Tag Archives: John 1:29

You Can Do This!!! But How??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #791

27 Wednesday Apr 2022

Posted by in Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Assurance or Arrogance, Changed Lives, Comfort, Confidence, Conformed to HIS image, Consider Your ways, TODAY, Today And Tomorrow, Today is the day of Salvation, Tomorrow, Trendy Or Truth, Trials, Troubles, Trust, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Uncertainty--God HAS the answer, Under His Wings, Unexpected Interruptions, Victory IN Jesus!, Walk in the Spirit, Walking With Jesus, What's In Your Heart?, What's In Your Mouth?

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #791   You Can Do This!!!  But How???

I have a word to share this morning, a word that we all can use on most days and probably today!  And to set just a bit of context before we dive into this first passage, Paul was talking about Israel in the wilderness (and yes, we are to study the Old Testament as well as the New, so we might learn from the testimonies that God recorded for us!), and how we can learn from their choices.  We can know that God is in charge, and our ‘temptations and trials’ are filtered through His fingers of love; we just need to look up, knowing that HE will provide!

“Now all these things happened unto them

for ensamples:

and they are written for our admonition,

 upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 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 10:11-13

Paul is teaching us to not only live in the truth of God’s written Word, but to remember the examples HE has recorded for us to learn from as we walk through this world of chaos and confusion.  But we need not be either of those things as those who have seen the promise fulfilled of the Messiah who delivered salvation on the cross—salvation for all who will believe and receive the Gospel that Jesus paid for sin—my sin and yours!  And not only has HE paid for our sin but has given HIS gift of The Holy Spirit, just as HE promised to all those who are born again by His power, His provision and His purposes through The Holy Spirit/The Comforter—the source of God’s provision to His own!

So, let’s peruse some references about who the Holy Spirit is, and what HE would accomplish.  First of all, HE is the one who brings us to faith in Jesus (and the “HE” in this passage from John 1 is a reference to Jesus–“The Word…The Creator…The Light of the world!”  The One who promised to send HIS precious Holy Spirit to HIS own!

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 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.

14 And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.” John 1:10-14

God brings us to the cross via the conviction (the work of the Holy Spirit in man to bring them to see sin as sin, and Jesus as the only cure, see John 14:16-18 & 16:6-8) of sin which HIS Holy Spirit reveals to man!  He leads to the truth of the gospel—on which I stand like Paul, and you can too!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God unto salvation

to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first,

and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith:

as it is written,

The just shall live by faith.”  Romans 1:16-17

The gospel that Paul declared and stood on is the foundation of our faith—JESUS, and HIS substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice for sin– the truth we stand upon! Paul also gave us the “Gospel in a nutshell”, if you would allow me to call it that!  Consider how concisely He proclaims Jesus!

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you

the gospel which I preached unto you,

which also ye have received,

and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved,

if ye keep in memory what I preached

unto you,

unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

 5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:”  1 Corinthians 15:1-5

The Gospel IS JESUS:

It can only be shared by those who have “received” it—

Christ died for our sins—the only way (See John 14:6)-

 ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES—

Christ Jesus was buried—HE WAS DEAD—

HE AROSE—on the third day—victorious over—

Sin, death, and hell—

ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES—

HE was seen alive by many witnesses!

Jesus paid the price that only the Lamb of God could pay.  Have you come to HIM in repentance and faith?  I pray that you have and if you haven’t, that you will come to HIM today!  The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29

“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

There is so much more that I wish I had time (and finger strength left) to share here, but I pray that God will open our hearts to receive HIS truth as truth—that we will respond in faith and obedience—and share that which we have received, in whatever ways God provides and leads us to!  I would like to share a few passages to encourage and assure us that Jesus died for you and me—for our sin—but when HE died, rose again, and ascended to heaven (until HIS return), HE sent us the amazing gift of HIS Holy Spirit to reside within and lead us into HIS truth, equipping us to minister truth to a lost and dying world.  Jesus promised that The Holy Spirit would bring us into all truth if we will but receive and heed HIS leading in our lives—our every day, our walking about days, our tear-filled days, our laughing days—our EVERY hour days! Jesus promised us all we would need to press on.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth;

