Tag Archives: SIN

Daniel Prayed–Will You??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #591

27 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Amazing Grace, Confessing Sin, Daniel Prayed--Will You?, Daniel's Prayer, Transgression

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #591  Daniel Prayed–Will You???

 

I would like to paraphrase of a passage of scripture that has grabbed my heart this week as I was reading and studying for a Bible study class.  I pray that it will reach out to your heart and call each of us to be willing to identify with the desperate condition of our land, our culture, and our world!  I will share my paraphrase and at the end Daniel’s actual prayer.  I would encourage you to spend some time in Daniel chapter 9 this week.

“I determined to pray,

fast,

and seek God’s face

in total mourning. 

I prayed unto The Lord, my God;

confessing my own sin

as well as the sin of my people. 

I praised God for His awesome power and might, for His faithfulness to keep His word, His covenants, and His promises—both those for blessings and those for judgment.

O Lord, we have sinned, doing wrong, behaving wickedly, rebelling against YOU, oh Lord, and we have forsaken Your Word, Your will, and Your ways.

We have not heeded or listened to those you sent to preach truth to us all; to our fathers and mothers; to our teachers and professors, to our mayors, governors, congressional leaders, and our judges and presidents; to all the people of our land!

O Lord, you are the righteous Lord of all, and even knowing your truth, we have rejected You, Your word, and Your ways.  We deserve the confusion and chaos that is rampant in our land, for we have turned away from You to go our own way—those who claim Your name as well as those who don’t know you at all—those in the country—those in the city—those who are educated—those who are less educated; all have walked away from Your way!

O Lord, we deserve the consequences of our choices that have come upon us, but by Thy mercy we have not been totally consumed—the small and the great—the rich and the poor—those of every political persuasion!  We have abandoned truth for lies, and now can’t grasp how we could be in the shape that we are in.  We have sinned against You!   

Praise Your name, O Lord, for we have abandoned You, and yet your mercy has been extended to us beyond measure.  You have called us again and again back to Yourself, yet we have continued to refuse to respond in repentance or faith!

You have called again and again, yet we have all refused to hear Your word, and can’t comprehend why we are reaping the harvest that we sowed!

We haven’t heeded Your Word and or responded to your grace and truth, instead we have continued to cling to our sinful and wicked ways, doing our best to relabel all our pet sins and legitimize them.

O Lord, we don’t deserve your mercy because of our great sin, but O Lord, we ask that you restore us to your favor by bringing conviction, grace and truth to those who will heed.  Spare us from your judgment, which we totally deserve, and save us.

 O Lord, hear the prayer of your servants, and save us today?  You are righteous, holy and good—and we need the salvation that Jesus bought for us at Calvary!

O Lord, hear? 

O Lord, forgive? 

Oh Lord, hearken and do

your work of grace and redemption upon our land,

not because we deserve it,

but because of Your great love and mercy!  Amen and Amen”

And here is Daniel’s prayer for his people, made in total identification with his sinful people, may we not exalt ourselves, but identify with our fallen nation and seek God’s face while there is still time.

“And I set my face unto the Lord God,

to seek by prayer and supplications,

with fasting,

and sackcloth,

and ashes:

4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said,

O Lord, the great and dreadful God,

keeping the covenant and mercy

to them

that love him,

and to them

that keep his commandments;

5 We have sinned,

and have committed iniquity,

and have done wickedly,

and have rebelled,

even by departing from thy precepts

and from thy judgments:

6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants

the prophets,

which spake in thy name

to our kings,

our princes,

and our fathers,

and to all the people of the land.

7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee,

but unto us confusion of faces,

as at this day;

to the men of Judah,

and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and unto all Israel,

that are near,

and that are far off,

through all the countries

whither thou hast driven them,

because of their trespass

that they have trespassed against thee.

8 O Lord,

to us belongeth confusion of face,

to our kings,

to our princes,

and to our fathers,

because we have sinned against thee.

9 To the Lord our God belong

mercies

and forgivenesses,

though we have rebelled against him;

10 Neither have we obeyed

the voice of the LORD our God,

to walk in his laws,

which he set before us

by his servants

the prophets.

11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law,

even by departing,

that they might not obey thy voice;

therefore the curse is poured upon us,

and the oath that is written

in the law of Moses the servant of God,

because we have sinned against him.

