Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Saturday, June 6, Romans 8:38

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,"

We have to include verse 39 to make sense of this verse, but will still work on that verse Monday. It is: "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."

This is one of the most reassuring passages in the Bible, and a wonderful ending to one of the most important chapters for a believer. I really do hope you are working diligently at memorizing this chapter, for it can be your best companion as you walk through the wilderness of this world.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord. There are a lot of people who worry about that statement, because they think that someone will get the idea that you can sin all you want as long as you have the "salvation card". Those who believe that do not have any idea what salvation entails, and what it means to be truly "born again".

I always like to couple this verse to 1 John 3:19-20: "By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything."

You see, God saves us even from ourselves. It is His work, His calling, His mercy, and His grace that brings us into the Kingdom. If you read Ephesians 2, you find that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, and, like the old KJV says, we were quickened together with Christ.

I love that word, because that is exactly what happened to me one night a long time ago while walking my little dog in the winter dusk of early 1972. I can't explain it. While I was stepping through the snow, suddenly a "quickening" occurred. I had an awareness of God, which resulted in the search that led me to a friend, who led me to the Word of God, which made me aware of a great burden as I saw myself hopelessly lost in sin. And on July 4 I sensed the Presence of the Holy Spirit fall upon me and I was forever changed.

And that Presence has never left me. Oh, I've fallen occasionally; one period quite drastically. But He always brought me back, and has never left me nor forsaken me. And I rest in the fact that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ, not even myself.

And when the devil or his children try to accuse me, I simply agree that yes, as a sinner left to myself I will surely fall, but God has got a hold on me and will never let go. I spend my life hearing His voice, and following Him. And my end is eternal life with Him, in spite of myself.

That's what "sanctification" is all about. Teaching me how to think less of my old, dead nature, and looking ahead toward the new. Learning how to glorify and please my Father. I don't think of "losing" what He's given me. I think of His great promises and assurance, and take each step with "my head in the clouds", looking for Him:

"who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:8-9).

He will sustain you as well, if you call upon Him: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13 KJV).

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

Memory Helps

"For I am sure that
neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers,"

One Neither and six Nors are given here so you can say "For I am sure!"

Let's look at the list:

"Death/Life/Angels/Rulers/Things Present/Things to Come/Powers."

Now make a word link with these seven words. Here's my offering, if it helps:

First I'm in a tomb (death), then I get out of the tomb, so now it's an empty tomb (life), I grow wings like an angel (angels). Suddenly, I'm holding a ruler (Rulers) and see "thing one and thing two" (Dr. Seuss again). Thing one is holding a Present (things present) and thing two is running away so I am calling him "to come" back (things to come), and we all suddenly swell up with muscles (powers).

Link them one after another as you recite the verse, and you "I am sure that" you will have a good outcome.

Linking verse numbers:

For 38, I have a caricature of a "MoVie" star. For me it is some sappy blonde, muscular man with a cleft chin that looks a little like Dudley Do-right from Bullwinkle fame. I replace myself with him, and put skates on him and an ancient Roman laurel wreath to remind me of "Roman skates", I mean "Romans 8". And since M=3 and 8=f, v, or ph in our phonetic alphabet, I can link my silly word picture to Romans 8:38.