It is expedient for you that I go away:

for if I go not away,

the Comforter will not come unto you;

but if I depart,

 I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come,

he will reprove the world

of sin,

and of righteousness,

and of judgment:

9 Of sin,

because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness,

 because I go to my Father,

and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment,

because the prince of this world

is judged.”  John 16:7-11

And some more from Paul’s letters that I pray will help and encourage each of us to look up, walk straight and press on!  (See Acts 1:1-8)

“In whom ye also trusted,

after that ye heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation:

in whom also after that ye believed,

ye were sealed with that holy Spirit

of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance

until the redemption

of the purchased possession,

unto the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:13-14

“Let no corrupt communication

proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good

to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,

whereby ye are sealed

 unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness,

and wrath,

and anger,

and clamour,

and evil speaking,

be put away from you,

with all malice:

32 And be ye kind

one to another,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

even as God

for Christ’s sake

hath forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:29-32

And the message to the Galatian believers:

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil

the lust of the flesh…

….. 24 And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”   Galatians 5:16 & 24-25

Are we walking in The Spirit, or our own ways?  Oh, Jesus, please do your work in our hearts through this precious Holy Spirit which you have imparted to all who are born again by HIS work of conviction and awakening to the debt of sin we owed.  Thank you, Lord, for your love, your sacrifice, and your forgiveness of my sin—for paying my ‘sin debt’!

“Giving thanks

unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14

Jesus gives forgiveness of sin, and we should be recognized by actions which reflect the ONE who lives in us.  How about me?   How about you?  Will we honor the One who saved us—the ONE who calls us to walk in “holiness”?  While it’s simple to remember that God “has it”, it’s not always easy to remember how that looks.  Remember that God filters everything that comes into our lives, and whether its “Job” like tragedy and strife, or blessings—He is working “all things” for our good!

“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness,

but unto holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7

“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.”  Romans 8:28-29

‘Nuff said!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

There Is (Still) A Fountain!!! Bible Ballistics: Vol. 18 No. 16

13 Sunday Mar 2022

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Be not conformed to this world, Be YE Steadfast, By His Grace, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Conformed to HIS image, Cross, Crucified With Christ, There IS (Still) A Fountain

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 18 No. 16 There Is (Still) A Fountain!!!

 

I was thinking of this precious song this week and how imperative it is for us to remember that the cross upon which our Savior “bled and died” is the center of our faith; and without the “blood of Jesus that cleanseth us from all sin” (See 1 John 1:7) we have no hope.  I am always drawn back to Paul’s proclamation that is the refrain of my heart.

“And I, brethren,

when I came to you,

came not with excellency of speech

or of wisdom,

declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you,

save Jesus Christ,

and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness,

and in fear,

and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching

was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit

and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand

in the wisdom of men,

but in the power

of God.”  1 Corinthians 2: 1-5

The fountain that flows from Calvary is the saving power of the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord!  He came to die for our sin—and yes, sin IS the issue!  Paul so clearly proclaims the truth and import of the Gospel of the cross and sacrifice of Jesus!  Notice that Paul makes it clear that he claims no significance for himself, his great oratory skills, or his heritage; rather he directs the hearers to recognize that it is by God’s Holy Spirit, power, and wisdom, not man’s, that we find grace and salvation.

“For after that in the wisdom of God

the world by wisdom knew not God,

it pleased God

by the foolishness of preaching

to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign,

and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified,

unto the Jews a stumblingblock,

and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which are called,

both Jews and Greeks,

Christ the power of God,

and the wisdom of God.”  1 Corinthians 1:21-24

But what does all this mean to you and me?  It means I must join Paul and determine with whom my devotion is aligned.  I must recognize that GOD chose “the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” and keep this truth ever before me in all that I do.

