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Where’s Your Beauty From??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 25

04 Sunday Aug 2019

Posted by Blanche in Abiding In Jesus, Beauty of Holiness, Real Beauty

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1 Chronicles 16:29, 1 Peter 3:1-4, 1 Timothy 2:8-10, 2 Chronicles 20:21, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Beauty of Holiness, Colossians 3:9-11, Genesis 3:21, Matthew 15:18-20, Matthew 15:7-8, Philippians 2:12-13, Pleasing God Or Man?, Proverbs 31:30-31, Psalm 29:2, Psalm 96:8-9, Real Beauty, Romans 6:5-6

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 25  Where’s Your Beauty From???

 

We live in a culture—a world—consumed with physical beauty and worldly ‘attractiveness’—which often isn’t!  What once would have been seen as exhibitionism, is no longer so, but today it seems that everything (including nudity) is almost everywhere you look, including in the church.  Modesty is a word that few recognize, and those who do, don’t seem to apply it, or expect others to!  What about you and me?  Where are we taking our ques in regard to beauty from?  The Holy Word of God or the ‘Holly-word’ of the popular culture, soap operas, movies, and even music (which is very interesting when you consider that Satan was the musical angel)?

“I will therefore that men pray every where,

lifting up holy hands,

without wrath and doubting.

9 In like manner also, that women

adorn themselves in modest apparel,

with shamefacedness

and sobriety;

not with broided hair,

or gold, or pearls,

or costly array;

10 But

 (which becometh women

professing godliness)

with good works.”   1 Timothy 2:8-10

Paul was instructing Timothy on his pastoral responsibility to teach those in the church in regard to holy, righteous living. While I don’t believe that Paul is forbidding women to wear jewelry, I think rather, he’s reminding us that (male or female) we aren’t to depend on our ‘labels’, or our level of ‘bling’ to impress the world, but we are to be a reflection of The Lord we serve, not the world.  And the disparity between the two is growing exponentially!  We must “choose you this day whom ye will serve”!  While we aren’t to ‘judge’ people’s worth by their attire, our appearance does send a message.  Do I have more exposed than I have covered up?  God says that ‘nakedness’ isn’t to be something that we flaunt—clothing is God’s idea.

“Unto Adam also and to his wife

did the LORD God make coats of skins,

and clothed them.”  Genesis 3:21

There is a beauty that God calls us to and it goes beyond fashion or bling!  It’s such an important matter that we find it mentioned multiple times in The Word.

“Give unto the LORD the glory

 due unto his name: bring an offering,

and come before him:

worship the LORD

in the beauty of holiness.”   1 Chronicles 16:29

 “And when he had consulted with the people,

he appointed singers unto the LORD,

and that should praise

the beauty of holiness,

as they went out before the army,

and to say,

Praise the LORD;

for his mercy endureth for ever.”    2 Chronicles 20:21

“Give unto the LORD

the glory due unto his name;

worship the LORD

in the beauty of holiness.”   Psalm 29:2

“Give unto the LORD

the glory due unto his name:

bring an offering,

and come into his courts.

9 O worship the LORD

in the beauty of holiness:

fear before him, all the earth.”   Psalm 96:8-9

And where do we get this “beauty of holiness”?  We can only receive God’s Holiness by receiving His Spirit when we are ‘born again’!  We receive the power to ‘be’ God’s own, and the power to live like God’s own—from within not without—a new creature “in Christ”! (See John 1:12-13)

“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…

….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.”   Portions of 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

We are called to ‘clothe’ ourselves from within—to reflect the glory of our Lord, not the world, as they are ‘going to hell in a handbasket’!

“For if we have been planted together

 in the likeness of his death,

we shall be also

in the likeness of his resurrection:

6 Knowing this,

that our old man is crucified

with him,

that the body of sin might be destroyed,

that henceforth we should not

serve sin.”  Romans 6:5-6

We can only ‘wear’ this spiritual clothing by God’s provision and grace, through the blood of Jesus that “cleanseth us from all sin”!

“Lie not one to another,

seeing that ye have put off the old man

with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man,

which is renewed in knowledge

after the image of him

that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,

circumcision nor uncircumcision,

Barbarian, Scythian,

bond nor free:

but Christ is all,

and in all.”   Colossians 3:9-11

I can walk in the newness of Jesus, and in His truth and power that “Christ is all, and in all”! Peter also gave specific instruction to women who want to reflect Jesus—there is a way we are to judge appropriate attire.