12 And he hath confirmed his words,

which he spake against us,

and against our judges that judged us,

by bringing upon us a great evil:

for under the whole heaven hath not

been done as hath been done

upon Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses,

all this evil is come upon us:

yet made we not our prayer

before the LORD our God,

that we might turn from our iniquities,

and understand thy truth.

14 Therefore hath the LORD watched

upon the evil,

and brought it upon us:

for the LORD our God is righteous

in all his works which he doeth:

for we obeyed not his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God,

that hast brought thy people forth

out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand,

and hast gotten thee renown,

as at this day;

we have sinned,

we have done wickedly.

16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness,

I beseech thee,

let thine anger and thy fury

be turned away from thy city Jerusalem,

thy holy mountain:

because for our sins,

and for the iniquities of our fathers,

Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach

to all that are about us.

17 Now therefore, O our God,

hear the prayer of thy servant,

and his supplications,

and cause thy face to shine

upon thy sanctuary that is desolate,

for the Lord’s sake.

18 O my God,

incline thine ear,

and hear;

open thine eyes,

and behold our desolations,

and the city which is called by thy name:

for we do not present our supplications

before thee

for our righteousnesses,

but for thy great mercies.

19 O Lord, hear;

O Lord, forgive;

O Lord, hearken

and do; defer not,

for thine own sake,

O my God:

for thy city

and thy people

are called by thy name.”   Daniel 9:2-19

Even so Lord Jesus!  Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

 

Who’s Trampling Who??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 04

08 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by in A Father's Love, Church:Dead Or Alive?, Confessing Sin, Discipline, Faith, Forgiveness, Holy Spirit, Repentance, Trampling The Blood of Jesus?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 04   Who’s Trampling Who???

 

“Having therefore, brethren,

boldness to enter into the holiest

by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way,

which he hath consecrated

for us,

through the veil,

that is to say,

his flesh…

…22 Let us draw near

with a true heart

in full assurance

of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled

from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed

with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith

without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another

to provoke unto love

and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling

of ourselves together,

 as the manner of some is;

but exhorting one another:

and so much the more,

as ye see the day approaching…

….29 Of how much sorer punishment,

suppose ye,

shall he be thought worthy,

who hath trodden under foot

the Son of God,

and hath counted the blood of the covenant,

wherewith he was sanctified,

an unholy thing,

 and hath done despite

unto the Spirit of grace?”    Portions of Hebrews 10:19-29

My heart is burdened for a world going to “hell in a hand-basket”, and a church that seems to be caving to the culture, rather than calling believers to live, what C. S. Lewis called, lives of “piety”; a reverence for God, and a devout fulfillment of (what a person sees as) an obligation of love to his/her religious beliefs (Our Lord Jesus and His Word!).  In other words, a complete devotion to being right with God, doing right before God and man, and making an impact on the world, whether they realize it or not!  (For the world is waiting for the Righteous to live Righteously—to be salt and light to draw the lost to a faithful Redeemer!). Yet we live in a time when many who claim the name of Jesus live their lives in complete disregard to the Lord whose name they claim; who spend their time, energy, resources and efforts living it up, drinking it up, lusting it up, shacking up, lying it up, mocking and ridiculing those who continue to hold up the standard of holy  living! Now, I understand that Jesus has given us freedom to exercise our beliefs and convictions as we see fit; but when what many seem to ‘see fit’ is in direct conflict to The Word of God, it’s time to take a stand with grace, firmness and love—but we must take a stand!

The author of Hebrews strongly reminds us that our lives are to be ordered in holiness because a “Holy” price has been paid for our salvation, “by the blood of Jesus”! And earlier in the book, he also tells us that we can have confidence in our access to Him, the One whose blood bought our salvation—our heavenly intercessor (See Hebrews 7:25)!

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points

tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16

I love this passage, and I run to it often, yet today I see so many run to other things; they don’t practice spiritual boldness and confidence in the One they profess to love, but arrogantly use His name for their own purposes, to excuse their sin, or saying that “Jesus will forgive me”!  And that is true, but while God’s love is totally unconditional, His forgiveness is not!

