32He who did not spare his ow...

32He 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?

33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

34Who 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.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? - P112

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

39neither 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. - P113

If God is for us, who can be against us? God did not spare His own Son butgave Him up for all. No one can bring a charge against God‘s chosen. Nothingcan separate believers from God‘s love-not trouble, powers, or persecution.
Neither death nor life can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. - P113

God has clearly shown that He is for us by willingly giving up His Son to take away our condemnation. Jesus is the gift that brings all gifts. Along with Him, the Father also give us, His chosen ones, all things. Now that we are forgiven and cleansed of our sin, there is nothing standing between us and God but Christ Jesus who intercedes for us. - P114

Because God is for us and we no longer stand condemned before Him, we have the freedom to live without nagging doubts or fears as we follow Jesus. There will be struggles. - P114

At times, we will fail. But rather than staying down, we get back up because God’s great love and forgiveness are now an ever-present reality in our lives. - P114

There is no person, no power, no circumstance that can come betweenus and Christ Jesus, our Lord. Trouble, hardship, persecution, scarcity, ormortal danger may come, but we will still be held fast by Christ‘s love. Life‘sinherent uncertainties cause many to live in fear or even hopelessness.  - P114

Butfor those of us who are anchored by faith in God through Jesus, we knowthat whatever awaits us in the days to come, our God will be with us. As wegrow in our awareness of this reality, a peace beyond anything this worldhas to offer settles over every part of our being: Fear is banished, and a livinghope is born. This is what makes the Christian life the unbeatable life. - P114

God‘s Word tells us a very different story and it is one ofgrace, redemption, and hope. Because God is for us, nothing in this worldcan stand against us: not fear, not failure, and certainly not shame.
- P115

Romans 8:31-39 is a powerful reminder that God‘s love is eternal, unshak-able, and unconditional. We do not have to earn God‘s love, and it is notsomething we can lose; it is a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ.  - P115

We canwalk in boldness knowing that God has already won every victory. So thenext time shame comes knocking at your door, hold your head high andspeak truth over the lies that say you are not enough.  - P115

God is for you. Godhas a good plan for your life. And nothing will ever separate you from Hislove. - P115

Lord God, I praise You from the depths of my being. My spirit rejoices knowing that whatever challenges, pain, or heartache life may bring, - P115

You will be with me through it all. I will never be separated from Your immeasurable love in Your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P115

18I consider that our present...

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. - P108

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

- P109

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

- P109

29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

- P109

Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the future glory to berevealed in us. Creation waits in eager expectation for God‘s children to be re-vealed. Creation groans, and believers also groan as they await their adoption.
- P109

The Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us. God works all thingsfor the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. - P109

Scripture does not gloss over the reality of our present sufferings. But as wemature in our faith, our awareness of the brokenness of this fallen worldgives birth to an intense longing for God‘s kingdom to come and for Hiswill to be done on earth as it is in heaven. "Hope" is the word that bestdescribes this spiritual growth and the longing it brings.  - P110

Hope brings abouta patient endurance as well as a growing faith which God strengthens andrefines through even the most difficult circumstances to bring about goodin our lives.  - P110

And what is this good that God brings about? The sanctification that conforms us to the image of Jesus. - P110

Dear Jesus, thank you for the hope of eternity with You. Help us to take eachstruggle to You, knowing Your Holy Spirit will help us through it. In Yourname, amen. - P111

14For those who are led by th...

14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
- P102

15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

- P103

16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

- P103

Believers have an obligation not to live according to the flesh but to put todeath its deeds by the Spirit. Those led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
- P103

The Spirit does not make them slaves to fear but brings about their adoption.
By the Spirit, they cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit testifies that they are God‘schildren and co-heirs with Christ. - P103

Paul uses active verbs when instructing the believers on how they are to live. Those who believe in Christ receive life from the Holy Spirit and no longer depend on their flesh to find life, hope, and satisfaction. Therefore, they no longer have any obligation to obey the desires of the flesh. To choose to obey the flesh results in death, but to battle the flesh through the Spirit leads to life. - P104

God’s Spirit calls us to put to death sinful behaviors and practices. He is available to empower us, but we must actively choose to do our part. Jesus promises full and abundant lives for those who choose to trust Him and rely on His Spirit as they leave the ways of the flesh behind. - P104

This passage is packed with promises for those who become God‘s childrenthrough faith in Christ. We are set free from our slavery to sin and fromthe fear of death. God is no longer a fearsome judge, but a loving father.
And together with our elder brother, Jesus, we look forward to a spiritualinheritance better than anything we can imagine! Another implicit promiseconcerns our suffering as followers of Christ.  - P104

To follow Jesus means that wewill inevitably share in His sufferings. As we reject the world‘s ways, we willdiscover just how quickly those sufferings will come. At the same time, wewill experience the joy that comes from sharing in Christ‘s glory. - P104

Lord, You call me to exercise my will to depend on Your grace and promises every day. Give me the perseverance I need to continually abide in Your Word and commit to Your plans. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P104

1Therefore, there is now no c...

