Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

Hold onto this promise, no matter what happens in your life! If you believe in Jesus, if He’s your Lord and Savior, then there’s absolutely nothing natural or supernatural that can ever separate you from God’s love. Ever.

God’s already demonstrated His vast, rock-solid love by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross for your salvation. There’s no greater act of love imaginable than Jesus taking the punishment for your sins. Remember this when doubt begins to rise in your mind. Remember this during hard, lonely seasons when God feels distant and uncaring. That’s simply a feeling and it’s deceiving. God’s never distant and He always cares.

There’s nothing you can do to earn God’s love and nothing you can do to lessen God’s love for you. God loves you more than you can possibly imagine. God may become displeased with the choices you make, but when you turn from them and return to Him, He’s always right there, ready to forgive you and embrace you in love.

The world may try to lie to you, claiming you’re unlovable. You aren’t. In Christ, God loves you. You may get confused and doubt God’s love for you, but His steadfast love for you will never end. God’s love is an objective reality guaranteed by the blood of Jesus, not a subjective feeling determined by you. Nothing and no one can separate you from God’s love. Walk in the bright light of this glorious love!

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” – Romans 8:15

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are sealed by God’s Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to live within us and that changes everything inside us. Our external circumstances may look the same, but inside, we are new creations. Sometimes, though, we struggle to realize that everything’s changed and just keep living the same old way. That isn’t how it should be!

Having God’s Spirit within us is 100% proof that we are children of God. In Christ, God adopts us as His beloved sons and daughters. That means our relationship with God is no longer one of distance, hostility, and separation (because of sin), nor is it merely one of formality (as of a powerful King toward a powerless subject) or authority (as of a boss toward a subordinate). It’s a relationship of genuine familial affection. We’re able to cry out to our perfect Father in Heaven with intimacy, love, and confidence. We’re able to cry out to our “Abba” Father and KNOW that He’s listening with favor and affection. If Jesus is your Lord, this is true for you. Believe it!!!

Knowing that we’ve received the Spirit of adoption means we must resist the temptation to keep doing what we did before we believed in Jesus. We’re no longer slaves to sin and death. We aren’t meant to live in fear, for our eternity is secure in Christ and even death is simply a doorway to greater life. During seasons of widespread fear, uncertainty, doubt, and despair resist the temptation to sink into those things yourself. You are a child of God!

“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” – Matthew 24:44

Ready is an important word for followers of Jesus. We’re called to constantly be ready. Ready for the ups and downs of life in a sinful and fallen world. Ready for war and persecution. Ready for life and death. Ready to give account for every word we’ve spoken and every action we’ve taken. Ready for our Lord and Savior to return at any moment.

That isn’t to say that Christ’s return is imminent. It’s simply that as His followers, we must always be ready for Him. We shouldn’t be putting things like obedience to God, growth in Christ, or sharing the Gospel off for ”when things are better”, “when we have more time”, “when the kids are grown”, or “when things aren’t so busy”. We must be busy doing our Lord’s business every day.

Being ready doesn’t mean we should be paralyzed by the prospect of Christ returning on a specific timeline. We shouldn’t live in a short-term mindset that ignores that fact that for God, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like an day.

Being ready means that we each know what God has called us to do and we’re doing it. Every day. Being ready means that we’re loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength every day, not just Sundays. Being ready means that we’re loving our neighbors as ourselves all the time, not just when it’s convenient and we like them. Being ready means we’re making disciples continually as we go, baptize, and teach.

We don’t know when our life will end or our Savior will return. Being ready at all times means that we don’t have to be concerned about those things. Be ready!

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.”
– Psalm 57:1

As the violence of war intensifies in cities, non-combatants find themselves increasingly in grave danger. Amongst your prayers, remember those huddled in basements, taking shelter in subway stations, leaving everything behind to flee to foreign lands, or with nowhere to go and no way to leave. Hospital patients, the aged, ordinary families, orphans. People with hopes and dreams. People made in God’s image. People no different from you or your neighbors who have been suddenly and unexpectedly caught up in war.

Fortunately, God is real, He is powerful, He is in control. Turn this verse into an ongoing prayer for Almighty God to shelter, comfort, and protect these huddled masses from the fury and destruction of war.

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
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And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” – Matthew 24:6-8,14

Today, our year-long journey through the Bible brings us to these timely words of Jesus. War will continue to be a part of this sinful, fallen world until Christ returns to triumph over every opponent. As the people of God, we must pray and work for peace but shouldn’t be surprised when war comes.

Indeed, we should understand that things will become worse (far worse) in this world before they become better. Violence, warfare, and disaster are but the beginning. They are the pain that precedes the joy of Christ’s return. What we’re witnessing now isn’t the end, because God’s plan to redeem for Himself a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation isn’t yet complete.

Rather than be paralyzed by the news of yet another terrible turn of events in these tumultuous times, we must be energized to do the work assigned to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom. We must preach Christ crucified and resurrected far and wide – in our neighborhoods and to all nations. We have important work to do before the end. Let us be found faithful!