Some Things I Know
It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the year 2006, and now in a few hours the ball will drop and it will be 2007. You hear a lot of talk about what will the new year bring, what does the future hold? Well, I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future. In my Christian life there are a few other things I have come to know.
1. I know who took my sins away -
1 John 3:5 - And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
He came to this Earth over 2000 years ago.
He was born of a virgin, which made Him sinless.
He walked this Earth for 33 years, and preached repentance.
He gave His life on an old rugged cross - He bore the sins of the world.
He who knew no sin took my sin upon Himself and died on a cross.
He arose 3 days later - the stone was not rolled away to let Him out - it was rolled away to let us in.
2. I know where my freedom comes from -
John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
I thank God for being born an American, I thank God for this country and for the freedoms we enjoy. I thank God for our president - bit my freedom doesn’t come from George W. Bush - it doesn’t come from having the greatest military this world has ever seen. My freedom comes from above, I have freedom because I know the Truth, and the Truth has set me free. Jesus said “ I am the Way, the Truth and the Life...”. I am free because I know the Truth, and He knows me.
3 I know it’ll be alright -
Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
No matter what 2007 holds, I know it’ll be alright. His word tells us that all things work together for good to those who love God. that means that whatever happens, He is still in control. If I lose my job, He’s still in control. If I lose my home, He’s still on control.
No matter what may come my way, no matter what my future holds, He’s still in control.
4. I know who answers my prayers -
1 John 5:14-15
(14) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
(15) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
You notice that this verse says that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. A lot of times we ask for things that are not according to His will, I may ask God for a million dollars, does that mean He will give it to me?
James 4:3
(3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Maybe God knows that I couldn’t handle a million dollars.
I pray that God will allow me to pastor a church someday soon, but maybe He knows I’m not ready yet.
He will always answer your prayers, it’s just sometimes His answer is no.
5. I know who takes care of me -
Matthew 6:25-33
(25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
(26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
(27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
(29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
6. I know who holds tomorrow -
James 4:13-15
(13) Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
(14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
(15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
No I don’t know what 2007 holds. I don’t know what will happen in this coming year, but I do know who is in control.
7. I know that I’m saved -
1 John 5:13
(13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
A lot of religions don’t give you an assurance of eternal life. The religion of Islam, for instance, teaches that you live your life and when your time comes to die you have to hope you have lived good enough to get into Heaven. I thank God that I can know that my name is written there. I thank God that my was written down on November 2nd, 1997, and it’s written in permanent ink. I so glad to know that God is not sitting in Heaven with a giant eraser and everytime I mess up He doesn’t erase my name from the Book of Life.
In closing, if you can’t remember a specific time that you asked Christ into your heart, then you are not saved. I’m not saying that you have to remember the exact date and time, but if you can’t recall a time when you realized you were a sinner, and repented of your sins, then you are not saved.
I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am saved. I know that my name is written there, and I know where I will spend all eternity, do you? If the trumpet sounded right now, do you know you’re ready? If Christ came back tonight, would you be called up into glory with Him, or would you be left behind?
