Signed, Sealed, Delivered!

                                         "And you also were included in Christ
                                          when you heard the word of truth,
                                          the gospel of your salvation.

                                          Having believed, you were marked in Him
                                          with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who
                                          is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
                                          until the redemption of those who are God's
                                          possession - to the praise of His glory."
                                                                              Ephesians 1:13-14


                   
          Paraphrasing the old Stevie Wonder song, everyone who belongs to God can say,
     "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, ... I'm Yours, LORD!"


          God has left His mark (signed), and sealed us with the Holy Spirit,
     who guarantees our inheritance -- "adoption, redemption, and forgiveness
     of sins" (Ephesians 1:4-7), and eternal life (John 3:36 - "Everyone who believes
     in the Son has eternal life").

         

          He delivers us from sin (1 John 1:7 - "Jesus purifies us from all sin"),

     evil (Matthew 13:6  - "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"),

     death (Psalm 116:8 - "For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death"),

     and hell (Psalm 86:13 - "For great is thy mercy toward me:  and thou hast

     delivered my soul from the lowest hell").


          All this and more God, has done for "those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ"
     (Romans 1:6).