“If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:8-10

Here we find that Jesus can, will and does forgive those who face their own personal sin and failure—AS SIN!  He also says that when we continue to claim that our choices are not sin, we “deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”…“his word is not in us”!  But John so graciously holds out the scepter of hope—if we will but “confess our sins”, Jesus will faithfully, willingly, lovingly respond to our humble confrontation of our own sin for “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins”—but praise God HE doesn’t stop there; HE goes on to tell us that not only will He extend his forgiveness to the repentant, but HE will also, “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”—He will help us to overcome our selfish, worldly, and holiness-defeating (my own new word!) choices and actions! Hallelujah!  Praise God—Jesus will “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”!  Did you get that—”from all unrighteousness”—Jesus wants to cleanse us from all our SIN and failures!  John is talking to believers!  That’s you/me, we who follow HIM, we who belong to HIM!

But don’t miss that last phrase, for John also warns us that those who continually claim the name of Jesus and live like the devil may have a different problem:

“If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us”!

If we have Jesus we do have “The Word” in us in the form of Jesus’ Holy Spirit, who transforms God’s own (genuine believers) into the image of Jesus!  Paul addresses this issue most clearly!

“But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God

dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.”   Romans 8:9

And back to Hebrews, we also see that “saying so, doesn’t make it so”!

“But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.”   Hebrews 12:8

When we belong to Jesus and we sin, HE, through the power of The Holy Spirit, will discipline us, correcting, convicting, and bringing us to repentance and restoration.  Or there is another option for those who truly belong to Jesus yet refuse to be restored to usefulness and holiness; it’s a seldom mentioned statement, but it is as true as any other scripture.

“If any man see his brother sin a sin

which is not unto death,

he shall ask,

and he shall give him life

for them that sin not unto death.

There is a sin unto death:

I do not say that he shall pray for it.

17 All unrighteousness is sin:

and there is a sin not unto death.”    1 John 5:16-17

It’s as if Jesus is saying to a believer who just won’t learn, if you won’t learn down there, I’ll just bring you home for some remedial classes (and I use this as example not as an assumption on scripture, but remember that GOD is the judge of ‘time limits’, so to speak, not us!).  But there is more that we need to consider, in regard to my phrase about “saying so doesn’t make it so”; Paul mentions it in passing in 1 Corinthians 15, and I think it worth our consideration.  Is your faith real or vain?  What commentary does your/my life make about our faith?  Only you/I can really answer that question, but it’s a question that we all need to ask ourselves; for there is a day coming when Jesus will require an answer!

“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.”    1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Jesus makes it clear, not only for those who claim His name, yet walk in the devil’s way, but also to those who live an imitation Christian life!

“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 7:20-23

Jesus didn’t stop there; He went on to use an example that we often disregard and write-off as a children’s song; but Jesus gives us a clear line of delineation—what foundation you choose to build your house (life) upon is important! There are two options, and while the houses may look alike on the outside (or not), it will become evident when the storms come (and they will come, for HE said they ‘would’ come, not ‘if’ they come!).

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,

and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

which built his house

upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine,

and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolish man,

which built his house

 upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.”   Matthew 7:24-27

What we “DO” is all dependent on Jesus, for each believer, every child of God!  That’s a fact!  It’s all about HIM not me!

“I am the vine, ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me

ye can do nothing.”   John 15:5. Amen!

And to bring things together, let’s go back to Paul, who reminds us that we can ‘judge’ ourselves by God’s standard and stay on the “narrow” way, or we can excuse, cover-up, justify and lie about our life-choices, and God will judge!  The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“For if we would judge ourselves,

we should not be judged.

32 But when we are judged,

we are chastened

of the Lord,

that we should not be condemned

with the world.”   1 Corinthians 11:31-32

(And just FYI, this passage is referring to believers living in an unworthy manner, receiving God’s judgment on their sin, not their souls.). I pray that God will convict our hearts and help each of us recognize our sin, repent, be forgiven and restored to the full use to our “vine” and see HIM bring much fruit out of our lives.  May we live as “iron sharpeneth iron” toward each other, not as rotten apples spreading corruption to everyone and everything we touch!   I would simply like to go back to our title today; are you trampling under-foot the blood of Jesus; the prayers and tears of a loved one who is still praying for you; the efforts of a friend who has called you to truth as you walk down that “broad” way to destruction; the call of The Holy Spirit on your heart?   Remember, Jesus gave His all for you/me, and if you go to Hell it will be over all these who have tried to stop you; and if you are a rebellious believer, the same is true for you—remember there is a “sin unto death” for the believer, not hell but a shortened opportunity to serve our LORD JESUS!!!

“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

Amen and Amen!!!

A Broken Heart??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 21

07 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by in Broken Hearts, Confidence, Cross, Healing

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 21     A Broken Heart???

