May it please Almighty God to bless us together this evening as we meditate in His Holy Word. Let's turn to the 8th chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, and we'll read the last two verses. The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, chapter 8, and reading verses 38 and 39.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It's good to be able to read such a wonderfully positive statement made by the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the Church of Rome to encourage them and to direct them and as he concludes his eighth chapter which is a very wonderful statement from beginning to end he comes down and concludes by these words for I am persuaded and he was persuaded through his personal experience persuaded because he's walked that path and seen how whatever had come into his life and he itemizes a number of situations here and he tells us that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Really it means this that if we are in Christ Jesus we will always be in Christ Jesus and whatever we have to face this life and we shall have to face many difficulties because the Word of God very clearly tells us that when the Lord Jesus at the end of his sermon to his disciples in the upper room he told them very clearly it is through much tribulation that that we shall enter the kingdom. You see he told on the one hand there would be much tribulation but they wouldn't be left and they would indeed enter the kingdom.

And so we should be very thankful that we have an account like we have here in this eighth chapter to encourage us. And the 35th verse tells us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? And then he gives us another list. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. And all those situations can be very difficult and very trying to our flesh and yet he's thankful to be able we're thankful he's able to write under the blessed influence of the Holy Spirit as he goes on and says as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and then he says nay in all these things We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

We aren't able to conquer with our own ability. It's very clear it's through him, through what the Lord Jesus Christ has done and has accomplished. in his life and his glorious Sinatonian death. There is our hope and we must rely upon what he has done, his great glorious finished work, to think that he came into this sinful world with that divine and blessed purpose to redeem the souls of all his church.

and to think they came to redeem you and redeem me how humbling it is as we perhaps look at our lives consider our lives perhaps are ashamed of much of our life and yet to realize this great and glorious God has loved us loved us with an everlasting love and with loving kindness has drawn us, drawn us to himself. You and I can't produce that drawing power ourselves, but we're thankful when it comes from Almighty God. We find ourselves alongside the glorious Saviour and indeed walking with the Saviour and indeed having fellowship with the Saviour. That's why the apostle was able to write as he did, because he knew what it was to enjoy communion and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He had the wonderful evidence in his heart that he was born again. evidence in his heart that it was indeed well with his soul.

In an earlier chapter, the fifth chapter of the Romans, he tells us in the fifth verse, he says, And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. You see this love is not something that you and I can produce ourselves. It's given to the Church of God and we stand amazed to think that our hard hearts, perhaps our unbelieving hearts, our sinful hearts, have been drawn to the Saviour as we by faith view what He has done on our behalf.

He suffered, he endured the cross, he died that Sinatonian death that you and I might have that great and glorious gift of eternal life. And so we can understand a little of what the Apostle Paul was speaking. And as we commence of course this eighth chapter with those well-known words which are very precious. He says, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Now you and I walk after the flesh, left to ourselves. But how wonderful it is when the Holy Spirit gives us that desire to not walk after the flesh. to turn away from the things of the flesh and to walk after the Spirit the Spirit of God which leads and directs us in that right way the Lord God Almighty never makes a mistake He never leaves us and never leads us in a wrong way and as the Apostle says in the 14th verse for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

So if we can trace out and find in our little lives the glorious and wonderful work of the Spirit of God, we can indeed Praise him for it and realize that we are led by the Spirit. It's not what we've done. And he tells us, for you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you receive the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. It is the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

That's a very humbling truth. It's a very humbling statement to think that the Lord has granted this wonderful favour that we walk in that right way and walk with Him if we are led by the Spirit of God, that we are indeed the sons of God. So it's good, isn't it, to sometimes pause in our life, to sometimes consider God's work in our hearts and trace out God's work there.

We don't want to just whirl it on with just a religion which has no depth in it, which has no reality in it, which just is something which might be pleasing to our flesh. No, the great thing is that our true religion brings honour and glory to God because there is the work of God the work of God is evidenced and that work turns us and changes us and enables us to perhaps do those things which we never thought we'd be able to do what a mercy it is then to have this God as our God

Well, the Apostle knew it, he rejoiced in it, he blessed God for it. And what a mercy it is for you and me today. Yes, we live many years after, but the great truth is, as we read in this chapter, the wonderful word that we read in the 28th verse, and we know, and we know, says the Apostle, and what a blessing if you and I know. that all things work together for good. That may be quite hard to swallow, a statement like that. But you see, when God deals with us, he deals with us in love to our soul. And because he deals with us in love to our soul, he leads us in that right way. And he leads us to see the sinfulness of our own heart, the evil of our own heart, and then he directs us to the amazing love of God.

That love which is far beyond our comprehension to think that almighty God, and nonetheless, nonetheless, not a little God, but the great God, the all-powerful God, the God who created all things, the ruler of the universe, that one who, bless God, he's drawn us, drawn us to himself.

