IN THE ARMS OF JESUS

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

We know that those who have become part of God's family do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely and the evil one cannot get his hands on them.

We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one. And we know the Son of God has come and He has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in His Son, Jesus Christ.

He is the only true God and He is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts.

1 John 5:18-21

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Remember when you were a child.

The world was an exciting but also very scary place. You were little but everything else was so big, the people and all the things around you seemed gigantic and intimidating.

Thankfully, you’ll also be able to remember that when you would get scared about anything, you could always run into the arms of your father or mother where safety and sanctuary awaited. Suddenly in that moment, the world didn’t seem so scary anymore as your Dad or Mom hugged you close and calmed your fears.

Well, the absolute truth about life is that we don’t stay little forever, do we?

For before we know it, we grow up, bolder and braver in the midst of the world we live in. In fact, too often we go from being cautious and wary of our worldly environment to being reckless and impulsive, caught up in the many enticements presented to us. The world that once seemed to be frightening and threatening goes from being our enemy to being our friend and partner.

Indeed, it seems like a big change on the surface…but is it really? Or does Satan do a good job of deceiving us to feel comfortable within an environment that the Lord doesn’t want us to embrace and settle into?

The fact of the matter is that the world is still a very scary place to be and we had it more right as children than we do as adults.

You see our enemy Satan is very good at luring us in and then keeping us attached to the very things that draw us away from God, sinful things that appeal to our fleshly desires. Unchecked, he leads people into seeing their will as a greater priority than the will of the Lord.

Indeed, as soon as Satan can get his hands on us, he goes to work keeping us there. He produces a false sense of comfort in the world around us, seducing and hypnotizing us with his power and the end result of his efforts has people worshipping their own wants while gaining a false joy attached to material objects that can neither love nor save. We become dominated by cravings and possessions which slowly establish a foothold in our hearts, leading us to begin worshipping false gods such as money, other people, materialism, sex, etc. In other words, we worship created things rather than the Creator and Jesus, who the scriptures identify as "the only true God", becomes an afterthought. It’s no wonder John felt it was important to warn Christians in this last chapter of his letter.

 

Now, all this would be incredibly harrowing and depressing if the word of God didn’t offer us all good news. For we can turn away from this world and flee its scary attempts to ensnare us, running into the arms of Jesus, "God’s Son (who will) hold (us) securely (so) the evil one cannot get his hands on (us)." He, Jesus, is always waiting to wrap us in His loving arms, removing our fears and replacing them with a peace that scriptures say transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

 

Do you find yourself entrapped today by the world and Satan’s bondage of sin?

 

If so, then I urge you to run to Jesus and don’t delay. For He’s ready to shield you from the evil one and this world while bringing you a sense of security and an unspeakable joy like no other as you remain in Him and He in you.

 

Amen.

 

In Christ,

 

Mark

 

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.