 

Ever have a broken heart?  Most of us have had a broken heart at one time or another, and while it’s not something that we seek after, it is something that God understands.  And I don’t know about you, but I am eternally grateful for God’s love, care, and provision for those who experience a broken heart—in fact, for all!

“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.

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.”  John 3:14-18

God gave His all—His Best—Himself–that we might have life, abundant life in His Son, Jesus.  I can’t imagine the heartache that God felt as His Son hung on that cross for ‘my’ sin and ‘yours’!  And no matter what has caused your heart to break, God understands what you feel, He cares for the brokenhearted.

“The LORD is nigh unto them

that are of a broken heart;

and saveth such

as be of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous:

but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”    Psalm 34:18

And while God has promised us deliverance, his deliverance doesn’t always look like we think it will.  While God’s promises are “yes and amen”, His timing may be different than ours, but His work is ever secure and sure in His love, care and goodness.

“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 10:12-13

Paul reminds us, as he shares God’s message with us, that we are all subject to temptation in this human condition, and because of sin (original sin that came on all of Adam’s descendants, and personal sin that we all find ourselves in) we are subject to its insidious grip—but we don’t have to succumb!  God has provided through the sacrifice of Jesus, a way of escape—when we ‘fix our eyes’ on Jesus.  God wants to draw near to us when we are hurting—He knows and feels our pain.

“For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted

like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus tread the paths of human frailty and accomplished the victory for us—and because He did—we can trust Him with our heartaches, our sorrows, our grief, our confusion, our emotions!  Jesus cares and He has provided because He walked the same paths that we walk; He felt what we feel; He loved a world which for the most part didn’t love Him, and broke His heart—in fact they put Him to death—we put Him to death– because of our sin.  But unlike us, Jesus knew what He came to do, He knew that He was born to die for me and you; He knew that it would cost Him the cross, and because He paid that price, He saves us and makes those who will come to Him a part of HIS family, and invites us into His throne room to find a Father’s love and provision.  What are you in need of today?  Is your heart broken?  God loves you and is waiting for you to give it to Him!

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD

is upon me;

because the LORD

hath anointed me

to preach good tidings

unto the meek;

he hath sent me

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty

to the captives,

and the opening of the prison

to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year

of the LORD,

and the day of vengeance

of our God;

to comfort

all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,

to give unto them beauty

for ashes,

the oil of joy

for mourning,

the garment of praise

for the spirit of heaviness;

that they might be called

trees of righteousness,

 the planting of the LORD,

that he might be glorified.”  Isaiah 61:1-3

We can be “the planting of the LORD” because He gave “His only begotten Son” to be the payment for our sin.  And even as Isaiah wrote hundreds of years before Jesus arrived, He was the plan for our redemption, and confirmed this in His public ministry.

“And there was delivered unto him

the book of the prophet Esaias.

And when he had opened the book,

he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he hath anointed me

to preach the gospel to the poor;

he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

to preach deliverance to the captives,

 and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book,

and he gave it again to the minister,

and sat down.

And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue

were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them,

This day is this scripture

fulfilled in your ears.”    Luke 4:17-21

Just like those in the synagogue that day, many today hear the Word of The Lord, and yet don’t perceive or hear what God is saying unto them; Jesus proclaimed to them that “HE” was the fulfillment of the promise of God recorded by Isaiah the prophet.  Yet on this occasion and others, the people took offense rather than believe, and people do the same thing today.  Yet God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit, accomplished the work of redemption at Calvary!  Oh, praise His name—you and I don’t have to stay broken!  Do you need healing?  Do you need mending?  Do you need a Savior?  Jesus is standing at the door of your heart knocking—calling—loving you!  You can choose HIM and His love or suffer on your own.

“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

Jesus is ever working to draw us near to Him that we might truly experience that “abundant life” He supplies!  We just have to keep our eyes on Him and run the race (even the ones that bring heartache and anguish) trusting to HIS care, not our own wisdom.  We have the complete testament of scripture to fill our hearts with examples of assurance and hope!

“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.”   Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus gave His all for us.  We can not only find peace, love and joy in Him, but we can trust HIM for our heartache, to clear the confusion we experience, and to overcome the challenges that life may bring.

“Trust in the LORD

with all thine heart;

and lean not

unto thine ownunderstanding.

