Peace
To those of you who spend the few minutes reading my far and few between blog posts. Thank you.
I don't blog often and when I do it is because I usually have something on my heart and its time for it to be written.
I have mentioned that one of my go to Bible verses is John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. BUT take heart, because I have overcome the world."(NLT)
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. BUT take heart! I have overcome the world." (NIV)
John 16:23-33 NASB
"23 In that day you will not question Me about anything.
Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language;
an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language,
but will tell you plainly of the Father.
26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;
27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”
29 His disciples *said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.
30 Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You;
by this we believe that You came from God.”
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32 Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus, all the way through Scripture, did not promise anyone that life would be easy or that life would be handed any of us on a golden platter or that it would not have trials, tribulations, struggles, and grief. In fact He promised us the exact opposite. He promised we would have trials, tribulations, struggles, and grief.
Look at vs 30. The disciples realized they understood what Jesus was saying from verses 23 through 28.
Jesus, God the Son, Knows all things.
Jesus, God the Son, does not have to ask anyone anything.
Jesus is God.
Jesus is All Powerful.
Jesus has God the Father with Him always.
Jesus is All Knowing.
Jesus is Hope.
Jesus is Peace.
Jesus understands our fears, for our future, for tomorrow, for our children and grandchildren, our spouse, our job, our health, the anxiousness, and all the other fears you can add in personally.
Jesus knows what we are feeling every single second of every single minute and all He asks us to do is to lay them all at His feet and let His peace, only found through Him, fill our souls and give us hope.
Currently we are all facing the same what if's. What if this happens or what if that happens or what if the government does this or what if I get the flu, or what if I get Covid19.
This, ladies and gentlemen, THIS is the time to reach for the Bible that may or may not have several decades of dust on it, the Bible that you've read daily for several decades, reach for His Precious Word and study it, pray it, and above all LIVE it!
God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity , but a spirit of "power and love and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)
God only asks us to Trust Him through it all.
Hasn't He seen us through this far?
So my prayer for all of you that read this is:
That you would remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that forever includes tomorrow.
That you would be encouraged no matter what tomorrow brings to be the shining light of Love, Hope, and Peace that is Jesus Christ in you.
That you would seek the encouragement that is found in HIS Word.
That you would say over and over again in your heart and out loud that Jesus has overcome the world and it is well with my soul.
And that if you truly do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior that you would feel free and enabled to reach out to me or any believing friend, relative, pastor and ask the questions you might have. Jesus is waiting to live in and through you and love you through the struggle, trial, tribulation, and grief.
All this to say you are prayed for, my friends and family. You are so deeply loved by Jesus.
Jesus has overcome the world and I firmly believe that He is seeing myself and all of you through as only He can.
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. BUT take heart! I have overcome the world." (NIV)
I don't blog often and when I do it is because I usually have something on my heart and its time for it to be written.
I have mentioned that one of my go to Bible verses is John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. BUT take heart, because I have overcome the world."(NLT)
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. BUT take heart! I have overcome the world." (NIV)
John 16:23-33 NASB
"23 In that day you will not question Me about anything.
Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language;
an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language,
but will tell you plainly of the Father.
26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;
27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”
29 His disciples *said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.
30 Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You;
by this we believe that You came from God.”
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32 Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus, all the way through Scripture, did not promise anyone that life would be easy or that life would be handed any of us on a golden platter or that it would not have trials, tribulations, struggles, and grief. In fact He promised us the exact opposite. He promised we would have trials, tribulations, struggles, and grief.
Look at vs 30. The disciples realized they understood what Jesus was saying from verses 23 through 28.
Jesus, God the Son, Knows all things.
Jesus, God the Son, does not have to ask anyone anything.
Jesus is God.
Jesus is All Powerful.
Jesus has God the Father with Him always.
Jesus is All Knowing.
Jesus is Hope.
Jesus is Peace.
Jesus understands our fears, for our future, for tomorrow, for our children and grandchildren, our spouse, our job, our health, the anxiousness, and all the other fears you can add in personally.
Jesus knows what we are feeling every single second of every single minute and all He asks us to do is to lay them all at His feet and let His peace, only found through Him, fill our souls and give us hope.
Currently we are all facing the same what if's. What if this happens or what if that happens or what if the government does this or what if I get the flu, or what if I get Covid19.
This, ladies and gentlemen, THIS is the time to reach for the Bible that may or may not have several decades of dust on it, the Bible that you've read daily for several decades, reach for His Precious Word and study it, pray it, and above all LIVE it!
God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity , but a spirit of "power and love and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)
God only asks us to Trust Him through it all.
Hasn't He seen us through this far?
So my prayer for all of you that read this is:
That you would remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that forever includes tomorrow.
That you would be encouraged no matter what tomorrow brings to be the shining light of Love, Hope, and Peace that is Jesus Christ in you.
That you would seek the encouragement that is found in HIS Word.
That you would say over and over again in your heart and out loud that Jesus has overcome the world and it is well with my soul.
And that if you truly do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior that you would feel free and enabled to reach out to me or any believing friend, relative, pastor and ask the questions you might have. Jesus is waiting to live in and through you and love you through the struggle, trial, tribulation, and grief.
All this to say you are prayed for, my friends and family. You are so deeply loved by Jesus.
Jesus has overcome the world and I firmly believe that He is seeing myself and all of you through as only He can.
"O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free
Turn you eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there
Over us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are
And turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell
And turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace"
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. BUT take heart! I have overcome the world." (NIV)
AMEN
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