And that's why the apostle comes down to this wonderful conclusion and is able to tell us, for I am persuaded. It's good, isn't it? If you and I can be persuaded through the power of God, through his wonderful goodness to us in granting us the great gift of eternal life and leading us into all truth as it is in Jesus. What a mercy that is.

And so he tells us, I am persuaded. that neither death nor life. He draws those statements, death, the end of our life, our life, and he's persuaded that those things will not separate us from the love of God. And that's wonderful, isn't it, to think that when we pass out of time, If we are those who have been loved with everlasting love, there will be no separation. We will be eternally with the Lord in glory. What a mercy and what a blessing.

And so he tells us, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, and then he tells us, nor angels, not even angels, will be able to separate us from the love of God. Isn't that wonderful? However difficult it may be sometimes, and we know that the devil is always active, endeavouring to shake our faith, endeavouring to prove to us that we don't possess the life of God in our soul and endeavours to overthrow us with regard to the good hope that God has given us but remember this blessed persuasion that the Apostle had where he was able to say that not even angels in their state would be able to separate us and of course we know that the devil also will not be able to separate us.

However hard he tries, and he does, and he will, and don't forget the devil never gives up this side of the grave. Don't think, well, if I get through this little mountain it'll be easy. devil doesn't give up. You and I pass from one problem to another, one trial to another, but there is a good end. There is a good end and it's a good end because we are more than conquerors through him not through what we can do and how we've been able to do this and that it's purely through him through his life through his death through his resurrection through his ascension and through his intercession today this my friends is the great glorious God that we have who sits and reigns and is in control totally of your life and my life.

He's totally in control. And the devil tries to dislodge us, but we'll find that God is in control. And so here we have this statement, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, whatever that may mean, principalities, important people, important things, powers, natural powers on this earth. We know, if you look back in history, we can observe and read about many who've been martyred, who've given their life. Yes, no doubt the devil thought he was to conquer, but he didn't. Through the grace of God, through the love of God, they conquered. They were victorious. in their time of great need and they were able to bring honour and glory to Almighty God. So, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nothing, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Ponder that, to think that this glorious God, the second person in the Trinity, The One who created everything in the whole universe. That One was willing, willing to lay down His life. And not just a casual lying down, but He endured. Endured the cross. Endured the condemnation that was placed on Him. Endured. He didn't fail. Did his father's will. The perfect will of God.

How willing was Jesus to die that we fellow sinners might live the life they could not take away. How willing was Jesus to give. It's amazing, isn't it, to think that this great God came down into this world to redeem our souls, utterly unworthy as we are. And why was it? Because of his love. And that love was upon us before we were born. that love was upon us in eternity past, before the world was created. It's a great, deep, which is difficult, well perhaps I should say, it's impossible for us to really comprehend. but this is the greatness of our God and how good it is to have a real understanding and be as the Apostle says persuaded persuaded that because this great God has looked upon us has touched our heart what a mercy if you and I can see that in our lives a time when we were without God without God carrying on aimlessly in this sinful world content to please ourselves but as the hymn writer says the appointed time rolled on apace not to propose but call by grace how wonderful for us today to be a partaker of that wonderful love and how it controls so often the hardness of our heart the rebellion of our heart perhaps to realize God's love toward us

It's amazing, isn't it, to think that the Almighty God has done this. What a blessing it is. When the Apostle wrote to the Thessalonians, he wrote a wonderful statement in the second epistle to the Thessalonians, in the third chapter, and he tells us this. Well, fourth verse perhaps. No, third verse. But the Lord is faithful. The Lord is faithful. Just think of that. The Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that you both do and will do the things which we command you. and the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God.

You may have to say, my love seems very cold, almost non-existent. Well, here we have an encouraging word. And the Lord direct your hearts. We can pray that, can't we? The Lord will direct our hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. They will not be ashamed that wait for me, the word of God tells us. We may have to wait. We may have to wait. Sometimes we become impatient. And if you do become impatient, just remember what David wrote in the 40th Psalm when he said, I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. Such statements are very comforting. when perhaps we don't seem to be doing very well get rebellious, get hard-hearted because we don't seem to not have and receive what we thought we should well David was given that grace to wait patiently so may you and I be given that grace also to wait patiently and the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ.

My friends, it's worthwhile waiting. In all God's things, there's a good end. There's a good end. It's not an easy path, but there is a good end. And we ought to recognise that and indeed Thank God for it, for all his love and for all his amazing mercy toward us.

In the first epistle to John, we read this in the third chapter, verse 16. Hereby, says John, hereby we perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our life for the brethren.

