Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 9
Thursday


WHAT DO
YOU EXPECT?

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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In C.S. Lewis' book God in the Dock, he wrote: "Imagine a set of people all living in the same building. Half of them think it is a hotel, the other half think it is a prison. Those who think it a hotel might regard it as quite intolerable, and those who thought it was a prison might decide that it was really surprisingly comfortable." Lewis cleverly used this contrast between a hotel and a prison to illustrate how we view life based on our expectations. He says, "If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable; think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad."
Sometimes we expect that life should be happy and pain-free. But that is not what the Bible teaches. For the believer, this world is a place of spiritual development through both good times and bad. Jesus was realistic when He explained what to expect in life. He told His disciples, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). In facing life's blessings and bruises, we can have the inner peace that God is orchestrating events according to His sovereign plan.

Christ's presence in our lives enables us to "be of good cheer" even in the midst of pain. __Dennis Fisher

````````````````````He whose heart is kind beyond all measure````````````````````
````````````````````Gives unto each day what he deems best__```````````````````
````````````````````Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,```````````````````````
```````````````````Mingling toil with peace and rest. __Berg`````````````````````
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In the midst of troubles, peace can be found in Jesus

**********************************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! 10 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."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Knowing that He would soon be betrayed and killed, Jesus gave His
disciples a farewell speech, which is recorded in John 13:31-16:33,
also known as the Upper Room Discourse. Warning of difficult
times ahead for Him and His disciples (16:32), Jesus assred them
of God's presence and peace (vv-32-33). He concluded His speech
on a triumphant note: "be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world" (v.33).