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

You and I can bank our lives on the surety of the salvation that Jesus gives to all who will come to HIM in repentance and faith; receiving the great power, assurance, and hope that the Cross of Jesus Christ our Lord supplies!  While it is by faith that we live; it’s not blind faith, but a complete confidence in the surety and security of God Almighty and HIS Son Jesus, who paid our sin debt—it’s why HE came—and the veracity (truth) of HIS WORD!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Part of what makes us secure is the truth of God’s Word, what it reveals from Genesis to Revelation about this fountain that flows with salvation, healing (soul always, and body as God sees fit!), restoration, renewal, and peace!  Let’s spend some time looking at the scriptural support for these truths.  I would love to post all of Isaiah 53, but for time and space, we will look at only a few verses (but I encourage you to read all of it when you can) of great import to who Jesus would be and what HE would do for us!  For when we take it in its context, we see that Jesus would pay the price for our salvation—our healing from the plague of SIN!

“Surely he hath borne our griefs,

and carried our sorrows:

yet we did esteem him stricken,

smitten of God,

and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities:

the chastisement of our peace

was upon him;

and with his stripes

we are healed.

6 All we like sheep

have gone astray;

we have turned every one

to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed,

and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth:

he is brought as a lamb

to the laughter,

and as a sheep

before her shearers is dumb,

so he openeth not his mouth.”  Isaiah 53:4-7

And as John the Baptizer confirmed so concisely:

“The next day John seeth Jesus

coming unto him,

and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away

the sin of the world.”  John 1:29

Jesus is our perfect healer!

“Heal me, O LORD,

and I shall be healed;

save me,

and I shall be saved:

for thou art my praise.”  Jeremiah 17:14

Our restorer—on so many fronts!

“And I will restore to you

the years that the locust hath eaten,

the cankerworm,

and the caterpiller,

and the palmerworm,

my great army which I sent among you.

26 And ye shall eat in plenty,

and be satisfied,

and praise the name

of the LORD your God,

that hath dealt wondrously with you:

and my people

shall never be ashamed.”  Joel 2:25-26

“Restore unto me

the joy of thy salvation;

and uphold me

with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors

thy ways;

and sinners

shall be converted unto thee.”  Psalm 51:12-13

Our renewal—heart, mind, soul, and spirit!

“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

The God of all peace!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope

of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

 experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope

maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died

for the ungodly.”  Romans 5:1-6

And as we consider all these things, I simply want to close with the beloved hymn that reminds me so often of the truth and import of the cross.  It’s my hope, my confidence, my assurance, and my peace.  How about you? The author based the song on Zechariah 13:1:

“In that day there shall be a fountain

opened to the house of David

and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem

for sin and for uncleanness.” (Jesus)

              There Is A Fountain    by William Cowper

“There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in His day;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away:
Washed all my sins away,
Washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more:
Are safe, to sin no more,
Are safe, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

When this poor, lisping, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.”

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Ponderings #3??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 18 No. 06

06 Monday Dec 2021

Posted by in Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, All Sufficient God!, Before the foundation of the world, Eternal Plan of God, Jesus Built A Bridge, Jesus Saves, Saved by Grace Through Faith

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 18 No. 06   Christmas Ponderings #3???