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

- P98

3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
- P98

7The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. - P98

10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.

- P99

11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

- P99

There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spiritsets them free from the law of sin and death. God sent His Son in the likenessof sinful humanity to be a sin offering. Those who live by the Spirit have theirminds set on what the Spirit desires and have life and peace. - P99

We, who are in Christ, are not under the condemnation of God, nor will we ever be. The guilty verdict for all our sins is removed through Christ Jesus. Yes, we battle with our sinful, selfish flesh, but the death and resurrection of Jesus provides us with the answer to our struggles. A new life is possible. A life lived, not in the flesh, but by the Spirit. - P100

Death is the inevitable consequence of following the self. That death takes many forms in our relationships and everyday lives. - P100

Ultimately, physical and spiritual death are the curse of sin. But life is the blessing bestowed on us as we follow after the Spirit of Jesus. That life is reflected in a deep and abiding peace that governs our words and actions. - P100

Those who belong to Christ have His Spirit living in them. Although theirearthly or mortal body still suffers the consequences of sin and will eventu-ally experience death, the very life of Jesus through His ever-present Spiritis at work in them and will raise their bodies to everlasting life. The sameGod who raised Jesus from the dead is able to overcome the limitations ofour sinful bodies, allowing us to live life in and through the Spirit.  - P100

All of uswho belong to Christ need to allow God‘s Spirit to write this truth uponour hearts. As we do, our ability to sense and allow the Spirit of Jesus to doHis work in our lives will become stronger. - P100

Have there been times in your life when you have felt stuck in negativepatterns? No matter how much you tried to break free, you felt bound byold ways of thinking, living, and acting that were neither honoring to Goddifficult, if notnor beneficial to your life. In our own strength, it is veryimpossible to change because we are selfish by nature and self-serving bydefault. But with God, all things are possible.
- P101

When Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit, He wasn‘t simply offering us the con-ceptof comfort and strength, He was leaving us with the Comforter andStrengthener. Today‘s passage tells us that "the mind governed by the Spiritis life and peace" (Rom 8:6). With the Holy Spirit working in and throughus, we have all that we need to be completely transformed into the likenessof Christ. Yes, we will still face difficulties in this world, but we know thatJesus has overcome the world, and we have access to that same power assons and daughters of God.
- P101

The Lord gives us daily strength to choose His will over our own flesh. TheHoly Spirit brings life and this is not just eternal life; it‘s life in abundanceright now, right here on this earth. It‘s peace. It‘s purpose. It‘s power. If youare feeling discouraged about patterns you cannot seem to break, don‘t giveup call out to the Lord. He will strengthen, help, and equip you with everygood thing you need to do His will, glorify His name, and experience Hisfreedom. - P101

God, my sin is great, but Your grace is greater. - P101

I ask that You impress this truth upon my heart, teaching me through Your Spirit as I grow in my awareness of Your presence and guidance in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P101

7What shall we say, then? Is ...

7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." - P94

18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. - P95

24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
- P95

Paul explains that the Law is not sinful, but it reveals sin. Sin uses the Law toproduce death even though the Law is holy. Paul describes his inner conflict:He desires to do good but finds another law at work within him waging waragainst his mind. Though he delights in God‘s Law, he feels captive to thelaw of sin. - P96

The Law is not evil. God testifies throughout Scripture that the Law was intended to bring life to those who obey it. However, the Law also gives knowledge of sin. The sinful nature with which we are born is rebellious to God, so sin uses God’s commandments to stir up the rebellion inside us. This does not mean the Law is the source of sin. - P96

On the contrary, it acts as a mirror that reflects the sin that is already in our hearts. The Law exposes sin for what it is and helps us come to terms with our inability to obey God’s commandments. But the good news is, as Paul will make clear, that our failures lead us to God’s grace. - P96

God, I desire to live for You, but because my good intentions are weak, I end up doing what I don’t want to do. Please fill me with Your Spirit and surround me with other disciples who will remind me to live for You. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P97

As we learn in this passage, while the Law helpsus understand what God views as sin, it cannot fix the brokenness inside ofus that leads to sin. We are helpless in our own strengthThe more we try to fix ourselves through willpower, the more frustratedand defeated we become. But we were never meant to face this battle alone.
- P97

Paul‘s lament ends with a declaration of faith and thanksgiving, "What awretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject todeath? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
(Rom. 7:24-25). Instead of pretending to be strong, we must allow ourweakness to lead us to God‘s strength. We do not overcome sin by tryingharder but by surrendering deeper. - P97