My Beloved Jesus by Jenna Vick Silliman

One morning right at dawn, I prayed about a money matter. The Lord Jesus spoke to my heart, “I will provide for you, my beloved.” I was stunned. Could this be God talking to me in such an intimate way? Yes! He did provide for that need and He has continued to speak to me in this sweet, endearing way. Now I answer back, “My Beloved Jesus.”

‘My Beloved’ reveals the intimacy and close, personal, love relationship that the Lord Jesus wants us to have with Him. He desires us to be so close that we are one with Him in the perfect bond of unity—His awesome love. In John 17 we read about Jesus praying that we would be one.

Jesus also said, This IS eternal life, to KNOW ME. (See John 17:3) This word ‘know’ means to intimately know—as Adam knew Eve. Knowing Him, loving Him, and living the abundant life He freely gives us, is what LIFE is all about.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and Psalm 127:2, as well as the beautiful Song of Solomon, we learn we are also the beloved of the Lord. His love for us is beyond our wildest dreams and is so tenderhearted and full of grace and mercy and lovingkindness. He longs for us to return His love. When we turn to Him with love filled hearts we are right where we are supposed to be. This is the love relationship we were created for and nothing, absolutely nothing, is sweeter!

“My Beloved” is found throughout the Song of Solomon. See Song of Solomon 2:10-12, “My beloved spoke, and said to me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come…Come away!’” See also Song of Solomon 3:6, “I am my beloved’s and He is mine and His banner (or flag) over me is love.”

A sense of belonging is one of the strongest human needs. To be awakened to this deep, personal, love relationship with Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and to belong to Him, is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given. He is not just a person I know about—I know Him and commune with Him in an intimate love relationship. To me Jesus is not just THE Beloved, He is MY Beloved. I am not just A beloved, I am HIS beloved!

Your beloved is someone you want to always be with and you can’t live without. Your beloved is always taken into consideration and is your confidant, your soul mate, your favorite, and your lives are intertwined to the point you couldn’t imagine separation. The Lord is so much who I am and has become my everything. My life would be nothing without Him.

There is a false idea that another person can fill this place inside us, the deepest longing of the human heart. Only the Lord’s Holy Spirit can satisfy this desire. Humans turn to materialism or addictions, such as food and drink, drugs and alcohol to satisfy them. Nothing and no one truly satisfies except the presence of the Lord!

The truth is found in God’s Word. Luke 6:21, “Blessed are you who seek Him, for you shall be satisfied.” Psalm 107:9, “He satisfies the longing soul.” Psalm 24:14, “The secret of the sweet satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who revere and worship Him.” Psalm 36:8, “We are satisfied and we relish and feast on the abundance You provide us.” Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you…you shall be like a well-watered garden and like a spring of water.” Jer. 31:14 “My people will be satisfied with My goodness says the Lord.” Is.55:2,3 “Why do you spend your money on that which is not satisfying? …Let your soul delight in My abundance…then you’ll be satisfied.” Phil.4:11 “I have learned how to be content [satisfied]…”

When we live in day to day and minute by minute intimacy with our Beloved Jesus, our lives become an overflow of His love, kindness, grace, peace, and joy. His Presence affects all of our relationships in a powerful way. When we engage in fellowship, seek a mate, or minister side by side, we will find kindred spirits with His Presence evident in their lives. A husband and wife in love with Jesus first and overflowing with His Holy Spirit, is the way God created marriage to be!

St. Francis of Assisi was known for having a life-changing love affair with Christ. He was called “the second Christ” because his life was so totally given over to the Lord Jesus. What can we learn from this man so devoted to the Lord? Love the Lord as your beloved, as your one and only, as your first love. Chesterton wrote: “He [St. Francis] did not love Christianity but Christ.” A personal, intimate love relationship with Christ is what Christianity is all about.

I love You with all my heart and soul, Lord Jesus, my Beloved. You are my 24/7 love affair! In Your presence, my Beloved, is joy everlasting. A day in Your courts, in Your presence, is better than a thousand outside. Thank You for the gift of Your sweet, satisfying presence. Thank You for loving me, My Beloved Lord Jesus.

