Merry Christmas to my two angels

 

Do you have Blessed Assurance?

Blessed Assurance

 

Does the Bible really teach “once saved, always saved”? If you are truly saved and going to heaven, is it possible to sin so badly that you would lose your salvation? Read the following verses and decide!

Is Your Name Written in the Lamb's Book of Life?

--God’s WORD--

1. God’s Word says we can know we have eternal life.

1 John 5:13--These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

2. God’s Word says there is no condemnation for Christians.

Romans 8:1-2--1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

3. God’s Word says He is faithful even if we are not.

2 Tim. 2: 11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

4. God’s Word assures us He will never leave or forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." ⁶So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

5. Jesus’ Word says we shall not come into judgment.

John 5:24--"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

6. Jesus’ Word was that He would be with us always.

Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

7. Jesus’ Word promised true freedom and sonship forever.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

8. God’s Word says faith, not works, is what saves.

John 3:36--He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

John 6:47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

--God’s WILL--

1. God’s Will, not ours, saves us



John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

2. God's Will, not ours, keeps us saved

2 Tim. 1:12 -- For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Rom 8: 31-35, 38-39 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. God’s Will predestined us for heaven.

Eph. 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

4. It was God's Will to have mercy on us, not our righteousness--God saves us when we were unrighteousness.



Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not 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, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

--God’s WORK--

1. God’s Work –The resurrection is proof that sin and death no longer reign over us.

Romans 6:9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Cor. 15:17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

2. The resurrection proves God will resurrect us as well as He raised Christ.

Romans 8:11 -- But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.



3. God’s work in the resurrection assures us our life is hidden with Christ in heaven right now.

Col. 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

4. Our works may be lost but we shall be saved

1 Cor. 3:15If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

5. God’s work keeps us in His hand.

John 10: 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

6. God’s work in the crucifixion make it impossible to fall away and renew ourselves again to repentance.

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

7. God’s work in salvation makes us confident, assured, and anchored with things that accompany salvation.

Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…

8. We are kept by God’s Work that doesn’t fade.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed 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, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.



9. God began and will complete His work in us.

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

--God’s WITNESS--

1. God’s Witness (the Holy Spirit) seals and guarantees us our inheritance.

2 Cor. 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Cor. 5:5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

Eph. 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Eph. 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

2. God’s Spirit is our witness and guarantee of eternal life.

1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

3. God’s gift of the Holy Spirit is irrevocable.

Rom. 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

4. God’s Witness of the Spirit stays with us forever.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  

“Once saved, always saved” does not mean getting “hell-fire insurance” by praying a prayer then living sinfully. True salvation is putting your trust in Jesus Christ for your eternal life, and receiving His Holy Spirit to come live inside you and change you from within.

If you once were living for God and you feel you have lost your salvation, don’t give up on God. The “Blessed Assurance” we have from these and many more verses similar to them is that God has never given up on you.

If you still have doubts, it may be that you have never been saved to begin with.  Read again Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” God’s Spirit should bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. If you don’t have that assurance, nail it down today. Pray this prayer:

Dear God, I admit that I’m a sinner, and I accept the fact that you accept me and love me just as I am. I believe Jesus died on the cross to take away my sins. I believe You raised him from the dead to prove your love and forgiveness for me. I call in faith for You to come into my life. I receive you and I commit my life to you. In Jesus Name,  Amen.”

 

If that is the prayer of your heart, God promises He will come in to the life of anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord (Rom. 10:13). Get involved in a local church that preaches God’s Word and the assurance of your salvation.

Jesus is God, but are you, too?

If you read the passage of John 10:31-42, you might think Jesus is trying to save His skin so that doesn't get killed by the stone-prone religious leaders. But look a little deeper and see the visual depiction of this passage in "The Gospel of John" film, picking up at 2:05 on the clip:

Click here to watch the 8:28 minute video clip, John 10.

Does it look like He is just making this up, quoting Psalm 82? He has poise, asking ironically, "I have done many good deeds, of which one are you wanting to stone me?" He is exasperated by their not understanding that He is God. "It is written in your own law that God said 'You are gods.'...How can you say that I blaspheme because I said I am the Son of God."

He is not afraid. He is saying, "Fine, don't believe Me, but believe the works that I do. Know once and for all that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father."

And then if that was not clear enough, He simply disappears from their midst.

Now, lest you have delusions of grandeur or more, delusions of deity, see Deut. 32:39; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Kings 8:60; 1 Chron. 17:20; Isa. 45:5, 14, 18, 21.

If you think you will be a god someday, see Isa. 43:10 and Isa 44:6.

What is that to you? You follow Me !

     Today is the day before Easter, which means this is the last day of my writing the devotionals from the Chronological Gospels leading up to Easter. It’s been a joy and a challenge, and some days were more inspired and inspirational than others and some days the Lord woke me up with a devotional on my heart and some days I felt I was waking God up to ask Him to open the Scriptures so that I would have something to say. Thank you for reading not so much my words, but the words of the Scriptures. Thank you Rocky, my dog, for inspiring me to write on our walk that day. Thanks also to Melissa for allowing me to wake up so I could write at the strange hours the Holy Spirit would punch me and tell me, "Hey, Tim, come here, I have something to tell you!" I really feel His Spirit did beckon me to come.

     Thanks also to Melinda Russell, the Lord’s ultimate education secretary who faithfully put the readings each day for the church to read on Facebook. I do plan on having a daily reading for the final portion of the “Rest of the Story” to be found on Facebook and also as a bookmarker on Easter at church.

