God forbid we separate ourselves from Him.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

We read this, but do we know this in our hearts?

The love of Christ is ALL important.

Can ANYONE or ANYTHING separate us from our Savior?  The only thing that can separate us- is ourselves. 

Satan will try everything, and I do mean everything to break our bond to our Savior, but in the end only we can break that bond.  Satan will use deception to separate us from Christ, he'll be so subtle many people won't even know they've been separated. 

Tribulations will come.

Distress and persecution will attack us.

Famine, nakedness, peril and swords will be used against those who follow Christ.

Christ followers are being killed all the day long, and every Christian is counted as a sheep for slaughter.  With all these awful painful, frightening evil attacks we can know that we are secure in Christ through them all!

Death won't separate us from Christ's love.

Life won't separate us. Angels won't separate us. Principalities won't separate us. Powers won't separate us. Nothing present and nothing in the future can take our Savior from us. No height, no depth, no creatures will take the Savior's love from us, our God's love from us, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

We HAVE to keep the love of God in us and never, ever lose it!

Knowing that nothing can separate us from God's love - how is it that many will be deceived into separation?

Hearing that NOTHING can separate us we have to realize that what is being said is NOTHING outside of ourselves will separate us from the love of God.  Just believing nothing can separate us doesn't mean you can't be separated or else no one would believe they are Christ's only to end up not being Christ's.

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

We can separate ourselves.

Please, Father God, please let us never separate ourselves from you! Please!  Special prayers for one who is hurting tragically, be her strength, please, LORD, be her strength! So many, so, so many are desperate for YOU.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Leave me not...

Psa 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Psa 27:7  Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 

Psa 27:8  When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 

Psa 27:9  Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Please O LORD, have mercy on me… I will seek YOUR face! Please!

I need You to use me for Your purpose, not my own.

Truly, LORD, truly YOUR thoughts are not my thoughts, Your ways are not my ways. Your ways are higher than the heaven from the earth, Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. I am at Your mercy!

Hear me as I cry to You, please…  let me be Yours!

I ask...

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

Please, Father God, I need wisdom desperately! Please!

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

Father, I need the gift, the perfect gift of Your wisdom. All glory, praise and honor unto YOU!

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

My faults are many, Father God,  so many. Please, Savior, please pray for me, please all who read this, pray for me, I need healing. Please!  All glory and praise and thanksgiving unto God now and forever!

Pro 2:3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 

Pro 2:4  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 

Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 

Pro 2:6  For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 

I'm crying for knowledge!
I'm lifting my voice for understanding!
I'm seeking as silver!
I'm searching as hidden treasures!

Praise Your holy name for understanding the fear of YOU.

Praise Your holy name for finding the knowledge of YOU.

Thank you LORD for giving me wisdom from YOUR mouth- the knowledge and understanding!

Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 

Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 

Mat 7:9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 

Mat 7:10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 

Mat 7:11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 

Please, Father I ask….

Rom_8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!!

Comfort in Tribulation.

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 

2Co 1:5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 

2Co 1:6  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 

2Co 1:7  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 

2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 

Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

Rom 5:6  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 

Rom 5:7  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

I am weak, You are my strength.

'My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness' - The LORD'S words!

Praise God, truly, His strength is made PERFECT in weakness.

Lord, I am weak, so very weak. Please let your grace fill me, your grace IS sufficient in all things. Teach me to glory in my infirmities, please Lord, teach me. I need Your power to rest upon me so desperately. Help me to take pleasure in my infirmities, in any reproach, in all necessities, and persecutions, help me to learn how to take pleasure in my many, many distresses and let the pleasure be the knowledge of You and Your grace knowing it is sufficient for me! Please. All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

We don't always get special miracles.

Is it possible to exalt ourselves above measure- to think more highly of ourselves than we should? I don't want to confuse this with the self-depreciation many take on in their lives outside of their relationship with Christ- I'm talk about exalting ourselves in our relationship with Christ. Paul knew that he would have exalted himself above measure if he hadn't been given his thorn in the flesh. Only, Paul comprehended this after he asked not once, not twice, but three times for it to be taken from him. Now Paul was used to healing people of their ailments in the name of the Savior. I can imagine He was used to healing all sorts of diseases and infirmities, you name it and he was most likely responsible for someone being healed. Remember this--

Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 

Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 

GOD wrought SPECIAL MIRACLES by the hands of Paul- so no, it wasn't PAUL healing these people it was GOD, but He was using Paul as His instrument of healing.  Paul witnessed the power of God's healing and knew God could heal to the uttermost when it was God's will to do so, to allow healing. I imagine God allowed so much healing because people needed to comprehend the full love of God through Jesus Christ His Only Begotten Son.  They needed to hear the plan of salvation in Christ, they needed to know they could gain eternal life in Christ.  God did not heal without a purpose. He wanted His love known. So does this mean when the healing doesn’t come we don’t see His love? No. If that were the case, Paul would be lamenting the loss of God's love for him. Paul knew there was a REASON for no healing, a reason that was meant for his own good. He wanted the ailment, the THORN in his FLESH taken away but he had to accept the thorn and TRUST in God that it was all a part of God's plan. Every single person who suffers, all who are put to death because of their belief in our Savior, are ultimately working out their own salvation through their trust in God's plan, not their own.  People have to know that it is Satan buffeting them, but comprehend that in that buffeting they are safe in God's hands, safe in their eternal life.

Please Lord, please help us to know, to trust, to believe, to have faith in our SAVIOR'S love in ALL the tragedy we go through, or witness others - our loved ones going through.

All in our Savior's name, all in Jesus Christ our LORD now and forever!

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

'… the Lord is still for the body. If we offer ours to Him, acknowledging Him as Lord of everything and claiming His promise by faith, we shall see how the Lord can deliver us from ourselves. Irrespective of how we physiologically are made, even possessing special weaknesses, we can overcome our sins through the Lord.'  Excerpt- The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee.

Why do we suffer?

'… the Lord is still for the body. If we offer ours to Him, acknowledging Him as Lord of everything and claiming His promise by faith, we shall see how the Lord can deliver us from ourselves. Irrespective of how we physiologically are made, even possessing special weaknesses, we can overcome our sins through the Lord.'  Excerpt- The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee.

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

We know the Lord truly is the LORD of all of us, mind, body, spirit, all of us.  And we also know how much our bodies can influence our minds and spirit.  Clearly in the passage above, Paul wants his infirmity of the flesh to be taken away from him. Obviously he is disturbed by this thorn in his flesh enough to pray about it. This thing, this ailment of his he called- THE MESSENGER OF SATAN TO BUFFET HIM, he wanted it gone.  Most of us can probably relate to some degree, having experienced physical distresses. Some of us with chronic ailments- such as this had to be for Paul- comprehend how awful it is to have to live with constant pain, constant distress.  Our various messengers of Satan buffeting us are things we'd love to be rid of. And as Watchman Nee writes in the excerpt above- the Lord is for our body too- not just our spirit, He is Lord of all of us. And yes, the Lord can deliver us from sicknesses and such, but more importantly He knows when not to deliver us for reasons beyond our full comprehension. 

Paul could say that his ailment was left intact because if he didn't have it he would be exalted above measure, he would think much higher of himself with the danger of pride taking over.  Paul ended up GLORYING in his infirmities knowing that the power of Christ was still working in Him. Paul didn't give up on God because his prayers weren't answered and he continued to suffer. He could have given up his walk with Christ, blaming Him for not healing him like he believed he needed. But Paul knew that all he needed was whatever it was Christ deemed He needed. If Christ believed it necessary for Paul to suffer physically, mentally, spiritually- to receive reproaches, to lack necessities, to be persecuted, to be in distress then Paul gloried in all those awful things, he took PLEASURE in all those things, and that pleasure was knowing that He was living wholly for Christ and whatever befell Him was all for Christ's glory.  Paul's strength was his relationship with Christ, to him nothing else mattered and he was sorely tested on this over and over again.  Why, you may ask?  It's the same why we ask when we suffer isn't it, or others we love suffer, or anyone or anything suffers, we ask why, we lament the why and Satan would have us BLAME God for allowing the suffering.  Satan would have us cry out, WHY GOD!? WHY?! And Satan wants to use our weak relationship with Christ to insinuate that God isn't truly working out things for our good or the good of others. If Satan can put doubt into our minds about God's truth, about God's love, then Satan's aim has been met, he wants us to doubt, to despair, to give up on God.

More on this tomorrow by the grace and will of our GOD, may we never, no matter what befalls us, leave the love of our Savior! All through HIS amazing LOVE now and forever! All through Jesus Christ our LORD.