What a mercy when you and I can perceive the love of God in that great and wonderful act of the Lord Jesus Christ laying down his life. And when perhaps we just ponder that and think he laid it down for me, such an unworthy creature, such an unworthy sinner. The Almighty God laid down His life for me. Oh, how great a truth that is, how humbling it is, and how it should bring in our heart praise to God, that we should desire to exalt Him, honour and glorify his great and holy name.

Well, says the Apostle, I am persuaded. We have these gracious and glorious evidences of this wonderful favour and this wonderful love toward us. Just going on in this first epistle of John in the fourth chapter, He tells us this, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. You might think that's a pretty obvious statement, but it's not as easy as it sounds, but it's true and it's important. And everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God. for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. And then he comes on to this one verse. Herein is love. Not that we loved God. but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. True, isn't it? If God should have loved such unworthy sinners as you and I are. We should indeed, by the grace of God, truly desire to love one another and to praise his holy and glorious name.

Well, says Paul, I am persuaded that neither height nor depth nor any other creature, nothing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. This wonderful God, this wonderful Saviour.

My friends, it's a very important, very wonderful blessing to know the love of Christ toward us. It's something that you and I need to know. We need to pray earnestly that the love of Christ may be shed abroad in our hearts. The Lord brings that about in various ways, but often what he does is to enable us to trace back in our lives what he has done in a time of calling a time of conversion and we see why was that because of any good in ourselves we have to say nothing at all no good at all and it points us then to the love of Christ and what a good thing it is then when our hearts which by nature are hard, hard as stone

What a mercy when God brings about his softening influence and the result is we're humbled under the mighty hand of God to think that the glorious God the Father sent his only beloved Son into this sinful world that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life. That's a grand and glorious gospel truth and that brings love to the Father and love to the Son and love to the work of the Holy Spirit in conveying this information to our hearts so that we can rejoice indeed in that wonderful love, wonderful mercy.

God knows all about us. He knows where we are. He knows where we are tonight. He knows what we're thinking. He knows whether we know this in our own heart This love of Christ. And my friends, if you don't, and don't pretend you know something if you don't. But God knows about you. And God knows where you are. And God knows your desire. God knows your prayers.

and therefore press on press on and pray earnestly that you may come to this position you may be able to understand what the Apostle has written here so you come down to the end of this eighth chapter when he says who shall separate us from the love of Christ it's a question It's a question. Then he itemizes the possible reasons, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sore. They're all reasonable statements, aren't they? But yet, you see, what a blessing it is if you and I realize that none of these things, however serious they may be in our lives, how difficult they may be, They don't separate us from the love of Christ because nothing can.

And nothing can because the blessed Saviour has died upon that cross at Calvary to take away our sins. And therefore the result is we're clean. We're washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. We are complete in Him. Not in what we've done. Complete in Him. Oh, how wonderful that is. What does it do? I'll tell you what it does. It makes Christ real. It makes Christ precious. It enables us to bow down and worship this great God who has been so kind and gracious to such an unworthy sinner. And you and I will feel to be truly an unworthy sinner, not worth any notice. And yet because of God's love, he hasn't passed us by. We deserve to be passed by. And yet he's come to us where we are. He's touched our hearts. He's given us living prayer. He's blessed us with ardent desires that we might be lifted above the poor things of time and blessed with this amazing, amazing, God-glorifying love of God.

this chapter is a very wonderful chapter isn't it? this 8th chapter that the Apostle Paul was able to write there's many great truths in the Romans but this is a very precious truth and a very precious statement to realise that as the Apostle says as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Yes, counting the sheep for the storter. And then he says, nay, in all these things, all these things, by the grace of God, by the favor of God, we are more than conquerors. Not because of what we've done. Through him. Through him. Through what he has done.

He conquered Satan. He died that synotone in death. The devil tried everything he could. Yes, on the cross, the Savior had to endure the hiding of his father's face, but he never failed. No, he was steadfast in that work that his father had given him to do, and he was able to come to say those glorious words, it is finished. The work that his father had given him to do, he finished. That great and wonderful work of redemption was completed on the cross at Calvary by none less than the almighty Son of God.

Tonight we ought to truly rejoice. We ought to go on our way rejoicing and be able to come and say, what a Saviour. What a Saviour who loved me so much, unworthy me, so much that He was willing to lay down His life that I might receive life. And that, the gift of eternal life. Beyond our comprehension to think that we as unworthy sinners receive this wonderful gift of eternal life. But my friends, may we truly bless God for it.

You know, Job had much to suffer and yet he tells us, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. His faith look beyond natural things to the power and might of almighty God. Well tonight, may we go home and ponder these words and remember, for I am persuaded, and it's good when by God's grace you and I are persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Surely by God's grace we can come and say, blessed be God. Amen.