God's Intervention by Jenna Vick Silliman

I know God has performed “divine intervention” countless times in my life, but I have had a hard time thinking up some dramatic story to tell. What came to mind immediately, when I heard the topic for this week, was when I crashed into the car in front of me one rainy day back in 1980 on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I know angels cushioned the blow. I was so surprised their car was untouched. My baby blue VW Bug became a “padoodle” with one headlight out—but everyone was fine and the incident was soon forgotten.

One day, as I walked out of Safeway with my nine-year old son, Peter, I threw away the receipt in a barrel by the door. He said to me, “Mom, it is not right to throw garbage into the donations for the Food Bank!” I told him I just saw a garbage can out of the corner of my eye and didn’t realize it was not for trash.

I asked him, “Peter, do you know what it means to see out of the corner of your eye?”

He said, “Yes, that’s how I see the angels, out of the corner of my eye.”

I marveled. I wish I was able to see God’s angel armies constantly acting our behalf. They are truly performing God’s “divine intervention”. When we pray, He puts ‘em all to work. Angels are not giggling, fat, little cherubs. They are twelve feet tall or more and they are mighty warriors with super powers. Cool!

How has God intervened? I don’t know what I don’t know! I am highly favored and blessed beyond measure. On a daily basis He walks with me (and dances with me!) and talks with me. I am like Noah and Enoch, great men of the Bible, who habitually walked with God. (See Genesis 5:24 and 6:9 in the Amplified Version of the Bible.) HOW DIVINE! Jesus said, (See John chapter 15.) if we abide (which basically means to hang out) with Him, He will act on our behalf, empower us with more of His Spirit, and answer our prayers. In other words, if you want divine intervention, hang out with Jesus—He da man!

Last Sunday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. As His followers we have received Him and the gift of a new life. The Bible tells us that if anyone accepts Jesus and the free gift of salvation, (just talk to Jesus—He is alive and listening!) we become a new person empowered with God’s Holy Spirit. There is a Bible verse that says we are spiritually co-resurrected WITH Jesus Christ! Wow! Amazing! Now that sounds like “divine intervention” to me—big time. Hahaha!

Another way God intervenes every second of every minute is with laminin. I saw a movie about how big God is and how He created the stars and all the universes and how enormously gigantic He is to have such an endless creation out there. The galaxies and light years into outer space are immeasurable and beautiful and all placed in perfect order by our amazing Creator. I really didn’t like it because I felt so small and insignificant, like a crumb on an ant’s left baby toe. However, the narrator reminds us how much God loves us and cares for us and knows all about us—even how many hairs are on our heads at any given moment in time. There are endless and immeasurable miracles inside our bodies as well. Scientists that study the human body continue to marvel at a vast array of amazing facts. One discovery is called laminin.

Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue and between every cell of our bodies. Laminins are what hold us together. They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. God, through the laminins He created, is divinely intervening inside our bodies all the time! What is really cool is that laminins are shaped like a cross—the symbol of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (See picture above of a laminin.)

Laminins make me think of this Scripture song: "The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in you, dwells in you..."

One of my friends on Facebook writes:

One of the many things I learned as I translated the Psalms was regarding the Hebrew word for shield. When David describes God as his 'Shield' it means God's very presence is wrapped around Him, covering and protecting. I like that. "God, Your wrap-around presence is my protection and my defense. You bring victory to all who reach out for You." (See Psalm 7:10.)

THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL OF YOUR AMAZING DIVINE INTERVENTION IN OUR LIVES!

