Like
a victorious locker room, church is a place to exult, to give thanks, to
celebrate the great news that all is forgiven, that God is love, that victory
is certain. --
Philip Yancey in Leadership, Vol. 8, no. 3.
Steve Winger from Lubbock,
Texas, writes about his last college test a final in a logic class known for
its difficult exams: To help us
on our test, the professor told us we could bring as much information to the
exam as we could fit on a piece of notebook paper. Most students crammed as
many facts as possible on their 8-1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper.
But one student walked into class, put a piece of notebook paper on the
floor, and had an advanced logic student stand on the paper.
The advanced logic student told him
everything he needed to know. He was the only student to receive an
"A." The ultimate final
exam will come when we stand before God and he asks, "Why should I let
you in?" On our own we cannot pass that exam. Our creative attempts to
earn eternal life fall far short. But we have Someone who will stand in for
us. -- Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 4.
Romans 8:26 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who
searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. 28 And we know that
in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love
God who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew
he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also
called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also
glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us,
who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up
for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all
things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is
God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more
than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are
considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels
nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I.
We Know God Is At Work Today.
He
is still working in all Areas of our lives.
Even in the dark times he is still there.
Do you see the signs that God is at work?
Can you see the signs? What
does He do?
The
Spirit intercedes for us. He
searches our hearts. He works
according to His will. God works
for the good. God calls us. God predestines us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
He justifies us. He glorifies us. God
is for us. He gives us all
things. He loves us and did not
spare His Son. What can separate
us from Him?
II.
At Work for the Good of the Called and Predestined.
Who
are the called? These are those
who love the Lord, hear His voice, and say yes.
These are those He foreknew. These
are those who were predestined to be conformed.
He called. He justified. He glorified.
One
evening, while putting my daughter, Carla, to bed, I asked her what it was
like to be four years old. She said, "It's special."
"Why is it special?" I
asked.
She responded, "It's special
because I know my mommy loves me."
What
a profound thought! If I'd only take the time, I could see like Carla that
life is special because my heavenly Father loves me. -- Elizabeth DeBeasi,
Stanford, CT, Today's Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart."
III.
If God Be For Us. Who Can Be Against us?
How
do you know God is for us? He did
not spare his son. (v. 32)
God is at work sparing us and you.
IV.
Who Can Condemn Us or Judge us?
God
justifies us then how can any condemn us when there is none that is stronger
than God. He makes intercession
for us.
V.
Who or what Can Separate Us from Him?
NOTHING!
His
grace is sufficient. His love is
all we need. Have you gotten your
free ride from the Lord? Let Him
pick you up and take you through your life.
One
day C.H. Spurgeon was walking through the English countryside with a friend.
As they strolled along, the evangelist noticed a barn with a weather vane on
its roof. At the top of the vane were these words: GOD IS LOVE. Spurgeon
remarked to his companion that he thought this was a rather inappropriate
place for such a message. "Weather vanes are changeable," he said,
"but God's love is constant."
"I don't agree with you
about those words, Charles," replied his friend. "You misunderstood
the meaning. That sign is indicating a truth: Regardless of which way the wind
blows, God is love."
There is a natural, logical
kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely people. That's logical. But
there is another kind of loving that doesn't look for value in what it loves,
but that CREATES value in what it loves. Like Rosemary's rag doll. When
Rosemary, my youngest child, was three, she was given a little rag doll, which
quickly became an inseparable companion. She had other toys that were
intrinsically far more valuable, but none that she loved like she loved the
rag doll. Soon the rag doll became more and more rag and less and less doll.
It also became more and more dirty. If you tried to clean the rag doll, it
became more ragged still. And if you didn't try to clean the rag doll, it
became dirtier still.
The sensible thing to do was
to trash the rag doll. But that was unthinkable for anyone who loved my child.
If you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll--it was part of the package.
"If anyone says 'I love God' yet hates his brother or sister, he is a
liar," (I John 4:20) "love me, love my rag dolls," says God,
"including the one you see when you look in the mirror. This is the first
and greatest commandment."
VI.
Hear and Obey then Answer God’s call.
God
is at work in your life, today. Let
Him justify you.
One night my 11-year-old daughter Eva noticed I was distracted as I
tucked her in to bed. I told her about a friend's teenage daughter whose hair
was mysteriously falling out and I encouraged Eva to pray for Amy. Her simple
words, "Jesus, please hold Amy's hair on her head," touched me.
As the doctors experimented with
different treatments, Amy continued to lose her hair. Eva continued to pray
the same prayer.
After six weeks the doctors
determined Amy had alopecia, an extremely rare disorder where hair loss is
unpredictable but can be complete and permanent. When I told Eva, she took my
hand and closed her eyes. This time her prayer was different. "Dear
Jesus, if you won't hold Amy's hair on her head, would you please hold
Amy?" Tearfully, I realized how sometimes God doesn't move mountains; he
moves us. -- Elisa Morgan in Christian Parenting Today.
Christian Reader, Vol. 34.