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Secure In The Son—Eternally

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: I Corinthians 1
Meditation: I Corinthians 1:8-9

“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”

Shift Your Focus… Where do you stand on eternal security? The security of the believer has been hotly debated for hundreds of years by theologians much smarter than me, so it’s not likely that I will persuade you one way or the other.

Maybe you are of the camp that believes you cannot lose your salvation—once you’re saved you’re always saved. Or it could be you have joined doctrinal sides with those who’ve found Biblical support that it is indeed possible to “backslide” and fall away from God. I grew up in a theological tradition that supported the latter. As I like to say, we believed in backsliding—and practiced it regularly.

All kidding aside, the older I get and the longer I’ve been a Christian, honestly, the less secure I am on this issue. Frankly, there are compelling arguments for both sides. I sometimes wonder if there is a third alternative that will be revealed when we get to heaven. Wouldn’t that be something!

But one thing I am increasingly secure about, and that is, if it is possible to lose your salvation—and that is a big “if”—it must be exceedingly difficult to walk away from your relationship with God and into a life of sin for the very simple fact of the truth revealed in these verses—I Corinthians 1:8-9. You see, you are not alone; your salvation is not resting on your shoulders. In fact very little of it is up to you. That is not to say that you don’t have a part to play—you do. In verse 9, Paul says it is a partnership that you were called into with Jesus Christ at the moment of your salvation. Your part is to believe, obey, love and serve God.

Even then, God is helping you to do that. According to verse 8, God is giving you the strength, and he will continue to supply the strength to fulfill your end of the partnership until the day Jesus returns and finds you blameless. Isn’t that great news? You are not alone in your spiritual journey; Someone greater than you is at your side helping you each step of the way.

He is the Great Finisher, and he is committed to finishing what he started in you. Paul says it this way in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Now here’s the deal, when God starts a good work, he always finishes it. He doesn’t have a workshop full of half finished projects. He completes them all—each and every one. And since you are one of his good works, you can be fully confident that he will complete his work in you. God will take you from the starting line to the finish line of your salvation marathon.

Jude says the same thing, “Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and present you before his throne without fault and with great joy…” (Jude 24) God is able. You may feel weak and incapable in your spiritual walk at times; you may worry if there might be a time in the future where you would walk away from God. But let me tell you this: You are not alone. Your salvation is not all up to you. God is able to keep you from falling. God is able to take you from start to finish and present you in the winner’s circle without fault (Jude 24), complete (Philippians 1:6) and blameless (I Corinthians 1:8).

You are not alone. Your salvation is not all up to you. If you can lose your salvation—if—then it must be the most difficult thing in all creation, since you will singlehandedly have to overcome the greatest force in the universe: God’s saving, sustaining, completing grace.

You are not alone. Your salvation is not all up to you. God is able! You now belong to the Great Finisher!

I hope that makes you more secure in your salvation!

“If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, his arm over us, his ear open to our prayer—his grace sufficient, his promises unchangeable.”  ~John Newton

Prayer… Father, how blessed I am to be the recipient of your saving, sustaining, completing grace.  In your love you saved me and brought me into a lopsided partnership; a partnership where you do all the heavy lifting, and what little I have to do, even that, you help me to do. Thank you for the promise of completing in me what you began, for keeping me from falling and presenting me before your glorious throne without fault on that great and glorious day that Jesus Christ returns.  Thank you that I am as secure in my salvation as secure can be.  I love you, and praise you, and will joyfully serve you all the days of my life.

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Hoping For Heartburn

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 24
Meditation: Luke 24:32

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

Shift Your Focus… Heartburn isn’t usually a good thing, but when God shows up and gives you heartburn, it’s a good thing.

These two disciples were walking the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, discussing the devastating news of the past few hours. It was the very first Easter Sunday, but they didn’t know yet that Jesus had risen from the tomb. As far as they were concerned, he was dead and gone—and along with him, so were their hopes.