“Likewise, ye wives,

be in subjection to your own husbands;

that, if any obey not the word,

they also may without the word

be won by the conversation

of the wives;

2 While they behold your

chaste conversation

coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning

let it not be that outward adorning

of plaiting the hair,

and of wearing of gold,

or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart,

in that which is not corruptible,

even the ornament

of a meek

and quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God

of great price.”  1 Peter 3:1-4

What a message—God is calling us to live a life (conversation here is referring to a godly lifestyle, not just our words) that proceeds from a godly heart: “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit”—which “is in the sight of God of great price”!  So, I think we need to judge our “closet options” by God’s standard not the world’s!  Are we impressing people with our “tags” and our “bling”, or with a “meek and quiet spirit”?  I pray that we are choosing wisely, ‘working out’ the Spirit which God has put within us in our daily walk, allowing God’s work to be displayed before a lost and dying world.

“Wherefore, my beloved,

as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation

with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.”    Philippians 2:12-13

“Working out” what’s in, not ‘working for’ salvation.  What are you doing to express the “good pleasure” of God around you?

“Favour is deceitful,

and beauty is vain:

but a woman that feareth the LORD,

she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands;

and let her own works

praise her in the gates.”  Proverbs 31:30-31

Are we (male and female) expressing God’s character before the world, or being deceived by the vanity of the ‘labels and bling’ all around us?  Are you seeking the praise of God or the praise of a world gone amuck rejecting God, His Son Jesus, and His Word?

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart

proceed evil thoughts,

murders,

adulteries,

fornications,

thefts,

false witness,

blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man:

but to eat with unwashen hands

defileth not a man.” Matthew 15:18-20

In the common vernacular—it ain’t your ‘mojo’, it’s your motives!  God has a lot to say about true hearts—versus–words without meaning. Where’s your beauty coming from?  Inside? Or outside?

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me

with their mouth,

and honoureth me

with their lips;

but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:7-8

Amen!!!

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Faith That Works??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #517

26 Wednesday Dec 2018

Posted by Blanche in Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Jesus, Freedom To Or From?, Trust God, Truth is True, Work

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1 Corinthians 15:57-58, Faith, Hebrews 11:1-6, Philippians 2:12-13, Psalm 139:23-24, Psalm 51:10, Real Faith, Romans 8:23-25, Salvation, Trust

Bible Ballistics: BBs #517  Faith That Works???

 

“But without faith

it is impossible to please him:

for he that cometh to God

must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder

of them that diligently seek him.”    Hebrews 11:6

“Now faith is

the substance of things

hoped for,

the evidence of things

not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

These are two of the quintessential passages about faith in all of scripture, helping us understand that faith isn’t an ethereal, unreal thing but truth that we haven’t seen or perceived with our physical eyes yet! Our faith and hope reveal that our trust in is secure and sure, for it is God in whom we have placed our faith. And having trusted Him through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can look forward to the things that HE has promised. Paul speaks of this assurance and hope in Romans 8, and when he speaks of hope he is referring to our confidence in God’s promises, His ability, and the surety of His ever-faithful deliverance of HIS own!

“And not only they, but ourselves also,

which have the firstfruits

of the Spirit,

even we ourselves

groan within ourselves,

waiting for the adoption,

to wit,

the redemption of our body.

24 For we are saved by hope:

but hope that is seen is not hope:

for what a man seeth,

why doth he yet hope for?

25 But if we hope for that we see not,

then do we with patience wait for it.”  Romans 8:23-25

So what about your faith and mine? Are we walking by faith in Jesus, or by sight? Much of the “name-it-and-claim-it” theology seems to focus our hope on being in this present world, and fulfilling our fleshly lusts rather than living for Jesus and looking for our reward with HIM. Trusting HIM to meet our physical needs in His will and His time. Remember what Jesus said, “Give us THIS day our daily bread”! And Paul told Timothy about keeping his “desires” in check: “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (Be sure and check out the context of 1 Timothy 6:8).

Faith is holding on to Jesus, not abstract mental assent, but having confidence in The One who saves and delivers. Holing on to Jesus as to a ‘life preserver’ in a sea of sin and darkness. Holding on to that “shield of faith” that we will be able to utilize it in our daily battles (and we are in a warfare, see Ephesians 2:10-18)—and to utilize a shield you must have a firm grip on the shield itself with complete confidence in it’s ability to protect and deliver! Doing HIS work in the midst of a dark, hostile world that most often doesn’t want to see the light. Even as Jesus Himself said, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (from John 3:19, and see 1 John to see more about the ‘light’)—our faith is from the light, and will grow us in the light when we yield to the Spirit’s leading in our lives—but only for those who have genuine faith. But what is genuine? W. E. Vine, in the “Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words” gives the most succinct definition of faith that I have found:

“The main elements in ‘faith’ in its relation to the invisible God, as distinct from ‘faith’ in man, are especially brought out in the use of this noun (Greek pistis, as described on page 222, under “faith”) and the corresponding verb, pisteuo; they are (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgment of God’s revelation or truth,….(2) a personal surrender to Him…..(3) a conduct inspired by such surrender… Prominence is given to one or other of these elements according to the context (of the passages listed which I haven’t included here for time and space sake). All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good “faith” without necessary reference to its proof.”

