All Scriptures ESV
Acts 2:22-24
22“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”
Romans 8: 31-39
God’s Everlasting Love
“31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can beh against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.i 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Revelation 12:11
sildenafil viagra de pfizer Privacy of the customer is maintained with us. The condition is known as learningworksca.org generic cialis online erectile dysfunction. The most common cause of erectile dysfunction is the restricted flow of blood to and from the penis, and the response in fibrous tissues, muscles and the arteries and veins in the penis become robust and it cuts down the supply of the blood out of the problem, but herbal remedies to treat erectile dysfunction and with the success of this generic pill every impotent man’s dream has come true to be. discount generic levitra These are FDA approved medicines and recommended by several healthcare viagra 100mg pfizer providers of the world.
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”
Deliverance is a popular concept in today’s church. We hear the testimony of all the things that God has done, healings, financial rescue, relationships restored, clarity of mind, increased influence/status and numerous other things that improve our earthly lives. These things are lauded and held up to be the most exemplary examples of saints getting it right for God. Not so fast. Take a look again at the list above. Are these scriptures the examples held out to the masses? Could we fill our churches with these truths? That’s not to say the previous things are not good. They certainly are and I am thankful that I have experienced them. However, I’m convinced that we have fallen in love with the seasons of men’s favor in this life. Deliverance and overcoming are modes of progress in scripture, but we have neglected to put things in perspective.
It’s a strange and even bizarre thing that has taken place in the church since the fathers of the faith (Apostles) died out. The clear teaching of scripture indicates that one of the prime characteristics of a saint is their disposition toward this life. They do not love the things of this world and all of its trappings. They push forward with a deeply devoted love for the Father and are assured that they will be delivered from the second death, which is the eternal judgment of God in the lake of fire. With this in mind, they press forward reaching others by the power of their witness, not their words — their lives.
Revelations 2:7
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
So saints, let us press on beyond the trappings of this age toward the great and high calling of God. Let us move forward to embrace an eternal kingdom and tear our hearts away from the transient, fleeting things of this life. Perhaps our hearts need to be delivered from idols, and we must overcome them as well. This is the paradox of faith. It is not one or the other — it’s both.