 

As we looked earlier at Joseph, the earthly father to Jesus, a builder—the carpenter–, we find that while Joseph was a builder of various objects for life in has day, objects that might last a lifetime, some longer, some not so long; but Jesus built a bridge with HIS life, death and resurrection—a bridge that delivers us from sin, death and hell and opens the way into God’s presence.  This babe who was born in a barn and put to bed in a manger (a feeding trough), visited by shepherds and wisemen became the means of salvation for all who will believe in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for salvation!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice

in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died

for the ungodly.”  Romans 5:1-6

We receive the “Holy Ghost” (or Holy Spirit) of God, the Spirit that HE shared with Adam and Eve before sin—the part of them that died because of sin—the part that Jesus restored at Calvary—for you and me:

“…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us

from all sin…”.   1 John 1:7b

One of the things that amazes me, is that God had this plan in place before HE created us; HE knew we would fail, that Adam would sin, and yet HE “so loved the world”—you and me, every sinner ever born (and the two who were directly created by God’s own hand!)—that HE had already provided for our redemption (to buy us back) from this sin of ours, and the death and hell that it leads to if unchecked by the blood of Jesus.  Why would I say this?  Because God said it in HIS Word by more than one author, and as we prepare to celebrate (or like me just plain celebrate Jesus every day!) Jesus’ birth, we need to understand that HE wasn’t ‘plan B’—HE was always the exact plan!  Let’s consider some scriptures to see what we find.

“In the beginning

God created

the heaven and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1

“And I will put enmity

between thee and the woman,

and between thy seed and her seed;

it shall bruise thy head,

and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  Genesis 3:15

“And from Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness,

and the first begotten of the dead,

and the prince of the kings of the earth.

 Unto him that loved us,

and washed us from our sins

in his own blood,”  Revelation 1:5

Just as God “created” all things, (and remember the reference to “beginning”, means “our” beginning NOT God’s) HE knew that we would fail—that we would sin—yet HE had already prepared a plan to ‘buy us back out of sin, death and hell’, oh, praise HIS dear name.  Do you know Jesus?  Have you come in repentance and faith to the cross where HIS precious blood was spilled out for you and me?  This precious Lamb of God who, as John the Baptizer declared:

“Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away

the sin of the world.”  John 1:29b

And when was this plan established?  Not when we sinned, but before “the foundation of the world”!

“And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever shall call

on the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel,

hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God among you

by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him,

being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge

of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified

and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”  Acts 2:21-24

The “determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” tells us that God had already established the plan before Jesus came.  And even before that!

“And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying,

This was he of whom I spake,

He that cometh after me

is preferred before me:

for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness

have all we received,

and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses,

but grace and truth

came by Jesus Christ.”  John 1:14-17

“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.”  John 1:1-4

Jesus, God the Son, was always God, always with God, and part of the very creation of all that we know!  Yet not only was Jesus before creation, but He was also the redeemer before “the beginning” all began.

“Father,

I will that they also,

whom thou hast given me,

be with me where I am;

that they may behold my glory,

which thou hast given me:

for thou lovedst me

before the foundation

of the world.”  John 17:24

Not only was Jesus “before the foundation of the world”, and we were in the heart and mind of God for salvation then as well.

“Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who hath blessed us

with all spiritual blessings

in heavenly places

in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us

in him

before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy

and without blame

before him in love:”  Ephesians 1:3-4

“Forasmuch as ye know

that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition

from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb

without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest

in these last times

for you,

21 Who by him

do believe in God,

that raised him up

from the dead,

and gave him glory;

that your faith

and hope

might be in God.”   1 Peter 1:18-21

So, as we consider the “incarnation” of the babe in the manger, the savior of the world, the creator of all things, may we be grateful and mindful that HE came for us, not as a second thought but because HE chose us and prepared for our salvation before the foundation of the world.  Thank you, LORD, —Father, Son and Holy Spirit—for loving me/us and preparing the sacrifice for my/our salvation.  May my/our life be a true reflection of your glory, in all things—before, during and after this Christmas celebration!!!

“Grace be to you

and peace from God the Father,

and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 Who gave himself for our sins,

that he might deliver us

from this present evil world,

according to the will of God

and our Father:

5 To whom be glory

for ever and ever.