6 In all thy ways

acknowledge him,

and he

shall direct thy paths.”   Proverbs 3:5-6

How?  By simply pursuing Jesus, His Word and resting in HIS care—He truly is a heart healer! I know—He has healed my heart more than once.  He has restored me when I got angry because His answers didn’t match my demands!  He has lifted me up when I didn’t have the strength to go on!  He has even given me grace to do things that were (and often still are) difficult. And I simply close with one of the passages that strengthens and renews my heart again and again.  He has soothed my heart when it has been broken by the very ones that I love the most!  He will do the same for you, if you will but “give it to Jesus”!

“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 you find HIS healing!  There truly is a ‘balm in Gilead’ (see Jeremiah 8:22 & 46:11).  Blessings on your week!

Amen and Amen!!!

Defacing The Landscape??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 20

01 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Defacing The Landscape?, SIN, Spiritual Drought, Sweet Words or Bitter Words?, The Only Way, The Same Yesterday, The Word, The Word Or The World?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 20  Defacing The Landscape???

 

Deface: 1. to mar the surface or appearance of; disfigure, 

2. to efface, obliterate, or injure the   surface of, as

 to make illegible or invalid…

Landscape:      1. A section or expanse of rural scenery,

usually Extensive, that can be seen for a single viewpoint.

2. a picture representing natural …scenery.

3. Fine Arts, the category of aesthetics subject matter in which natural scenery is represented.

America is a great land—its landscape spans acres of beautiful geography from great ocean expanses to vistas and heights of trees and boulders that seem to touch the sky.  You can find almost any type of landscape that suits your fancy. But it would seem that as a nation we are speeding down a path of rack, ruin and destruction not of our geographical landscape but a cultural one (and if you are in another land, you surely face the same challenges)!  We are heading down a road that I pray we will veer from, but only God can help us out of the situation that we find ourselves in!  God, through Isaiah, aptly describes the state of our land!

“Woe unto them

that draw iniquity

with cords of vanity,

and sin

as it were with a cart rope:

19 That say,

Let him make speed,

and hasten his work,

that we may see it:

and let the counsel

of the Holy One of Israel

draw nigh

and come,

that we may know it!

20 Woe unto them

that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them

that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!

22 Woe unto them

that are mighty

to drink wine,

and men of strength

to mingle strong drink:

23 Which justify the wicked

for reward,

and take away the righteousness

of the righteous from him!

24 Therefore

as the fire

devoureth the stubble,

and the flame

consumeth the chaff,

so their root

shall be as rottenness,

and their blossom

shall go up as dust:

because they have cast away

the law of the LORD of hosts,

and despised

the word of the Holy One of Israel.”  Isaiah 5:18-24

This passage is so full of truth and warnings and I want us to assess our own ‘landscape’ with that described in the message that Isaiah delivered to his own people.  With a heart of love for you, and a burden for our culture, I share it with you!

God proclaims His ‘woe’ on those who cling to sin and its trappings—like clinging to a rope to pull a cart.  Paul also describes the nature of those who reject God as those who cling to sin, but not only cling to it themselves, they pursue others to propagate their wickedness, sharing their heart for evil, and their despite toward God.  It leads to only one fate.

“And even as they did not like to retain God

in their knowledge,

God gave them over

to a reprobate mind,

to do those things

which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all

unrighteousness,

fornication,

wickedness,

covetousness,

maliciousness;

full of

envy,

murder,

debate,

deceit,

malignity;

whisperers,

30 Backbiters,

haters of God,

despiteful,

proud,

boasters,

inventors of evil things,

disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers,

without natural affection,

implacable,

unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God,

that they which commit such things

are worthy of death,

not only do the same,

but have pleasure

in them that do them.”   Romans 1:28-32

Oh friends, God will grant your desires, even when they will lead you to destruction, death and hell.  It’s your choice and mine.  What are you choosing? Remember: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) And HE said:

 “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.”   Matthew 7:13-15

According to Jesus, when we choose HIS way we won’t often be fighting ‘crowds’!  We must keep our Lord’s warnings in mind as we deal with others (it’s why I write these articles and posts without regard for the number of respondents—my job is to sow the seed, the numbers and the harvest is God’s business)– understanding that just as Jesus wasn’t always popular, if we share truth, we may not be either! (Take some time and read John 13-17, and you’ll see that Jesus warned us that when we follow HIM, we will experience the same responses that He did—some will heed but not all.)  Jesus also reminded us in John 3 of the fate of those who choose sin over Him. (And remember that ‘not making a choice’ IS making a choice!)

