Confident and Fully Convinced of God’s Perfect Love

What, if anything, are you confident and fully convinced of? How long did it take for such conviction to become established? In our ever-changing world such confidence might appear to be a rarity. Yet, we continually place our confidence in a variety of practices, places, and beliefs.

Many years ago, as the snow melted and small ponds dotted the land, my older brother and I would enthusiastically fashion make-shift rafts from dead tree limbs strung together by remnants of old baler twine. We would confidently push off from shore into the icy waters believing our rickety rafts would support us. More often than not, our expeditions failed. Drenched, but undaunted, we would pull our frail craft back to the water’s edge. After adding more logs and twine, we would try again and again. Spurred on by each other, we convinced ourselves that we would eventually sail open waters.

After a series of failed attempts of his own, Paul tells us of something he became fully confident of — the love of God.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … 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.”
Romans 8:35,37-39

A Pharisee

In Philippians 3, Paul gives us a personal perspective of his former life. I say “former” because the convictions he once held were proved just as frail as the wooden rafts my brother and I made. He says,

” … though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”
Philippians 3:4-6

As a Pharisee, Paul taught and obeyed every law with faultless precision. Or at least, he attempted to. He believed that obedience earned him the love of God. If one did enough, obeyed enough, tried hard enough, then God would love and accept you. Only then would anyone earn God’s favor. Zealous pursuit and faultless obedience ultimately proved less than reliable, even futile.

Most of us might identify on some level with this belief system. We relate to the repetitive cycle of trying harder and harder to earn or merit love.

The Encounter

At the most unexpected moment, radical love, bold and strong, confronted Paul (or Saul as he was still called then).

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.”
Acts 9:1

He sounds like an unlikely candidate to experience God’s love. Yet, in this space, God entered Paul’s life, turning his direction and conviction around.

I, too, can relate to his experience. God blasted into my messed up and broken life with both persistent grace. When anyone meets Jesus, nothing remains the same.

God saw something in Paul — something more than another zealous Pharisee.

” … This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”
Acts 9:15

Through His redeeming love, God turned an enemy of the cross into a megaphone for His praise. God’s “chosen instrument” came disguised as a murderous, over-zealous, religious elitist. But God views us through the lens of His perfect love. He recognizes potential no one else sees.

Fully Convinced

The initial encounter with God’s perfect love formed the starting point. What would follow, only God Himself could have orchestrated.

Under God’s instruction a brave Jesus follower by the name of Ananias courageously looked for Paul. He placed his hands on him and healed him. After Paul received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he sealed his faith with water baptism before heading into the desert.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.”
Galatians 1:15-17

At what point did Paul’s faith become conviction? Was it upon His dramatic conversion? Or did it take three years of Holy Spirit teaching to erase the bombardment of religious persuasions. Was it in the quiet desert places, alone with God, that an iron-clad confidence in Jesus took form?

For each of us, our eternity security rests by faith on the perfect, unfailing love of God through Jesus Christ.

Whatever the process, Paul spoke with absolute clarity, announcing to all who will grasp the truth that nothing — absolutely nothing — can separate us from God’s love.

God’s Perfect Love

Just as nothing could cause God to love us more, nothing could ever cause Him to love us less. Yes, we can choose to roam outside of His perfect will and plan, but nothing (and no human effort) can in any way elevate or diminish His love for us.

So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!
Romans 8:38-39 TPT

The Amplified Bible says, “I am convinced [and continue to be convinced — beyond any doubt].” Now that’s conviction — fully convinced that no one and no power could ever separate or diminish God’s unlimited love toward us.

Though my brother and I enjoyed brief moments of rafting success, we never became fully confident of our raft making skills. But through decades of my own desert times with the Lord, I know, that I know, that I know, His love is enough. His perfect love never fails. May you experience for yourself His unfailing, unending, unfading, perfect love.

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Hebrews 11:1 “Now Faith Is”

Faith Substance Evidence

This verse has brewed in my heart for weeks. I learned years ago while memorizing scripture that it is often the little words in a sentence that carry immense weight. Think about it – “now faith is“!

When we think about faith, we often focus on something hoped for the future. Faith is having “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”. That something for a Christian is “strong belief in God or in the doctrines of the bible, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.”

Faith requires a “spiritual apprehension” – to have a clear grasp of understanding of the truth.”

Hebrews is a book written to the Jews. Although they had the writings of the prophets and poetic scrolls, their spiritual understanding rested on the writings of Moses. This was their foundation of all truth.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1

The Pentateuch

In these first five books of the Bible we learn

much about the character of God,
His power and goodness,
the promises of God,
The Law,
His faithful pursuit of mankind,
the triune nature of eternal God,
and much, much, much more…..

Pentateuch

At the end of these books, we read:

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides across the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty.
The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you…
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword…”
Deuteronomy 34:26-29

Now

God can be taken at His Word! When a Jew would read “now faith is”, he knew beyond any doubt faith rests not our circumstances or personal ability, but fully on the foundation of The Word of God.

“Now faith is… substance.”  “Now faith is… evidence.” Now! In fact, this very moment!

The substance of what we hope for in prayer is now!

The evidence of what we don’t yet see is now!

Mary also apprehended the truth when she declared,

“For no word from God will ever fail.”
Luke 1:37

Faith Now

The angel’s words made no sense. A virgin giving birth? The Holy Spirit overshadowing? The natural mind could not comprehend, but faith said, “the evidence is now… the substance though unseen is!”

The literal translation for Luke 1:37 is “with God’s word is the power to fulfill it.” As God speaks it is done!

Faith

There are many things that I once needed faith to believe. I would struggle to apply some foundational truth to my life, usually because facts were confronting my path. There is a vast different between truth and fact.

Fact was the walls of Jericho were impenetrable;
truth is they fell with a shout!
Fact was the Red Sea was formidable;
truth is the wind of God lead the way!
Fact was the enemies are strong;
truth is God is Mighty!

God says everything done without faith is sin! Rather than a condemnation, it is an invitation to walk by faith.

This constant invitation to partner with Him and His Word is like a gate swung purposely open in our direction. Faith is activated upon truth.

Is

Often my hand trembles as I place it into God’s great hand. It takes faith not just to place it there, but also to keep it there. My faith rests complete, because He is…

“…I AM WHO I AM…”
Exodus 3:14

Whatever I need in faith today, He is! He never changes; His word is unfailing.

__________

(For more on faith check here.)

Grace to Believe

Lord grant me the grace to walk in faith
daily – moment by moment
breath by breath
knowing
now
faith
is.