Eternal Security: You Can Be Sure

Hebrews 7:24-25

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

NIV from www.biblegateway.com

    We spend a lot of time worrying about physical needs - such as our house, car, food, finances, and health. All these are important in our life, but one form of assurance supersedes all the others.  God desires for us to be confident in Him and in His saving grace. He gives us several reasons to be sure of our eternal security.

• Jesus makes a personal promise to all believers: "No one will snatch [you] out of my hand" (John 10:28) - and He does not make promises unless He intends to keep them. To assume that we can take an action that would separate us from the Lord once we have been saved would essentially be calling Him a liar.

• The hand of God is used throughout Scripture as a symbol of His strength. Once we have received Christ, we are safely in His palm, and no force or action can remove us. If Satan could snatch us away, either by tempting us into sin or through his own power, it would mean he is stronger than God. We know that isn't true because God is omnipotent (2 Chron. 20:6).

• Jesus is our advocate with a holy God who cannot look upon sin. In fact, Hebrews 7:25 tell us that Christ "save [s] forever" because He is available to intercede with God on our behalf. In human terms, Jesus is at the right hand of God as a tangible reminder that our sin debt is paid in full.

  Through His Son Jesus, God has offered us not only salvation, but salvation eternally, with no loopholes, caveats, or maybes. You can be sure!

Stanley, Charles F. "Eternal Security: You Can Be Sure." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living. April 2016. page 26.

Thoughtful Living

Psalm 25:8-15

Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
¹¹ For the sake of your name, Lord,
    forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

¹² Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
¹³ They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.
¹⁴ The Lord confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.

   Are you living thoughtfully and intentionally - or are you living automatically? It's so easy to get up each morning, do our work, enjoy some relaxation or entertainment, and fall into bed each night without giving any thought to God's involvement in our everyday life. But to be ignorant of how He has blessed, guided, protected, and warned us is a foolish way to live. Just consider the benefits of keeping our spititual eyes and ears open throughout the day.   

   We who are aware of God's presence during daily activities enjoy the peace of knowing He's always in control and working to achieve His good purposes. Day-to-day experiences with Him teach us to know and love Him more.

   When we learn to see God's footprints throughout each week, we will become aware of the scope of His involvement in His children's lives. Maybe He strengthened us for a task or opened a door of opportunity. Perhaps He guided our decisions or helped us respond in a godly way to a difficult person or a challenging situation.

   If our ears are open to the Lord's warnings and instructions, we won't repeat the same mistakes again and again. But if we remain deaf to His voice, we run the risk of continuing in unhealthy thought patterns, negative emotions, and foolish responses.

   Each night before you go to sleep, take some time to reflect on the day's activities. The heavenly Father is constantly with you, guarding and guiding your way. He wants you to see Him in everything and understand life from His perspective as you rely on His wisdom and power to face any challenge.

Stanley, Charles F. "Thoughtful Living." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living. April 2016. page 25.