“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

Our landscape is cluttered with the choices of those who relish sin over righteousness.  We must pray for God’s mercy, His grace, and the conviction of His precious Holy Spirit to show us our failures, as well as to convict the lost of their need for Jesus.

“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

Steeped in the same message that God shared through Isaiah, God has always called men and women, boys and girls, to come to Himself through faith in the promised ‘deliverer’!  Those in the Old Testament believed and looked forward to His coming, those of us after the cross believe in the completed work of Jesus to save people “from their sins”!  (See Matthew 1:21).  Just as Isaiah described the wicked of his day, we see that same evil flourishing in our day, and yet we have often responded in an ‘other than biblical’ way. If you take your spiritual ques from social media (which we shouldn’t) then you will follow the mindset that we are to rise up and ‘put a stop’ to this or that; well my friends, what we are experiencing is exactly what scripture says we will experience, and we are to respond as Jesus did!  We are to “stand fast in the evil day”; we are to be “salt and light”; we are to understand that in these last days/times “perilous times shall come”!  We must remember and know that even in these times we are saved and called to be faithful proclaimers of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, sharing His truth with all those whom God places in our path; not hateful and crude, but full of HIS Spirit, and not our flesh, as Jesus so aptly put it:

“Blessed are they which are persecuted

for righteousness’ sake:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye,

when men shall revile you,

and persecute you,

and shall say all manner of evil

against you falsely,

for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:

for great is your reward in heaven:

for so persecuted they the prophets

which were before you.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth:

but if the salt have lost his savour,

wherewith shall it be salted?

it is thenceforth good for nothing,

but to be cast out,

and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill

cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all

that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine

before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:10-16

While we must never be those “that call evil good, and good evil”, or those “that put darkness for light, and light for darkness”, nor ever replace truth with the poison lies of the enemy by being those “that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter”, we are called to love (not compromising truth, but to exhibit compassion).  The Apostle Peter called us to recognize our call to spread truth not lies, to share love not hate—remembering that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood”! (See Eph. 6:10+)

“Finally, be ye all of one mind,

having compassion one of another,

love as brethren,

be pitiful,

be courteous:

9 Not rendering evil for evil,

or railing for railing:

but contrariwise blessing;

knowing that ye are thereunto called,

that ye should inherit a blessing.

10 For he that will love life,

and see good days,

let him

refrain his tongue from evil,

and his lips that they speak no guile:

11 Let him

eschew evil,

and do good;

let him

seek peace,

and ensue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord

are over the righteous,

and his ears

are open unto their prayers:

but the face of the Lord

is against them that do evil.

13 And who is he that will harm you,

if ye be followers of that which is good?

14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake,

happy are ye:

and be not afraid of their terror,

neither be troubled;

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:

and be ready always

to give an answer

to every man that asketh you a reason

of the hope that is in you

with meekness

and fear:

16 Having a good conscience;

that, whereas they speak evil of you,

as of evildoers,

they may be ashamed

that falsely accuse

your good conversation

 in Christ.”  1 Peter 3:8-16

I know this is a lengthy passage, but so necessary in this day and age in which we live. So, I pray that we will humbly hear God’s voice speaking to our hearts through His Word, and be those who will fulfill Peter’s admonition, and fill our landscape with the “beauty of holiness” rather than the corruption of the world.  Let’s think, live and respond with biblical truth?  May we truly “stand fast in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”! God’s way not man’s! We can change the landscape for Jesus, with Jesus and to HIS glory, and for the redemption of the lost!

“Having a good conscience;

that, whereas they speak evil of you,

as of evildoers,

they may be ashamed

that falsely accuse

 your good conversation in Christ.”

Amen and Amen!

 

 

Live, Breathe, Be??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 16

02 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Amazing Grace, Born Again, Choices And Consequences, Consider Your ways, Crucified With Christ, Filled With His Spirit, For Such A Time As This, IN Jesus!, It's Your Choice, JESUS, SIN, The Love of God, The Word Or The World?, Trusting Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 16   Live, Breathe, Be???

