March 10, 2013

  You CAN Lose Your Salvation....Will He Say 'Bye Bye' To You?  

Luke 13: 22 - 30

Luke

Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on on toward Jerusalem.  Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?"

He replied, "The door to heaven is narrow.  Work hard to get in, because many will try to enter, but when the head of the house has locked the door, it will be too late.  Then you will stand outside knocking and pleading, "Lord, open the door for us!'  But he will reply, 'I do not know you.'  You will say, 'But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'  And he will reply, 'I tell you, I don't know you.  Go away, all you who do evil.'

"And there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets within the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.  Then people will come from all over the world to take their places in the Kingdom of God.  And note this:  Some who are despised now will be greatly honored then; and some who are greatly honored now will be despised then."

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Thoughts.....

The changing of the clocks this morning should have nothing to do with chaos, since I am in Tucson, Arizona and we do not change our clocks here, however, chaos reigned in my home this morning anyway.  Please forgive me for delays today.  I hope your morning started well and your day is progressing nicely.

Many people will read the title of this and be outraged.  Throughout time, people have debated the statement 'You CAN lose your salvation'.  The reason most people have debated this statement is because of what they have been taught be the pastor or preacher in front of the church, who was taught by the preacher before him, etc.  If you learn nothing else from me, the most important thing you should learn is that no matter what I say, you NEED to search the Scriptures for yourself.  But you will need Holy Spirit in your life to learn that truth.  Holy Spirit is 'at the ready' to enter your life, if you ask him in, to tell you EXACTLY all TRUTH.  In 1 John 2:26-27 it reads:  'I have written these things to you because you need to be aware of those who want to lead you astray.  But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true.  For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true - it is not a lie.  So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.'

In todays lesson, the people were asking Jesus if only a few will be saved.  Jesus said essentially, 'Yup'.  That's 'yes' in English slang.   Let's look at what he said:

"The door to heaven is narrow."

"Work hard to get in."

"Many will try to enter."

"When the head of the house has locked the door, it will be too late."

OUCH!

I remember that night.....when I got home late (10 minutes?)....and Mom or Dad had locked the door.  Gosh I banged on that seemingly forever.  Fortunately for me, the door finally opened.  Unfortunately, for some of those seeking to enter the Kingdom of God, the door will not open, or they may be thrown out after they get in 'the hallway'.  Here is what else Jesus said if the door has been locked:

"You will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Lord open the door for us!'"

"And he will reply, 'I do not know you.'"

"You will say, 'But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'"

Pretend this was you he was talking to.......

But, did you buddy-up for status, or did you actually become his friend on a deeper level?  Did you invest yourself believing Jesus is the way, the truth and the light?

Did/do you accept him as your Savior....AND make him LORD of your life?  Did/do you believe he is the alpha and omega, the first and the last, the be all and the end all?

Did/do you go to church so others could see you there?  Did/do you listen while you were/are there?  Did/do you do anything for him while you were/are there?  Did/do you do anything for others while you were/are there?  Did/do you even go to church at all?  Did/do you hang with other Christians to get something from them, or to contribute value to the group.... because you live your life as one who is really saved? 

Maybe you are a Christian, as defined by having accepted Jesus as your Savior.  But have you made him LORD of your life?  1 John 2:6 reads 'Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.'  Hmmmmm, so if someone looked at your life, saw you in the market place, heard how you talked and all you had to say, would they think you are a Christian?  Hey, I just got convicted, how about you?  Ouch.  No one is perfect.  But we are to strive to live as Christ did as perfectly as possible.  More importantly, we are to OBEY him.

In the Gospel of John 14:23-24 we learn from Jesus, "ALL those who LOVE me WILL do what I say.  My Father WILL LOVE THEM, and WE WILL come to them and live with them.  ANYONE who DOESN'T LOVE me will NOT do what I say.  And REMEMBER, my words are not my own.  This message is from the Father who sent me."  In John 15:9-10 Jesus tells us:  "When you OBEY me, you remain in my love, just as I OBEY my Father and remain in his love."          

