| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “You are loved” Our Bible verse for today: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.” Sometimes life can get dark and difficult. Sometimes storms sweep in upon us out of nowhere and we find ourselves overwhelmed and floundering, perhaps wondering what’s happening, why it’s happening, and where God is in the middle of it all. Romans chapter eight is one of the richest chapters in the entire New Testament and it provides much needed insight for times such as those I just described. In verses 31-38 Paul wrote a passage which the editors of the Christian Standard Bible have labeled “The Believer’s Triumph”. In it he poses some rhetorical questions which force the reader to come to obvious conclusions: 31: “If God is for us, who is against us?” (If God is for us then no person and no issue can have victory over us.) 33: “Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.” (If we are justified in God’s eyes then it doesn’t matter what anyone else has to say – not even Satan!) 34: “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus in the one who died, but even more, has been raised.” (We are saved through faith in Christ and therefore we are not condemned.) Then Paul moves on to his primary point in all of this. 35: “Who can separate us from the love of Christ?” Again, remember, these are rhetorical questions. The answers are supposed to be obvious. But just to be sure we don’t miss it Paul answers this question for us anyway. He tells us that neither affliction nor distress nor persecution nor danger nor great need can separate us from God’s love. He says there is no height or depth, no angels or demons, no power in this world or in the next, no thing in all of creation, that can separate us from God’s love. This means that no matter what you are going through, no matter how hard it is, you are never out of God’s protective embrace. He is there and He loves you fully and completely. Back in verse 28 Paul went so far as to assure us that even in the worst of situations God is a work behind the scenes orchestrating events to bring some good thing out of it for us (We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God …), and in verse 37 he writes that because all of this is true, “… we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” No matter what you’re dealing with in life don’t ever lose sight of the great truth that nothing can separate you from the love of God that is yours through faith in Christ. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
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