Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 17
Thursday



TROUBLE

READ:
John 16:25-33
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In the world you will
have tribulation; but be
of good cheer, I have
overcome the world.
__John 16:33
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I was glad to see the final days of the
year draw to a close. It had held so
much sorrow, sickness, and sadness. I
was ready to welcome January with its
very own brass band!

But as the first month of the new
year arrived, so did one bit of sad news
after another. Several friends lost their
parents. My dad's brother slipped away
in his sleep. Friends discovered they
had cancer. A colleague's brother and a
friend's son both died tragically and
abruptly. Rather than the sad times
ceasing, the new year seemed to bring
a whole new tsunami of sorrow.

John 16:33 tells us, "In the world
you will have tribulation." Even God's
children are not promised a life of
ease, of prosperity, nor of good health.
Yet we are never alone in our trouble. Isaiah 43:2 reminds us
that when we pass through deep waters, God is with us.
Although we don't always understand God's purposes in the
trials we experience, we can trust His heart because we
know HIm.

Our God is a God of abundant love and "neither death nor
life...nor things present nor things to come [will ever]
separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord" (Rom. 8:38-39). When trouble comes, His presence is
His promise. __Cindy Hess Kasper
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``````````````````````````````````Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet;`````````````````````````````
``````````````````````````````````"Yeah, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;`````````````````````````````
``````````````````````````````````I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve;``````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````````````I will not forsake thee, I never will leave." __Flint
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faith is believing that God is present
when all we hear is silence.


Today's Bible Reading __ John 16:25-33

25 "These things I have
spoken to you in figurative
language; but the time is
coming when I will no
longer speak to you in
figurative language, but I
will tell you plainly about
the Father. 26 In that day
you will ask in My name,
and I do not say to you that
I shall pray the Father for
you; 27 for the fAther
Himself loves you, because
you have loved Me, and
have believed that I came
forth from God. 28 I came
forth from the Father and
have come into the world.
Again, I leave the world
and go to the Father."

29 His disciples said to
Him, "See, now You are
speaking plainly, and using
no figure of speech! 30 Now
we are sure that You know
all things, and have no need
that anyone should question
You. By this we believe that
You came forth from God."

31 Jesus answered them,
"Do you now believe?

32 Indeed the hour is
coming, yes, has now come,
that you will be scattered,
each to his own, and will
leave Me alone. And yet I
am not alone, because the
Father is with Me.

33 "These things I have
spoken to you, that in Me
you may have peace. In the
world you will have
tribulation; but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the
world."
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Jesus said, "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The Greek
word translated "overcome" was sometimes used in the ancient
world to mean victory in battle. Paul echoed this triumph in his
statement, "We are more than conquerors" (Rom. 8:37). Any
threatening life experience should be viewed from this perspective.
We are not alone and victory is sure!