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Trust Jesus

Calming Fears

When someone you know is really scared, what can you do to help them overcome their fears?

Do you know what most people do? They try to divert their attention away! If they’re afraid of heights they yell, “Don’t look down!” If they are afraid of lightning flashing at night, you close the curtain.

But the person is still way up high and lightning still flashes. There must be a better solution to help those who are afraid.

God wants you to trust in him. In the Bible he provides the answer to quieting fear: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15). And also, “Cast all your anxiety (fear) on him (Christ) because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Do you know someone who is afraid. Maybe you can share God’s promise with them.

Do you regret not knowing what to say to such a person from the Bible? Then perhaps you can read your Bible more and learn what to say.

Hiding from fear won’t last. Distracting one’s attention from fear won’t last. Only one thing will help someone overcome their fear. Share God’s promises with them.

It is God’s love for them that will help them overcome their fear. God proved this love for us by sending his Son, Jesus, to take away the sins of the world and give us his true peace.

Direct people to Jesus’ love and you will help them overcome their fears!

Bible verses to calm you when you are afraid:

  • Joshua 1:9
  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Hebrews 13:5b-6
  • 1 Timothy 1:7
  • Exodus 14:14
  • Isaiah 41:13

 

Peace of Jesus

Peace of Jesus

It was more of the same: The usual morning battle to persuade the sixteen year old to get in and out of the shower in under an hour.  The struggle to get the seven month old fed, dressed, changed, and dressed again.  The usual clash with thousands of other drivers also trying to shave minutes off their daily commute times.  The mental fatigue involved with trying to figure out what went so wrong that there are separation papers in the glove box needing to be signed by Friday.  The physical wars all over the world covered daily on talk radio news.  It was more of the same.

As she squealed into stall number 21 five minutes late for work, the stupid bumper sticker on the Chevy in stall 20 caught her eye again as it did every day: “No Jesus – no peace; Know Jesus – know peace.” She scoffed to herself and then shouted out loud for all to hear, “What-EVER!” sounding a lot like her teenager.

Although the noise of life makes it difficult to have peace, this is exactly what Jesus promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Jesus’ peace most likely won’t quiet a screaming child.  Jesus’ peace doesn’t guarantee a slick commute in the morning.  Jesus’ peace won’t make all your problems and all the world’s conflicts fade away.

Jesus does however promise a peace that will quiet your heart.  Knowing that Jesus came into this world to heal damaged relationships with God brings peace to a troubled soul.  Knowing that Jesus came to open wide the doors to heaven brings true peace to confused and searching minds.  Knowing that Jesus is waiting to welcome you to his eternal home where there will be no more “noise” makes all the noises of life a little easier to deal with.

Trust him; he will not disappoint you.  Jesus promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”

Peace

What does Jesus teach about Peace?

It was more of the same: The usual morning battle to persuade the sixteen year old to get in and out of the shower in under an hour.  The struggle to get the seven month old fed, dressed, changed, and dressed again.  The usual clash with thousands of other drivers also trying to shave minutes off their daily commute times.  The mental fatigue involved with trying to figure out what went so wrong that there are separation papers in the glove box needing to be signed by Friday.  The physical wars all over the world covered daily on talk radio news.  It was more of the same.

As she squealed into stall number 21 five minutes late for work, the stupid bumper sticker on the Chevy in stall 20 caught her eye again as it did every day: “No Jesus no peace; Know Jesus know peace.” She scoffed to herself and then shouted out loud for all to hear, “What-EVER!” sounding a lot like her teenager.

Although the noise of life makes it difficult to have peace, this is exactly what Jesus promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Jesus’ peace most likely won’t quiet a screaming child.  Jesus’ peace doesn’t guarantee a slick commute in the morning.  Jesus’ peace won’t make all your problems and all the world’s conflicts fade away.

Jesus does, however, promise a peace that will quiet your heart.  Knowing that Jesus came into this world to heal damaged relationships with God brings peace to a troubled soul.  Knowing that Jesus came to open wide the doors to heaven brings true peace to confused and searching minds.  Knowing that Jesus is waiting to welcome you to his eternal home where there will be no more “noise” makes all the noises of life a little easier to deal with.

Jesus promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”

Prince of Peace

Prince of Peace

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called…Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Peace. That is a concept the Bible talks about. Only when the Bible talks about peace, it is referring to something far greater than a peace that we talk about in our lives and in the world. It is referring to peace with God.

So do you have it? Do you have peace with God? Or perhaps a better question is this: Is it even possible for unholy, imperfect, sinful people like we are to have peace with a holy, perfect, and sinless God? After all, God himself demands in his word that, if we are to have peace with him, we must be holy and perfect just like he is. So is peace with God even possible?

It sure is. And not because we are somehow going to become holy and perfect on our own. It is because we have the One who has been holy and perfect in our place. His name is Jesus, the One the prophet Isaiah so aptly calls the “Prince of Peace.” Through his perfect life and innocent death, Jesus removed all of our sins and gave us his perfection. In doing so, the Prince of Peace has given us exactly what our holy and perfect God demands of us. Through faith, we now have peace with God as our personal possession forever.

That is the peace that the Prince of Peace brought you. Jesus brought you peace with God. And that peace will last forever.