Then Jesus showed up, although his identity was hidden from them, and gave them an incurable case of holy heartburn. It was the heartburn of hope, and it was just the cure their broken hearts needed in those post-crucifixion moments.

That’s the beauty of the resurrection. No matter what you’re going through, the empty tomb stands as a constant and certain reminder that there is always reason for hopefulness. That’s why the psalmist, David, said, “Why are you hopeless? Why are you in turmoil? Put your hope in God!” (Psalm 42:5) Resurrection hope is not just wishful thinking or a pie-in-the-sky kind of attitude that says, “Oh well, things will turn out okay someday.” It’s not the breezy kind of optimism that Mary Martin sang about in South Pacific when she said “I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope.”

The kind of hope Jesus will burn into your heart is first of all, a reliable hope. Marx said that hope is the opiate of the people, but Christian hope is built on the foundation of the Bible and supported by the reality of the empty tomb. Verse 27 says, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

Second, resurrection hope is a relational hope. The resurrection is not just a story from the pages of history. “Christ is risen” isn’t some theological incantation clerics pull out of the box every Easter. It is hope that arises from an experience with Jesus himself, not just a dream or a fantasy or a phantom. Verse 29 says, “So Jesus went to stay with them.” Jesus walked with these two disciples. He ate with them. He listened to them, inviting them to pour out their hearts. And he revealed himself to them. Resurrection hope is a real personal, intimate relationship with the living Lord.

And third, the kind of hope Jesus wants to give you is a radical hope. When you encounter the risen Lord and put your complete trust in him, it will be nothing short of life-changing. Verse 31 says that after they had spent time with Jesus, “their eyes were opened and they recognized him…” These two disciples were headed back to Emmaus to pick up the pieces of their shattered dreams, if they could. Instead, they encountered Jesus, and their plans were radically altered. Actually, their lives were radically altered from that moment on.

Maybe you are in the kind of funk these two disciples were in that first Easter Sunday. Perhaps your dreams have been dashed, your circumstances are not what you had hoped for, and your life has not turned out as you expected. Get ready! If you start to get a little heartburn, it could be that the risen Lord is resurrecting your hopes.

And this hope—Biblical hope, resurrection hope—does not disappoint us! (Romans 5:5)

“He that lives in hope dances without music.” ~George Herbert

Prayer… O Lord, in you, and you alone, I put my hope.

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Thoroughly Saved—Just Barely

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 23
Meditation: Luke 23-42-43

Then the thief said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Shift Your Focus… Two thieves hung on the cross, with Jesus in between them.  One of them joined the mocking crowd in hurling insults at the Lord, but the other hurled himself upon the mercy of God.  And, according to Jesus’ own words, he was thoroughly saved that day, even if it was just barely.

The penitent thief had done no good works, had no track record of righteousness, had no opportunity to make right all the wrongs he had done.  Yet Jesus assured him that within hours, he would be at the Lord’s side in eternity.

So what was it that made him worthy of salvation—even if it was at the very last minute of his life?  The same thing that makes you and me worthy of our salvation:  Absolutely nothing.

All the man could do was recognize his own guilt (“Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds…”), believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ to save (“but this Man has done nothing wrong…”), and entrust his eternity to the mercy and grace of God (“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”)

That is all anyone can do to be saved.  The thief was thoroughly saved that day; as saved as you, me, or anyone who has faithfully served the Lord their entire life.  And that is the whole basis for the Gospel. That is and what sets Christianity apart from every other religion:  Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Every other religious effort to attain eternal life is based on what we do.  But what we do, no matter how much we do and how well we do it, can never be enough to satisfy a perfect and holy God.

Christianity is based on what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Only by acknowledging our sinfulness, believing in his atoning work, and receiving him by faith can we appropriate the grace of God that thoroughly saves us for all eternity.

And that’s the Good News.