The Word of God by Jenna Vick Silliman

Oh how I LOVE Your Word, O Lord! (Psalm 119:97) I awaken before dawn, go to a place where we can be alone and I pray there. (Mark 1:35) In the morning I cry out to You with my voice. (Psalm 5:3) Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Word! (Psalm 119:18) Lord Jesus, God, You are the living Word. (John 1:1) My expectations are in You. (Psalm 62:5) I am satisfied with Your goodness. (Jer. 31:14) When I read two pages of Your Word each morning I wait for You to speak to me for I have ears to hear. (Matthew 11:15) I know Your Word becomes ‘rhema’ enlightenment for me in my relationship with You. I know there is no life in the Scriptures apart from relationship with You. (John 5:39) If I abide in Your Word and possess it I am truly Your disciple. (John 8:31) I know the Truth and the Truth has set me free. (John 8:32) I delight in Your promise that if I continue to abide in You and Your Word continues to abide in me, I may ask whatever I will and it shall be done for me. (John 15:7) In Your Word we are given many great and precious promises that we might be partakers of Your divine nature. (2Peter 1:4) I meditate on Your Word all day. (Psalm 119:97) It is a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) It revives me. (Psalm 119:159) I let Your Word dwell in me richly. (Col. 3:16) I have hidden Your Word in my heart. (Psalm 119:11) You have put Your Word in my mouth. (Isaiah 51:16) When I speak Your Word it does not come back void. (Isaiah 55:11) It endures forever. (1Peter 1:25) Like the Bereans, I search the Scriptures daily, to see whether things are true. (Acts 17:11) I know every Scripture is inspired by You and profitable for instruction, for reproof, for correction of error, for discipline in obedience to You, and for training in holy living so that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16,17) I want to be like Apollos—well versed and mighty in the Scriptures, instructed in Your way, O Lord, burning with spiritual zeal, teaching from the Scriptures accurately and speaking freely and fearlessly. (Acts 18:24-26) I meditate on Your Word day and night and habitually continue to think about it, and, as You have promised, I have become like a tree firmly planted by streams of living water and my leaves do not wither, even in times of drought, and I am steadfast in times of storm. By Your Word, I am prospering and flourishing! (Psalm 1) Your Word is perfect and makes my heart rejoice…Your Word is pure and bright, enlightening my eyes. Your Word is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb—better than dessert! (Psalm 19:7-11) I take heed, also, to the prophetic Word, confirmed by Scripture, as a light that shines in the darkness. (2Peter 1:19) I rejoice in Your Word, O God, as one who finds great treasure. (Psalm 119:162)

How I Met Jesus by Jenna Vick Silliman

On a day in early springtime, I rode on a big yellow bus with a bunch of other kids up to the Santa Cruz Mountains of California to a Young Life retreat weekend at Mount Hermon Conference Center. The cherry trees were covered with showy blossoms. During the day we played games and did a lot of singing. One of the leaders asked me, “Are you a Christian?”

I gave her a puzzled reply, “Of course! Isn’t everybody? Isn’t this a Christian nation?”

The speaker that night told of God’s great love for me. He quoted Bible verses about how God loved me so much that He came to earth in the form of a sinless man and died for me to pay for my sins. Jesus died for ME!? This was news—He did it for me, personally. Wow! I also never knew that Jesus was God—I thought He was just a cool guy and a good example to follow. Jesus is God! Amazing! With new thoughts going around in my head, the speaker gave us a fifteen-minute quiet time. We were to walk out in complete silence and go somewhere alone to talk to Jesus/God.

I sat under one of those blooming cherry trees, looked up at the stars, and cried my heart out. In the midst of much confusion, because I thought I was already a Christian just by attending the Catholic Church and being a U.S. citizen, I talked to the Lord Jesus for the first time. I thanked Him for His death for my sins. I thanked Him for His love. I remember feeling a deep sense of relief and I felt settled in my heart about my faith when I got done praying.

When I walked back to my cabin, my Young Life leader smiled at me. My eyes were red from crying, but I smiled right back at her and looked into her sparkling eyes. I could tell she knew. She asked me again, “Are you a Christian now?”

I said, “Yes! I am now!” She took both my hands and jumped up and down and spun me around and laughed. Then she opened her Bible and shared a Scripture verse that has become one of my favorites.


2 Corinthians 5:17,18 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.


She had a little butterfly drawn in the margin of her Bible by this verse. She explained that a good analogy of becoming a Christian, is a butterfly coming out of a cocoon—a new creation. It is coming alive, spiritually, on the inside. In the Bible, Jesus calls it being “born again.” In fact, Jesus said, “You must be born again.” John 3:7

The next day I bought myself a Bible in the camp bookstore. I wrote my name inside the cover and copied out “my” verse and drew a butterfly beside it. Then I wrote down the date I became a new creation and started a new life in Christ—March 25, 1974.

I committed to reading two pages of the Bible, God’s Words to me, each day. On March 25 this year, 2012, I celebrate 38 years of life with Jesus, and He has been much more than my redeemer. He is my creator, my friend, my counselor, my provider, my strength, my teacher, my father, and He has even been a mother to me. Because we as Christians are the Bride of Christ, I have also come to know Jesus as my Groom, the love of my life. Jesus said, “This is eternal life that you KNOW Me.” John 17:3 Isn’t it amazing that we can know the Lord of all creation a little bit better every day?

