"Let's Take a Trip" Lesson 157

Lesson 157: “LET’S TAKE A TRIP”

Salvation is one of the most important words in the entire Bible and is used 164 times (in most versions). In the Old Testament, the word comes from a Hebrew word which means “deliverance and victory”. In the New Testament, it comes from a Greek word that means “deliverance, preservation, safety”. Salvation is what we receive when we trust Jesus as our Savior and is the greatest gift we will ever receive. It is not a thing that we will get some day but a present possession of every person who believes (Rom. 10:9-13). If we study the Scriptures closely we will find that salvation always takes you somewhere, moving you from the place where you are to a higher ground. This elevation has nothing to do with altitude but rather attitude and trust in God will take you from glory to glory (Isa. 62:2-3, 2 Cor. 3:18). Throughout the bible salvation and trust in God was a glorious, although sometimes grueling, trip. Calling out to God brought Israel out of bondage (Ex. 14:13), Jonah out of the big fish (Jon. 2:9), David out of the pit (Ps. 40:1-3), Paul out of a lost condition (1 Tim. 1:12-15) and every non-believer out of darkness (1 Pet. 2:9).

Salvation is the key to the Kingdom of God and will take all believers to live in that glorious City by and by (Rev. 21:4, 21:9-22:6). It will altar your life since no man can receive Jesus and remain the same and the one mark of true repentance unto salvation is a drastically changed life (1 John 2:9, 3:7-10, Col. 3:10). There will be a recognizable difference in the believer’s lifestyle (Gal. 5:22-23, Matt. 12:33) and a noticeable desire to serve God (Eph. 2:10, James 2:18). Salvation will take you on the harvest of souls (Mark 16:15, John 4:35) and you will have power to share the gospel and be a witness for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). Jesus never called us to be lazy but to be about the business of our Father just as He was when He lived on this earth (Luke 2:49). Every Christian takes a fisherman’s trip (Mark 1:17), letting their light shine before men, that they may see good deeds and praise our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:14-16). A Hindu trader in India once asked a missionary; “what do you put on your face to make it shine”? With a surprise the man of God answered; “I don’t put anything on it”! His questioner began to lose patience and said emphatically; “yes! You do! All of you who believe in Jesus seem to have it. I’ve seen it in the towns of Agra and Surat and even in the city of Bombay”. Suddenly the Christian understood and his face glowed even more as he said; “Now I know what you mean and I will tell you the secret. It’s not something we put on from the outside but something that comes from with in. It’s the reflection of the light of God in our hearts”.

Many Christians lack the “shine” of joy on their faces and the reason for this is what they allow into their inner being through the eyes. Whatever image you allow your eyes to see is therefore received into your heart making it inevitable that evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony and slander will dull your eyes (Matt. 15:19). We should look to the Lord to save us (Isa. 45:22) and our eyes should always be on the Lord (Zech 9:1). “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34) therefore see to it that you always travel in the light (Luke 11:35). The heart which receives the impulses of the eye directs the practices and well-being of the body. Therefore, in order to guard our hearts against leading our bodies into destructive practices we must keep a close watch over what enters our eyes. Guard your heart (Prov. 4:23) or better yet, turn it totally over to God and He will guard it for you (Phil. 4:7) and furnish salve for your eyes that you may see (Rev. 3:18).

As you journey along the trails of salvation, make a covenant with your eyes as Job did, not to allow lust to enter your mind and heart (Job 31:1). “Does He not see my ways and count my every step” (Job 31:4) and the lust of a sinful man’s eyes comes not from the Father but from the world (1 John 2:16). On our trip we will encounter darkness but we should strive to keep it from entering into our heart and soul through our eyes (Ps. 101:3). God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil (Hab. 1:13) and we are called to be holy as He is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). Even the angels watch our progress toward that goal of glories that will be revealed in the last time when we come into our inheritance (1 Pet. 1:3-12). God has rescued us from the dark paths (Col. 1:13), brought us into the light of the Lord (Eph. 5:8) and now this light shines in our hearts to light our way (2 Cor. 4:6). Jesus told us that the road that leads to life is a narrow one and only a few find it (Matt. 7:14). However, there are instructions (Isa. 33:15) throughout the scriptures to guide our walk with Christ. “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil” (Prov. 4:25-27). Now some of us will have trouble with our eyesight while trying to keep on the straight and narrow. Not to worry! Just open your ears and listen to the voice of God! “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘this is the way; walk in it’” (Isa. 30:21).

I would like to remind you (and myself) that God knows where all of His children are today. No believer is traveling alone for He has promised that He will always be with us (Matt. 28:20b). He knows what we are going through (Job 23:10) and will not forsake us but will faithfully keep us and bring us out in His time (Ps. 34:15-22). Another reminder is that we can have a joyous time on this trek and enjoy our salvation. There are ways listed in God’s Word that will help. Most of us would just as soon forget our pasts since probably none are anything to brag about. However, it is the very past that we wish to forget that makes the present and the future so wonderful. Because of our pasts we receive redemption with the great price the Lord paid to save our souls (Rev. 1:5, 1 Pet. 1:18-19). We have renewal when God calls us by name, implying He knew who we were in the past (Jer. 1:5). When God “knew” the people of the Bible He changed their name because He had changed their character (Jacob, the trickster to Israel, Abram to Abraham, father of multitude, etc.). When we came to Jesus carrying our past on our shoulders, He did the same thing for us. We were called, lost (Luke 19:10), children of the devil (1 John 3:8), sinners (Luke 19:7), the wicked children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) and the damned (Mark 16:16). After salvation we are called saints (Eph. 1:18), children of God (Rom. 8:15, Matt. 5:9), the redeemed (Gal. 3:13) and Jesus’ friend (John 15:14-15).

We can rejoice in the fact that at the very moment of our salvation, Jesus took possession of our lives and now be belong to Him (1 Cor. 6:20) and nothing can change that status (2 Tim. 2:13). “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8) and that is a joyous reason to walk with our head held high on our journey to the Promised Land. We are reminded to look to the pit from which we were dug (Isa. 51:1, Eph. 2:11-13). God met the needs of His people in the history of the nation by letting them pass through the waters of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21-22), pass through the Jordan River (Jos. 3:13-17) and walked Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego through the fire (Dan. 3:25). What He did for Israel, He can be counted on to do for you and me! After all He is no respecter of persons (Eph. 6:9). There is not an area of your walk with God in which He will not work to fulfill His promises. As you fact the storms, walk through the valleys and endure the dark nights, remember that He is the same God now as He was then and He will never fail you! He will, however, meet every need you have for His own glory (Phil. 4:19). He is able (Eph. 3:20), He is willing (Luke 12:32), He is faithful to His Word (2 Cor. 1:20, Heb. 6:18) and He is always near (Matt. 28:20, Heb. 13:5).

There will be a gathering at the end of this journey (1 Cor. 15:51-52, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, John 14:1-3). One day Jesus will return in the clouds and receive His people unto Himself. There is no need to pack a bag since all you need to clothe yourself is Christ (Gal. 3:27). He has clothed you with garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10) that you will be your responsibility to keep clean. You will finish this trip, wearing white, walking into glory with Christ Himself and He will acknowledge your name before His Father and His angels (Rev. 3:4-6).

ARE YOU READY?