GOD'S SALVATION IS SECURE

1st Peter 1:1-9

The Apostle Peter in his first epistle writes to early persecuted Christians who have been driven from their homeland into other parts of the world. Even there they are in hostile territory. Peter writes to remind them that they have a great hope in the living Christ in such testing.  Let me give you a helpful outline for the first 9 verses of chapter  one of 1st Peter.

I. We live in the hope of earthly placement & purpose. (1:1)

II We live in the hope of everlasting love. (1:2)

III. We live in the hope of eternal security. (1:3)

IV. We live in the hope of incredible riches. (1:4-5)

V. We live in the hope of purposeful testing. (1:6-7)

VI. We live in the hope of expectant joy. (1:8-9)

In these verses are so much practical truths to help believers to remember that the Lord is working all things out in his salvation work for us and others. God is at work and He offers all we need to remain faithful to him even when the world is not friendly to us, our way of life and our leader Jesus Christ. 

These verses are so packed with doctrinal truth but for today I want us to take a brief look at the third point found in 1st Peter 1:3.  We LIVE in HOPE of ETERNAL SECURITY!  We are secure even in hostile territory. And our security comes from the nature of God’s salvation. Salvation begins with God and ends with God. Man can not provide it in any part. The word salvation means to be delivered. Delivered from the payment of sin (physical, spiritual & eternal death)., the power of sin, and after this earthly life the presence of sin.  In verse 1 we find God the Father planned salvation, God the Spirit performs salvation and God the Son purchased salvation. In verse 3 we find some of the nature of salvation which is the very nature of God. 

God's Mercy - begins the work of God's salvation.  You may ask what is mercy? Let me give you a simple description. The mercy of God is He does not give what we deserve. What do we deserve as sinners? Eternal Death in Hell.  The grace of God is different, the grace of God is He gives what we don't deserve. He gives salvation to repentant sinners who recieve his great gift.  To live in God's security we must understand that salvation is not on our own merit, salvation is by God's mercy alone. God mercifully sent his Son, to live, die and arise for sins payment. Mercy in it's very desciption is mercy.  It is a gift and will never be withdrawn because of a lack of merit because it was never given on behalf of our merit. How do we recieve mercy and how do we keep mercy?  It is a gift of God so mercy saves and keeps us.  

Begotten Us Again- In verse 3 the Holy Spirit wants us to know salvation is all of mercy which  "Borns Again". We read much about this in John's gospel. Jesus said to Nicodemus " Ye must be born again". Meaning born of the spirit. Born from above. Spiritually quickened and brought to spiritual and eternal life. Here in 1st Peter 1:3 the word begotten in the original  language is in the tense which means when you were born again, it was a once and for all event. It has happened, it will continue to happen and it will always happen. God has reborn his believers and forever makes us Lively Hopes.  How many times can a human be born physically?  The answer is ONCE. How may times can a person be born? The answer is the same, ONCE! You will not find a person born more than once physically and in the scripture you will not find one person born twice again spiritually. 

When we are saved and God begins His work of salvation in us we are saved by ABUNDANT MERCY and BIRTHED from ABOVE by the LIVING LORD unto a LIVELY HOPE by the .........

RESURRECTION of JESUS- Salvation is sealed by the great power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ who arose from the dead. We are safe and secure in Christ's  almighty power.  Hebrews 7:25 says " Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him seeing He EVER LIVETH to make intercession for them".  In John 17 we find the high priestly prayer of Jesus and we find Him praying for his present disciples and for his future disciples (us) as well. He prays for our safety, security and salvation to come to completion. Jesus always gets His prayers answered! From this we learn that the only way a genuine repentant sinner who by faith has received God's merciful and gracious salvation could lose their salvation is if the resurrected Jesus dies.  And that is not going to happen. HE EVER LIVES so we will ever live. 

Now that gives us security found in truth which is our constant hope in this life.  Let us rejoice in such and live in surrender to the ONE who provides our complete salvation.  

