A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Wednesday,
April 14,
2021
Yesterday we came upon this interesting railroad
underpass in Lebanon County, PA.
"I
Am Persuaded"
Message
summary: Today we consider the blessing of
being persuaded.
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
“Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him who loved us. For I
am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
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” (Romans
8:35,37-39).
The apostle Paul is expressing his supreme confidence in God’s master plan for his own life and for His Kingdom in our daily Scripture portion. Due to it being a part of the Holy Scriptures we can make it our confidence as well!
He begins the section by asking a vitally important question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”
He then lists a number of adverse situations in life that may seem to separate: “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35).
Now as I prepare this message for April 14, 2021 at 66 years of age I’ve certainly had some heartaches and disappointments in life. Certainly things have not always turned out the way that I had planned or desired so I’ve known distress at times. However, I have not experienced tribulation, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword anywhere near like Paul or like many others who have lived for Christ over the 2,000 year history of the church.
Paul responds to his own questions with this glorious verse of assurance: “No, in all these things (the adverse conditions described in verse 35) we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
“We are more than conquerors” translates the single Greek word "hupernikomen", which is used only here in the entire NT. *
Hupernikomen literally means we are "hyper-overcomers" or "preeminently victorious". It is actually a combination of two more familiar words; “huper” from whence we get “hyper” and nikao from whence “Nike” gets its name. I’m most blessed by the rendering in the NASV which states “we overwhelmingly conquer". Now let that bless your soul today, fellow overcomer! Note that the basis of this overcoming is "through Him who loved us".
The words “I am persuaded” are a great source of strength and assurance for the believer. Other versions use the word “convinced”. Living in a state of being persuaded and convinced is an essential part of living the God-ordained life of spiritual assurance and abundance. If we are really convinced of God’s love and care we are blessed indeed!
This conviction is an internal, personal appropriation of a constant, unchanging spiritual reality. You see, the reality is that God loves and cares for His own, whether we are persuaded of it or not. The Amplified Version conveys a strong sense of the meaning when it translates: “I am persuaded beyond doubt".
We are dealing with many troubling issues in our day leaving tremendous impact on the personal, nationwide, and worldwide levels. Error is not creeping but rather charging into the church in a way that our forefathers could not have imagined. New sources of fear abound. Uncertainty permeates. We shake our heads in wonder as to what this world is coming to?
Therefore we need to be persuaded like Paul, don’t we? “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” May I suggest you say this verse aloud throughout the day, or perhaps you’ll want to put it to a musical tune so that you can joyfully remind yourself. Perhaps you will choose to personalize it by filling in any adverse circumstances you’re presently dealing with that would otherwise lead you to doubt this powerful and reassuring promise from God’s Word.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
The apostle Paul is expressing his supreme confidence in God’s master plan for his own life and for His Kingdom in our daily Scripture portion. Due to it being a part of the Holy Scriptures we can make it our confidence as well!
He begins the section by asking a vitally important question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”
He then lists a number of adverse situations in life that may seem to separate: “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35).
Now as I prepare this message for April 14, 2021 at 66 years of age I’ve certainly had some heartaches and disappointments in life. Certainly things have not always turned out the way that I had planned or desired so I’ve known distress at times. However, I have not experienced tribulation, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword anywhere near like Paul or like many others who have lived for Christ over the 2,000 year history of the church.
Paul responds to his own questions with this glorious verse of assurance: “No, in all these things (the adverse conditions described in verse 35) we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
“We are more than conquerors” translates the single Greek word "hupernikomen", which is used only here in the entire NT. *
Hupernikomen literally means we are "hyper-overcomers" or "preeminently victorious". It is actually a combination of two more familiar words; “huper” from whence we get “hyper” and nikao from whence “Nike” gets its name. I’m most blessed by the rendering in the NASV which states “we overwhelmingly conquer". Now let that bless your soul today, fellow overcomer! Note that the basis of this overcoming is "through Him who loved us".
The words “I am persuaded” are a great source of strength and assurance for the believer. Other versions use the word “convinced”. Living in a state of being persuaded and convinced is an essential part of living the God-ordained life of spiritual assurance and abundance. If we are really convinced of God’s love and care we are blessed indeed!
This conviction is an internal, personal appropriation of a constant, unchanging spiritual reality. You see, the reality is that God loves and cares for His own, whether we are persuaded of it or not. The Amplified Version conveys a strong sense of the meaning when it translates: “I am persuaded beyond doubt".
We are dealing with many troubling issues in our day leaving tremendous impact on the personal, nationwide, and worldwide levels. Error is not creeping but rather charging into the church in a way that our forefathers could not have imagined. New sources of fear abound. Uncertainty permeates. We shake our heads in wonder as to what this world is coming to?
Therefore we need to be persuaded like Paul, don’t we? “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” May I suggest you say this verse aloud throughout the day, or perhaps you’ll want to put it to a musical tune so that you can joyfully remind yourself. Perhaps you will choose to personalize it by filling in any adverse circumstances you’re presently dealing with that would otherwise lead you to doubt this powerful and reassuring promise from God’s Word.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
I know that doubt and uncertainty impose fear
while faith and assurance develops a calm,
trusting spirit. I do not look to the unstable
world for strength or encouragement but I look to
Your unchanging Word where You fully assure me
that nothing shall separate me from Your love. It
is in Your strength and through Your power that I
will remain faithful though tested by adverse
circumstances. These come so that my faith is
purified, proven genuine, and becomes sweeter than
honey from the honeycomb. May my life bring
praise, glory and honor to Jesus my Lord and
Savior. Amen.For Greek Students: I found this
comment so edifying as I studied this text.
Hupernikomen is in the present active and the
prepositional compound intensifies the verb “we
are winning a most glorious victory” (from
Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament).
* "Hapax legomenon" is a term used for words that occur only once in a body of literature (in this case the New Testament). In fact it’s so rare that it’s possible that Paul originated the word to express his thought! I’ve been accused of that on more than one occasion (by my wife) of making up words as I preach!
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"More
Than Enough" Video Brooklyn
Tabernacle Choir
"My Life Is In Your Hands" Video Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Powerful, this was filmed in Louisiana State Penitentiary.
"My Life Is In Your Hands" Video Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Powerful, this was filmed in Louisiana State Penitentiary.
The fruit trees are budding
at Seyfert's Orchards
in Lebanon County.
We passed this farm pond on
our visit to Audrey's to Myerstown.
Everything is greening up.
Once again we enjoyed a
delicious breakfast (brunch) at the Railroad Diner, in
Richland, Lebanon County. Derek Horst assumed
ownership when he was still a teenager.
He's now 21 and prepares very tasty food.
The now closed Roadside
America Amish couple has found a new home
at the Creative Crafts store in
Reistville!
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& Brooksyne
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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