i trace the rainbow through the rain...

My Daddy, Eston Willis, was a wonderful Bible teacher. One year he led a small Bible study in our home. Each week, we would gather, open in prayer, open our Bibles, and he would begin by quoting the same Scripture, Romans 8:1, at least seven times before we began...

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Something about the repetition of those God-breathed words moved God’s Truth from my head to my heart. The eighth chapter of Romans begins with “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation”… For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord—Romans 8:38-39

The verdict is final. The case is never going to be re-tried—irrevocable. On that we can rest—we are accepted on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

Take a few minutes to enjoy this beautiful rendition of the classic hymn by George Mattheson, O Love That Will Not Let Me Go...

O Love that will not let me go

I rest my weary soul in Thee

I give Thee back the life I owe

That in Thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be

O Love, that will not let me go.

O Joy, that seekest me through pain

I cannot close my heart to Thee

I trace the rainbow through the rain

And feel the promise is not vain

That morn shall tearless be

O Love, that will not let me go.

O Cross, that liftest up my head

I dare not ask to fly from Thee

I lay in dust life's glory dead

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be

O Love, that will not let me go.

O Love, that will not let me go.

Was this encouraging to you? Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below, I'd love to hear from you!

Linking up with Holley Gerth's Coffee for Your Heart as an encourager.

You're Loved

It is such a blessing to link up with Holley Gerth each week in offering up a little Coffee for Your Heart, her weekly encouragement challenge for 2014. The writing prompt for this week is simply this: “You’re Loved”

Many years ago, I used to hear Elisabeth Elliot open her Gateway To Joy radio show with these words, "‘You are loved with an everlasting love.’ That's what the Bible says. ‘And underneath are the everlasting arms.’ This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot…” Those Scriptures remind me, "You're Loved."

I came to a place in my life where I wanted, more than anything else, to know and love God more. God is so inconceivably good. He’s not looking for perfection. He already saw it in Christ. He’s looking for affection. That’s why every lasting change will invariably be a change of heart. He’ll even supply the heart, if we’ll ask Him. To know Him is to love Him...to know and believe, "You're Loved."

Henri Nouwen, the famous author, once gave a postcard print of Rembrandt’s painting pictured below, Return of the Prodigal, to individuals who had come to hear him speak. He asked them to look at the hands of father—one hand masculine and strong, and the other hand feminine and gentle. What a wonderful way to illustrate the unconditional love God has for all of us prodigals, full of grace and truth, His open arms saying, “You’re Loved.”

Take a few minutes to watch this powerful music video about the prodigal son called, When God Ran, He ran to His son saying, "You're Loved."

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  8:38-39 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.—John 3:16 

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.—I John 4:10 

We love because he first loved us.—I John 4:19 

I pray this Coffee For Your Heart post has been encouraging to you, if it has been, please share your heart with me in the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts…