Where To Find hope When Your Problems Are About to Conquer You

Sometimes, we feel like we are in a losing battle where our problems are going to beat us

"No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:38.

The Biblical passage before this verse lists many adversities, trials, afflictions, and tests.

We are conquerors over...
     * Sin,
     * The devil,
     * The world,
     * Test
     * Afflictions
     * Persecutions
     * Trials.

MORE THAN
We not only overcome our trials but also overcome them abundantly to the point that we are made better off for having been in the trial. The lessons we learn and the character we develop far exceed the price paid by going through the tests. We can rejoice in trials and afflictions in ways that the world can only guess at.  Our test actually deepens our faith and joy.

Being more than conquerors is more than not being overcome by our afflictions but understanding that those afflictions actually cause us to know our Lord better. We are drawn closer to him and are made more like him.

Because we are conquerors, we can face trials and afflictions with joy and courage.

THE SOURCE OF CONQUEST
It is not by a program, education, church, or determination that we can overcome. It is through him who loved us, by the Blood of the Lamb. Victory is achieved through Jesus, whose death has already won the victory. He is the victor because he has overcome. He has defeated sin, death, the world, and Satan- that victory is one of the things we share in Jesus' death and resurrection.

The trials we face are nothing compared to his victory in his death and resurrection.

If we can trust him to deliver us from sin and its judgment, it should be a small thing to trust him to give us victory over our trials.

We come to Him by faith for salvation, for through him we are saved, and in the same way, we come to him by faith for victory.

LOVE
If he loved us enough to die to redeem us, he surely loves us enough to give us victory over the afflictions of our daily lives.

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(c)Adron Dozat 12/6/14

Are My Problems Too Big For God? Romans 8:31

Sometimes we feel the whole world is against us and there is nowhere to turn.

"What shall we say then in response to all these things. If God is for us who can be against us?" Romans 8:31.

ALL THESE THINGS
This verse references the things God has done is doing and will do for us who believe.  (Click here to read Romans 8 for context). The chapter says, among other things, that...

     * We are freed from condemnation, (verse 1).
     * We are freed from sin and death, (2).
     * He gives us the Holy Spirit, (9).
     * Christ lives in us, (10).
     * God gives us son-ship, (15).
     * God gives us an inheritance with Christ, (17).
     * He will reveal glory in us, (18).
     * God makes us the first fruits of the Spirit, (23).
     * The Spirit helps us in weaknesses and in prayer, (26).
     * We are predestined, called, justified, and glorified, (30).

GOD IS FOR YOU
Whatever problem you have God has already dealt with the biggest problem you will ever have- He sent His son to die to take your place in judgment and pay for your sin.  Then after doing that he gives everything else he can give.

HE HAS DONE
He has given to those of us who believe a place and purpose in His Kingdom that is far greater than our place in this world.  We may feel like second class losers here but the Lord has made us first citizens of His Kingdom, we are holy, royal, and heirs.

WHO CAN STAND AGAINST HIM
Considering all the Almighty has done for us if we have any need it is the smaller issue; since God has resolved the greatest most eternal problem we can be confident He is able and willing meet the smaller ones we face every day.

If you are interested in knowing how to have God in your life forever see my other blog on salvation.

(c) Adron Dozat

When Will We Be Free From Sin? Romans 6:18

People of faith know that we should do right but we keep on doing wrong. Is there no hope to live a righteous life?

"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." Romans 6:18

Sin's Chains Have Been Broken

HAVE BEEN
These words are past tense. As far as God is concerned sin is a done deal- the blood of Jesus paid for it and the resurrection proves its power is broken. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior we are part of something that has happened. We do not sit around hoping it will come but we have already been set free.

SET FREE
This "set free" is something that is established. No longer do we have to obey sin and we are no longer bound by its chains. We are free from the greatest slave master ever.

We cannot make ourselves free but are set free by another. When we come to God through the work of Jesus on our behalf when He died to pay for our sins we are given a new life of freedom from the power and judgment of sin.

