To Know...

     There are lots of changes that have been going on in our world lately.  It is all too easy to get caught up in the hubbub of it all, even for us Christians.  I know that every time I take my eyes off of my God and onto the swirling waters of this world I start to fear, like Peter did when walking on water to Christ.

     It is natural for us to be that way.  However, God wants us to cast ALL our care upon Him.  We are to die to self, and live in Christ.  Christ never feared come what may.  He trusted His Heavenly Father, just like He wants us to do.  He is not asking us to do anything He has not done. Because He has already done it, we can go to Him for the grace we need to do it.

     In my morning devotion, I came across part of a psalm that I thought was all too fitting for the hour we are living in, my dear Christian brother or sister.  This promise is for us!  So, if you are truly a born-again believer you can hold on to this hope, knowing it will not slip--even though our world's finances, structure, etc. are doing so.  REMEMBER--if you belong to God, He will take care of you!

"Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee."

Psalm 33:18-22

     God is faithful to us, even though we are not to Him.  Remember Israel in the wilderness?  It was not long after He saved them through the crossing of the Red Sea, and they were worshiping a golden calf made by their own hands.  Yet, for forty years He supplied their needs.  He did show His hot displeasure at their adulterous, idolatrous, and rebellious hearts; but, He mercifully and graciously met every need.  They even had manna from Heaven!

     Though God will meet our needs, does He also show us His displeasure at our adulterous, idolatrous, and rebellious hearts?  Are we saying "Thank You, Father," for His goodness, then running off to call our own shots in the life He gave us?  If so, we bring Him displeasure.  Instead of running off to call our own shots, why do we not stay put and let Him do it?  I mean, after all, He is the only One who can see down the road, and He did save our soul from Hell.

We were bought with a price, that price the shedding of Jesus Christ's blood on the cross.  We therefore, are not our own, if indeed we belong to Him.

**Want to know if you belong to Jesus Christ? Read these verses from 1 John, which are fruits of salvation clearly written for us to know if we are saved or not:

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

I John 2:3-6