Amen.” Galatians 1:3-5

“Looking for that blessed hope,

and the glorious appearing

of the great God

and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us,

that he might redeem us

from all iniquity,

and purify unto himself

a peculiar people,

 zealous of good works.”   Titus 2:14

And the greatest celebration that we could have is to share the truth of Jesus’ eternal plan to save us unto Himself by grace through faith. May you truly know HIM.

“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

May you find the hope that the “Babe” brought to all who will believe!  He came for you and me! Take heart my dear friends.  Jesus still saves and changes lives today!

Amen and Amen!!!

 

Faithful Provider, Always!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #750

27 Friday Aug 2021

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, Abraham's Test, All About Jesus!, Faith, Faithful, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God Knows, God Who Sees, God's love, God's provision, Grace, Let go...and let God, Trusting God

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #750  Faithful Provider, Always!!!

 

“Know therefore

that the LORD thy God,

he is God,

the faithful God,

which keepeth covenant

and mercy

with them that love him

and keep his commandments

to a thousand generations;”   Deuteronomy 7:9

When things start (or continue) whirling around you and your strength seems to be sapped, your mind runs rampant with doubt, confusion, and uncertainty, it is then along with every other time in our lives that we need to look UP to our faithful Lord God Almighty, and HIS Son, Jesus, The Lamb of God which “taketh away the sin of the world”!  It is imperative that we understand the import of the truth that Jesus came to save sinners, and as Paul said, “of whom I am chief”, praise God, Jesus came to save sinners like me.

How about you?  Will you run to the One who died that you might have eternal life—abundant life—a transformed, holy life?  Oh, if I could sit down with you and share with you all that HE has done for me, pointing you to HIS cross.  It is why HE came.

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Jesus said of Himself:

“I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:9-11

This went beyond even what John the Baptizer had said of Him!

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away

the sin of the world.” John 1:29

“I indeed baptize you

with water

unto repentance:

but he that cometh after me

is mightier than I,

whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:

he shall baptize you

with the Holy Ghost,

and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand,

and he will throughly purge his floor,

and gather his wheat into the garner;

but he will burn up the chaff

with unquenchable fire.”   Matthew 3:11-12

I love the Gospel of John for its beautiful and picturesque descriptions of Jesus and His many faceted work as the Lamb of God, The Good Shepherd, The Door, The Water of Life, The Bread of Life and more (I encourage you to delve into the Gospel of John and search these out for yourself!)!  This faithful God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is ever working on our behalf; and if we will but avail ourselves of His provision, we would find a hope, power, and strength to press on no matter the challenges that confront us.

One of my favorite examples of the faithfulness of God is found in Genesis 22, where God puts Abraham’s faith to the test, and the result gave Abraham, and us, a profound picture of the fulfillment of God’s promise to bless “all” through Abraham (See Genesis 12:3).  Let’s peruse just the highlights of this amazing truth.

“And he said,

Take now thy son,

thine only son Isaac,

whom thou lovest,

and get thee into the land of Moriah;

and offer him there for a burnt offering

upon one of the mountains

which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning,

and saddled his ass,

and took two of his young men with him,

and Isaac his son,

and clave the wood for the burnt offering,

and rose up, and went unto the place

of which God had told him.”   Genesis 22:2-3=

God called Abraham to yield up this “son of promise” and he willingly obeyed, as Hebrews makes so clear; for Abraham knew God would keep HIS promise.

“By faith Abraham,

when he was tried,

offered up Isaac:

and he that had received the promises

offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said,

That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up,

even from the dead;

from whence also he received him

in a figure.”  Hebrews 11:17-19

This is the crux of the story, that God gave Abraham a picture (“in a figure”) of what HE was going to do to fulfill HIS promises to Abraham; God would give HIS own son for us, just as God provided a ‘ram’ in Isaac’s place—God would provide “Himself”—”The Lamb of God”– to take “away the sin of the world”!  Redemption for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith, yesterday, today and until HE comes for HIS own!  For there is coming a time when many will find themselves coming one day “too late”!  But let’s finish up with Abraham’s story, with just a few verses to highlight the events, and you can fill in the rest as you take some time to read the entire chapter.

