Conquer

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He 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? ³³ Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who 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. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded 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 sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor 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.

Romans 8:31-38

We can conquer all that life brings. With God, we can overcome everything and anything. I think today's sermon at church was an extraordinary reminder to Christians. Life seems like a long time, averaging at about 80 years, 80 years of constant failure, trails, struggles, deaths, celebrations, obstacles, and pains, it seems like a long time. And I know for myself personally, its frustrating when you're struggling with pain and sin for so long, and you cannot win. Its difficult, and like they said in the sermon, giving up, and giving in are so extremely easy. To give in, do what you want, when you want, and how you want. Falling into the world's standards are simple and quick, but thats what Christianity is about, fighting the good fight. Can you fight against giving in, taking the hard but better road? Thats the real test.

In the passage, it says that IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US. God has conquered over all already, and like in v 38-39, he's conquered Satan, death, everything in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:9-11). Its always something that goes un-noticed is that in that passage, it says "under the earth". That just goes to show that God is powerful and victorious over everything in Hell, including the devil himself.

As human beings, it is very common and natural to have pride, to feel and want to be the best, and i know i myself has thought so many times "im better than him", "i dont do this, so she's clearly worse than me", but no, who am i to judge? IT IS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES. We are all equal in God's eyes, we have all fallen short of God's glory, no one has fallen MORE or LESS short His glory. We are all sinners equally and equally need God's saving.

NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME. God has already taken care of our future as well. Nothing that is happening to us NOW or LATER will separate us. As people, we love having control, of our lives, of our future. There are many things we want our way, it can be simple things like having the title of each note we take underlined, to bigger things like who we want to marry, what our family is to look like, but there are things that are out of our control. From the people you meet, to what university you get into. But trust in God. Do you have confidence in God that he will bring great things for you?

Verses 38-39, also talks about our identity. That at the bottom, within us, what truly defines us, is the love of God. As Christ followers we often "label" ourselves incorrectly. Yes, we are students, employees, husbands, wives, teachers, doctors, fathers, mothers, but before all of that, we are Christians, we are children of God. "I am a Child of God that is a brother, and student", not "im a brother, student, and also a Child of God." It is God's love that defines us.

We are continuously frustrated with the struggles we face daily, great or small, but God loves usand he has conquered way more than we have experienced. There are times that we want to give up, and just say game over, but remind yourself that nothing will separate you from God, no matter the challenges, and the difficulties, you can overcome it, and that God has greater things planned for you.

Truth.

Interesting how the previous post was also on truth, but today, i've decided to take on a different aspect of truth.

Throughout my life, it has only been recently that i've met people (like 2-3) that have truly been a friend to me and have stuck by me, and i've come to realize one important thing that i look for in a friend, or for that friend to be someone i can trust, share and be transparent with. This trait is being non-judgemental, and understanding. That no matter what i may say, no matter who i may be, what struggles i go through, they will not judge, and they will learn to understand and accept who i am, and what baggage i come with. There are certain friends that may joke around, and give you attitude, faces, or reactions when something may be revealed, and whether or not it is intended as a joke or not, it hurts.

I've also learnt that something extremely hard in any relationship is "speaking in truth and speaking in love". When you confront someone about something their doing, it is EXTREMELY difficult to do that without risking the break in a relationship. How exactly do you do that? How can you tell someone their doing some wrong without hurting their feelings or without discouraging them, or making it feel like you've gone against their back? I've learnt that the first step is the relationship itself. You have to build that friendship first, to gain trust, to get to know each other better, and then when you don confront your friend, they will know that you're doing it out of love. With this, i still find it really hard to confront others, without sounding like im against them.

Sometimes people come to me and speak the truth to me, and to be honest, lately, it hurts, a LOT. Although i know its to be constructive, and as a confrontation, but i've learnt that the truth really hurts sometimes. I think we all do take it personally sometimes, but we have to constantly be reminding ourselves that its them speaking out of love for us. The past week i've learnt that truth hurts, but i need to be constantly reminding myself that its for the good, and i truly appreciate the honesty. It means a LOT for someone to be able to say something like that, and it means a lot, but it just hurts.

Im not sure where im going with this post, but i will refer to this one verse, Proverbs 27:17,

Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.

Although the truth might hurt, but friends are there to SHARPEN YOU. Sharpening isnt a nice smooth easy process, it hurts, but it makes you sharper, and stronger.

verse of the day: Ephesians 4:15

¹⁵ Rather,speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who isthe head, into Christ,