The Security of the Believer-Part 4 (The Power of God)

Ephesians 1:19-22 ( NKJV ) 19and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power  20which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

Philippians 3:20-21 ( NKJV ) 20For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  21who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

This is a further discussion in many ways of the purposes of God in salvation.  Whatever God purposes He must have the power to carry out.  A God who calls ( Romans 8:28,30; Romans 9:24, 1 Corinthians 1:2,9,24,26; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:1,4; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 5:24, Colossians 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:15), and a God who elects (Romans 8:33; 9:11, 11:5,7,28; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 1:2) is a Sovereign God.  But if He lacks the power of his calling and elective prerogatives  He  cannot, in the final analysis , be called Sovereign and his elective purposes and His calling out a people unto Himself is meaningless.  Thankfully, this is not the case. Continue reading

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The Security of the Believer Part 3 (Sovereign Purposes of God)

Ephesians 1:11 ( NKJV ) 11In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Titus 3:5 ( NKJV ) 5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

I can remember a time before I came to know the Lord when I was told that my salvation did not depend on my goodness or good works but on Christ. I just found that incomprehensible. Once I came to know Christ I thought I understood the Biblical principle that I was saved by the Grace of God because of the work of Christ on the cross.  My understanding was that I added no work or effort to my salvation.  While that is true, what I didn’t really get, was that the phrase “not of works” (Ephesians 2:8, Titus 3:5; Romans 9:11), meant that God chose and that He did this before the foundation of the world and that His choosing was not dependent upon any good works I may or may not  do in the future. Continue reading

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The Security of the Believer – Part 2 (Substitutionary Death of Christ)

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV) 5  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

1 John 4:10 (NKJV) 10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John 1:29 (NKJV) 29  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

When we place our faith in Christ we do so because He stood in our place as atonement for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).  He became our substitute for the punishment of sin and endured the wrath of a just and righteous God for us in our stead (Romans 3:24-26). He bore the sins of others in His body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24); He suffered once to bear the sins of others (Heb. 9:28); He experienced horrible suffering, scourging, and death in place of sinners (Isaiah 53:4-6). That is the meaning of substitution.  It is often describes as “vicarious,” meaning; “in place of another.”  The innocent Christ made atonement and suffered for the wicked (1 Peter 3:18). Continue reading

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The Message I Love

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NKJV) 2  For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

This week I have been pondering the things I love, especially as I focus on the new year and examine my loves and purpose to love them more.

I love my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ the most. Then of course, comes my wife and my grown children, their spouses and our grandchildren.  As I review my ministry I have found one thing that stands out as the most loved; the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even when it seems that all is dark, the Gospel stands as a bright light that motivates my preaching.  It is found on every page of Scripture and hopefully in every message and class I have taught.  Since I am quite fallible, I am certain there have been times the message from me of the profound Gospel truths may not have been as bright as they should have been.  But one thing is for certain, once I focus on that message, I am lifted to see the glories of a message that was decreed in eternity past and reigns as the only hope, the only light, the only escape from the judgment of God and immerses me in His grace. Continue reading

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The Security of the Believer – Introduction

1 Peter 1:3-5 ( NKJV ) 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

“Though the Lord, by electing his people, adopted them as his sons, we, however, see that they do not come into possession of this great good until they are called; but when called, the enjoyment of their election is in some measure communicated to them. For which reason the Spirit which they receive is termed by Paul both the “Spirit of adoption,” and the “seal” and “earnest” of the future inheritance; because by his testimony he confirms and seals the certainty of future adoption on their hearts.” ~ John Calvin, “Institutes of the Christian Religion” 3.24.1, A New Translation, by Henry Beveridge, Esq Volume First Edinburgh: Printed for The Calvin Translation Society M.DCCC.XLV)

Continue reading

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Bible-Reading Plans for 2017


Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)
105  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

When I was growing up I was taught that the only way I could grow as a Christian was through church attendance, the Eucharist (Communion, The Lord’s Table), and the sacraments of the church.  I was never exposed to any kind of systematic reading of the Scriptures or devotional studies.  While the church I belonged to, from about 1965, (Vatican II) allowed and some-what encouraged people to read the Bible[1], I never met a single person who really did spend any real time in the Word. Frankly, it was understandable since it is the Church’s Tradition that interprets the Scriptures[2],[3] through the Magisterium[4] and they deny Sola Scriptura[5]. So, it comes as no surprise that the Scriptures are not read.  The reliance for spirituality was grounded in the former. Continue reading

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The Little Church That Could…

In the early 70’s I came to know Christ as my Lord and Savior.  These were glorious times as I and many others in the church I attended experienced our early years of discipleship.  The church was in Ashland Oregon.  It was a small church meeting on the outskirts of town.  I can remember before my conversion driving by on many occasions, the church in a storefront, wondering what kind of cult Ashland Bible Church was.   Then one Wednesday evening I found myself getting out of a Sheriff’s patrol car in the parking lot of the church just as the midweek service concluded.  Not exactly the typical entrance one would want or others would expect!  The next several weeks it was amazing how this little congregation accepted me, even with all the trappings of a sinful world most evident in my dress and mannerism.  Continue reading

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God With Us

Matthew 1:23 (NKJV) 23  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Isaiah 7:14)

It has been said that at Christmas we celebrate the humanity of Christ because of His incarnation (1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14; 10:20; 1 Peter 3:18; 4:1-2). There certainly can be no doubt about the importance if his humanity (1 John 4:1).  To think otherwise, John called the “spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:2).  It was the early gnostic error that taught that the physical was evil and the spirit was good. There can be no diminishing of the importance of the incarnation. Lewis Sperry Chafer (Systematic Theology [1948], 7:194) correctly places the incarnation as one of the seven greatest events that have occurred in the history of the universe: Continue reading

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It’s About the Cross

Here’s a great song about the Cross.  Brought tears to both my wife and I.

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Joy

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV) 4  But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5  to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Whenever I think of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the first thing that captures my attention is the cross, not the babe in the manger.  When I was a child it was all about the manger scene and Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.  I had no concept of the goal of the incarnation, the salvation of a people so that He might dwell with them and they, worship him (Revelation 21:2-3). Continue reading

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