

our God

whom we serve

is able to deliver us

from the burning fiery furnace,

and he will deliver us

out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not,

be it known unto thee, O king,

that we will not serve thy gods,

nor worship the golden image

which thou hast set up.”    Daniel 3:16-18

We can trust ourselves to HIM just as these three did, for HE is always there (where ever ‘there’ is for you today!)!

“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.”     Hebrews 13:5-6

Jesus Himself assured us of His presence—even when we fail, as we often do–HE is ever faithful to keep His own.

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

 and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father

are one.”  John 10:27-30

Have you heard His voice?  Have you repented of your own sin and opened the door to His’ knock?  Are you questioning His work in your life—look up and trust HIM!  He who bore our sins is faithful even when we are faithless!

“For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died

for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love

toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

 9 Much more then,

being now justified

by his blood,

we shall be saved

from wrath

through him.

10 For if,

when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more,

being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.”  Romans 5:6-11

So, may we each take courage and hope in our faithful God!  He knows where you and I are, and He will provide!  He will help our unbelief—and we all have it from time to time–so just rest in His grace and in His promise to supply.

“But my God shall supply

all your need

according to his riches

 in glory

by Christ Jesus.

20 Now unto God

and our Father

be glory

for ever and ever. Amen.”  Philippians 4:19-20

And in closing, one of my favorite reminders of the practice of faith and obedient walking with our Lord.

“Trust in the LORD,

and do good;

so shalt thou dwell in the land,

and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also

in the LORD;

and he shall give thee

the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;

trust also in him;

and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness

as the light,

and thy judgment

as the noonday.

7 Rest

in the LORD,

and wait patiently

for him:

fret not thyself

because of him who prospereth

in his way,

because of the man

who bringeth wicked devices

to pass.

8 Cease from anger,

and forsake wrath:

fret not thyself

in any wise

to do evil.”  Psalm 37:3-8

May God speak to your heart and lift you up where ever you are.

Amen and Amen!

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!

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

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

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!!!