Chronological Harmony of the Gospels Leading to Easter 3/30/2013

John 20:19-31; John 21:1-25; Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:1-12

     I jokingly refer to churches which call off Easter Sunday evening services (like our church on March 31) as having a “St. Thomas Memorial Service.” I even preached a sermon on Doubting Thomas on an Easter evening service on a couple of occasions. I personally love Sunday night services, as it is the last “pump up” word before a busy week. It astounds me that we can have nearly a thousand on Sunday mornings, but less than 100 on Sunday night. I personally believe some of Dr. Wallace’s best sermons are on Sunday nights, and Pastor Rief’s words and insights to the hymns and praise songs are marvelous.

     But I think we give poor Doubting Thomas too hard of a rap on missing out on Sunday night and for his words of "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." Somehow I think he was incredulous that He missed seeing the risen Lord and was almost daring Christ to return. He more than made up for his doubting heart with his declaration of “My Lord and my God.” How reassuring it is that Jesus was able to impart a final beatitude for all of us with the words, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

     The final fishing trip is a marvelous word, especially in the telling of the restoration of Peter with the three affirmations of “You know I love you” to atone for his three denials. Thomas absolutely did not want to run the risk of missing Christ again so he goes with Peter, James and John. I find comfort in John’s lack of identifying two of disciples a likely indicator that his memory had faded on this momentous occasion. Yet he remembered and thought it worthy of mentioning exactly 153 fish were caught.

     We must remember too the final command of Christ, often called the Great Commission. Contrary to a primary call to Go, or even to evangelize, Christ’s central call for us in Matthew 28:18-20 is that He has all power (“All authority has been given to Me”) and we are to do our part of making disciples (“make disciples of all nations”), which includes reaching (“baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”), teaching, and ministering (“to observe all things that I have commanded you”).

Pray: Jesus, your first command to the fishermen of “Follow Me” was also their last command on the Sea of Galilee. Help me today and everyday to follow You and observe all things you commanded us. Thank you that someday, you will come back in like manner in which you left. Until then, keep me faithful. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

     If you want to continue in reading devotionals and studies of key words of the church as found in the book of Acts, go to my blog, www.timothymckeown.blogspot.com. Blessings to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.  Pastor Tim McKeown
 

A parallax view of Resurrection Sunday

Chronological Harmony of the Gospels Leading to Easter 3/29/2013

 Matthew 28:8-15; John 20:3-18; Mark 16:9 & 14; Luke 24:9-49

 

If you think you know the story of the Resurrection, answer this: Did Mary Magdalene go by herself or with other women? Before sunrise while it was still dark or after the sun had risen? How many angels were at the tomb? Were they inside or outside? Who saw Jesus first?

Amazingly, the four gospels are not the same on this very crucial part of the story. You would think that since the Resurrection is so important, the writers would present a unified telling of the story. However, the gospels are different, causing some confusion, but know this: the gospels do not contradict!

In fact, it is their variation that lends credence to the veracity of the Resurrection. If the stories all lined up exactly, then it would be obvious that one borrowed from another. By giving a parallax view (or a view of the same object from different perspectives), the gospels have a deeper view of Christ’s Resurrection.

Read a harmony of the Resurrection at parallelgospels.org


In Matthew 28:1, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave “after the Sabbath,” which in Jewish cultures means at sunset on Saturday night. English versions read “as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week” but the Greek word is not “dawn” as in morning but “approaching,” or “about to begin.” This means at sundown Saturday, before the first day of the week, Sunday, begins. The same Greek word is used in Luke 23:54 when they were taking Jesus down from the cross at the end of the day, “It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.” Clearly verse 54 refers to the evening of the crucifixion and thus, clearly, Matthew 28:1 means at the evening of the Sabbath, the women went and saw the tomb.

As further proof, the Matthew 28:1 passage says “after the Sabbath,” using a word which means “on the evening of the Sabbath” (that same word “after” is translated as “evening” in Mark 11:19 and 13:35). As a result, Matthew 28:1 could be translated, “On the evening of the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was about to begin at sundown, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.”

  Mark 16:1 then states that after the Sabbath (Saturday night), Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, something they could not have done after the crucifixion, since all shops were closed on the Sabbath and work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday was forbidden. So after sundown Saturday, they worked prepared spices.

  John’s gospel says Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb while it is still dark and goes alone. Prior to that, an angel rolled the stone away and sat on it, making the guards quake and fall like dead men (Matthew 28:2-4). Mary Magdalene did not see sleeping guards or an angel, but she does see the stone rolled away and runs to get Peter and John, thinking someone has taken the body. After the sun has risen (Mark 16:2), the other women (the other Mary--the mother of James and John--, Salome and Joanna), come to the tomb, perhaps expecting Mary Magdalene to already be there. Instead, they too see the stone rolled away and actually go inside the tomb. Mark even describes that the angels appeared on the right hand side as you entered in. Those women leave the tomb with fear and joy (Matthew 28:8). Meanwhile, Mary Magdalene returns with Peter and John (John 20:2-10) and after they leave to their homes, she remains crying and sees and angel, then Christ first (John 20:2-17, Mark 16:9).

As the other women go to the other disciples, they too see Christ (Matthew 28:9-10). They and Mary Magdalene go and report to the disciples (John 20:18). Either Peter goes back to the tomb or Luke 24:12 reviews the same account as in John. But at some point, Jesus appears to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5).

Finally he appears to all of the apostles (except Thomas) that evening, to more than 500 at one time, then to his brother James (1 Cor. 15:1-6) and then to all of the apostles (including Thomas) the next Sunday evening (1 Cor. 15:5, John 20:26-31).

God’s Word can be trusted. Christ is risen and our sins are forgiven.

Pray: Dear Father, thank you for preserving Your word and the story of the Resurrection. Thank you for Good Friday, God’s Friday, that our sins were taken away. Help us to spread the Good News even if the world does not believe. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.