“This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners, for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ’s, and Christ’s righteousness is not Christ’s, but ours.” ~Martin Luther

Prayer… Lord, if my salvation were based on what I could do, I would never make it.  Thank you for your grace and mercy.  I am thoroughly saved for all eternity—hallelujah!

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The Second-To-Last Supper

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 22
Meditation: Luke 22:15-16

Jesus said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Shift Your Focus… From the moment Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, Christians have regularly celebrated communion in memory of his death.  Some church traditions celebrate it every Sunday, others celebrate it monthly—as does my church on the first Sunday of every month—and still others have their own tradition as to the frequency and practice of communion.

When we receive communion, we mostly focus on the Lord’s death and our redemption that was purchased at the moment of his sacrifice.  And what a sweet time of remembrance it is.  Nothing is more moving than coming to the Lord’s Table.

Yet it is not only about remembering, communion also calls us to look forward.  Twice, as Jesus instituted this holy sacrament, he spoke to his disciples of a time in the future where he, himself, would again participate in this celebration.  He was referring to his second coming.  He was issuing a promise that he would come again, and each time they, and by extension, we, receive Holy Communion, we were to be reminded of that promise and rejoice in its future fulfillment.

Hopefully, in the tradition of your fellowship, you will receive Holy Communion soon, as I will.  I want to challenge you to not only look back in gratitude for the Lord’s death, but look forward in hope to the Lord’s coming.  When you eat the bread and drink the wine, your are declaring his death, as the Apostle Paul said, “til he comes.”

Holy Communion means a promise.  It is one of God’s best promises to you.  And he has never broken a promise—not one.  Jesus sealed the promise of his return by his death, and he guaranteed it by his resurrection.  He will make good on it—perhaps sooner than you expect.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”  (I Corinthians 11:26)

“Death stung himself to death when he stung Christ.” ~William Romaine

Prayer… Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross.  And thank you for the promise of your return.  I eagerly desire to eat the Lord’s Supper on the day of your return.

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Your Stuff

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 21
Meditation: Luke 21:5-6

“As some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, Jesus said, “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

Shift Your Focus… Just a quick reminder to help you keep a good perspective on life:  What you see is temporary.

I didn’t say it is unimportant. That may or may not be the case.  But, for sure, it is temporary. It will all, even the really expensive stuff, sooner or later, return to the dust from which it came.

The disciples were pretty infatuated with the beauty and magnificence of Herod’s Temple, and rightly so, from a human perspective.  It was a wonder to behold.  But Jesus gave them a dose of reality by reminding them that every square inch of it would soon return to the dust from which it had been created.

Jesus didn’t say that the temple was unimportant.  In fact, he had driven out the moneychangers who were corrupting that very place.  He was upset that they had turned what should have been a house of prayer into a den of thieves.  Jesus wasn’t down on this marvelous place of worship.  He just knew that in the larger scheme of things, it was only temporary.

So also are all the things that give you comfort and security:  Your home, car, clothes, jewelry, and all the other stuff that you spend your hard earned money on just to one day put in a garage sale. Not necessarily unimportant, mind you—just temporary.

Spiritually wise people will fight to keep that perspective regarding the stuff of life. They will remember, as Jesus said, that not only earth, but even the heavens as we know them will one day pass away.  The only things that will remain are the things that he has proclaimed. (Luke 21:33)

That’s why Jesus warned us not to get too caught up in the things of life: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing” …the pursuit of happiness … “drunkenness” …the pursuit of pleasure …and cares of this life” … the pursuit of comfort. (Luke 21:34)

The temporary stuff of this life will prove to be “a snare” (verse 35) if we don’t ruthlessly maintain an eternal perspective:  “Watch therefore, and pray…” (verse 36).

Just remember that as you go about your day.  Your stuff is temporary; only what is of faith is eternal.

“Let your prayer for temporal blessings be strictly limited to things absolutely necessary.”  ~Bernard, Archbishop of Vienne

Prayer… Father, keep me focused on the things of your eternal kingdom today, and not on the pursuit of the temporary stuff that vies for my attention.