 

I have friends, and you probably do too, who have chronic illnesses, in fact I have several friends who have not only chronic illnesses, but genetically based diseases.  That would be a hard thing to deal with, knowing that you could pass on a disease to your children and/or grandchildren, especially since it is out of my/your control.; but there’s something else that we need to consider, for it is even more far-reaching than a chronic disease, and if not treated appropriately, it is truly fatal.  That is “SIN”, and while we all pass it on to our children and our grandchildren, there is something that we can do—something that IS within our control!  And that something is JESUS!  While we may not have a choice about the genetic pool that is passed on to us, we do have a choice about our response to sin, and the choice that we make will affect those around us whether we are related or not!

Scripture clearly tells us that we are all afflicted with the disease of sin!

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no,

not one:”  Romans 3:10

That means that sin is the issue—we all have it, but only Jesus can provide the cure (so to speak)!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;”  Romans 3:23

All–that means me; and that means you!  Every human being is born into sin (except the God-Man Savior, Jesus), and we can choose to respond to the gospel of Jesus, hear the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit, repent and receive the saving grace that He died to provide; or you can choose to pay for you own sin!

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Romans 6:23

We are all born in sin, but when we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we don’t have to die in our sin.  Jesus has already done that for us; therefore, Hell doesn’t have to be our future.  We can have life now and forever—abundant life IN Jesus!

“Then said Jesus unto them again,

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me

are thieves

and robbers:

but the sheep did not hear them.

9 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 10:7-11

Jesus IS the good shepherd, for HE gave His life for our salvation, all because God loved us.

“We love him, because he first loved us.”  1 John 4:19

What a wonderful verse!  Salvation was, is and ever shall be God’s idea, God pursued us, for salvation is always initiated by God—it’s not our idea!  We can only respond to HIS grace which has been extended to us as His Spirit reveals Him to us.  Have you heard His voice? His knock at your heart’s door?

“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

And to be the Redeemer, Jesus gave His own life, of His own will to save us!  God sent Jesus to pay for ‘my’ sin and ‘yours’!

“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 2:22-24

Not only preached by Peter and the apostles, but also foretold by Jesus Himself.

“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:

them also I must bring,

and they shall hear my voice;

and there shall be one fold,

and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me,

because I lay down my life,

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received

of my Father.”   John 10:16-18

Jesus came out of love for us and obediently lay down HIS life for me and you!  Praise God for His amazing grace that saves and keeps those who will come to HIM! Oh, to have the words to describe the wondrous grace that He has bestowed on me/us, and to express the gratitude that fills my heart.  And because of that gratitude and recognition of the blessings of God, we ought to behave in accord with what we have received.  I truly believe that one of the problems we face today is an overabundance of people who profess what they don’t possess!  But God knows those who are HIS, and Jesus made it clear that what’s in our hearts will come out—one way or another; sooner or later!

“Nevertheless the foundation of God

standeth sure,

having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are his.

And, Let every one

that nameth the name of Christ

depart from iniquity.”  2 Timothy 2:19

We can find victory in living when we learn to depend on the direction, provision and instruction of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit.

“16 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

How much we miss when we forget that when we belong to Jesus, He provides all we need for faithful, godly living.

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power

hath given unto us

all things that pertain

unto life and godliness,

through the knowledge of him

that hath called us to glory

and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us

exceeding great

and precious promises:

that by these

ye might be partakers

of the divine nature,

 having escaped the corruption

that is in the world through lust.”  2 Peter 1:3

Power to overcome is found in The Spirit and The Word of Him who laid down His life for me and you!  We can live and prevail by His grace, as we die to self and live “in Jesus”!

“For in him

we live,

and move,

and have our being;

as certain also of your own poets have said,

 For we are also his offspring.”  Acts 17:28

“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

All because Jesus holds it all together—right now, and always.

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,

and upholding all things

by the word of his power,

when he had by himself purged our sins,

sat down on the right hand

of the Majesty on high;”  Hebrews 1:3

So, a few questions, “In “whom” (or how) do you ‘live, and move, and have your being”?   Have you died to self at the cross, to live by “faith of the Son of God”?  The choice is yours but choose wisely; there is a test at the end!

One last word to challenge our minds!

“And be not drunk

with wine, wherein is excess;

but be filled

with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody

 in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always

for all things

unto God and the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves

one to another

in the fear of God.”  Ephesians 5:18-21

Are you “filled with the Spirit” (which means to be pervaded, controlled by) or is something else ‘controlling’ you? (It matters not if it’s drugs, liquor, sex, greed, lying and deceit, power, manipulation, ego, sloth, or ambition).  What are you filling your life with!