God's Reminder for Today: Don’t Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

God's Reminder for Today: Don’t Let Your Hearts Be Troubled
by Debbie McDaniel

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." John 14:1

Sometimes we face circumstances in life that are just out of our control. No amount of our own planning and effort can make it better, or could have even prevented it from occurring. Hard things happen. We feel at a loss in how to fix it all. Sometimes it seems too broken. We may try hard to regain some sense of order, but life can still feel unbalanced, uncertain, even chaotic, because of the pressures that cling too tightly.

Jesus Himself understood these pressures. Over and over in His Word, He reminds us not to worry, not to fear, not to be "troubled" in our hearts.

And on the heels of the Last Supper, before His difficult journey to the cross, Christ offers comfort to His disciples, for He knew what lay ahead. He knew the trials they would all soon face. He could have said so many things in that moment, but these are the words He chose then, and the words that have such power for us still today:

"Do not let your hearts (inmost part, center of your spiritual life and physical being), be troubled (agitated, restless, disturbed). Trust (believe, to have full confidence) in God, trust also in me." John 14:1

4 Truths from this verse to help us live wisely:

- Many around us will have troubled hearts in this world, troubled souls, but Jesus reminds us, don't let "your" heart be troubled. Don't follow the crowd, stand apart, for we know where our true peace and security are found.

- Take care of your "heart" for it is "the fountain and seat of all the thoughts, passions, affections, and purposes" in our lives. Our hearts compel us in every action, thought, and decision. He reminds us to guard our hearts for "everything we do flows from it."

- Don't be "troubled." Sounds easy enough, but quite possibly the most difficult thing in the world. How can we not be troubled when facing huge trials, loss, illness, uncertainty? The only answer lies in Him, and it's how He ends this verse.

- "Trust. Believe." Have full confidence in God, in Christ. For He is the answer for our troubles, every single one. He is our help for each need that we face. He knows our road, the one ahead, and also the tough one we may have just passed through, for He is with us every step. This world is not all we have. This one may be riddled with obstacles, potholes, and even dangerous cliffs. Often we find ourselves struggling just to stay the course.

But we can have hope, still. Right in the very midst of it, in the tough stuff, in the battle. For He is secure. He is trustworthy. He is faithful.

And He has much better, and great blessing, still in store...

Peace.

Intersecting Faith & Life: That one thing that’s been pressing on your heart? Give it to God. And make the choice to leave it there. Choose to trust and believe He’s working on your behalf, even behind the scenes where you can’t see. Ask Him for His Presence of peace to fill your life today.

The Lord Detests Lying Lips

The Lord Detests Lying Lips
By Bible Pathway

Christ exposed the fact that all lies originate from Satan (John 8:44). It was Satan who lied to Eve and brought death into the world. This lie caused sin, pain and destruction to become reality. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom. 5:12). One lie can cause many problems for both — the one being lied about and the liar himself.

A lying tongue can destroy the effectiveness of another person's life. Just one conversation can do irreparable damage. Though the lying tongue is but for a moment (Prov. 12:19), its effects can last a lifetime and maybe for generations.

A vicious lie can strip a man of his good name and destroy his character. But sincere, thoughtful words help heal the wounded spirit that has been crushed by the slandering tongue. It is so important that we keep our tongues in subjection. We need to think before we speak. Ask yourself, how is what I am about to say going to impact God's Kingdom? Am I going to defame someone's character? Will what I say help this person and be pleasing to the Lord? Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation (I Pet. 2:12).

The tongue that is controlled by the Holy Spirit becomes an instrument of imparting His life to others. Often, we only think of the tongue as being an instrument for evil. There are so many Scriptures that describe it so. However, the tongue can be used to edify, encourage, uplift, teach and counsel, among other things that will do good to and for the Body of Christ. Many tongues had spoken against the woman of Samaria who met Jesus at the well. After meeting Jesus face to face she used her voice to bring others unto Him. Through her witness many believed. . . . that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world (John 4:6-42). Likewise, Jesus met ten men that were lepers who lifted up their voices for mercy and were healed. The Lord instructed them to go show the priests (Luke 17:13-14).

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God (Luke 17:15).

Thought for Today:

Guard your tongue — speak only those things that build up another.

A Prayer to Come to Jesus Just as You Are

A Prayer to Come to Jesus Just as You Are
By Rachel-Claire Cockrell

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32

We need Jesus because we are sinners. That isn’t confined to the small “easy to fix” sins. That applies to ALL sins. We put so much pressure on ourselves, but the truth is that we need Christ. We need him because we absolutely cannot live the way we are called to live on our own.

We shouldn’t look down on lost people for sinning. That’s the most hypocritical thing we could do. We can never forget that we, too, were once lost. We, too, were once drowning in our own sin. And I don’t know about you, but I still struggle to keep my head above water every day. We are broken; we are sinful. Jesus comes in and changes that. If we had the capability to change it ourselves, then we wouldn’t need him. He wouldn’t have had to die on the cross. None of that is necessary if we can “fix” ourselves on our own.

The thing that is so wonderful about Jesus is that he changes something fundamentally inside of us. It’s a change that cannot be described in words, it can only be experienced. You don’t have to change for Jesus. He is the one who changes you.

Even those of us who have accepted Christ aren’t perfect. We need to cut each other - and ourselves - some slack. We need to recognize that, yes, we have to live to a certain standard to be Christians, but that Jesus is about forgiveness first. He forgives us before he changes us, and then he continues to forgive us over and over again.

We have to remember that we are only human. We have to remember why we need Jesus; why his sacrifice was necessary. We have to remember that true change of heart requires supernatural intervention, not human intervention. We have to remember not to get things in the wrong order.

Jesus first. Accepting Christ is the first and most important step. He will initiate the change after someone accepts him into their heart.

I hope this encourages you when you do mess up. We are going to fall. We shouldn’t rub each other in the dirt or walk by as we look on scathingly. We should get down and help each other up. Let’s pray for the grace we need to get up after we fall down:

Lord, thank you that you are the one that can change me. Thank you that I do not have to change myself. Thank you for dying so that we could have life. Help us not to judge others in sin, but to treat them with love and compassion. Help us come to you just as we are: broken, imperfect, but fully alive and healed by the power of your blood on the cross. Thank you Jesus! The gospel is such good news. Help me live into that each day. Amen.