Key Text: Hosea 8:3 KJV - Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

When God saved Israel from Egyptian bondage and captivity, He hedged them in with a cover of protection. However, every time they rejected God and worshipped strange gods, the hedge was broken and their enemies pursued and overpowered them. And whenever they repented and returned to the Lord, he delivered them. That was a dangerous pattern which the believer should never imitate. You should never take the grace of God for granted.

The believer also has a hedge of protection around him and all that belongs to him. This fact is known to the devil, and he is unable to touch the hedged-in believer. It is interesting to note that the devil could not break the hedge of protection around Job, until the Lord gave him the permission to afflict Job. The Lord was only showing off Job to Satan and to prove that he was His faithful servant. No matter what the Devil throws at you, please do not disappoint God.

Satan cannot take away your salvation, except you let him. Through temptation, he deceives you to trade it in for his gilded toys, thereby breaking the hedge. Keep your salvation intact, refuse to backslide and the serpent cannot bite you. Remember that you are not alone: the Lord is always there, even when he appears to be silent. He will help those who will faithfully submit to him, while resisting the Devil. Jesus will never fail you. Hallelujah!

Prayer: O Lord, help me to cherish my salvation and abide in Christ always, in Jesus name. Amen.

Reflection: ... and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand - John 10:29.