What does it mean to be God’s chosen? If God has chosen his children, who can be against them?

God has chosen and loves his children. If God has chosen us and is for us, then no one can be against us.

God is for us and God has justified us. There is no one who can condemn God’s children.

The Apostle Paul wrote the followers of Jesus in Rome, saying, “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:33-34, ESV).

What has God given us? Has God held anything back from his children? If God is for us, what are we lacking?

God has given us all things. When God gave us his only Son, he gave us every good thing. And if God gave us his Son, he will not withhold anything from us.

The fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and humanity’s first sin began with questioning God’s goodness. Adam and Eve were led to believe that God was withholding something good.

What things are working together for good in your life? Are there aspects of your life that are not so good? Could even the “not so good things” be working together for good?

All things are not good, but all things do work together for good for those who love God and for those who are called according to God’s purposes.

The Apostle Paul wrote this encouragement to the believers in Rome, saying, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, ESV).

When you are weak, where do you find the help you need? How do you pray in your brokenness and weakness when you do not have the words to say?

We cannot overcome adversity on our own. We need help when we are too weak to go at life on our own. When we are broken and weak and our words fail us, we need God to understand, to hear us, and to intercede on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul wrote the believers in Rome, saying, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27, ESV).

How do we have life when we are dead in our sin? How are our bodies made alive in the face of sin and death?

When we have Jesus living in us, we have the life of Jesus living in us. When we have Jesus, we have the Spirit of God. The Spirit is life and gives us life.

The Apostle Paul wrote the believers in Jesus living in Rome, saying, “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:10, ESV).

How do we have access to God? How do we know God hears us when we pray? Do we need a go-between to connect with God?

We have direct access to God through Jesus. The only connection to God we need is Jesus.

The Apostle Paul wrote his disciple Timothy about Jesus’ mediation, saying, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5, ESV).

What is better than goodness and love? How good and how loving is God?

What is better than goodness and love is God’s goodness and enduring love which lasts forever because of his faithfulness for all of time.

The Psalm writes, “For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5, ESV).

Are we dead or are we living? Is it possible to be dead and alive?

As followers of Jesus, we are dead to our old sinful ways of life and we are alive in Jesus.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Rome, saying, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:6-8, ESV).

Do you know you have life in the Spirit? Do you know you are free to live?

We have life and freedom in the Spirit of God. God has set us free from sin and death so that we can live fully in him.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Rome, saying, “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2, ESV).

God’s Spirit of life has set us free in Jesus from sin and death. We are free to live!

Do you need a new way of doing life? Do you like your old way of life before you started following Jesus, or is a new way of life in Jesus preferable?

As followers of Jesus, we are walking in a new way of life. Our old life of sin and death is over. Our new life in Jesus is a full life—filled with resurrection and promise.

The Apostle Paul captures this truth in his letter to the Romans, when he writes, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:6-8, ESV).

What do you wish other people would do? What are you doing?

It is easy to be critical and to look at others and wish that they would do things differently. It is more difficult, and more helpful, to do to others what you wish they would do for you.

Jesus taught this truth in Matthew’s gospel account, saying, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12, ESV).

Are you free? How free are you? How are you set free? What, or who, gives you freedom? Are there areas of your life where you need to be set free?

God desires that we live freely. This is why Jesus set us free from the condemnation of our sin.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Rome, saying, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2, ESV).

What causes you to fear? What gives you courage to face your fear?

If God is for us and with us, then what do we have to be afraid of?

Many of us are gripped by fear in our lives. Fear can paralyze us and keep us from living fully and trusting God and others.

In Matthew’s gospel account, Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:28-31, ESV).

Where do you discover who you are? What is your identity? How do you describe yourself?

We are created diverse in the image of God. There are many facets to our personality and identity. We are gifted and skilled in many ways.

As followers of Jesus, our identity is found in our unity in Jesus, not in our gifts, individuality, personality, preferences, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, or sexuality. Jesus is our identity.

Who do you call upon when you are in distress? How do you seek help when you are troubled and need rescue?

When we call on God, he hears us and answers our need.

The Psalmist writes, “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” (Psalm 18:6, ESV).

What is faith? How are we saved by faith? What is the promise of faith? Who is the father of faith?

Faith is assurance of the truth and reality of what we do not always perceive to be.

The author of Hebrews defines faith this way, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV).

Faith is so essentially important that the author goes on to say, “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV).

What does God require from his followers? What are the basic expectations God has for his children?

As God’s children, we are subject to God’s leadership and character in our lives.

Because God is just, God requires justice from his children. Because God is kind, God requires kindness from his children. Because God is who he is, God requires humility from his children.

God spoke through the Minor Prophet Micah saying, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV).

When was the last time you received a good word from someone? How did this encouragement affect you?

A good word encourages and motivates us to move forward. Encouraging words can remove anxiety and heaviness in our lives, and allows us to shake depressive inertia and move forward in life.

The wisdom of the Proverbs tells us, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

(Proverbs 12:25, ESV).

What do you believe? Where do you place your faith? Does what you believe, or who you believe in, have the power to save you? Have you placed your faith in God who saves?

What we believe matters. Where we place our faith matters and is of eternal consequence. We must place our belief, our faith, in the truth of God and allow him to save us and give us life.

This saving faith was the faith of Abraham. This was the faith that Abraham placed in God. This is the faith in God who saves.

What are you seeking? Where are you seeking life?

What we are looking for is of essential importance. Where we are looking is important as well.

The Apostle Paul wrote the Colossian church, saying, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1, ESV).