Inseparable: Romans 8:31-38 (Love)

Read Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Are you ready to make an investment in the Fruit of Love?

Describe a time from your past when you felt especially alone and forgotten, separated from the love of God.

Read Romans 8:31-38:

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

What are your first thoughts regarding these verses?

Go to 'DOCUMENTS' and read Oswald Chambers' comments on Romans 8:35.

Oswald states:

"God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble...” (Psalm 91:15).

How frequently do you find yourself thinking that if God truly loved you, you wouldn't be experiencing so many problems?

Oswald continues:

"It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. “In all these things we are more than conquerors...” (Romans 8:37). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real."

What adversity are you currently experiencing?

Oswald adds:

"And he said we are “super-victors” in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there."

Take a moment to think about that last sentence.

If you have found yourself complaining about your circumstances, is there anything you would like to repent of (express your sorrow)?

If so, you can do privately or in the space provided.

Oswald states:

“Shall tribulation...?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22)."

Get quiet and, when you are ready, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God's love for you to right now.

If you wish, you can write down anything you receive in the space provided.

Oswald continues:

“Shall...distress...?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?"

Regarding believing God's word and promises, how much rejection and/or degradation are you experiencing?

Oswald adds:

“Shall...famine...?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?"

Regarding your answer in Step 2, describe how God ultimately expressed His love for you through that experience.

Oswald concludes:

"Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. “Out of the wreck I rise” every time."

How confident are you that Jesus Christ’s love for you will lift you out of any 'wreck' you may encounter in your life?

Is there anything you would like to thank and/or praise God for?

If so, you can do so privately or in the space provided.

How much has this Trail increased the Fruit of Love in your current disposition?