“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said,

My father:

and he said, Here am I, my son.

And he said,

Behold the fire

and the wood:

but where is the lamb

for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said,

My son,

God will provide himself

a lamb

for a burnt offering:

so they went both of them together.”  Genesis 22:7-8

And they went on and even as Abraham held the knife God spoke and provided! Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Jesus died for you and me!  God didn’t spare Jesus, because for you and me to be spared, “God so loved the world that HE GAVE” Jesus!!! (emphasis is mine).

“And Abraham stretched forth his hand,

and took the knife

to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him

out of heaven, and said,

Abraham, Abraham:

and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said,

Lay not thine hand upon the lad,

neither do thou any thing unto him:

for now I know that thou fearest God,

seeing thou hast not withheld thy son,

thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes,

and looked,

and behold behind him a ram

caught in a thicket by his horns:

and Abraham went and took the ram,

and offered him up for a burnt offering

in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place

Jehovahjireh:

as it is said to this day,

In the mount of the LORD

it shall be seen.”  Genesis 22:10-14

And in closing, I encourage you to ponder the wonder of what God truly revealed to Abraham!  Have you tuned your heart, mind, and ears to hear and see what the Lord has provided on your “Mount” of sacrifice?  I find it most interesting that it is likely that the same site of this experience for Abraham could have been the very spot of the sacrifice of God’s “only begotten son”!  Food for thought!

Wont’ you let HIM have your issues today?  It is so hard sometimes to humble ourselves and simply “let God” “be God”!  May this word from James remind and encourage each of us today.

“Humble yourselves

in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall

lift you up.”  James 4:10

Amen and Amen!!!

Liars Lie??? Really??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 16

08 Sunday Aug 2021

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Liars, Lies, Lies That Defeat Us, Life or Death?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 16  Liars Lie???  Really???

 

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it?  Yet, the ‘father of lies’ is still using the same tricks he used on Adam and Eve, and we just trot after him like naïve babes.  I would like us to spend some time today perusing God’s Word and hopefully enlightening ourselves to be prepared, as Paul said to the Ephesian believers: “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day”.  And my dear ones, we are there. (See Ephesians 6:13)

“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.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech?

even because ye cannot hear my word.

44 Ye are of your father the devil,

and the lusts of your father

ye will do.

He was a murderer

from the beginning,

and abode not in the truth,

 because there is no truth in him.

When he speaketh a lie,

he speaketh of his own:

for he is a liar,

and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth,

ye believe me not.”  John 8:42-45

Jesus was, if nothing else (although HE was, is, and ever shall be the very Son of God), a plain-spoken man (the God-Man-Savior), who confronted those who stood against HIM with the truth of who they were, who they were following, and why they wouldn’t receive or believe HIM.  Jesus clearly stated who HE was, where HE was from and WHO sent Him!  He was, is and ever shall be “from God”, and He went on to call the religious hypocrites of HIS day just what they were, children of the devil!  And some of you thought I was blunt!  Jesus identified Satan as a liar, and the one who not only “speaketh a lie” but is “a liar, and the father of it”!  We can go back to the beginning to see his tactics, and while he decorates them a bit differently now, they are the same basic preponderances of untruth, deceit, and fallacy as they have always been.

“Now the serpent was more subtil

than any beast of the field

which the LORD God had made.