Back to todays text, Jesus says referring to God, 'And he will reply, "I tell you, I don't know you.  Go away, all you who do evil."

Remember, you are either FOR him.....or AGAINST him.  Jesus said at one point that he wished people were either hot or cold, for him or against him.  He was saddened because most were warm.  'Warms' go where the 'colds' go, eventually.  A small wind blows and it blows them off the fence in the wrong direction.  Unless they choose to become 'hots' and are forgiven.

In the Gospel of John 15, Jesus talks about what will happen.  He says in verse 1-2a, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He CUTS OFF EVERY  branch that doesn't produce fruit...".  IF....big IF.... you are a branch, you are connected to the tree.....in other words, you have accepted Jesus as Lord, but maybe haven't made him Lord of your life.  You maybe are either paddling upstream, or not even bothering to paddle at all.  You are drifting in his sea of life.  You may be about to capsize, and go over a REALLY BIG waterfall without hope of being able to survive, let alone swim, if you've not been faithful to obeying and at least tried to live as Jesus lived.  Jesus goes on to say, "For APART FROM ME you can do NOTHING.  ANYONE who parts from me, IS.....BIG IS....thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned."       

"And there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth.

You will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets within the Kingdom of God...."

Now how is it that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets are within the Kingdom of God, when Jesus was born WAY after they died, and they didn't even know him, you ask?  Good question!  You are paying attention.....aren't you?  They prophesied and believed in the prophesy.  They believed that what God said would come true.  A common phrase from the revival of the 1970's was "God said it, I believe it, that's that."  They bowed down to God.  They lived Godly lives.  They believed they, and all their people, would be saved by the Savior who was to come.  And when he came, new life was offered.

When Jesus died, the graves opened.  [Ok, so your eyes are opened now.....missed that one, did ya?]  Matthew 27:50-53 reads:  'Then Jesus shouted out again, and he gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened.  The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead after Jesus' resurrection.  They left the cemetery, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.'  Remember, we learned in Luke 11 that Jesus said, "But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you."  During this Easter season, you might want to contemplate on the fact that you ARE IN the KINGDOM OF GOD....IF.... you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and made him Lord of your life. 

Jesus further says in todays lesson, "....but you will be thrown out." 

That is, IF you don't accept him, make him Lord of your life, and obey him and his Father....your Heavenly Father, God. 

Jesus goes on to say through Luke, "Then people will come from all over the world to take their places in the Kingdom of God."

This is an interesting comment.  Many folks think this will only occur when 'the end times' come.  But we are living in the Kingdom of God NOW, according to Jesus.  Also, if Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets will be seen by you, IF you get to heaven, then they are already there.  Because....as Jesus was raised, so shall you be raised....when you die.  Your spirit will NOT rot in the grave because of what Jesus has done.  Your body will, if it is buried, but your spirit lives on and goes directly to heaven....IF you are allowed in and are not thrown out.  There is no waiting anymore because of Jesus.  There is no rotting in the grave because of Jesus.  You do not have to wait for THE end times, YOUR end time will probably come first.  But alleluia!   He lives!  And so will you!  Eternal life, means just that RIGHT NOW because of Jesus.  No longer do you have to die and lie rotting in a grave.  Your spirit will immediately rise to new heights of glory to heaven and Jesus' arms, because he was the first to receive eternal life, and he was the last to be sacrificed.  And he did it all for you.....and me.....and the world, IF he is accepted as Savior AND Lord.

"And note this:" Jesus says, "Some who are despised now will be greatly honored then; and some who are greatly honored now will be despised then."