Pastor Terry Bishir

In Mathew 15:1-20 we find Jesus being confronted by the Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem. They question His allowing His disciples to " Eat before washing their hands". That seems like a pretty small issue in the scope of all the other big issues of life they were faced with in leading the Jews. But that was their main concern and important question they wanted an answer from Jesus about. But in reality they did not want an answer, they were only challenging Him and attempting to reveal that He was breaking the law. Yet Jesus answered their question with a question of His own. He asks them, WHY do you break God's laws with your on traditions? Then he proceeds to point out one of their traditions which allowed them to keep their money or possessions even when their parents were in need. They could escape the honoring and caring for their parents by saying their assets were dedicated to the Lord and thus they could not give it for the help of meeting the needs of their mother or father.

Jesus knew their hearts. He also knew that the washing of hands before eating was also a tradition of the Elders not a law of God's Word. Yet the Pharisees had added more and more traditional laws to the original laws of God and in reality they were defending the opinions of man much more than the opinions and laws of God.

Now that is very serious indeed. It is an age old problem with man. We tend to listen to our own opinions or the opinions of others more than we do God's Word. Even today we see this over and over again. And many of today' spiritual leaders are as guilty of this as was the Pharisees in the days of Christ. Opinions and thoughts that are not found in God's Word's. We need to be so careful in whose opinions we are listening to. Because WHAT WE BELIEVE AFFECTS HOW WE BEHAVE !

Let me attempt to illustrate how this is playing out in our present time.

MANS OPINION (vs.) GOD'S WORD!

Marriage can include the same sex! (vs.) Marriage is with the opposite sex !
( Genesis 2:22-24 )

Life begins at birth! (vs.) Life begins at conception!
( Psalm 139:13-16 )

Church can be attended less & less! (vs.) Church is to be attended more & more!
( Hebrews 10:25 )

Wine, beer & hard liquor is accepted! (vs.) Wine, beer, & liquor is to be avoided!
( Proverbs 20: 1 )

Cheap grace denies sanctification! (vs.) God's grace leads to sanctification!
( John 17 )

Hell is not real! (vs.) Hell is real !
( Rev 21:8, Matthew 25: 4-6)

Don't share the gospel personally! (vs.) Share the gospel personally! (don't disturb others) ( Matthew 28:12-20, 16:18-19)

A lax attitude toward sin! (vs.) A serious attitude toward sin!
( 1st Peter 4:17 )

Nakedness and immodesty are OK! (vs.) Nakedness and immodesty are not OK !
( 1st timothy 2:9-10 )

Mercy killing or taking your own life is acceptable, do as you please! (vs.) Life is given and taken by the Lord! He alone is to decide when !
( Psalm 100:3, Acts 17:25, 1st Cor 6:19-20)

These are just a few areas where we see the opinions of humans attempting to set the standards. Also I have chosen just a few Bible verses to defend the Biblical view where I could have presented dozens. God's Word should always be the standard for God's redeemed children. May we beware of traditions and adhere to the clear WORD of GOD!

I remember when I was twelve years old sitting in seventh grade Industrial Arts Class (then known as Shop) and Mr Beck was teaching us about urbanization and what the world could be like in 50-60 years. That was in 1965 and now 59 years later here I am. When Mr Beck said to consider the world in advance I thought how long in the future that was for me. Would I live that long,  how would life be for me and what would my life be like if I lived that long?  Eight years after that event my life CHANGED completely. The Lord Jesus saved me and the Holy Spirit began to dwell internally in my life.. The Bible became alive and my life has been abundant since and my eternity is a bright as the promises of God.

Life has certainly passed speedily and all the way the Lord has given eternal purposes to live for. He has been gracious to me in providing Karen as my lifetime wife and completer, and my children as lifetime friends and partners in life and ministry. Now 14 grandchildren to pray for and invest our life into.  He has led us to build our lives in His church with other brothers and sisters who love the Lord. We have been members in only two churches our first for 14 years at Union Chapel Baptist where Karen's father was the Senior Pastor and now at Liberty Baptist Church in Sweetser, In. for 36 years. The people of God that He sent to serve with us has been used of Him to bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to mature discipleship as they followed the Lord and now are in heaven and others are following even to this day! 