Thank You, Jesus, for Your love, Your life, and Your JOY. I’m so glad I met You 38 years ago. I love You, God! "You show me the path of life and in Your presence is fullness of JOY!"Psalm 16:11 and Acts 2:28.

He Knew

It will be interesting to see the favorite verses we have as we share this week.  I realize that probably there is no one who picks much out of Leviticus as their favorite verse.  Although I do particularly like Leviticus chapter 19 which is the center of the Holiness Code.  I translated it from the Hebrew in class and did a word study on Holiness.  I still don't think I understand Holiness.  It is so rich with meaning and interpretation.  I grew up in a "holiness" tradition that was interpreted to mean how you dressed, whether you played cards or went to the movies.  It's so much more.

If I really understood holiness and its application, I'd share it today. But in spite of all my study, I still don't fully understand it.

I thought about verses in the New Testament.  One could camp on John 3:16 for a long time.  How wonderful it is that God loved the world and gave His son.  How wonderful that we have eternal life because of it.  How seriously we need to take John 3:16 implications.  We need to love as God loved and give.

However, as I thought and prayed over this blog I remembered an obscure verse at the end of Exodus chapter 2.  If you even read Exodus it's easy to gloss over.  In fact its never fully translated.  Exodus 2:25 in the NIV reads: So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.  The Message ends with God understood.  The Amplified:  concerned Himself about them [knowing all, understanding, remembering all].  In the Hebrew the verse ends rather abruptly, it simply says, Yada' - to know.  God knew.

That gives me great comfort.  While it is easy to wonder where God was during the years of oppression and slavery, still He knew.  There came a time when He remembered.  There came a time when He brought deliverance for His people.  He knew.

I have a story that is all too familiar.  I experienced the trauma of childhood sexual molestation.  If you want to read more about this horrific experience, I did blog about it on Sounds of Hope and you can read it here.  It wasn't until I was well into the healing process that I wondered where God was when I was 8.  I wondered did He know? I asked the question we all ask at times, where is God when horribly things happen, or where is He when people are oppressed and misused?  As I asked Jesus where were you when I was 8? He answered me.  He said I was there and I was weeping.  I was weeping and praying for you and your healing. He said, I knew.

That was enough for me.  Theologians much better than I don't really have perfect answers to these questions.    But God knew.  God heard the cries of oppression from His people.  He always hears them.  He always knows.  And in His time, He brings healing and deliverance.  He sees and knows you too!

Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!

O the B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me! I stand alone on the word of God.

The B-I-B-L-E
O the B-I-B-L-E, I'll take it along with me, I'll read and pray and learn God's way.
The B-I-B-L-E

Sometimes I feel like telling God to Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!  It's scriptural you know?

This week your Kingdom Bloggers will be talking about their favorite book of the Bible and an opportunity to apply it to their life.

I am very partial to the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible.  I love the narratives.  I love the glimpses of God as He forms humans as potter does clay.  I love the picture that He sews clothes for Adam and Eve before they leave the garden.  Reminds me of times I’ve been so mad at my children for something and then turn around and make their favorite cookies or something.  I love the story of creation.  My husband was reading it recently and his comment was that the story of creation is “wondrous.”  It is.

My favorite book of the Bible is Genesis.  It is the book I most love to teach.  As my Hebrew and Hebrew Bible professor used to say, “if you don’t understand Genesis, you don’t understand the Bible.”  I wish you could hear him teach Genesis – you’d love it too.

But an application is harder with the Book of Genesis.  I think that would take a book rather than a blog to explain.  As I thought about this some more, I thought about the book of Psalms.  There have been several times in my life where I have been in great despair.  During many of those times I would turn to Psalms.  I love how the Psalmists start off with their lament but usually, before the Psalm is done, they are praising God again.
 

During these times, I often turned to Psalm 70.  I would read it out loud each morning and again at night.  It became my lament and prayer. 


It reads:

Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me

May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

May those who say to me "Aha! Aha!" turn back because of their shame.

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say,

"The Lord is great!"

But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer;

Lord do not delay.

I love that "Aha! Aha!" part.  I also love how The Message translates that last verse:

But I've lost it, I'm wasted!

God, quickly! quickly!

Quick to my side, quick to my rescue!

God don't lose a minute.

I have told God Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!  How about you?

It's okay to do that.  The Bible even says it. What are you wishing God would hurry up and do?

