2-23 Daily in the Word

I Shall Be Alive

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Nay, 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.”

Romans 8:37–39

Even when all life’s trials are gone, we will still remain because God is in control of all.

Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great Baptist preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, “I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, ‘You have an illness from which you won't recover.’ I walked out to where I live five miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps, and I said, ‘I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea; and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!’”

Pastor Hinson shows us a great principle of eternal life. Even when the things of this world fade away, if we are saved, our soul will still remain.

Did you ever stop to consider that even when the sun burns out or the earth returns to dust, as a child of God you will still be alive? God promises eternal life to those who trust in Him and accept Him as Saviour. Nothing can separate us from God once we are His children!

Even as God promises us that we will have eternal life, He also promises us that He is in control of our lives. The very God who created the world with His words, sustained the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness, protected Daniel from ravenous lions, gave David victory over a giant, turned water into wine, fed over five thousand people, and rose from the grave after three days, promises you that He is in control of your life.

God has proven through history to be sovereign over all circumstances. He proves that He takes care of His children, even in the face of persecution. Yet so many times we fail to trust Him in our day-to-day life. We focus on the size of our problem and not the omnipotence of our God.

How is it that we can trust God to save our souls and we trust that we will spend eternity with Him, but we fail to believe He is in control of our life each day? Don’t allow the devil to shift your focus from God to the earthly worries that plague many people. Look up to Him in time of need and seek your strength from God.

Romans 8:28 may be very familiar to you, but meditate on the promise God gives to you today, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” We can know that God is working in every situation, every unexpected circumstance, every health trial, every job loss, and every financial pressure. Everything we face is for our good because we are His children. Even when all these situations are gone, we will still remain because God is our Father and He is in control of it all.

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

To learn more about Pastor Chappell's books, Sunday school curriculum, and spiritual leadership resources, please visit strivingtogether.com.

Daily Bible Reading
Numbers 5-6 • Mark 4:1-20