And he said unto the woman,

Yea, hath God said,

Ye shall not eat of every tree

of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent,

We may eat of the fruit

of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit

of the tree which is in the midst

of the garden,

God hath said,

Ye shall not eat of it,

neither shall ye touch it,

lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman,

Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know

that in the day ye eat thereof,

then your eyes shall be opened,                                and ye shall be as gods,

knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw

that the tree was good

for food,

and that it was pleasant

to the eyes,

and a tree to be desired

to make one wise,

she took of the fruit thereof,

and did eat,

and gave also unto her husband with her;

and he did eat.”  Genesis 3:1-6

If we go back to Genesis 2, we find out what God really said, and yet Satan deceived Eve into doubting God, twisting what HE said, and not believing in God’s total pure goodness, and the veracity of what HE says!  Let’s take a walk through what he did, and his methods, which have not changed from then until now.  We are just plain ignorant of his tactics and so often fail to put on the “armor of God” to resist him and be able to “withstand in the evil day”!

Satan beguiled Eve and caused her to:

Question what God really said—it’s why we must know

 The Word—

 Did God REALLY SAY……?

Misquoting God’s commands—she added to The Word—

God is ever true to HIS WORD….!

He plainly contradicted God—We must know

God’s Word—

He twisted God’s Word—When we know God’s Word—

We will recognize lies—

He caused Eve to reconsider what she knew about God-

HIS goodness—

HIS veracity—

 His clear instructions—

And decided to rely upon

Her own ‘wisdom’—

What do we do today?  The very same thing, just as in their sin, Adam and Eve caused all mankind to fall and become the children of the devil.

“And you hath he quickened,

who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked

according to the course of this world,

according to the prince

of the power of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also

we all had our conversation

in times past

in the lusts of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires

of the flesh

and of the mind;  

and were by nature

the children of wrath,

even as others.

4 But God,

who is rich in mercy,

for his great love wherewith he loved us.

5 Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together

with Christ,

(by grace ye are saved😉

6 And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together

in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  Ephesians 2:1-6

Today, Satan does put a little spin on this tactic today in that instead of promising that we will “be wise” and “be like God”, he has convinced modern man that he/she is already wise in his own right and IS God!  And the man/woman who never sees his sin as sin, has no need for a redeemer!  It’s why Jesus came, to deliver us from our sin.

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29

“And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith,

Behold the Lamb of God!”  John 1:36

Even Jesus himself told Nicodemus that self-righteousness was not sufficient nor was religion, or titles or position!  Only one thing can give eternal life.

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him,

How can a man be born when he is old?

can he enter the second time

into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born

of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into

the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”  John 3:3-7

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent

in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man

be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

16 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.”   John 3:14-16

While the world says there are many ‘gods’ and many ways to ‘gods’, Jesus said that there was only one way to GOD and HE, Jesus, would purchase that “way” with His own blood.

“And from Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness,

and the first begotten of the dead,

and the prince of the kings of the earth.

Unto him that loved us,

and washed us from our sins

in his own blood…

….9 And they sung a new song, saying,

Thou art worthy to take the book,

and to open the seals thereof:

for thou wast slain,

and hast redeemed us

to God

by thy blood

out of every kindred,

and tongue,

and people,

and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God

kings and priests:

and we shall reign on the earth.”   Revelation 1:5 & 9-10

When we come to Jesus, He, through the power and presence of HIS Holy Spirit, enables us to walk in truth.

“For I rejoiced greatly,

when the brethren came

and testified of the truth that is in thee,

even as thou walkest in the truth.

4 I have no greater joy

than to hear that my children

walk in truth.”  3 John 1:3-4

And the bedrock of truth is that Jesus is The redeemer and savior—HE paid for my sin and yours on Calvary and forgives sin—all sin—for those who come to HIM in repentance and faith!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14

In closing I want to remind each of us of the words of our Lord, that it’s not just “saying so” but being right with our God through the blood of Jesus and doing HIS righteous work!

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.”   Matthew 6:33

“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…

…. 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.”   Portions of Matthew 7:13-23

Have you entered in through the “strait gate”?  Or are you allowing the enemy of your soul to lie to you and lead you wrongly, for “broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat”!  The majority is seldom right!  May you seek to discern the truth from the lies of the enemy.  It’s the difference between eternal life and eternal destruction!  The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test!

Amen and Amen!!!