December 22

Morning

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness. — Isa 41:10 BSB

God has the power to fulfill His promises because He is able to do all things. Believer, until you can drain the ocean of omnipotence dry, or crumble the mighty mountains of God's strength, you have no reason to fear. Do not imagine that the strength of man can ever overpower the strength of God. As long as the pillars of the earth remain, you have every reason to remain firm in your faith. The same God who guides the earth in its orbit, who fuels the blazing furnace of the sun, and who sets the stars in place, has promised to supply you with daily strength. As long as He upholds the universe, never fear that He will fail to keep His promises.

Remember what He has done in the past, in the days of old. Recall how He spoke, and it was done; how He commanded, and it stood firm. Will He, who created the world, ever grow weary? He hangs the earth on nothing; shall He not be able to support His children? Will He be unfaithful to His word for lack of power? Who calms the tempest? Is it not He who rides on the wings of the wind, makes the clouds His chariot, and holds the seas in the hollow of His hand? How could He possibly fail you?

When He has given us such faithful promises, do you think He has promised more than He can fulfill? Absolutely not! You can doubt no longer.

O God, my strength, I trust that Your promise will be fulfilled, for the boundless reservoir of Your grace can never be emptied, and the infinite storehouse of Your power can never be exhausted.

“Now let the feeble all be strong,
And make Jehovah’s arm their song.”

Evening

His people have acted corruptly toward Him; the spot on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation. — Deut 32:5 BSB

What is the unmistakable mark that identifies a child of God? It would be presumptuous to rely on our own judgment, but thankfully, God’s Word reveals the answer, giving us firm ground to stand on.

Scripture tells us that “to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” So, if I have received Christ into my heart, I am a child of God. That reception is described as believing in the name of Jesus Christ. If I trust in Jesus Christ with all my heart, placing my life in the hands of the crucified yet risen Redeemer, then I am a member of the family of the Most High. Regardless of what I may or may not have, if I have this faith, I possess the privilege of being a child of God.

Jesus explains it another way: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” In this simple statement, we find the essence of it all. Christ comes as the Shepherd to His sheep, and only His own sheep recognize Him. When they see Him, they trust Him and are ready to follow. He knows them, and they know Him. There is mutual recognition and a continual connection. Thus, the infallible mark of being born again and adopted into God's family is a genuine, heartfelt faith in Christ as the appointed Redeemer.

Are you uncertain whether you bear the mark of God’s children? Don’t let another hour go by without praying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart!” I urge you, do not treat this lightly. If you must be careless about something, let it be your health or your earthly possessions—but never your soul, never your eternal destiny. I beg you, be serious about your eternal state. Make sure of your standing with God for eternity!