for thought and meditation

[Markopolo]

another nice day!!!

Out of the Wreck I Rise
By Oswald Chambers

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? —Romans 8:35

God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble…” (Psalm 91:15). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. “In all these things we are more than conquerors…” (Romans 8:37). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are “super-victors” in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.

“Shall tribulation…?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).

“Shall…distress…?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

“Shall…famine…?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?

Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. “Out of the wreck I rise” every time.

have a great blessed day

[USMC87]

Amen, Nothing can separate us from Christ!

[Pine Baron]

What a great, encouraging message. Thanks Marko.

[Blackwater]

"God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble…” (Psalm 91:15)"

Indeed! And while so many of us cry out "why me?" when we're in any sort of trouble, or are being tested, God consistently lets us suffer just like the unbelievers. God never promised us He'd protect us from the world around us, or from our own mistakes, however well intended they may have originally been. He lets us learn through EXPERIENCE, and sometimes that experience isn't pleasant, or to our liking. But He knows so much more and better than we do! He knows what we need in order to progress and grow our faith, and oftentimes, we simply don't think or grow if we don't have some thorn in our sides to motivate us to think more and deeper, and re-read the Bible so we can learn more about what being a Christian is all about. He said He'd let it rain on the just and the unjust alike. If He never let us be challenged and tested, we'd be one sorry lot, I'm convinced. It's almost only when we're tested and challenged that we really begin to form a close relationship with our Master. Christ always knows what He's doing, and will send us what we really need, whether it's what we want or not.

Also, I think He lets good people suffer sometimes, so that others can see a good example of what we're all supposed to be like. Facing death is something almost nobody wants to do, but we all must, one day. In reality, it's our time to transform and become an angel, and commune with our Lord. Why it's so dreaded is understandable for those whose faith is not fully developed. To some degree, even those with faith fear the unknown, and none of us has seen what's on the "other side" just yet. But those of faith who've had near death experiences, and been brought back, have reported wonderful things, and never fear death thereafter. We humans are such dummies! I know I've been chief dummy in charge for many years. But none of us has to STAY that way! And that's what salvation is all about, if we just let Him in, and keep on learning about Him. It is SO good to be loved by the Lord!