HAVE BECOME
This "have become" is another fact expressed in the past tense of certainty. Our experience may be in varying degrees but we are moving forward to greater freedom as we grow in Christ.

SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
Gratitude and love compel us to serve because of what God did for us when Jesus died to pay for our sins. His death broke the power of sin and in his death, we are now able to do the right things we were unable to do outside of Christ.

In our former lives, we could not help but obey sin. But now we may claim the promise that we have been set free from sin and be obedient to God.

To learn more about coming to God to be free from the judgment of sin see my Gospel Blog.

(c) Adron 1/23/14

What To Do When Prayer Seems To Be Dead And Useless. Help From The Bible, Romans 8:26

Few people are satisfied with their prayer life. We feel we are not putting enough in it or we are not confident in the discipline of prayer. We ask, "Are my prayers are any good?"

"In the same way the spirit helps in our weakness, we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Romans 8:26

WEAKNESS
We are weak because we are human and do not know the mind of the Almighty, and we are far from his counsel.  In our human flesh, we doubt and question prayer or our proper use of it. When we struggle with our prayer life, we can count on the Holy Spirit.

KNOW
Prayer is a mystery in many ways, but that need not keep us from it. What we do understand is marvelous, and in Romans 8:26, we are told that the Holy Spirit helps us pray to God the Father.

INTERCEDES
Someone who intercedes is a go-between, often when there is a conflict or much at stake. Sometimes, they prevent ruin or disaster for the one or the other for whom they are interceding. God's ways are higher than ours, and we cannot comprehend his purposes. We are at a disadvantage in prayer; we must have someone who can be a go-between, not because the All-knowing One cannot hear our words but because we are so off the mark that our efforts are pathetic.

PRAYER CHANGES US
Prayer has transforming power, and people of faith have credited it with changing their lives. Knowing that the Holy Spirit is active in our prayers explains this. As he intercedes for us, his intercession leaves a mark or a fragrance in our lives, not unlike when Moses came down from the mountain wearing a veil because of the holy light that glowed from his face.

WORDLESS GROANS
Wordless groans give the image of a deep, raw need. Here is an expression of need and dependence. The Holy Spirit is in touch with the passion of our hearts and is making our feeble language pure expression before The Lord in Heaven.

FAITH
Prayer is an expression of faith, and we must keep the attitude of faith before us. If prayer seems to be a struggle and you feel it is useless, the best solution is to continue to pray to know the Holy Spirit is involved in making what we say holy and acceptable to the Almighty. With that confidence of being heard, we can be assured of the Power of God in our lives.

(c)Adron Dozat 12/20/13

What Is So Good About The Verse That Says The Wages Of Sin Is Death? Romans 6:23

Christians love to quote the verse that says “The wages of sin is death…” but overlook the part of the verse that makes the point.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23, NIV.

SIN
Everyone agrees that sin is bad. This verse states the ultimate punishment is death; in the Bible death is eternal separation from the Giver of Life. It is the sin is death context which makes the second part of the verse such good news.

THE MISTAKE WE CHRISTIANS MAKE
We know that a person’s eternal state is important and as messengers of the Good News Christians want people to get right with God, but it is the Holy Spirit’s job to show people their sin, their guilt, and give them a burden for their soul’s future; that is not our job, we are partners with the Lord in the Good News, not the bad.

THE GIFT
The verse’s second part is the heart of it, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God has a free, unearned and undeserved gift for us, and He offers it to all who are willing to take it. This gift is more than freedom from judgment but eternal and abundant life, the threat of death is completely and irrevocably removed.

The giver of this gift is God himself, there is no better security for our eternal souls.  Since God is the giver no one can offer a better gift of salvation.  You could not invent a better way to be saved than God did and no other religion or philosophy could compete with it.  Since this gift is from the Holy Creator of the universe no one could ever be worthy of it; that is why it is a gift- because we are not worthy and never could be.

CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD
This gift of “Eternal Life” is anchored by a source bigger than ourselves our efforts, sacrifices, or deeds, because the life promised is “in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Eternal life is not in anything that can be shaken like my own religion or good works but in Christ.  He is the Resurrection and the Life.  He paid for our sin by dying in our stead on the cross.  Death has been defeated because Jesus overcame death and the grave when he rose on Easter.

