Posted in From the Insideout, God is good

Nothing Can Separate Me

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August 22, 2020

Father, You are Good and I am thankful. Thankful that I do not work on Saturday so that I am able to awake later and STAY in bed or sit at my desk – in the quiet – undisturbed – unscheduled day and hear Your voice and read Your Word and glean and write and encourage and be encouraged … where I can hide Your Word in my heart and rehearse it … where my body finds rest and my heart and mind restoration. You meet me on Saturdays with Your healing balm and I am eternally blessed.

This morning’s Scripture(s) came as I was rehearsing Your Word that has been hidden in my heart – specifically, Isaiah 59:2 that says our sin separates us from You – that they hide Your face from us so that You will not hear! Immediately, before I could finish the last word, Your Spirit reminded me of Paul’s words in Roman 8:38-39 where he says he is convinced that “NOTHING can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” So, I’ve spent some time chasing down what at first – and even second – glance can seem like an antithesis. The bottom line is this – Isaiah’s words are right – sin does separate us from You God because You are holy and cannot and will not tolerate sin. However, Paul is also right – in that “Nothing can separate us from the LOVE OF GOD that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” While sin can/does put a “wedge” between us and You, Father, it cannot and will not separate us/me from Your Love! I know this is true because the depth of Your love propelled You to give Your only Son so that all who believe in Him will have “everlasting” life. I know this because Your Spirit lives in me and is a sign and a seal that I am Yours eternally! If we do not believe surely we will die and forever be separated from You! But, for all those who believe You have given the rights to become Your children – and this, through Christ’s atoning blood and righteousness – so that when You look on us – on me – You do not see the wretched sinner that I was but the NEW CREATION that I am in Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior! So, the two passages are not antithesis at all but rather – one – a warning to be heeded and the other – a beautiful LIFE GIVING PROMISE to claim.

It is with great pleasure that in the middle of this morning’s lesson I noticed Your fingerprints on my morning. As I saw how lovely You had highlighted and tied together these [random] Scriptures with the Scriptures and lessons in my current study – “Know Love”. Only You God, only You could orchestrate and carry out this timing so perfectly! Is it any wonder that I love You and proclaim morning after morning that You are Good!?

Journey through The Word
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“Know Love” Week 1 – Friday

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Today’s Scripture: 2 John 2:18-27 (S.O.A.P 2:15-16)

18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

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“Know Love” Week 1-Thursday

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Today’s Scripture: 1 John 2:12-17 (S.O.A.P 2:15-16)

12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

  15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

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“Know God”: Week 1 – Wednesday

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Today’s Scripture: 1 John 2:3-11 (S.O.A.P 2:3-6)

3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.  10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

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“Know Love”: Week 1-Tuesday

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Today’s Scripture: 1 John 1:5-2:2 (S.O.A.P 1:9)

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

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Why It Is Well

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“It is Well With My Soul” has always been a beautiful song to me – sung with emotions of thankfulness that even when things are/were at their worst I could rejoice and say it is/was well because I knew God was with me and in perfect control. I still believe this is TRUE and a rich comfort, but listening to it on the way to work this morning I was moved to worship God with clapping and praises at the thought that “IT” is well – not just because I know and to trust the true and living God in the good and bad conditions/circumstances of this life. It is well with my soul because I have been set FREE and my soul is His – I am FREE- not charged with the debt of my sin but FREE to walk in His grace! FREE to know and be known by God … FREE to worship and to live … FREE to love and to forgive … FREE to love and to be loved … FREE to walk in fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit … FREE to know and to trust the true and living God … FREE to walk by Faith and not by sight … FREE to hope in eternity with God … and FREE to sing “It is well with my soul!”

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“Know Love”: Week 1-Monday

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Challenge: This week, practice confessing your sin as soon as it happens. Ask God to reveal your sin to you and be faithful to confess it to Him and to others right away. Take note of how this affects your attitude and actions around sin, and also your understanding and belief in God’s grace.

Today’s Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4 (S.O.A.P verse 4)

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

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“KNOW LOVE” – Introduction 1, 2, and 3 John

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Join me Monday, August 17 for “Know Love” an LGG (Love God Greatly)  4-week study of 1, 2, and 3 John.

+ 07_BLANK_KnowLove_REF WEEK

What better timing could there be than now for a study on “Love”? John, “the disciple Jesus loved”(Jn 19:26), wrote letters that will encourage, equip, and empower us to live Christ-centered lives of love, unity, and faithfulness. I hope you’ll join me in this 4-week journey through the verses of 1, 2, and 3 John. We will hide some away in our heart, we will write some down on paper and discuss/share what we have observed and how we  believe they should be applied to our life. I’ve been a student of God’s Word for decades and I have never known a better method of studying the Bible than what the Love God Greatly team lays out in their studies. You’ll find all of the details in any of their journals or on their website.

As an LGG facilitator of this study I will supply you with the passages, challenges, and other info as we move through the study; however, journals are also available through the Love God Greatly site. While they are not necessary they are a tremendous asset to the study. https://lovegodgreatly.com/how-to-soap/  https://lovegodgreatly.com/store/

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THE GREATER GIFT

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Father, You are good 💜 You heard my simple but heartfelt prayer for uninterrupted sleep and You gave it. Even when I stirred in the early morning hours You lulled me back to sleep – and I praise You! In Your great and mysterious sovereignty – the Scripture reading this morning was from Psalm 116, which says: “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” Yes, in the night You gave me the restful sleep I desperately sought – but the greater gift of Your goodness, as the Psalmist goes on to describe is this –

You have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling that I may walk before You in the land of the living -Psalm 116: 8-9

And as the Psalmist – “I trusted in You when I said, many times over, I am greatly afflicted,” and so also I say with him – “What shall I return to the LORD for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on Your name – O LORD.”

Your praise and goodness will continually be in my heart and on my tongue. My lips will glorify Your great name forever and forever – Amen!

Me, from the inside-out

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My Trust and Hope

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Father, You are good. In You I have put my trust. Show me Your ways LORD, teach me Your ways for they are right and good like You. Guide me in Your truth and teach me for You are my God and Savior and Your Spirit lives in me for this reason 💙 My hope is in You all day long! Oh how I love and depend on You. (Psalm 25:1-5 and John 14:26)