On this first day of the New Year 2023 with whatever energy and abilities we each have. From the youngest to the oldest may we take every day of precious life to serve our loving Lord!  Earthly life does go by fast but when it is invested eternally it will make and bring eternal benifts.

This past Sunday evening we began a short seies from the book of Daniel. The first two messages will be from Daniel chapter one followed by a message from Daniel  chapter three on  "The Fiery Furnace" and two final messages from Daniel chapter six on " Daniel in the Lions Den".  We are giving the Title of the series as " Living Biblically in Babylon".  At age 70 I can testify that living in America is much different than it used to be. We have always lived in "Enemy Territory" but today our society is surely become more and more BABYLONIAN".  The enemy has always been about taking God's people and their children hostage and then attempting to conform us to begin living in ways that are extremely opposite of how God wants his children to live for his glory and our good.

Sunday evenings message was an important one,  and one which may profit us to hear again and again. I was so thankful we had many children and teens in the service. Perhaps each family will choose to listen at a family devotion time? 

The following link will take you to the message! May the Lord's Word be used greatly in rescuing us and ours from being taken captive and comformed to this world.  (Daniel 1:1-21 , Romans 1)

https://fb.watch/mDd7Z5j1gE/

This message is on Liberty Baptist Church Sweetser. Indiana  Facebook Page and will be posted on www.libertyfamily.org  under sermons . 

Preached Sunday Evening August 20, 2023

The earth  has seen hundreds and hundreds of wars since sin entered into the world in the garden via Adam and Eve.  There have been local wars, regional wars, civil wars, and world wars. At any given moment of human history there has been wars rooted in government form, land squabbles, power hungry dictators, money and possessions, race prejudice and of course religion. These of course are not the only reasons for war but at the heart of war is just that, the heart.  Since the fall of man when sin entered into the world mans heart has been filled with hate, jealousy, greed and lust.  The book of James 4:1  teaches us that wars come from the evil desires that are within us. They are a result of falling to the temptation of the devil in the garden of Eden.  Ever since man has fought each other and will continue to do so until Jesus returns to destroy the Kingdom of this World and to set up the Kingdom of God!

Man at war is linked to a greater war that is raging and has since Lucifer was cast out of heaven and became Satan. That war is the WAR of the AGES! It is God against Satan, good against evil, darkness against light. This war has raged since the beginning of God's creation and will only conclude when Jesus destroys this world and casts Satan into the Lake of Fire. At the end of this world God will make a new earth, new heaven and new Jerusalem and  then there will be no more war.

Until that time each redeemed follower of Jesus Christ must understand clearly that they are in a 24 hour a day battle with the forces of darkness. We must determine to be Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ.  Our war is more than physical it is spiritual. We don't fight flesh and blood but principalities and powers of the spirit world.  It takes spiritual weapons to win spiritual battles. And our Lord has provided those weapons for his children to daily "put on" and be ready for the  skirmishes we will face.  Ephesians 6:10-20  presents the Armor of God which our Lord provides for our warfare. The purpose of this blog is not to teach on each piece of armor but to encourage you to have an personal study of this passage  sometime soon.   I want to encourage each reader to take the battle more seriously and to not lose your battles simply because you are failing to put on God's provisions for victory. We must realize the battle is raging and to not show up for the fight will only bring  disastrous defeat. And worse yet if we show up for the fight with the wrong weapons. I plead with you to prepare for war in God's way. Learn the spiritual discipline of praying on the armor of God each and every day! 

Prayer is so important to the believer soldier. S.D. Gordon once said, " Prayer strikes the winning blow and service is gathering up the results". Satan trembles when he sees the weakest christian on his knees. In fact Ephesians 6:18-20 teaches that the way we are to put on the armor is by praying it on. Prayer is the victory and the place of prayer is the place of victory. We will never know how many battles were won because of God's faithful people who have been on their knees in the closet of prayer. Think about  the Old Testament people of Israel.  Often they had less soldiers, not supreme weapons, not better strategies,  but when they prayed and leaned on God the Lord in answer to prayer came down and fought the battles for them and through them. Prayer is something we each can do no matter our ages and abilities. So much is at stake in this War of the Ages. May we get serious minded about being GOOD SOLDIERS!