BUT HE IS LORD
Jesus is not just a savior or some fire escape from God's punishment, he is Lord.  You cannot accept his salvation and forgiveness for your sins and then go on doing those sins that he died to pay for- it is a slap in his face or worse.  He died to give you new life it is right to use that life for him.

If you want to know more about coming to Jesus for new life see my other post.

(c) Adron Dozat 8/12/10

Is There Good In My Suffering? Romans 8:28.

Does the suffering I go through have any good purpose?

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18.

THE AUTHORITY ON SUFFERING
The Apostle Paul, who wrote the quote, was persecuted, outcast, flogged, stoned, beaten with rods, castaway at sea, imprisoned unjustly, abandoned by friends and supporters, afflicted with an incurable ailment he dubbed the “thorn in the flesh,” and finally a martyr’s death. Yet, he states these, "sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us."

PAUL
Paul the intellectual said, "I consider," this great thinker came to a great conclusion, "Look beyond this life." We should focus on God’s purpose and not our problems. Heaven is the home of God who is infinite, so His Heaven must also be infinite; infinitely beautiful, immeasurable, joyous, safe, peaceful, abundant, etc.

COMPARE
To compare is to note the differences and similarities. The difference between our suffering and God’s purposes are so infinitely great that there is no comparison. If you measured your troubles in inches the measure of God’s Glory in us would be light-years. Paul is saying, “God’s glory in us is so great I just can’t ponder it.”

GLORY
No one understands God’s Glory. To see God’s glory meant death in the Old Testament yet He is revealing it in those who have faith in Him. God is working in our lives, we may have a problem with temper or lying, and of course, God is gently working on those things but this “glory” is much higher than character improvement.

YOUR HARDSHIP
No matter what trial you face you can endure testing with hope. God wants us to trust Him. In the Bible God always rewarded trust, the deepest test asks deeper trust which brings fuller blessings in this life and beyond, so don’t compare- trust. Our present afflictions are only for a time. Remember this life is not all, maybe it is just a shadow of the truth. Our loving Father is making us ready for a greater reality; He is making us ready for Himself, heaven, and for Glory.

To read Romans 8 in its entirety click here.

(c) Adron

Where is The Proof Of An All Loving God? Romans 5: 7, 8.

Does God love mankind? Where is the proof of an all loving God?

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7, 8. NIV.

NOT BEAUTIFUL
When it comes to love we love the beautiful, noble and worthy. The daily news demonstrates that man is not beautiful, but evil. Man has a problem- a wicked nature, call it “sin,” but being sinners we don’t like the word “sin” so we call it something else, a disorder, or an illness; which implies we can fix or cure it.

Yet generations of medicine and science has failed to expunge the nature of sin and its power in our private lives. If we could fix this problem we will fix war, famine, health care, poverty and all other evils. We try to fix sin with programs, rules, laws and efforts; but they are no better than the flawed humans who devise them.

GOD LOVES THE UGLY
But God loves us even in our ugly, sinful, evil, and wicked ways, and so addresses this sin issue. He begins with our most basic need- forgiveness. This means our sin must be taken away, and the threat of punishment removed.

It is in full view of our wickedness that God makes a way, for it says, "While we were still sinners Christ died for us." Before we were redeemable God redeems us. He does what we can’t do. He sees our need for salvation and forgiveness and since we can’t attain it ourselves God makes the full provision for it. He Himself pays for our sin and erases the threat of judgment forever. God didn't wait for us to become righteous or good and this is great news because we never could be.

LOVED TO DEATH
Only Christ can deliver us from sin. The death of Jesus as our substitute for punishment succeeds. Only Jesus’ death is ratified by God and endorsed via the resurrection. His death is the ultimate expression of love. Whatever our sins are we can be assured of God’s love for us since He already demonstrated it on the Cross.

To learn more about coming to God's love and having eternal life see my other blog.

(c) Adron

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Adron

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