It is sad that people become confused and think that Paul says we are saved by faith not works—which is true—but they often misunderstand what James says about works. It’s like the proverb of the blind men describing an elephant as they grasp only one part of his anatomy, without seeing the “whole” context! We need to understand that real faith works—recognizing that real faith is in God, not self, dead works, wealth/poverty (and either/both can be consumed with greed!), or religion—when we know Jesus, The One who has called us to Himself, by His own blood!

James describes one who “says” he has faith, and Paul talks about “vain” faith—each one describing those who have lip service with no outward evidence of God’s presence and work. It’s what Paul reminded the Philippians of:

“Wherefore, my beloved,

as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation

with fear

and trembling.

13 For it is God

which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.”   Philippians 2:12-13

Paul didn’t say that we work “for” our salvation—but by faith we are to work “out” what God has put in! And my friends, when we belong to Jesus, it is because of the work that HE does in us; working it out in our daily living, so that others see Jesus in us! “Working out” our spiritual muscles with more passion and devotion than athletes do their physical bodies. I pray right now, that Jesus will help us to see that real “faith”, is dependence on HIM in every area of our lives; yielding to HIM; knowing HIM more each day; walking with HIM in every circumstance—the good, the bad, and the ugly! May we yield to Jesus’ HIS work in us—to a desperate world!

So my friends, I am praying that you/I examine our hearts, even as the Psalmist cried out to God, letting God do His perfect work of grace in me/you today—every day!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen!!!

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Are You Carrying The Word??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #514

14 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by Blanche in Abiding In Jesus, Follow Jesus, Life, Living Right, Salvation, The Word, Walking With Jesus, Witness

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Tags

Carrying The Word?, HE Carries You?, Hebrews 4:12-13, John 4:34, Living The Word, Philippians 2:12-13, Romans 12:1-2, Walking With Jesus

Bible Ballistics: BBs #514  Are You Carrying The Word???

 

Or are you letting The Word carry YOU? Sometimes we think that just because we ‘carry’ a Bible around with us that we are special; but the truth is that we are to let “The Word” carry us. While I’m often asked if I am one of those ‘Bible Thumpers’, I don’t’ mind answering in the affirmative, but not in the sense that many think of. I am absolutely confident in the veracity, dependability and relevance of The Word of God—the written Word as well as the Living Word, Jesus; and it is the life that makes me confident. It is not only the foundation of all that I believe as a Christian and follower of Jesus, but it is also the source of my living each and every day for, with and through Jesus.

“To whom God would make known

what is the riches

of the glory of this mystery

among the Gentiles;

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27

It’s not the Word (my Bible) that I carry around with me, which gives me life, but it is The Word in me—working God’s work amidst a lost and dying world.

“Wherefore, my beloved,

as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation

with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.”   Philippians 2:12-13

Not working ‘for’ our salvation, but working out the salvation that God has put within us, for His glory and the propagation of the Gospel! Even Jesus was doing the work of The Father, by the power of His own deity within flesh, and the presence of His Father through the Holy Spirit, it was His very sustenance! When the disciples wondered why He wasn’t hungry on a particular occasion, He taught them this truth:

“Jesus saith unto them,

My meat

is to do the will of him

that sent me,

and to finish his work.” John 4:34

If the very Son of God depended on The Father to accomplish HIS work in and through Him, how much more do we need to yield to HIS work in and through us! We are to live recognizing the truth that it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”! It’s all about what HE can do through us, when we but give Him the reins of our life to lead, direct and work HIS work today and each day on our life’s journey.

Our job is to put The Word in us—the written Word—and allow The Living Word to be seen as we live out our faith before a world that needs Jesus! Taking God’s Word as our source of life, applying its truths by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who can use even ‘cracked pots’ like me and you. He takes imperfect, marred vessels and transforms us into vessels of honor and value to our KING as we sacrifice our will to HIS!

“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

Transformed lives are our testimony of grace! All by the Word of God—the Living Word, Jesus, and the written Word, the Bible! It is our power of living as believers, and the standard of judgment for all when we stand before The Holy, Almighty God of all creation. So, are you simply carrying around a Bible without letting it affect you? Or are you being transformed into the image of Jesus day by day as HE carries you? The choice is yours! But there is a test!

“For the word of God is

quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things are naked

and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”   Hebrews 4:12-13

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