Coffee With The Lord

You just can’t lose if Christ is your Savior, you’ve experienced His life transforming love, and you’re following Him… You just can’t lose!!! (In fact, you’re a winner, regardless of what comes your way!!)  That’s the wonderful message of Romans 8:31-39.  I read it again this morning and have posted it for you to reflect upon, revel in, rejoice greatly over!  I did!!

“What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  Indeed, He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?  Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, He was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? …  No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:31–39 NET)

I watched with a deep ache in my heart as a dear, dear friend of mine wasted away with a dread disease, wracked with pain.  We prayed fervently for his healing… with faith I might add… but he suffered and eventually died.

But I also watched with admiration at his faith, his love for God, the evidence of an indomitable spirit and the exhibiting of Christlike character!  Still positive in the face of suffering… always chuckling at something humorous… more concerned about the needs of others than his situation.

I thought about my friend this morning as I read these words from Job…

“My eyes have grown dim with grief; my whole frame is but a shadow… But the righteous man holds to his way and the one with clean hands grows stronger!” (Job 17:7-9 NET Bible)

Apostle Paul had it right about the inner strength knowing Christ brings (even in the face of suffering)!  “So we do not lose heart!  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day!” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

My dying friend showed me how to live… He also showed me how to face pain and death!  He is now with His Lord (and I might add… pain free!).

Just a healthy reminder from the “Sermon on the Mount”…

“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by others. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1 NET Bible)

Having said that, don’t forget… “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NET Bible)

The difference is “self-righteous pride” vs. “humble, godly influence” … Oh Lord help me exhibit the latter!”