Present and Powerful Love

 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? (Romans 8:35)

Notice three things in Romans 8:35.

1. Christ is loving us now.

A wife might say of her deceased husband: Nothing will separate me from his love. She might mean that the memory of his love will be sweet and powerful all her life. But that is not what Paul means here.

In Romans 8:34 it says plainly, “Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” The reason Paul can say that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ is because Christ is alive and is still loving us right now.

He is at the right hand of God and is therefore ruling for us. And he is interceding for us, which means he is seeing to it that his finished work of redemption does in fact save us hour by hour, and bring us safely to eternal joy. His love is not just a memory. It is a moment-by-moment action by the omnipotent, living Son of God, to bring us to everlasting joy.

2. This love of Christ is effective in protecting us from separation, and therefore is not a universal love for all, but a particular love for his people — that is, those who, according to Romans 8:28, love God and are called according to his purpose.

This is the love of Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” It is Christ’s love for the church, his bride. Christ has a love for all, and he has a special, saving, preserving love for his bride. You know you are part of that bride if you trust Christ. Anyone — no exceptions — anyone who trusts Christ can say, I am part of his bride, his church, his called and chosen ones, the ones who, according to Romans 8:35, are kept and protected forever no matter what.

3. This omnipotent, effective, protecting love does not spare us from calamities in this life, but brings us safely through them to everlasting joy with God.

Death will happen to us, but it will not separate us. So when Paul says in verse 35 that the “sword” will not separate us from the love of Christ, he means: even if we are killed, we are not separated from the love of Christ.

So the sum of the matter in verse 35 is this: Jesus Christ is right now mightily loving his people with omnipotent, moment-by-moment love that does not always rescue us from calamity but preserves us for everlasting joy in his presence even through suffering and death.

The Goal of Christ’s Love

 

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory.” (John 17:24)

Believers in Jesus are precious to God (we’re his bride!). And he loves us so much that he will not allow our preciousness to become our god.

God does indeed make much of us (he adopts us into his family!), but he does so in a way that draws us out of ourselves to enjoy his greatness.

Test yourself. If Jesus came to spend the day with you, sat down beside you on the couch, and said, “I really love you,” what would you focus on the rest of the day that you spend together with him?

It seems to me that too many songs and sermons leave us with the wrong answer. They leave the impression that the heights of our joy would be in the recurrent feeling of being loved. “He loves me!” “He loves me!” To be sure, this is joy indeed. But not the heights, and not the focus.

What are we saying with the words “I am loved”? What do we mean? What is this “being loved”?

Would not the greatest, most Christ-exalting joy be found in watching Jesus all day and bursting with, “You’re amazing!” “You are amazing!”

He answers the hardest question, and his wisdom is amazing.He touches a filthy, oozing sore, and his compassion is amazing.He raises a dead lady at the medical examiner’s office, and his power is amazing.He predicts the afternoon’s events, and his foreknowledge is amazing.He sleeps during an earthquake, and his fearlessness is amazing.He says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), and his words are amazing.

We walk around with him all afternoon, utterly amazed at what we are seeing.

Is not his love for us his eagerness to do for us all he must do (including die for us) so that we can marvel at him and not be incinerated by him? Redemption, propitiation, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation — all these have to happen. They are the act of love.

But the goal of love that makes those acts loving is that we be with him, and see his jaw-dropping glory, and be astounded. In those moments we forget ourselves as we see and savor all that God is for us in him.

So I am urging pastors and teachers: Push people through the acts of Christ’s love to the goal of his love. If redemption and propitiation and forgiveness and justification and reconciliation are not taking us to the enjoyment of Jesus himself, they are not love.

Press on this. It’s what Jesus prayed for in John 17:24, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory.”

THE BEST USE OF LIFE IS IN LOVE!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 05, 2022.

SUBJECT : THE BEST USE OF LIFE IS IN LOVE!

Memory verse: "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (First John 4 vs 8.)