Overlooking a masterpiece can be a missed blessing...

I remember reading an article a few years back about world renown violinist Joshua Bell playing incognito in a Washington DC subway. It was an experiment conducted by the Washington Post with the help of Mr. Bell. While playing 7 separate masterpiece scores on a $3m+ violin, Bell was virtually ignored by all but a handful of over 1070 people passing directly in front of him. He played for 45 minutes, seven people stopped to take in a minute or so, and twenty seven people threw down $32 and some change...

Three days prior to his impromptu concert, Joshua Bell sold out the Metro Station in Boston where the middle of the road seats went for $100 each.

The article resonated with me on a spiritual level. Don't we do God's Word the very same way?

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 (NIV)

At the time the story on Joshua Bell came to my attention, my daily reading and study revolved around the latest book release from a hot Christian author or online articles from popular websites. My nightstand was loaded down with books and magazines aimed at helping me better understand the role of a Christian in our world today...and my research journal and pen were always ready for me to jot down notes or thoughts.

Paul's letters to Timothy have always been a favorite study for me. While reading an article one evening surrounding the debate of Paul's authorship of the two books of Timothy, the verses above from the second book came to mind.

Why am I wasting time reading about this silly, pointless debate? All I need to know about Paul or Timothy can be found in the Holy Bible. I don't need someone else's take on the matter. Come to think of it, why am I spending so much time reading all this other stuff too?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading the latest and greatest best-selling author on Christian subject matters. Actually, I think it can be quite healthy. But in doing so, don't forget the only true inspired source of our Christian faith...the Holy Bible...the Word of God. Don't neglect daily time to read and study the Scriptures like I was doing in an effort to become a better Christian...or at least a smarter one.

We often take the Bible for granted because it's not the new flashy, highly-marketed bestseller. We plop down hundreds of dollars to read what other people have to say about what's already written in God's Word...yet the music coming from our Bible's pages is amazing enough standing alone...in that hopefully battered, worn from use cover...passed by dozens of times daily wherever it lays in your home...tested by time.

Be sure to stop and listen to that beautifully inspired, from the hand of God music today.

Therefore

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11

I went to Catholic church growing up, I can't say I was raised Catholic because my Dad didn't practice and I rebelled against it as much as I could. Before we could 'join', my older sister and I were required to meet with the Monsignor and memorize some prayers - not really understanding the purpose. Why it was important for us us kids to attend and not my dad and why we had to "learn" our way into becoming a Catholic made very little sense to me - but definitely bothered me.

Eventually, mass and cathechism became more of a battle of wills than a disagreement about beliefs between my old man and me. I would skip mass as much as I could, sneaking a boom box out of the house and hanging outside a couple blocks away from the church listening to Kool Moe Dee or Anthrax. My Dad and I came to blows over it one night, when I got busted for skipping catechism. He snuck back to the house after I snuck back to the house instead of going to class. Words escalated quickly and tempers rose even quicker and my bedroom became a MMA cage. And this was fine with me, because during this whole time I was missing the Thursday night class.

I dabbled with Catholicism a wee bit after living on my own, I guess in some way still wanting to earn a Father's approval. The more I tried to understand what is was for me to be Catholic, the less I wanted to be Catholic. In the end, my passion for drinking eventually washed away any need for Mother Mary and her beaded necklace. Eventually, my life was on the verge of being completely wiped out by a tidal wave of alcohol, drugs and selfishness when God washed me clean.

Faith was something new, inviting and real. I wasn't getting twisted up in praying to dead people about specific issues, I was taking my prayers directly to the King. I decided my christening as an infant wasn't enough. I decided I should be the person that decides my need for Water Baptism. I was enthusiastically learning about the role Holy Spirit and understanding how much greater of a Help He would be than just reciting the same couple of prayers over and over. The Word by itself was filling my mind and my heart, removing the frustration of practicing dead religion.

As I grew in my Love for Jesus and Holy Spirit, I found myself still holding some bitterness towards God the Father. Understandable, considering how I was "raised" and how I never could meet expectations at home or at church. I kept the Trinity separated and sorta kept the Father at arms length as I grew in my Faith. I easily accepted what Jesus had done for me, delivering me from booze and willingly asked for more of Holy Spirit in my life. Even so, I still found myself distant from God because of my misperception that He already had one perfect Son, so He was going to always be disappointed by anything I did for Him. I somehow had it in my mind that there is little I could ever do to please God but I still had to. Somehow I had it twisted up that perfection was required of me and I knew it was impossible because I wasn't Jesus.

