2 Corinthians 6 (KJV)

2 Corinthians 6

¹We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

²(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

³Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

⁴But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

⁵In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

⁶By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

⁷By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

⁸By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

⁹As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

¹⁰As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

¹²Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

¹³Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

¹⁴Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

¹⁵And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

¹⁶And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

¹⁸And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Evangelicals’ ‘image problem’ #OneNewsNow.com#

Evangelicals’ ‘image problem’ #OneNewsNow.com#.

Abortion study shows positive results (OneNewsNow.com)

Abortion study shows positive results (OneNewsNow.com).

Liberal judge confirmed to Calif. Supreme Court (OneNewsNow.com)

Liberal judge confirmed to Calif. Supreme Court (OneNewsNow.com).

Suppression of free speech ‘all over the country’ (OneNewsNow.com)

Suppression of free speech ‘all over the country’ (OneNewsNow.com).

Calif gay history referendum faces uphill battle (OneNewsNow.com)

Calif gay history referendum faces uphill battle (OneNewsNow.com).

Labor: Is the big problem attitude? (OneNewsNow.com)

Labor: Is the big problem attitude? (OneNewsNow.com).

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love by Mark D. Roberts

Romans 8:35-39

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither
death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our
worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s
love.

Romans 8:38

The closing passage of Romans 8 contains some of the best news you and I will
ever hear: Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Nothing! This is a solid
rock upon which to build our lives. It will keep us steady in tumultuous times.
It will reassure us when we are fearful. It will refresh us when we are
weary.

Paul recognizes that we may be tempted to think God no longer loves us when
we face difficult times. In verse 35 he asks, “Does it mean he no longer loves
us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute,
or in danger, or threatened with death?” But the answer is “No.”
Though we suffer in this life (and Romans 8 has already dealt honestly with this
fact) that does not mean God doesn’t love us.

How can we be certain of God’s love for us when we’re tempted to doubt it?
The last phrase of Romans 8 provides the answer. God’s love “is revealed in
Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 39). As we learned earlier in Romans, “God showed his
great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners”
(Rom. 5:8). If ever we worry that God doesn’t love us, we return to the cross.
There we see the love of God poured out, a love not just for humankind in
general, but for us in particular.

With assurance of God’s love for us, we are empowered to live boldly, sharing
that love with others. We’re inspired to take risks for the sake of God’s
kingdom, knowing that whether we succeed or fail, God’s love for us is the
constant of our lives.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Are there times when you have
questioned God’s love for you? What helps you to believe, really believe, that
God loves you?

PRAYER: Gracious Heavenly Father, I’ve read this passage
from Romans probably five hundred times. I’ve preached it. I’ve sung it. I know
it almost by heart. Yet when I consider the truth of these familiar verses, I am
once again blown away by your love for me. What an amazing gift you have given
me in your love!

Thank you, dear Father, that your love isn’t just some abstract concept or
inner feeling. Your love took the very tangible form of your Son, who
demonstrated your love by dying on the cross. In that act of merciful sacrifice,
I can see your love. I’m reminded of the words from the old hymn:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
What wondrous
love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord
of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To
bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

Hallelujah! Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/nothing-can-separate-us-gods-love-0

Jesus the Lord · Max Lucado

Jesus the Lord · Max Lucado.

Tozer Devotional

BEHIND THE MASK

I think it is pitiful and rather sad that about the only time you can find a fellow citizen who is not a “phony” is when he is mad. In our kind of society, most people feel that they must always be pretending, continually “putting on a front.” So, they are never their real selves until they get mad! When Jesus faced His bitter religious enemies as recorded in John 8, there was no pretending, nothing staged for dramatic effect. Jesus confronted them with the words: “He that is of God heareth God’s words. You, therefore, hear them not, because you are not of God!” These were firm and severe words; His enemies answered with. angry and insulting words. These men were mad; they were letting go. They had given up pretense. They were acting naturally now, showing what they were within. As humans, we are what we do! If what we do proves us to be wrong, then it is either despair or obtaining the help we need. Jesus came to change our natures. He came to break old habits of sin, to break and conquer them!

http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/tozer?id=297