READ: First John 4 vs 7 - 8, 12 - 13:

4:7: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. 

4:8: He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

4:12: No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 

4:13: By this we know we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit.

INTIMATION:

The Owner and Giver of life is God. And God is love. The best use of anything is in the hands of the owner. God is the Producer and  Owner of life, and God is Love, therefore, the best use of life is in God—in Love. In leading a life of intimacy with God, love is what matters most. To know God is to know how to love because God is love, and created us in His image and likeness. The most important lesson He wants us to learn on earth is how to love. It is in loving that we should be like Him most. It’s noteworthy that love is the foundation of every command He has given us. The Bible, in Galatians 5 vs 14, says, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Love should be your top priority, primary objective, and greatest ambition. Love should, and is not a good part of your life; it's the most important part of your life. The Scripture in First Corinthians 14 vs 1, says, "Pursue love, ...." To "pursue" means to "chase after," "strive for," "to work hard at," "persist in." It is not enough to say, "One of the things I want in my life is to be loving," as if it's in your top ten list. Relationships must have priority in your life above everything else.

God is invisible, and a Spirit. How then do we develop intimate relationship with Him? We only draw closer to Him if we love one another. In the passage we read today, the Scripture clearly stated that ‘no one has seen God at any time.’ If we relate in love with one another, we demonstrate the love nature of God in us, and His love has been perfected in us. Therefore, by loving one another we know we are His followers, we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.” (John 13 vs 34 - 35.)

Love is much more than simply warm feelings. It is an attitude that reveals itself in action. How can we love others as Jesus loved us? Remember He gave His inestimable life for ours that is completely worthless because of sin. Therefore, we love like a Him; (1) By helping when it is not convenient, (2) by giving when it hurts, (3) by devoting energy to others' welfare rather than our own, (4) by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. This kind of loving is hard to do. That is why people notice when you do it and know you are empowered by a supernatural source. 

Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task. It runs counter to our self-centered nature. That's why we are given a lifetime to learn it. Of course, God wants us to love everyone, but He is particularly concerned that we learn to love others in His family. In heaven we will enjoy God's family forever, but first we have some tough work to do here on earth to prepare ourselves for an eternity of loving. 

When we are not motivated by love we become critical of others. We stop looking for good in them and see only their faults. Have you talked behind someone's back? Have you focused on others' shortcomings instead of their strengths? When you begin to feel critical of someone, make a list of that person's positive qualities. If there are problems that need to be addressed, it is better to confront in love than in hate or to gossip.

God trains us by giving us family "responsibilities," and the foremost of these is to practice loving each other. God wants you to be in regular, close, fellowship with other believers so you can develop the skill of loving. Love cannot be learned in isolation. You have to be around people; imperfect, frustrating, irritating people, all manner, to learn how to love in action, and as Jesus loved.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with Your excellent spirit of love that I may love You and others, and be found worthy to be a disciple of Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

CHRISTIAN FAITH WORKS THROUGH LOVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 04, 2022.

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN FAITH WORKS THROUGH LOVE!

Memory verse: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5 vs 6.) 

READ: James 2 vs 14 - 20:

2:14: What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

2:15: If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

2:16: and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body; what doth it profit?

2:17: Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

2:18: But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

2:19: You believe that there is one God; you do well. Even the devils believe—and tremble!

2:20: But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

INTIMATION:

We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. We are saved by faith, not by deeds. But love for others and for God, is the response of those whom God has forgiven. God’s forgiveness is complete, and Jesus said that those who are forgiven much love much (Luke 7 vs 47). Because faith expresses itself through love, you can check your love for others as a way to monitor your faith.

The characteristics of an effective Christian in any age is work produced by faith, labor prompted by love and endurance inspired by hope. As Christians, our calling from God is to become like Christ (Romans 8 vs 29). To be worthy of this calling means to want to do what is right and good (as Christ would). Christians have been created anew in Christ by obedience to the gospel (Romans 6 vs 4 - 5). Since they are recreated in Christ, they respond with good works of thanksgiving. They have been so created, not by good works, but for good works. Such actions show that our commitment to God is real. Deeds of loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a verification of, our faith in Christ.

