"Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? Just as it is written, ‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 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 which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Paul is addressing the true believers in their day and time. It is also for us in this present day who are willing to follow our Lord and Savior. He is preparing us for our eternal life while living in this kingdom we do not belong to as Jesus didn’t.
Jesus declares in John 18:36-37:
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
This clearly reveals to us we are to live according to the rules or laws of God versus man as our Lord did. We are not to allow ourselves to be pulled to man’s level. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but powers and principalities. However these spirits work through other people which makes it very difficult to discern.
The key we want to focus on is there is no one or anything that can separate us from the love of God, but we ourselves when we stop believing His Words to us.
Paul gives this long list of experiences we will encounter while on this earth if we follow Him. True believers will experience the baptism of fire which is what refines us, and surfaces the impurities that are deep within only He knows about. That is why we end up rejoicing, because through it all we become more like our Lord. He forgives, cleanses, and heals us, and that is how we always conquer through Him who loves us. No one can take His love from you. If you hang onto His love we are promised we will conquer in what really matters. We may not look successful to the world as our Lord did not while being beaten, humiliated, and crucified. They demeaned Him as a man every way possible, not realizing He was doing it for them. He did it for all of us. This is the blessed hope for all of us who are truly His.
In the old Testament we are warned and comforted by Micah 7:5-10:
"Do not trust in a neighbor; do not have confidence in a friend. From her who lies in your bosom guard your lips. The son treats the father contemptuously. Daughter rises up against her mother; daughter-in-law rises up against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall; I will rise. Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His righteousness. Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover him who said to me,
"Where is your God?"
My eyes will look on him; at that time he will be trampled down like mire of the streets."
The wrath of the enemy coming through those you have loved the most in life within your own family is probably the most painful of all trials of testing we experience. We must remember our Lord was betrayed by a kiss from one of His own disciples which is as one of our own children. He knows betrayal and rejection from the Jews who were His chosen people.Remember our Lord was Jewish. They were of his own family. We pray to a God who understands our pain.
Peter tells us how we are to respond in 1 Peter 2:18-25:
"Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if you do what us right and suffer for it, and patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, he did not revile in return; while suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls."
These are such powerful verses we all need to heed. I so desire God’s favor more than man’s. We can entrust ourselves to the One who judges righteously. May God use this devotional for those who truly desire to be bondslaves of Christ, as all His disciples chose to be in the end. O that these truths from His Word would empower us to follow Him faithfully to the end. He has gone before us, and He is preparing a home for us no one can take away — if we keep ourselves in the love of God, no matter what the cost on this earth. May we declare with our Lord we are not of this kingdom on earth, but we live to be united with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
What a great blessing to return to Topsail Island, NC seeking peace and solitude from the storms of life. It served it’s purpose well as it has so many times in my past.
