Week Four: Persuaded to Keep Moving

After completing three weeks, I believe that each of us have a testimony during this Lenten season.  As I have checked in with some of you individually, I have heard of challenges and triumphs.  In the midst of this season, I encourage us to never give up.  No matter how difficult it gets or fierce the attack seems to be...we must keep believing the promise of God!

Week Four:  Persuaded to Keep Moving

Scripture:  Romans 8:35-39

Objective:  To remind the body of Christ to never give up on what God has promised.

Too often circumstances, people, and life tempt us to think that it is finally time to give up.  Circumstances, people, and life can bring about such tribulation that the best of us will be ready to give up.  Come on...no one is looking but God.  Each of us have encountered a moment or may even be in a season where we are tempted to just "abandon ship".  The mountain seems insurmountable...the valley seems unending...the river seems impossible...All of these factors may be true, but on week four I dare you to make up in your mind that you are not going to give up on God....you are not going to quit...you are going to keep moving!  I AM PERSUADED!!!

Romans 8:35-39 reads:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 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.

Our key scripture passage reminds us that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ.  So, during this Lenten season you may experience tribulation of every kind...distress in every form...persecution on many levels...mental, physical, and even spiritual famine and nakedness...BUT DON'T QUIT!!!  We are more than conquerors through Jesus.  The very thing that appears to be able to take us out is often an opportunity for God to favor us.  

THIS WEEK'S LENTEN CHALLENGE:

This week I challenge each of us to declare right now...wherever you are as you read this...I AM PERSUADED TO KEEP MOVING!  If you were in this alone or only able to depend on another human, then I could definitely understand the challenge of making this declaration.  However, God has challenged me to stare myself in the mirror today and remind my soul that God's love is with me when it seems as though persecution or tribulation has the best of me.  I believe with my whole heart that we experience these moments not to defeat us, but to strengthen our faith.  Can you meet the challenge with me on this week?  Everyday tell yourself "I can't quit now"...nothing that I've seen and nothing that I will see will be able to separate me from the love of God, so I AM PERSUADED TO KEEP MOVING!  Join me.

PRAYER:

All knowing, yet all loving God, we thank You for reminding us this week that You are with us!  Since you are with us, help us to receive this Word that you promised us.  God we know that You cannot fail us, so please help us to be fully persuaded of our victory in spite of the current circumstance.  We thank You for being an ever-present help in the times of trouble.  As we struggle to defeat discouragement, conquer challenges, and beat bitterness, strengthen us with Your Holy Ghost power to make it.  We thank You in advance for the victory.  In Jesus' name, Amen.