Faith is the foundation and content of God’s message, hope is the attitude and focus, Love is the action. Therefore, your faith is put into action through love. Love involves unselfish service to others. When faith and hope are in place, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves. While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. Love endures forever (First Corinthians 13 vs 13). Love is the greatest of all human qualities and is an attribute of God Himself (First John 4 vs 8). Does your faith fully express itself in loving others? 

Your faith should be carried into action with an obedient response to the grace of God. (Second Corinthians 4 vs 15). Your faith should move you into action. In your relationship with one another you should be moved into action to care for one another. God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit, but to benefit others in our faith works through love, serve Christ and build up the church. Christians thus work in response to what God has done for them (First Corinthians 15 vs 10). It is their works that manifest their response to the grace of God. 

Though good works are not a qualification of the saving grace of God, rather it is a manifestation of the obedient and faithful response to the free gift of grace. What is required of a Christian is a faith that works through love. This is the obedient faith that responds to the grace of God. One’s recognition of his salvation as the free gift of grace motivates one to work in love and thanksgiving. When one trusts in God for his or her salvation by grace, he or she will lovingly respond in obedience to God with a better relationship with his or her fellow human. 

The work referred to in this context, is not specifically the keeping the commandments of law. For this reason, one must not confuse the works of faith that the apostle James discusses with the works of law of which the apostle Paul speaks about in both Romans and Galatians. Reference here is to good deeds toward one’s fellow human. Such deeds are the manifestation of one’s faith. Therefore, one’s faith must be manifested by his or her benevolent actions toward others. If one claims to have faith in God, and yet does not manifest such in his or her life’s behavior, then such faith is of no profit toward salvation. Faith without benevolent actions is self-deception on the part of the one who seeks to please God on his own conditions. 

When someone claims to have faith, what he or she may have is intellectual assent—agreement with a set of Christian teachings—and as such it would be incomplete faith. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If your life remains unchanged, you don’t truly believe the truths you claim to believe. Though works are not meritorious conditions upon which one will be judged, but they are indications of thankful response to God for His grace. However, final judgement by Christ will be based on our deeds because our deeds proclaim what sort of heart is within us.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for your saving grace bestowed on us in Christ. My faith is in You. Engrace me to manifest my faith working through love for You and others, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

YOUR LOVE IS BEST EXPRESSED IN YOUR TIME!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 03, 2022.

SUBJECT : YOUR LOVE IS BEST EXPRESSED IN YOUR TIME!

Memory verse: "When I passed by you again and looked upon you, Indeed your time was the time of love, so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you and you became Mine,” says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 16 vs 8.)

READ: Hebrews 13 vs 1 - 3:

13:1: Let brotherly love continue.

13:2: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

13:3: Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

INTIMATION:

Your love is best expressed in your time. A time of love is very precious, even to the Lord. In our memory verse, when the Lord observed Jerusalem and saw their time of love, He pitied the people and entered into a covenant with them to be their God and the people His. The importance of things can be measured by how much time we are willing to invest in them. If you love someone or something, you obviously spend more time thinking and relishing it. The more time you give to something or someone, the more you reveal its importance and value to you, and your love for it. Your priorities are usually expressed in your time allocation. 

Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. Time lost is irredeemable. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. Therefore, when you give someone your time, or allocate more of your time to something, you are giving them a portion of your most precious gift, a portion of you life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. 

Love is expressed in action, not just word. Action requires time. It is not enough just to say something or relationships are important; we must prove it in action by investing our time. Words alone are worthless. The Scripture, in First John 3 vs 18, says, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." How clearly do your actions say you really love others? Are you as generous as you should be with your money, possessions, and time?