Then one day when I was reading chapter 2 in Philippians and in verse 9, the word "therefore" jumped off the page at me. It changed the way I thought about the Lordship of Jesus and how I viewed the Father God. Holy Spirit used those nine letters to alter my thinking about living for God.

I understood that Jesus wasn't Lord because of who He was, it was because of what He did. Because He was obedient, God rewarded Him with the Name above all Names. Because Jesus chose to live His life as a servant, to live His life to glorify the Father, God rewarded Him accordingly.
I realized I would be rewarded for my words and deeds accordingly as well. I realized that God is generous in how He rewards His kids. What Jesus did for all of us is something only Jesus could do. That is why God's reward for Jesus is the greatest reward given to any man. Therefore, God would be generous to reward me according to my efforts based upon my obedience to Him. Therefore, I wanted to be obedient to Him and seek Him wholeheartedly. Therefore, I could let Him wash away the bitterness and misunderstanding that religion had imposed itself upon my relationship with Him. Therefore, I could believe that God is a loving, generous Dad.

When In Rome, Do as the Romans

This week your Kingdom Bloggers are writing about a Bible verse that significantly impacted their lives.

After 30+ years as a Born Again Christian, it's hard to pick one. After so many seasons in the Lord, it is easy to forget the ones that pierced my heart so many years before.

That said, my favorite chapter in the Bible, other than Acts chapter 2, is Romans 8. The book of Acts I find amazingly exciting - yet the chapter in Romans has changed my life, my understanding of God, and propelled me into a place of awe.

As a young Christian I read the books of John, Acts and somehow I ended up in Romans. In John I met God, in Acts I learned about the power that was in me. But in Romans, I came to terms with my sin, my humanity and it collided with the grace of an everlasting God.

Let me explain. As a sinner, I sinned. I wasn't the worst, but no one said, "Oh he a good kid." In High School kids parents warned them not to hang out with me. "He's nothing but trouble." It was true. I needed God.

What's hard for people to see on the outside, is the pain that goes on, on the inside. They see bad behavior as the problem, when that lack of love, combined with addiction and the sinful nature become a deadly cocktail. Simply put, "hurt people, hurt people." For folks like me, I was also ashamed. I am still embarrassed, regretful and remorseful about things that I have said and done. That is why Jesus was able to invade my heart so many years ago. I could not stand under the weight of sin and fear.

If you read the 8th chapter of Romans, there are lots of things that matter in there. The major sections are Life Through the Spirit, Future Glory and More Than Conquerors. For someone like me, the fact there is no condemnation (v1), should be enough. Paul, however; goes on to say "you are controlled by the spirit." (v9) And then speaks of the relationship of the spirit and the flesh. (v11) He lays out the obligation that we have (v12) - that is comforting because we do not have to guess! He closes with the fact that we are co-heirs with Christ - that's right we get it all! (v17)

The next section he writes about how the Spirit helps us (v26), and the relationship with God in our mortal body - wow, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me! (v11) If we can't fathom that even a little, we will never be effective Christians. I want it! How about you?

As Christians we are meant to have power! Power to heal, to speak forgiveness, the power to be vessels of His will, and creative energy. Meditate on that for a few minutes!

And now for the most amazing verse in this Christian's life, verse 28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him." At first glance it seems simple - and it is. If we love God, he takes everything that we have done and uses it for His purposes. Think about all you have done, all your thoughts, everything that you have said, both on purpose or by accident. God can turn your sin into something of value for His kingdom. He can take your disappointments, your crimes, your thoughtlessness and use it for His glory.

We may be whining about how the devil is kicking our back side - but God can even use that. After all, Job feared and God gave him permission to at do some nasty stuff to a righteous man.

It is God's purpose to bring us into His Glory - the same glory that Moses saw the back side of while his head was in the cleft of a rock! (Exodus 33:17) This is the glory that is so pure that our mortal bodies would incinerate if we were to contact it. Yet, that is the plan of God to make us holy in spite of our bad works. And in the end for us to be in glory with Him forever.

And the part that I love the most - nothing can separate us from the love of God. NOTHING. Once we are Born Again, it is a done deal. God uses it all.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.