It's all in how you play the game, if you will.  The people decried they were big shots because they knew Jesus.  They expected because of who they knew [Jesus], and WHAT they KNEW and DID, that they would automatically be saved....enter heaven.  Yes, salvation refers to heaven.  It's what we've been talking about.  Remember, someone asked Jesus, "Lord, will only a few be saved?"  And he replied, "The door to heaven is narrow."  Correlation is apparent.  What did they know?  They 'knew' everything that Jesus had been teaching them in the streets.  They 'knew' him because they were listening to him, and they ate and drank with him.  But Jesus said essentially 'SO WHAT?!'  They did evil because they did not do good.  Or they plain did evil.  AND they did evil because what they did was not FOR GOD, if they were not HOT for God, but only warm or cold.  They weren't COMMITTED to the ONLY one who could save them.  Remember, there is salvation in no one else.  They hadn't invested themselves in Jesus and God.  They did not DO for them, but only for themselves.  And they did not share the salvation message.  "What?", you say. 

The salvation message.  You know, the one about Jesus saving people's lives.  The one that goes beyond the healings.  The one that proclaims him being THE WAY, the truth, and the light.....to get to God, heaven.  The only one who can play 'connect the dots' with God so you win....you receive the prize of the high calling of God....you get to enter heaven.... IF ....you are one with him.  Literally.      

Those who decry themselves profound Christians and strut their stuff, talk the talk, but do NOT walk righteously behind closed doors.....the ones who everyone bows down to.....well.....they only THINK they are getting to heaven.  But God will say, "I tell you, I don't know you.  Go away all you who do evil."  And you know what folks, none of us are perfect.  EVERY single one of us is as risk of losing our salvation if we don't, as the old adage goes, 'straighten up and fly right.'  We look at the 'big wigs' and think 'oh my ' when we see them doing wrong and throw stones....those comments we make.  Honestly, God looks at our house and sees a whole lot of glass that can break at any breath filled moment....and he's poised to do the breakage.  Who do we think we are? 

We may even say we love God with all our heart, but in reality, our actions, even 'little' infractions, are HUGE to him.  Every stubbed toe with an angry outburst, adds another stripe of pain to Jesus' back.  Every comment against that other driver, digs the thorns in deeper to his head.  Every bullet, every knifing, every jerk of your child's arm or recrimination over them, every cigarette to the temple of God, every disrespectful comment in your high and mighty attitude.....and more.....they are all hurting the man who chose to die on a cross to save you....and his Father who made you.  We can do better....we MUST do better.

All those folks who try real hard to live a good life, but are poor, they may get into heaven before the high and mighty.  Or instead of.  All those little children who are abused by the parents who go to church.....I'm pretty sure I know which of the two will get to heaven in a breath and who will not.  YES, God forgives.  I knew you would think about this.  But WHO DOES God forgive?  Only the ones that 'go and sin no more'?  Oh, are we in trouble!!!  Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about telling him we will do better after asking forgiveness and then not doing it.  It's about saying we love God and Jesus and then laughing at them to their face by the way we act, how we live....how we hurt.....others.  Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable.  Be careful.  The door is narrow.  Even I don't know when the ax will strike.  I am certainly not perfect.  I can only ask forgiveness, trust, hope and obey....and love the Lord with all my heart, all my mind and all my strength, and love my neighbor as myself.  Your closest neighbor first is God, Jesus and Holy Spirit who live within you.  The next closest is whoever is standing, sitting, or lying right next to you.   

Bow down to God, Jesus, Holy Spirit.  It's time.  Worship them.  Honor them:  Live your life FOR THEM and WITH them.  Stop scoffing at them and turning your backs on them by how you live and what you say.  I'm as guilty as the next person.  I'm convicted daily.  Where is my hope?  It continues to be in the only one who saves, his/my father and Holy Spirit. 

From 1 John 2 starting in verse 28..... "And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ, so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.  Since we know that God is always right, we also know that all who do what is right are his children.  

"See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are!  But the people who belong to the world don't know God, so they don't understand that we are his children.  Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns.  But we do know (?) that when he comes we will be [Will we?] like him, for we will see him as he really is.  And all who believe this will [SAY 'WILL'] keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.  

Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God.  And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him.  So if we continue to live in him, we won't sin [Say 'I WILL NOT SIN'] either.  But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is.

"Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this.  When people do what is right, it is because they are [Say 'ARE'] righteous, even as Christ is righteous.  But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil [YIKES!], who has been sinning since the beginning.  But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil. [!] Those who have been born into God's family do not [Say 'NOT'] sin, because God's life is [Say 'IS'] in them.  So they can't [CAN'T] keep on sinning, because they have been born of God.  So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil [????WHO are YOU????].  Anyone who does not obey God's commands and does not love other Christians does not [NOT] belong to God."....ending in 1 John 3:10.  Please continue to read the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Folks, we've got a lot of work to do.  Notice I said 'we'.  Do we worship God because we want to cover our butts, or because we are grateful for all he's done for us?  Is your life in turmoil?  Praise the LORD!  We are taught to give praise and thanksgiving IN everything.  That means 'in the midst of'.  It reminds us God IS in control, if we will let him in to take the reigns....of the 'rains' of our life.  It reminds us that we CAN have hope.  And that we HAVE to take part in the fulfillment of the promise.  'By our fruits he shall know us'.  What is your fruit like?  What are you bearing for the Lord?  For your salvation....your eternal life? 

"And now dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter.  Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you."  This last quote is written with obvious love from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians 4:8-9, and to you and I.

WILL you accept Jesus as your Savior and WILL you make him Lord of your life?  Or will he say 'Bye Bye' to you?

May the LORD bless you....and keep you.  May his countenance shine upon you.  May you be made whole.  Amen.

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NOTE:  I said it long ago, but let me say it again.  If you are wanting to lead a group, start a church, or are confined in an institution, or live in a country where the Gospel is not preached, and you don't know what to say or how to say it, and yet feel led to share, teach, or preach, please feel free to share what I've written, as long as you include where it comes from due to copyright laws.  Jesus gave God's love and healing freely, as well as the message.  Our responsibility is to get the Word out to those who need to hear it.  If what I've written....by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit....or what he has said through me....has helped you, it may help others that you know, and you are welcome to share it.  God calls all of us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  Please share it with the fullness of love that God, Jesus, Holy Spirit....and I....have given it.

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Let Us Pray

Dear God, I am a sinner.  I have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and in my deeds.  By what I have done and by what I have left undone.  I have not loved you with my whole heart.  I have not loved my neighbor as myself.  I am heartily sorry and I humbly ask your forgiveness.  Please help me onward with my load, so that I may better focus on you and your love for me.  Help me to have those quiet still moments where I can hear your voice, your direction for my life.  You know my going out and coming in....lead me in all ways for your name's sake.  Help me live a life that will bring YOU glory and open the doors of heaven for me.  I seek eternal life.  I must seek your face, your heart, the arms of your love.  I need answers for the questions about my life, Lord.  Please help me live my life in such a way that you will never be far away, so I can hear you clearly.  May I love you more dearly, day by day.  Thank you for living for me and for dying for me.....and loving me still.  I promise to do better.....really.  Steady the boat, control the chaos.  I wish to move on in life WITH you.  May I arise to a new life with you on earth, so I can better insure I may arise with you to eternal life when the last trumpet blows.  Know that I love you with a wounded heart, but I'd like to love you with my full heart.  I give you what is left of my heart, my life, it is yours, please heal me and make me whole.  Please make the future journey better than that which I have been on.  I believe in the fullness of my heart now.  I can breathe you in and feel you in my midst....right now.  Thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Let us journey on.  I love you.  Thank you.  Amen.   

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  Benediction....Blessing

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation. 

It is not how we worship, but that we worship....the Trinity!   

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Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

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It is time to reach into the community and the world around you to see wherein lies the greatest need.  As you choose to focus on these areas, do so with a servant's heart.  Whether the need is for children, adults, or animals, or any cause in between that will help those in need, ask God how you can best serve his needs, what path you must take, and how long you should persevere.  Sometimes we are to be in the lives of others merely as stepping stones.  Sometimes we are to touch those lives forever.  Whatever journey you are called to take, whatever team you will be a member, know this:  God is with you always...even til the end of time.  He loves you, is grateful for you, and will help you along life's way, especially if you are helping others along theirs, persevering with a servant's heart.  

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and God's....and may God richly bless you! 

BesidesBesid   

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

   Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.  I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

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  Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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