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This Week’s Devotional Topic
SINCE GOD IS FOR US
Since God is for us, how should we then live?
Romans 8:26-39 “…the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? …I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. …indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let’s look at these facts one verse at a time.
Verse 31 Who can be against us?
He is almighty God, all powerful and all knowing. No one else can touch us without His permission. No one can effectively be against us. We are on the winning team and the competition is over before it begins since God is for us.
Verse 32 Won’t He also give us everything?
Since God provided His son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for all of our sin, meeting the most important need we could ever have, then with that kind of love for us, we can take it to the bank that He will meet all of our other needs.
Verse 33 Who can bring us up on charges?
God is the one that has justified us…just as if I’d never sinned. He has approved us, declared us not guilty. We don’t need to ever allow Satan to send us on a ‘guilt trip’.
Verse 34 Who else could ever condemn us?
Who could ever condemn us since it was Jesus Christ, the very son of God, who died…more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God. The one who is at the right hand of God the Father, interceding on our behalf
Verse 35 Can anything ever separate us from the love of Christ?
Here is a list of things in this world that might attempt to separate us from His love. Trouble, or pain, or cruel acts, or the need of food or of clothing, or danger, or the sword, death?
Verse 37 No way because of Him Who loves us!
Despite all of these things and more, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us.
Verse 38, 39 Based upon all that is known, we can rest in the fact that nothing can ever separate us.
The author of Romans concludes this 8th chapter with a comprehensive, lengthy list of everything in creation and makes the case clear that nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 10:28,29 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
Dear friend, no matter what is going on in your life, around you, in this world or anything in all of creation, God is still on the throne. His love for you is boundless, it knows no end. Rest in that fact today and every day. A very Godly man, knowledgeable in all of scripture was asked what concept stood out based upon his vast understanding. His response was surprising. “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so”.
May the Spirit of God keep the words of this song in our hearts and minds today.
This week’s Scripture:
Romans 8:26-39 and John 10:28,29
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