WHERE DO YOU BELONG?

TUESDAY 03 JANUARY 2023

This year, peace, prosperity and pure joy, will continually be the consequence or results of following God's Word and doing what He says. Hence, the very question, "where do you belong?" is of paramount importance because we cannot follow God's Word enthusiastically, if we don't truly belong to Christ. Let's find out more!

Reference: Galatians 3:29 New International Version (NIV) "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."

If you are gazing in thought for a moment about this Scripture, you are doing the right thing. Why? "If" you belong to Christ, suggests a condition. Being a true child of Abraham, is conditional, upon receiving Christ as Saviour and Lord. If not, you are not Abraham's seed, and you are not his heir, and God's promise to Abraham does not belong to you. This may sound odious but that's another important way of interpreting this Scripture. And it has to be so because such interpretation reveals who you really are or gives you a sense of where you belong. Simply put, it's a Scripture that creates an awareness that determines your belongingness.

How do I know that I belong to Christ? Romans 8:16-17 (NIV) reads, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Beloved, if the Spirit of God does not testify with your spirit that you belong to God and Christ, then this should alarm you. Nothing is not wrong with you, but there should be an inward witness. This is because if you truly belong to Christ, His Spirit will not be strange to you. Evidently, Christ Jesus dwells in the heart of every born again Christian, by the Holy Spirit, who assures us of our salvation.

"Belonging to Christ" is a superior identity, regardless of earthly background, race, culture and gender. This is why the previous Scripture says, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28 NIV). How do we come to Christ? Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) says, "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

After reading this, a vain heart will still not consider who they belong to, where they belong and whether they made the right choice, in regard to their belongingness. But my prayer today is that we should think carefully about this, and by the grace of God, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us, in accordance with this teaching. Having said that, I mean that if you are yet to belong to Christ for real, please do so by repeating the prayer of salvation below, and our heavenly Father and Christ will come and make their home with you, in your heart and spirit. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26-27.

Guided Prayer: I acknowledge today that God demonstrated His unconditional love for me in this: While living without Christ, He sent Him ahead of time to die for me. Therefore I renounce the nature of sin and I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I believe and confess with all my heart that Jesus is the Son of the true living God, who died for me and was raised from the dead on the third day by God. I affirm that Jesus is risen and He's alive forever. I accept Him into my heart and I declare His Lordship over my life forever. I'm now born again as a new creation. I have eternal life: my present-moment reality. Thank you Lord Jesus for saving me and taking full charge of my life, as my Lord. GLORY TO GOD!