Romans 8:28-30 (NKJV)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
All. It means everything without exception. It is the whole of anything. All is the greatest quality or degree. That’s what I want – all that God has for me. With each new day, it seems that this desire grows exponentially in my life. When I think there is no more to give God, I find a new area of my life not yet surrendered. When His Glory fills my life, I don’t think life could be any better than I see the word “all” again knowing instantly that there is more. “We know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God…” Do they? Are you sure? How great is your confidence in the faithfulness of the Living God today? I must ask myself this question each time that I am faced with something that is contrary to His Goodness in my life. This determines if I will press in giving the Lord more room to work in my life or if I will take the compromise surly offered by the enemy of my soul. How can I explain to you today my friend that I have found God to be better than I ever imagined? How can I express all the times that He has done more than I could even think to ask? It just doesn’t make any sense to me or the watching world that although we have faced a great trial in our family that our response is still more than ever “God is good all of the time.” Yet it is. It is all about all.
God has called us all to His Purpose. What is that purpose? We limit our perspective to this life rather than considering that perhaps our purpose is much larger than human limitation. When God created us, it was to be His Child. When Jesus Christ died for us, it was to make it so. He gave us His Spirit as a guarantee that we are indeed Children of God who are predestined for all of God’s Promises. Our sinful nature cannot comprehend a God so good, and Savior so sweet. No one is that good. Yes, my friend, God is. Living on purpose means simply this to love the Lord your God with all of your heart. That’s it. We were made to be conformed (to become similar in form, nature and character to) Jesus Christ. He is our example. Those who decide to be conformed to the image of Christ will be transformed fully into Children of the Living God. Conformation means to live in harmony and accord with our Father.
“Moreover who He predestined…” I believe that every human being ever born is predestined to be a Child of God. Many will choose an alternative lifestyle which is the freedom of choice given to each of us by Jesus Christ. Moreover means “in addition to what has been said, further, or besides. Those who are predestined and called to God are justified. This world justified is where all the power is. Justified means “just as if” you never sinned. What does it mean? Through the Blood Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are named guiltless, innocent, absolved and acquitted no matter how far we have fallen or how many times we have failed. Those who are justified will be glorified. Welcome to all! This is the Father’s Intention for our life. It means that “ALL things will work together for our good to those who love God” and answer His Call. I walked down to the front of a church and prayed to receive Christ. So did I. I went to church Sunday morning, evening and every Wednesday night including the occasional Tuesday visitation. Me, too. I have called myself a Christian for over 30 years but have only reaped the rewards for about half that time. Justification is not given based on vain attempts to live righteously or religiously. It is a call to love Him rightly! What could a God so good require of me? My all. What will He do with it? Send His Glory into my life. God’s Glory in my life will cause it to be or treat as being more splendid or excellent than would normally be treated. God wants His Favor to operate in my life. I just have to want it all to have it. I must give my all to receive it.
Romans 8:14-16 (NKJV)
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
God’s Spirit leads us to fulfillment in God. The Lord wants us to experience ALL the benefits of adoption as we now are Children of the Living God. However, we struggle in our new role because we are all too well-acquainted with our past including our sin and struggle. Fear keeps us from giving our All to the Lord just in case His Grace is not sufficient for me. What if He cannot satisfy my soul? What if His Sacrifice was not enough to cover my sin? You may not think you are asking these questions but your life indicates that they may be circling the recesses of your mind. I did not fully learn to trust God until He was all that I had left. That is when I decided He really can work ALL things together for our good. It was not necessarily a willing choice at first more of a survival mode. But now, oh how I wish that I could break open my chest to let you peer through the cracks of my broken heart now bonded together by the Love of God. We can cry out “Abba Father” and expect an answer. We can say that “my Dad is bigger than yours” and be a credible witness. We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ, our mentality must comprehend the rights and responsibilities of our new position in the Love of God and our humanity must accept that we cannot earn it but just learn to live and breathe in it.
Romans 8:31-37 (NKJV)
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves me. He has overcome the world for me. (John 16:33) God has placed everything under His Authority. (Hebrews 2:8) Our identification of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord puts our life under His Authority as we live subject to Him. But look what happens…Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-19) I completely understand your position, I didn’t get it either. I called Jesus Savior and identified Him as Lord. I acknowledged Him as Son of the Living God. But nothing…until cancer came creeping, slithering into our life. When I could not save my child, I finally understood that I needed ALL of Him. I had to give my ALL to Jesus. I couldn’t do this by myself or I would have died of a broken heart. The overwhelming pressure of death knocking on the door demanded a choice. Who will you serve? What is your answer to this blow against your life – fear or faith? I didn’t have time to think before called to action. All these questions in Romans 8 are answered with one resolution – “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” The Love of God demonstrated in Jesus Christ has been matched by no other in effectiveness or completion. Your life has been given its full potential in His Love. All you have to do is accept it with ALL of you. Not just this problem or that situation, but decide to step wholly into the Love of God and remain there.
Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)
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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
For I am persuaded…by what today? What is the driving force of your life? Do you want to succeed? Are you ready to prosper? Are you tired of just getting by? Do you want to experience this thing called His Glory firsthand? God will allow nothing to separate us from His Love. Nothing. What will we allow to separate us from His Love? This is the very thing that keeps us from having ALL that God promised. Give it ALL to Him today. I know it sounds so cliché but take baby steps if necessary until you completely roll the load and burden of your life to the Lord. He will work all things together for your good that you give Him. Jesus will perfect ALL that concerns you. (Psalm 138:8) Today, I am stuck right here in His Love. He whispers “I want more” so I examine my heart to find it and lay it at His Feet. Nothing can separate me from His Love. I have determined that He is ALL that I need so I will give my ALL to Him!
All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
Pure Devotion 