DEVOTIONAL

Prayer: Father I come into your Holy presence and declare there is no one like you, will you in your love and through the power of the Holy Spirit lead me and guide me to live for you and reflect your holy presence. I thank that your heart is full of grace and mercy, I ask you today to show me mercy and cleanse me from all sin and unrighteousness. I receive you mercy and forgiveness and want to live for and love you more than anything else. Lord may your face shine on me this day so that my life can glorify your most glorious name in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Scripture Reading for Prayer and Praise: Psalm 112:1 

"Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands.”

Worship Song Sung or Said Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer (William Pantcelyn)

https://youtu.be/5LXXh1-G7ns

Guide me, O my great Redeemer,

pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;

hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,

feed me now and evermore,

feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain,

where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar

lead me all my journey through.

Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,

ever be my strength and shield,

ever be my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,

land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises

I will ever sing to you,

I will ever sing to you.           

God’s Word for Today: John 14:1-14

1 Do not let your hearts be troubled.” You believe in God; believe also in me.” 2   My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? 6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through me.” 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.” Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” 

13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” 

Devotional/Study: (Part 1)

In life everyone goes through good and bad times. No matter who we are, we all experience difficulties. And I am sure each one of us has had our share of good times and bad times. When we are troubled, we can lose our peace and even feel that God is distant and not listening to us. Today, if your heart is troubled and you’re feeling confused, concerned, and overwhelmed, you’re in good company. 

In John 14, Jesus’ disciples felt the same way. In our reading the disciples are troubled. In John 13, Jesus gathered the disciples together in the Upper Room for the Passover meal. After he had washed their feet and eaten with the twelve Jesus tells them things that troubled and confused them.  He tells them that one of them would betray him and we know that it was Judas who betrayed Jesus (13:21ff).  He also tells them that He was leaving them and that they cannot follow Him v36. 

For the disciples who have left everything to follow Jesus, it must have been very difficult to hear Jesus say that he is leaving them. And to top it off, He had just told Peter that before daybreak, he would deny Jesus three times. We can understand why they would be greatly troubled. They had been with him for three years. They had had left their jobs and families to follow Jesus in the hope that He was the promised Messiah. They had forsaken all for their beloved Master, whom they loved more than life. They were bewildered, perplexed, confused, and filled with anxiety. No wonder their hearts were troubled! 

Brothers and sisters’ what kinds of things trouble your heart? What is it that causes you to fear and lose your peace and be anxious? There are many reasons for one's heart to be troubled. We can be uncertain of what the future holds. We can be troubled by health issues and troubled by family and relationship and all kinds of difficulties. Jesus knows that the disciples’ hearts are troubled.

He saw in their faces in their face’s confusion, hurt, fear, disappointment, and bewilderment. So, in John 14 He speaks into their fears and doubts and confusion. He speaks words of comfort to them. These words can also be a great comfort for us especially if we are going through a difficult time in our lives. He says two important statements that if we receive them into our hearts, we will experience peace in the middle of whatever is troubling us.

Firstly: Jesus says in John 14:1 "Do not let your heart be troubled." What does it mean to 'let not our hearts be troubled'?  It means 'Stop being troubled in spirit. Set your heart at ease. Keep on believing. Keep on trusting in the Lord. Keep looking up to Him. Don't give up hope.' In life we live with conflict, disappointment, and pain. 

We all experience tragedy and times of trials and difficulties.  It’s in those times we need to remember God is at work somehow in some way for our good and for His glory. Every difficulty in our life, whether big or small, is something God will use to produce more strength, faith and perseverance in us if we let Him. Paul the apostle knew all about troubles and suffering.  He also understood and experienced the comfort of God that is why he could say in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.”

It’s important to understand that that when we are being comforted it doesn’t mean that the problem will go away.  When we are comforted, we receive strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles. To be comforted by God means he stands by our side and takes our hand and helps us through our troubles. If you are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to comfort you.

Remember that every trial you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering similar troubles. Paul the apostle also says in Phil 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by Prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

When we present our requests, it doesn’t mean our sickness or pain will go or our problems are solved.  But when we pray and rest in God’s presence, trusting Him we are changed! The fear, the anxieties are gone. When we are in that deep place of prayer unburdening our souls, weeping and making presenting our requests to the father of compassion and comfort, we will emerge with our heart changed and lightness in our spirit. 

The sickness may still be there, the trouble may not be gone but our hearts will be at peace and we will be to cope with whatever seeks to trouble us. If today you are feeling weighed down do not let you heart, be troubled, if you rest in God’s presence your mind and heart will be filled with His peace leaving no room for fear or anxiety. God’s presence with us is sufficient to carry us through each day.

Remember God doesn’t always take our difficulties straight way. However, He does hold our hands and calls us to trust Him and not to be afraid or anxious. When something in your life or thoughts make or cause you to be troubled or anxious turn to the Lord for He will keep you in perfect peace. The prophet said in Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” 

Brothers and sisters when you ae troubled let the son of God hold you in His arms and let him fill your heart with His peace and His spirit will fill you and comfort you. 

Personal Prayers: