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Calibrate!

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Mark 1
Meditation: Mark 1:15

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Shift Your Focus… Most surveys today reveal a high percentage of Americans—consistently within the 80-90% range—who believe in God, claim Christianity as their faith, think that the Bible is God’s Word, and are sure they will go to heaven when they die. Yet even the causal observer of both the Bible and American society can plainly see the huge disconnect between true Christianity and current culture.

So what explains this critical disconnect? I think it is due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be saved. Many people assume that if you were born in America, or if you were raised in a church-going family, even a “CEO” family—a “Christmas and Easter Only” home—that you are automatically Christian. Others assume if you simply claim Christianity as your faith, then you are Christian.

Both assumptions are fatally flawed. In fact, any assumption that doesn’t recognize the salvation equation Jesus provided is flawed. There is just one way, and only one way, to salvation: Repent and believe the gospel!

Both repentance and belief are two essential sides to the same salvation coin. Salvation begins with repentance. To repent does not simply mean to feel sorrowful for your wrong, remorseful that you got caught or fearful that you will be punished. Biblical repentance means to recognize that you have offended a holy God, experience Godly sorrow over both your sinfulness and offensiveness before God (II Corinthians 7:10), confess the sinfulness to God (I John 1:9), and—this is a critical part—make a 180-degree turn in the path you are on so that both your current behavior and the overall pattern of your life are now moving in a direction that purposefully and joyfully honors God (Matthew 3:8).

Biblical belief is more than just intellectual acknowledgement of a truth. It is placing faith in the truth of the gospel. And like repentance, this kind of faith/belief requires an alignment of head, heart, and hands—or intellect, passion, and behavior (see Matthew 22:37-39)—so that the entirety of one’s life becomes God-focused, God-directed, and God-dependent.

True belief means to so align one’s life that there is no sensible explanation for it without the existence of the God who has called that life into a loving, intimate relationship with himself.

Using those definitions of Biblical repentance and belief as a spiritual plumb line, I have a strong suspicion that the spiritual foundation on which so many Americans are erecting their house of faith would not meet the Divine Inspector’s building code.

Be that as it may, the most important thing at this moment is that Jesus has called you to eternal life. And here is the question of questions: Have you followed his equation—repent and believe his gospel?

Calibrate your understanding of salvation to Jesus’ words.  It will save your life—eternally!

“Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.”  ~Martin Luther

Prayer… Jesus, I turn my life over to you. Cleanse me from every sin and forgive my fundamental sinfulness. I invite you to live in my heart as Lord and Savior. I believe in your gospel. I place saving faith in you, trusting that you have saved me by your grace. Thank you for granting me the gift of eternal life.

 

 

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Bible Reading Plan 2013: 5×5×5

Shift Your Focus

Memorize: Hebrews 4:12-13

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.

Discipleship is a relational journey—a daily walk with Jesus empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit—taking us more deeply into a love relationship with our Heavenly Father, an increasing likeness, in sum and substance, to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and a more compassionate and practical concern for our fellow man,

It is also an intentional and strategic activity on our part.  There are certain things that disciples actively do to grow—it doesn’t just happen passively. And nothing is more vital to a growing discipleship than reading and reflecting on the Word of God in a deliberate and consistent way.

I hope you have a plan for your own personal journey for 2013 as a disciple of Jesus.  I do…as does the fellowship where I serve as lead pastor.  I want to invite you to adopt the plan that I will use this year—it’s called the 5 × 5 × 5 Bible Reading Plan, a systematic way to read through the New Testament—and join me in this exciting journey of growth. There is nothing more powerful than reading, absorbing and living out the Word of God. It’s what disciples do!

Below is the link that explains this simple but creative plan: http://www.pcctoday.com/bible/

Or you can go directly to the pdf. version and look at the daily schedule for reading: http://www.pcctoday.com/mediafiles/2013-bible-reading-plan.pdf

Or if you prefer to have the plan show up in your inbox or on your mobile device each day, sign up here: https://www.youversion.com/sign-up?id=232&redirect=%2Freading-plans%2F232-discipleship-journals-5x5x5-reading-plan%2Fstart&source=plan

Lastly, I plan to blog on each of the readings in this New Testament plan this year.  It would be my privilege to have you hear what the Spirit is prompting in me as I interact as a disciple of Jesus with his Word each day. And I would love to hear back from you on how you are being challenged and helped as you read these same passages.  Please feel free to comment on the blog page from time to time.  Your input will be a blessing!

I am stoked about my walk with Jesus in 2013. I know you are, too!  With the ever-present help of the Holy Spirit and a few intentional practices on our part, like daily Bible reading, we can expect to look a little (hopefully a lot) more like Jesus by the end of next year.

Happy New Year!  May God perfect everything that concerns you in 2013.

“No man is uneducated who knows the Bible, and no one is wise who is ignorant of its teachings. Bible reading is that critical to your very life!” ~Samuel Chadwick

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Merry Christmas and Fear Not

Reflection:
Luke 2:10-12 (TEV)

The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

It is interesting that the very first words in the announcement of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2 were, “don’t be afraid!”

There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! 12 And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”

With so much fear in our world right now, our worshipful celebration of the anniversary of Christ’s birth reminds us that Christmas really is the Good News. Not only did the arrival of Jesus mean we now have a Savior, it also meant that we no longer have to live in fear.

So how do we enter into that “no fear” living?  It’s quite simple really; nothing complicated about it at all.  The angels said what is repeated another 364 times throughout Scripture: Fear not.  In other words, quit worrying.  And to do that, we must do what the angels went on to instruct the shepherds to do: “Find the Christ-child and worship him.”

I’m pretty sure what those heavenly heralds were, and are, calling for is to simply replace worry with sustained worship. That is the antidote to fear. That is what will defeat the anxiety the evil in this world causes in our hearts.  That is what reminds us that embracing the Christ-child as Savior and Lord truly is Good News.

With that in mind, take courage, it’s Christmas!

“Fear is faith in Satan; Faith is fearing God.”

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Pre-Ordered Steps

Reflection:
Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives.”

What is the best way to do the will of God, to always act in ways that please him and invite his blessings not only on the big decisions but on the daily details of life as well?  It is simply to place before him the offering of a godly life.  The Contemporary English Version translates Psalm 37:23 this way:

“If you do what the Lord wants, he will make certain each step you take is sure.”

Perhaps you have experienced, like me, that life has only become more complex as the years go by.  It is often very difficult to discern the will of God between better and best.  Sometimes there is a gray fuzziness that clouds the right path where the road forks in our journey. And since we usually don’t hear the audible voice of God saying, “this is the way, walk ye in it!” or have his undeniable hand steering our every forward movement, we are left wondering, “what am I to do?”

According to the psalmist, we can trust that God himself has closely attended our journey on the path of righteousness—even when we don’t see it.  We have been guaranteed that the Lord has been with us all along the way, and is there now, even in the smallest details of our lives, making sure that our journey will lead to where he pleases.

What a comforting thought—that “the steps of a righteous person are ordered of the Lord”!  So, since our steps are pre-ordered, when you come to a fork in the road, as Yogi Berra would say, “take it”.  If you have been doing your part—praying, obeying, trusting and honoring God, being in fellowship with his people and accountable for your life, studying his Word—God has directed steps that have led you to where you are now.  Now take the fork, God will have directed that as well.

Proverbs 3:5-9 reminds us,

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!

Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! 

Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.

Abe Poeman, a fourth-century Egyptian monk, said, “If you think little about yourself, you will have rest wherever you reside… If you are silent, you will possess peace wherever you live…To throw yourself before God, to not measure your progress, to leave behind all self-will—these are the instruments for the work of the soul…Give not your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.”

In other words, delight yourself in the way of God and you will find that he has made your way delightful.

“There are no promises in God’s Word more precious to the person who wishes to do His will, and who realizes the goodness of His will, than the promises of God’s guidance. What a cheering, gladdening, inspiring thought is that contained in the Word, that we may have the guidance of infinite wisdom and love at every turn of life and that we have it to the end of our earthly pilgrimage.”  ~Ruben Archer Torrey

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In The Wake Of Tragedy

Reflection:
Psalm 9:9-10 (MSG)

“God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.”

Answers. That’s what people desperately desire in the face of unspeakable grief.  And there will be plenty of people offering their opinion, trying to make sense out of that which is utterly senseless.  But to those of us who would venture an explanation, the words H.L. Mencken stand as a sobering reminder,

“Explanations exist; they have existed for all time; there is always a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.”

No—I don’t have an answer to the senseless tragedy that took place in Newtown, Connecticut any more that you do.  But I do know of an action you and I can take in the aftermath of this, and any other horror we will witness or even experience in life.  We can run to God.  The psalmist wrote in Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you,
O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

I am so thankful that my trust is in the Lord.  He is indeed a shelter and a refuge. Not that I have been kept from hardship and tragedy—neither have you.  We’ve had our share, and perhaps will experience more in the future.  As Jesus said, the rain falls on the just and unjust alike.  The difference is, we know to whom we can run when it’s raining—our loving Shelter.  We know where to go in times of trouble—our great Refuge.

That is one of the things I love most about the faith that I’ve placed in Jesus Christ as my Savior. No matter what, I win! When trouble hits, I win because God delivers me from all of my troubles. (Psalm 34:17, Psalm 41:1) Even when I or a loved-one goes through the tragedy of terminal illness, relational heartbreak, economic disaster, or premature death—or even when I’m grieving the slaughter of innocent children—I belong to a God who

Holds my hand—“I never will I leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Provides my daily bread—“My God will supply all your needs.” (Philippians 4:19)

Turns my tragedy to triumph—“In all things God works for the good.” (Romans 8:28)

Trumps death with eternal life—“He who believes in me, even though he dies, will live again.” (John 11:24-26)

Permanently turn my tears to joy and make everything new one day soon—“He will wipe away every tear.” (Revelation 21:4)

Even though life doesn’t always turn out as we have planned, God will never abandon us. He has a track record of faithfulness and goodness going all the way back to the beginning. So determine now to trust him at all times, and when the tough times come around, don’t abandon the only one who will never abandon you.

“Don’t forget in the darkness what you learned in the light.”  ~Joseph Bayly

Reflect and Apply: Read and reflect on what Hebrews 10:35-37 says: “So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. ‘For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.’” In light of the unspeakable horror you have witnessed in this world, or the personal tragedy you have experienced in your own life, what is this verse saying to you?

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It Is Finished—Part III

Essential 100—Read:
Revelation 21:1-22:21

“It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 21:6)

The Great Finisher—that’s who God is. What he begins, he finishes, and what he finishes he finishes well.

It Is Finished—Part I: In Genesis 2:2 we read that “on the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.” For six days, God had created the universe, and after he had finished each day’s work, he pronounced, “It is good.”

Especially good was God’s divine artistry with the earth itself. It was the perfect environment for the highest of his creation, man. It was a place so amazing that God himself physically strolled with man and woman every day in the wonder and beauty of the divine creation. But then the human couple messed it up by rebelling against God, choosing to sin instead of trusting their Creator.

It Is Finished—Part II: Fast-forward thousands of years to Christ, when in the fullness of time, God stepped back into his creation to recreate what man had corrupted. The Bible calls Jesus “the second Adam.” The second member of the Holy Trinity, God the Son, became a man, lived a sinless life, and died the perfect sacrifice to redeem what man had lost in Eden—a right relationship with Creator God.

When Jesus hung on the cross, paying the awful price for the sin of the world, he breathed his last breath and said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) He had fully transacted the work of redemption, and as indescribably painful, physically, emotionally and spiritually as that was, it, too, was good. Isaiah 53:10 describes the goodness of Christ’s death this way:

“But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands.”

It Is Finished—Part III: But that’s not all—fast-forward at least two thousand years into the future to a date not yet set but quickly drawing near.

After Christ’s sacrifice, there was still a world with whom this Good News needed to be shared. Opportunity still had to be given for sinful man to repent, experience redemption and be brought back into that perfect place God had originally intended in the Garden. Sadly, much of the world would stubbornly reject this great redemptive “do-over”. Satan, the god of this world, had blinded the eyes of sinful man.

So after the appropriate time had been given for repentance, God brought judgment upon sin, Satan, and stubborn humanity. Everything that had stood in rebellion against this gracious, patient God was cast into eternal punishment. And the sin-corrupted earth—what was once God’s most perfect creation—was destroyed by God’s holy fire.

Then the God, who always finishes what he begins, said once again, “it is finished.” (Revelation 21:6) And what is revealed next is so good that it defies description: a new earth. Read John’s description slowly, and as best you can, picture in your mind what God has in store for his redeemed—which includes you and me:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’” (Revelation 21:1-3)

Best of all, once again, you and I will walk personally and physically with God himself. As Adam and Eve once enjoyed unhindered, uninterrupted fellowship with their Father Creator, so shall we. And if you have any doubts about the truth of this promise, hear the words of the Great Finisher himself,

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21:5)

Blessed is the one who hears God say, “it is finished” for the third time, for it too, will be ‘good!’”

“If our Creator has so bountifully provided for our existence here, which is but momentary, and for our temporal wants, which will soon be forgotten, how much more must He have done for our enjoyment in the everlasting world!” ~Hosea Ballou

Reflect and Apply: Henry Ward Beecher wrote, “One should go to sleep as homesick passengers do, saying, ‘Perhaps in the morning we shall see the shore.’” As you lay your head on the pillow tonight, say along with the Apostle John, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 21:20)

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Jesus, Risen and Exalted One

Essential 100—Read:
Revelation 19:1-20:15

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself…” (Revelation 19:11-12)

It is only right that all of creation will look upon Jesus Christ as the risen and exalted One. God’s justice demands that those who killed him, literally and figuratively, should one day see him, as verse 16 describes, as “The King of all kings and the Lord of all lords.”

The last time the world had looked upon Jesus, he was hanging on a cross. He had suffered the humiliation of death by crucifixion. He had been whipped, beaten, pierced, and nailed naked to a tree like a common criminal. His executioners mocked him, the crowds jeered him, the religious leaders clucked their self-righteous tongues at him, and Satan laughed at him. He died alone, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and in the eyes of the world, that was the end of the story.

Of course, what the world saw as the humiliation of the Son of God, believers see as God’s perfect plan of redemption: The sacrifice of the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. We love him for willingly enduring the pain, shame and sorrow of the cross. We worship him as the crucified but resurrected Lord. We know that death could not contain him; that he rose victorious over sin and Satan. We know that he is the Master and Ruler of all.

But the world rejects what we know. They still reject Jesus as the Son of God and rightful ruler over all creation, and will continue to do so right up to the end of time as we know it. So God’s justice demands that they see Jesus as the great Spoiler of Satan’s plans, the great Judge of sin, the great Redeemer of those who put their hope in him, the great God and King of all the universe.

And on the day John describes in this chapter, the One riding the white horse whose name is Faithful and True will make a grand entrance onto the great universal stage, and everyone—saints and sinners, demons and the devil, himself—will know Who is really in charge. The saints will be vindicated, sinners will be judged, the beast and the false prophet will be sent packing for all eternity, and Satan will be quaking in his boots—because he knows what is next.

Aren’t you glad you worship Jesus, the risen and exalted One!

“The Lord Jesus Christ would have the whole world to know that though He pardons sin, He will not protect it.”  ~Joseph Alleine

Reflect and Apply: In light of what you’ve just read, offer these words to Jesus: “Lord Jesus, you are King and Lord of my heart, and one day you will literally rule and reign as King and Lord of all. I worship you now in anticipation of the day when the entire universe will bow its knee and confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”