Posts Tagged ‘salvation’

The Word 11.6.11

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Comments Posted on Nov 06, 2011 Last Updated Nov 07, 2011 Posted by Jeff Lash

Let the Lord be your salvation on this day and all others.

Psalm 43 (ESV)

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
4Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

 

How God Saved A Rock Star

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Comments Posted on Jun 24, 2011 Last Updated Jun 20, 2011 Posted by Jeff Lash

I found this moving. Brian “Head” Welch, former guitarist for Korn, shares his story of how God saved him from the path of destruction. God is mighty to save.

(HT: Justin Taylor)

Salvation and Billboards

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Comments Posted on Mar 22, 2010 Last Updated Mar 22, 2010 Posted by Jeff Lash

I found this prayer by Scotty Smith encouraging and challenging. Like Scotty, I often loathe Christian billboards but nevertheless hope that I never tire of answering the question Are You Saved? It is a question that should bring us to our knees in worship of the Savior who made eternal salvation possible by giving up his life on the cross.

Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:24-25

I don’t have to like highway billboards, but may I never ever tire of responding to the question, Are You Saved?, for there’s no question more humbling to me and honoring of you. So very Amen, I pray, Jesus, in your merciful and mighty-to-save name.

Dear Lord Jesus, driving into my home state recently, I came upon a billboard that pushed some buttons before it raised my palms. Just through the mountains of North Carolina, there is was, bold and in big red letters, Are You Saved? I’ll be honest, my first response was, “What an un-cool, cost-ineffective, out-of-date, impersonal way to do evangelism.” Then I ruminated, “People that put up highway signs like that are clueless about the gospel. They’re usually legalists and moralists, and have no idea about a theology of imputed righteousness. They’re culturally out-of-touch and don’t realize what a turn-off that kind of signage is.”

But after my momentary-arrogance and billboard-pontification, your Spirit gently disrupted my “cool” with this thought, “You completely avoided the question, Are You Saved?”

I continued driving, but that’s when one palm went up anyway, for indeed, I am saved, Jesus, unabashedly and unashamedly so. And there’s only one reason and there’s only one basis… I have come to God through you. You are the permanent priest who offered the perfect sacrifice for me, once and for all. You completed your work on the cross and you will complete your work in me. You live forever and you forever live to thoroughly save me, and your whole pan-national trans-generational Bride. You were my substitute by your life and your death, and now you’re my righteousness and intercessor before the Father. Am I saved? Most definitely and most delightfully!

How Can I Be Sure?

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Comments Posted on Feb 24, 2010 Last Updated Feb 24, 2010 Posted by Jeff Lash

How can you be sure that you are saved? Maybe you have asked or been asked that question. Many people will point back to a stroll down the church aisle or a prayer that they once prayed. However, Scripture does not counsel us to place our trust and hope in such experiences. Thabiti Anyabwile has written an excellent post showing us how Scripture addresses this question. He concludes with this:

If we lack assurance, one remedy is being with and loving God’s people.  It’s another argument for the centrality of the local church and the necessity of our meaningful involvement in her.  As Mark Dever sometimes puts it, “The local church is like an assurance of salvation co-op.”  I think he stole that from the Bible.

Do you lack the assurance of salvation?  Here’s one remedy: Join a church.  Love the people.  Receive assurance.

You can read the whole post here.

The Word 11.22.09

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Comments Posted on Nov 22, 2009 Last Updated Nov 22, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

It is that time of year again. During Thanksgiving we all try to pause from the craziness of everyday life and reflect on all the things we have to be thankful for. I think my pastor put it well this morning when he said that it often brings to mind the fact that I should be doing more of this type of reflection all throughout the year. As Christians, our thankfulness should have no limits. We have been given the greatest gift of all. Jesus Christ died so that we might live forever. He has given us new life and qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints. That’s something worth expressing gratitude for every day. Paul’s opening words in his letter to the Colossians expresses this truth beautifully. Reflect on his words this week (and beyond) and offer up praise to God for the glorious salvation he has freely given us.

Colossians 1:1-14 (ESV)

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. behalf

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

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