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Pretentious, Self-absorbed Showiness

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 20
Meditation: Luke 20:46-47

“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’s houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”

Shift Your Focus… On a fairly regular basis, concerned believers will approach me with questions about certain nationally known religious figures—televangelists, TV preachers, well-known Christian authors. Usually the concerns center around their opulent lifestyles, their over-the-top theatrics, or the “lightweight” message they preach. And the hope behind the question is that I will side with their sense of outrage and condemn the Christian celebrity in question.

Jesus had a string of run-ins with spiritual celebrities in his day. Although their theology was not of the health and wealth variety that you see so much today—theirs was harsh, condemning, legalistic and intolerant—the outcome was much the same: Over-the-top showiness and money-grubbing.

In Jesus’ case, he didn’t go out of his way to condemn them; they were going out of their way to condemn him. But when confronted, Jesus spoke openly and honestly of the spiritual damage they were doing and of the harsh judgment that awaited them. As a result, they hated Jesus and looked for every opportunity to have him killed.

The simple authenticity of Jesus’ spirituality—his power, authority and humility—was a threat to their carefully crafted religious celebrity. That’s why there was such hatred and hostility toward Jesus. Jesus was the real deal—and they suffered by comparison in the eyes of a spiritually discerning public.

Which brings me to a point about today’s “Christian” celebrities. There is nothing wrong with having respectful debate regarding their ways, or sharing an informed opinion when asked. But the most powerful weapon against inauthentic religiosity is the simple authenticity of your own spirituality. When you walk in Christlike power, authority and humility, you won’t have to go out of your way to condemn anyone. Simply being the real deal will be enough.

I’ve been told that when U.S. treasury agents are trained to spot counterfeit money, they don’t spend their time looking at phony bills. They study the real deal. They become so familiar with the truth that the fake becomes readily apparent.

Just be the real deal—nothing more is required.

“Suspect everything that is prosperous unless it promotes piety and charity and humility.” ~Isaac Taylor 

Prayer… God, strip me of pretentious, self-absorbed showiness. Make me the real deal. Enable me to walk in authentic power, Christ’s authority, and true humility. And when I stray, do whatever it takes to bring me back.

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God’s Passion

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 19
Meditation: Luke 19:10

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Shift Your Focus… This is the first and most foundational conviction that led Jesus, the Son of God, Second Person of the Eternal Trinity, to leave his throne in glory, come to earth as a man, and die the horrific death of the cross: To seek and save the lost.

John 3:16, the most compelling of all the verses of the Bible, reminds us of this driving conviction of God’s being: “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.”

The truth of that verse is so vitally important, obviously, because you and I are the eternal beneficiaries of God’s passionate, unstoppable love for lost people. But as indescribably wonderful as that is, there is more to it. You see, since lost people matter so dearly to God, they ought to matter deeply to us as well. This is fundamentally critical because, as Jacquelyn Heasley has said, “how you believe God perceives people determines how you respond to them.”

In other words, as you go about your day today, when you look into the eyes of another human being, no matter who they are and what they are doing, you are seeing a soul so loved by God that he gave his only begotten and dearly loved Son to die for their redemption. When the “godless heathen” sitting in the cubicle next to you or stationed in the locker beside yours or living in the unkempt house across the street from you is rubbing you the wrong way, just remember that they matter to God as much as you do! When you watch the evening news and see godless communists in China, or rioting Islamists in Cairo, or murdering tribesmen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or suicide bombers in Gaza, or gang-bangers in your inner city, you are seeing the very kinds of people Jesus came to seek and save.

They matter to God. Jesus came to seek and save them just as much as he came to seek and save you. And that ought to make a big difference in how you think about them today.

Just remember, the people who drive you crazy drove Jesus to the cross.

“God loves each and every one of us as if there were only one of us.”  ~St. Augustine

Prayer… Lord, give me your eyes, that I may see all people as you see them.