1 Kings 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Yesterday I ended my devotional with the question, are you in Christ. My use of today’s passage indicates a train, not of the modern type but given the same meaning. It is a method of transportation from where you were to where you desire to be.

At each stop of a train the conductor calls out “all aboard.” It is an invitation to all. In context to being in Christ as I witnessed yesterday, are you “on board.” Are you on the Jesus train? Yes, great, do you have your ticket?

Getting on the train is possible even if you do not have a ticket, just as with modern trains. When the conductor comes by to check, you may buy a ticket after you get on the train. If you refuse to buy a ticket the conductor will see you off at the next stop.

At this point some will start to question my train of thought. “I thought salvation was a free gift?” The answer is yes but the Jesus Train isn’t the Salvation Train. One is not said to be in salvation, one is in Christ. You may look at the tracks upon which the train moves as salvation but the tracks are not the train.

Do you really want to walk the tracks or ride the train? Walking the tracks is self-effort and you will wear yourself out long before you get to the end of the line. If you should make it to the next station and find some rest and come to your senses, perhaps when the next Jesus Train comes by, you might consider getting on board.

Proverbs 4:14-16 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

This morning my good friend and fellow writer has presented a good warning about dangers which are real and prevalent in today’s society. They are not external, they are internal. They are driven by choices we make every day because we think we are better than others at dealing with evil. We have judged ourselves as righteous.

Allow me for a moment to take you back in time to when you did not serve the Lord. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you know the Lord. If you do not, then these words apply even more so as a warning.

We did not know then, our path was wicked. We lived our lives based on the moment, the circumstance, and our encounters. We did not know the Lord and have no righteousness which is based on a relationship with the living God.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If you take this encouragement to declare yourself righteous before God, then you have failed to divide the Word of Truth righty. We will and do use the truth as a weapon of judgment to wound and cause others to fall just as we are warned in the opening verse from Proverbs.

Righteousness is a right standing before God and there is only One who can stand, Jesus Christ. If you are in Christ, then you can show yourself approved by obeying Christ in all that He does. God is not interested in what you do apart from Christ, only in Him is your righteousness found, not based on effort but relationship.

Are you in Christ?