NIPTO, Day 90

There was a thunderstorm last night. It was gorgeous. There was a ton of lightning. I think there were a few tornadoes in areas surrounding us. None near us. It was too far north for us. But I'm okay with that. We just got the rain, thunder, and lightning.
Oh, did I mention that we had to finish mulching before all this happened?
If you saw my post yesterday then you know that we mulched. If you didn't, you can click on that and read it.
I'm so sore this morning. Arms. Legs. Neck. Back. But I kept Jesus with me. On my wrist. In a little blue strip of cloth. My 100 Days of Holiness reminder. Today is Day 6. Just so you know.

Onwards to NIPTO. 

Romans 8:28-39
 ²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Ahhhh what a famous verse. What a good verse. So we've been adopted. That's what yesterday's post was about. Annd now we're given a promise of sorts. A promise that God works for the good of those who love him. Who are called to follow his purpose for their lives. That's. Us. Christians. People who are like Jesus. I really like this verse for a couple reasons. One reason is that I love a good promise. The second reason is that it doesn't promise that things will be easy or that everything that happens will seem good. It just says that God works for the good of us. Things might seem bad to us, but God knows what's good and he works towards that for our sake.


²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

Aka God made us like Jesus so that Jesus could be a fantastic example to us. Like a big brother. 


³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified

God chose us beforehand. He called us to him. He called us and then he justified us. He made us holy. And then, to top it off, he glorified us. That hasn't exactly happened yet. It'll happen in heaven though. shweeeet. 



³¹What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

There is a Chris Tomlin song called "Our God." We've sung it a couple times at Encounter62. The lyrics in the bridge go something like "and if our God is with us, then what could ever stop us? And if our God is for us, then what could stand against?" 
I like it. This is another awesome verse. If we've got God on our side, we don't (really) have to be worried about people being against us. Kinda cool. 


³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

God gave up his only son. And he gave him up for us. As a gift. If he gave up his only son for us, won't he give us the things that we ask for? (within reason) 


³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Paul's throwin' down a challenge. Does anyone want to accuse God's chosen child? Just a reminder: God is the one who justifies.


³⁴Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

 Who condemns people? Jesus. Just a guy who died... and OH YEAH was raised from the dead. And sits next to God. And kinda jumps in for us. BOO YAHHHH Jesus is awesome.


³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

A continuation of the challenge: Who's gonna separate us? 


³⁶As it is written:
   "For your sake we face death all day long;
      we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

I'm not quite sure who "we" is in verse 26... 
But verse 37 is kinda cool. We're not just conquerors. We're more thana conquerors through God. It's cool. It's kind of empowering too. Like, there are all these things that we are in God. (Who I Am in Christ statements anyone?)

³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither 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.

These verses are amazing. NOTHING in the ENTIRE world can separate us from God's love. No matter where we are, what circumstances we are in, who we're with, God loves us. And nothing can stop that. 
Amazing. It's almost too much to comprehend. Love it. 


Just got word in that we're not cleaning out the garage today! HURRAY! Too windy. But the Karen girls are coming over. And I think we're going to make Mother's Day cards and whatnot. Should be fun.

I love the fact that my sister works at Panera Bread. Last night, she brought home a bunnnnch of Cinnamon Crunch samples that couldn't be donated and were going to be thrown away. So I basically ate a cinnacrunch bagel for breakfast. But it was in samples. But it still tasted amazing. Hannah, I love you! haha

Time to clean up my "area" in the living room.... It's basically where I dump all of my school stuff and whatnot. My laptop (that I share with my mom... I'm sure my dad would cough and protest if he saw that I called it "my" without including my mom =P) is here and all the remotes and stuff. Just right now. The remotes aren't usually here =P
I have homework laying around and food stuff... Time to clean up! (clean up everybody everywhere, clean up clean up everybody do your share)

Here's that Chris Tomlin song I was talking about. Enjoy!