In the parable of the Final Judgement in Matthew 25, Jesus said, “For I was hungry you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” (Matthew 25 vs 35 - 36.) The parable describes acts of mercy we all can do every day and require our most precious gift—our time. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence, they are simple acts freely given and freely received. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs. Those who did not do these things will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Make sure that your love runs deep enough to affect your hospitality, empathy, fidelity, and contentment. And all these require your time!

Real love for others produces tangible actions. Some people say they cannot be hospitable because their homes are not large enough or nice enough. But even if you have no more than a table and two chairs in a rented room, there are people who would be grateful to spend time in your home. Are there visitors to your church with whom you could share a meal? Do you know single people who would enjoy an evening of conversation? Is there any way your home could meet the needs of traveling missionaries? Hospitality simply means making other people feel comfortable and at home.

The essence of love is not in what we think or do or provide for others, but in how much you give of yourselves. Men, in particular, often don't understand this. Many think that when they have provided the needs of their family, they have done it all. You will hear comments from men like; "I don't understand my wife and kids. I provide everything they need. What more could they want?" They want you! They want your most precious gift—your time. Nothing can take the place of that. The most desired gift of love is not diamonds or roses or chocolate. It is focused attention. 

Whenever you give your time, you are making a sacrifice, and sacrifice is the essence of love. The Scripture, in Ephesians 5 vs 2, gives us a model of this by Jesus Christ, "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice for a sweet-smelling aroma." Just as children imitate parents, we should imitate Jesus. His great love for us led Him to sacrifice Himself so that we might live eternally. Our love for others should be of the same kind—a love that goes beyond affection to self-sacrificing service, offering your best—your time.

God created you to worship and serve Him. This requires the best of you—your time. How then do you give God your time? Most people will wake up in the morning, and are in a hurry to rush out into their daily pursuit without making out time for the Lord, to worship Him which is the reason we are created. Even when some worship, they don't give quality time to the Lord. It is most unreasonable! Their daily pursuit will take better of their time than their Creator and Owner of all things, including the things they are rushing after. For some, there is no time to worship in the night, it is for their rest. Some don't have time to read the Bible talk more of meditating on the Word, forgetting that the Lord said, only in doing so that you prosper and have good success. (See Joshua 1 vs 8; Psalm 1 vs 2 - 3.)

Many people believe that their offering in church, and meetings are enough sacrifice. Do not be deceived, offering or sacrifices not made out of love profits you nothing. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. The Scripture, in John 3 vs 16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave...." Remember God owns all things, and has only put some in your care. If you are bringing back what He gave you without a show of your love to Him, you are a time waster. Love means giving up; yielding my preferences, comfort, goals, security, money, energy, or most especially your time for the benefit of someone else.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace for the best use of my time for You and others, that I may always offer my best gift of love to You and others, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

GOD’S GREAT LOVE AND THOUGHTS FOR US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 02, 2022.

SUBJECT: GOD’S GREAT LOVE AND THOUGHTS FOR US!

Memory verse: "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." (Psalm 40 vs 5.)

READ: Jeremiah 29 vs 11 - 14:

29:11: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

29:12: Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

29:13: And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

29:14: I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away.

INTIMATION:

God is love, and loves us greatly. He so loved us that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to the world as a propitiation for our sins. Jesus came, took the form of man, suffered all things, and died the death we ought to have died for our sins. What an awesome sacrifice—one given His life for another; Jesus exchanging His perfect life of immeasurable value with our lives that are completely worthless—our sinful lives! The apostle Paul, in Romans 8 vs 32 and 35, clearly asks rhetorically; “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”.....”Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?...”

The apostle Paul assuredly answered the questions, saying; “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8 vs 37 - 39).

Therefore, if God gave His only begotten Son for us, He isn’t going to hold back anything that we require to live for Him. If Christ gave His life for you, He isn’t going to turn around to condemn or abandon you. Neither a strange land, sorrow, persecution, nor physical problems can break our fellowship with God. Now with God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our sinful and worthless condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? There is nothing!

God’s plans and purposes for His creation are good and full of hope. As long as God, who knows the future, and the end from the beginning, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill His mission, we can have boundless hope. This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion. We are encouraged by a leader who stirs us to move ahead, someone who believes we can do the task he has given and who will be with us all the way. God is that kind of leader. 

God, the Creator, is sovereign and in control, while at the same time He is close and personal to us His creation. But He is not trapped in His creation—He is transcendent. The world is God’s and all its fullness, and according to His wise plan, His people were to have a future and a hope; consequently, they could call upon Him in confidence. We, His children, need not despair because we have His presence, the privilege of prayer, and His grace. If we seek Him wholeheartedly, He will be found. 

God’s promises are public, and their fulfillment are sure. So why do we ever doubt Him? We never have to be uncertain when we have a God of truth and righteousness. In times of dire circumstances, it may appear as though God has forgotten you. But God may be preparing you for a new beginning with Him at the center.

Prayer: Abba Father, Your love for me is unparalleled. I cannot thank You enough for all You have done for me. O Lord, I know Your good thoughts for me, help me to offer myself as a living sacrifice to You, obeying You in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S LOVE AND GRACE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 01 2022.

SUBJECT: THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S LOVE AND GRACE! 

Memory verse: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3 vs 16.)

READ: Romans 5 vs 5 - 8:

5:5: Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

5:6: For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die.

5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

INTIMATION:

The love of God was manifested by the death of the Son for those who were unworthy. God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, not because we were good enough, but just because He loved us. If the death of Jesus on the cross were the result of debt that God had to pay for the merit of those who kept the law and performed meritorious deeds, then there would be no manifestation of love and grace. However, since Jesus died for the unworthy sinners—to pay the wages of sin we owed—then love and grace are manifested. Whenever you feel uncertain about God’s love for you, remember that He loved you even before you turned to Him.

The problem of being human is the fact that we cannot live in a manner that is sinless before God. Therefore, we cannot live in a manner that would merit the mercy of God. Mercy is not given out of debt, but out of love and grace. God’s mercy is not something that we merit according to law. It is given out of love and not on the basis that it is legally earned. When we realize how far God had reach to bring us out of sin, we realize how far we were in sin and how hopeless our situation was in sin. However, regardless of our sinfulness, God loved us to the extent that He sent His Son to die for our sins.

If one’s knowledge of God’s love offering of Jesus on the cross does not stimulate a loving response to God, then one’s heart is hardened. It is not a heart that is fit for eternal dwelling. Because God has first loved us, we love in response (Romans 5 vs 8). Because He had mercy on us, we have mercy toward others. The nature of the hearts that are fit for eternal dwelling is merciful because of love.

God’s action toward man was the result of love. Therefore, “We love Him because He loved us first” (First John 4 vs 19.) One must not exercise a simple belief in Jesus, but rather God’s grace to us on the cross through Jesus must stimulate an obedient faith response. The faith response is the condition, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11 vs 6.) Those who do not respond to God’s grace by obedient faith will perish from the presence of God. But those who do believe and respond, will have life because they will remain in the presence of God throughout eternity.

The message of the gospel comes to a focus in our memory verse. God’s love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis of all love relationships—when you love someone dearly, you are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that He brought for us. When we share the gospel with others, our love must be like Jesus’—willingly giving up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God’s love.

Now, look at the conclusion of the whole matter as the apostle Paul says, “....We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor power, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8 vs 37 - 39.)

These verses contain one of the most comforting promises in all Scripture. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, and even death. These sometimes cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ. But the apostle Paul exclaims that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of His unconquerable love. Nothing can separate us from Christ’s presence. God tells us how great His love is so that we will feel totally secure in Him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid.

Prayer: Abba Father, Your love has been poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to me. You adopted me as Your son, I am complete in You, and have Your fullness in Christ. You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. I am in You, and You in me. Strengthen me with might according to Your glorious power that I may be fruitful in every god work, worthy of Your calling and fully pleasing You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!