Today’s Verse for Tuesday, April 7
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Do not let your hearts be troubled? Do not be afraid?
How many times does it say not to be afraid in the Bible? Lots. An exact number isn’t needed. We just know that it’s a lot. So if God is telling us not to be afraid, then there must be a way for us to do that. He wouldn’t tell us to do something that we’re incapable of doing.
We can read our own emotions. I’m anxious. I’m angry. I’m unhappy. I’m depressed. We know how we’re feeling (most of the time) and we may even know why we feel that way. This happened or that happened. They said this or they said that. We can label the cause of our feelings, but why do we have so little control over the result?
Some time ago I was falling into a depression. I could see it happening and it scared me to no end. It felt like being on the edge of a cliff and teetering to the point of falling. It was the fear that made me act and I began praising and thanking God for everything I could think of. As I continued, I became engaged to what I was saying, and as I became engaged, the fear left me. By the time I finished I was no longer in danger. I guess you could say I changed my mind.
Sometimes God give us that peace in the middle of our fear and the fear is banished. It’s wonderful when He does that, but my experience tells me that’s not always the case. Sometimes He expects us to just obey and it’s up to us to do something about it. So when He says not to be afraid, He’s given us reasons why we don’t have to be afraid and that’s where our mind need to go.
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:28
But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:61-62
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19
Once I heard the Lord say to me in answer to prayer that I had a divided heart. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was true. There were things in my life that took precedent over my relationship with God, but it also seemed like something I could do nothing about. I wanted to, but the emotions were too strong and it was the emotions that dictated. So I know what the Lord means when He says, ‘I will give them an undivided heart.’ Having an undivided heart is something to desire.
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.
Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. Acts 2:32-33
See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. Song of Songs 2:11-12
There is something about the first stirrings of spring that changes one’s perspective. I feel like I’ve come out of a cave and the land brings a change every morning. A new bud sprouting here and something popping up over there. I notice how dirty my windows are and the low level dirt I’ve lived with all winter is now a problem. Windows are open. Even the rain doesn’t bother me. I go out more even if its just to walk around. The suns up early and setting later. I’ve got more day even if there’s not more energy. A lovely choice of verse for this time of the year!
my favorite verse… always gives me comfort…
Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6:3
This verse is a great reply to the question that Peter put out there in Divine Silence. To acknowledge Him is to search Him out and deepen our understanding. We’ll never make it fully this side of heaven, but if we do, He promises to meet us in our honest desire to know Him.
Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. Zechariah 10:1
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. James 5:7
2 Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7