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Posted on 04/01/2019 6:53:58 PM PDT by JustAmy
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Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 21–22; John 14
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Darnell entered the physical therapist’s office knowing he would experience a lot of pain. The therapist stretched and bent his arm and held it in positions it hadn’t been in for months since his injury. After holding each uncomfortable position for a few seconds, she gently told him: “Okay, you can relax.” He said later, “I think I heard that at least fifty times in each therapy session: ‘Okay, you can relax.’ ”
Thinking of those words, Darnell realized they could apply to the rest of his life as well. He could relax in God’s goodness and faithfulness instead of worrying.
As Jesus neared His death, He knew His disciples would need to learn this. They’d soon face a time of upheaval and persecution. To encourage them, Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to live with them and remind them of what He had taught (John 14:26). And so He could say, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. . . . Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (v. 27).
There’s plenty we could be uptight about in our everyday lives. But we can grow in our trust in God by reminding ourselves that His Spirit lives in us—and He offers us His peace. As we draw on His strength, we can hear Him in the therapist’s words: “Okay, you can relax.”
What causes you stress? What characteristics of God can help you learn to trust Him more?
Teach me, Jesus, to trust Your faithfulness, to know Your presence, to experience Your peace—to relax.
WoooHooo!!
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We had thunderstorms this morning.
It’s getting ridiculous.
We got a lot of rain Saturday.
Can’t stop the weather.
: /
Y’all are rapidly becoming a swamp! Hope it stops there and comes here for a bit.
Yeah it’s swampy. Lots of fields around here can’t be plowed yet.
Another blob of rain on the radar is headed this way tonight. I hope it misses us.
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 23–24; John 15
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Matthew 13:44
John and Mary were walking their dog on their property when they stumbled on a rusty can partially unearthed by recent rains. They took the can home and opened it, discovering a cache of gold coins over a century old! The couple returned to the spot and located seven more cans containing 1,427 coins in all. Then they protected their treasure by reburying it elsewhere.
The cache of coins (valued at $10 million) is called the Saddle Ridge Hoard, the largest find of its kind in US history. The story is strikingly reminiscent of a parable Jesus told: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44).
Tales of buried treasure have captured imaginations for centuries, though such discoveries rarely happen. But Jesus tells of a treasure accessible to all who confess their sins and receive and follow Him (John 1:12).
We’ll never come to an end of that treasure. As we leave our old lives and pursue God and His purposes, we encounter His worth. Through “the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7), God offers us treasure beyond imagination—new life as His sons and daughters, new purpose on earth, and the incomprehensible joy of eternity with Him.
How are you treasuring your relationship with God? How can you share that treasure with others?
You are my greatest treasure, Jesus. I praise You for giving Your life for me on the cross, so that I could find forgiveness and new life in You.
Keep your waterwings close by! You might just need ‘em!
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Hi Peaches!
We had sun today too.
Weather dude says it might not rain again until Sunday.
Happy Thankful Thursday!
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Puppers has a snooze.
Sweet dreams, Kitty. (((hugs)))
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 25–27; John 16
They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Isaiah 35:2
The Mojave Desert includes the expected sand dunes, dry canyons, mesas, and mountains of most deserts. But American biologist Edmund Jaeger observed that every few years an abundance of rain results in “such a wealth of blossoms that almost every foot of sand or gravelly soil is hidden beneath a blanket of flowers.” The Mojave wildflower show isn’t a yearly phenomenon, though. Researchers confirm the dry earth needs to be soaked by storms and warmed by the sun, at just the right times, before blooms will cover the desert with vibrant colors.
This image of God bringing forth life despite the arid terrain reminds me of the prophet Isaiah. He shared an encouraging vison of hope after delivering God’s message of judgment on all nations (Isaiah 35). Describing a future time when God will make all things right, the prophet said, “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom” (v. 1). He declared God’s rescued people will enter His kingdom “with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (v. 10).
With our eternal future secured by God’s promises, we can trust Him through life’s seasons of drought and drenching storms. Deeply rooted in His love, we can grow, blooming into His likeness until, at just the right time, Jesus returns and sets all things right.
What storms of life have you been facing? How is God showing you His presence? Look! He’s there.
Loving Father, thank You for assuring us You’re with us and working to grow us through every stormy moment of our lives.
Cute little puppy.
I took a picture similar to that years ago with my puppy Bart. I wanted to show how small he was next to my white canvas tennis shoes and a tennis ball out on the lawn. He was a great dog.
Thankful for all the dogs I’ve had.
Cheers
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Amen!
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