Does that mean it’s a sin to have a car, or a house, or clothes, or some money in the bank? Of course not. These verses teach us that we are not to love or give our first devotion to any other person, pleasure, possession or philosophy above Jesus Christ. 

It is not wrong to have a career, but it is wrong if your career has you. It is not wrong to have possessions, but it can be wrong if your possessions have you. It isn’t wrong to value our children but not over Christ. It is not wrong to enjoy a hobby, travel, sport, or entertainment, etc. Our FIRST real passion and obsession in life should be Christ. All these other things have their place—but not the most important place. Lord help us each to know the difference and to love you with ALL our hearts. 

DISCOVERING THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

ECCLESIASTES 4:9, 10 “TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE; BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GOOD REWARD FOR THEIR LABOUR. FOR IF THEY FALL, THE ONE WILL LIFT UP HIS FELLOW: BUT WOE TO HIM THAT IS ALONE WHEN HE FALLETH; FOR HE HATH NOT ANOTHER TO HELP HIM UP.”

We have been a “team” for many years together. Our paths crossed in a rather miraculous way and our subsequent dating, engagement, and marriage was God ordained as well. Terry first laid eyes on me when we were in the 8th grade. At first sight, he was impressed by “something” that this, indeed, was the girl he was going to marry. For this to happen, a direct intervention from God would absolutely have to occur. That intervention did occur in the form of a life-changing gift of salvation that was received as Terry approached his twentieth birthday. Our paths in life, to this point, were polar opposites. We did casually date in high school, and then in college, our friendship resurfaced. I invited him to church with me. On the second Sunday that he attended our little country church, the Holy Spirit brought great conviction to him and Terry gladly repented from his sin and turned to Christ.

Our relationship deepened and led us to a place of total commitment to one another in marriage. Even before this event, we served in our local church together. Terry’s idea of working on a Sunday School bus route together was for him to drive the car, pull up in front of a house with children who were potential riders, and suggest that I knock on the front door to invite these children to church. I was happy to oblige and we built a great route that way. As the years wore on, our roles, responsibilities, ministries, passions, and opportunities were constantly growing, changing, and adapting. Sometimes we served shoulder to shoulder and sometimes we used our giftedness in very unique and individual ways. WE FOUND THAT WE ALSO MINISTERED TO EACH OTHER BY FREEING THEM TO SERVE OTHERS WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL GIFTEDNESS. THE RESULT BEING THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE GOOD OF MAN.

We have found that all of life is sacred. We may serve our Savior in visible ways that are geared toward ministries in our church. But we also serve Him together as we have reared our children and now help to inMluence our grandchildren for God’s kingdom. As we grow closer to God in our individual lives, we ultimately grow closer to one another.

There is great satisfaction in serving together. Spiritual growth is a very welcome added benefit. This, of course, does not happen automatically. Hebrews 10:24-25 states “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Another by product is that the two of us have become best of friends. Don’t friends enjoy doing things together, sharing the achievement of common goals? Aren’t hearts knit together in intimate oneness that happens in no other way? This often causes two to partner in even more ways. The potential result is that our churches are strengthened, our neighborhoods are strengthened, and our communities are blessed with changed lives.

Synergy is achieved when two or more people work together to create a better solution than either could alone. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This is a beautiful picture of what happens when two individuals determine to combine their God-given talents and work together for the glory of His kingdom. Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Sometime do a study of geese flying in a flock. It is astounding how God has equipped them to be so much more efficient and productive when they function in formation TOGETHER.

Though not deserved, Terry and I have been blessed in untold ways by our Father. Many of these blessings are a result of living life together with the same focus and purpose. We are able to provide for one another a sounding board and support. Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Our goal as a team that our loving Father orchestrated is found in Romans 15:5-6. “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”