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“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Troubled? Christ tells us we can turn to his speech in John 14-16 any time and receive comfort and peace from knowing the Father himself loves us and that someday he will bring us out of our present sorrow and deliver us to joy. He promises us hardship and trouble and travail in this life and that the unbelieving world will hate us if we are truly walking with Him, and has indeed oftenRead More →

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In: Bible and Theology, Fear and Anxiety, God's love, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) This is my favorite verse to turn to in times of trial and distress of any sort. Here the Lord reassures us that though he has returned to the Father and we cannot see him faceRead More →

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For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a timeRead More →

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In: Bible and Theology, Fear and Anxiety, Lament, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!” (Psalm 143:10) David prays for instruction from God on how to do God’s will, and presumably what God’s will is to start with, at a time when he is being pursed by the enemy, who sounds more like depression than a human enemy in this psalm: his soul is crushed, he sits in darkness, his spirit faints, his heart fails–or he is overcome with dismay. David remembers first what God has done in the past and cries out to God to speak comfort to himRead More →

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In: Bible and Theology, Faith, God's love, God's promises, Prayer and Devotions

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) If God is for us, who can be against us? Will he who gave us his own son to save us not provide everything we need? These are great promises, but we must stop and consider the flip side. He who did not spare his own son the cross won’t spare us from all the trial, tribulation, pain and sorrow of this life, either. But none of these things can destroy our eternal soul and separateRead More →