Jesus Revealed As: God
John 5:1-15
Revealed As: Worth Following Part 2
John 4:27-5:9
Revealed As: Worth Following Part 1
John 4:27-54
Revealed As: Worship for the Soul
John 4:20-26
Revealed As: Water for the Thirsty
John 4:7-19
Revealed As: Wisdom for the Conflict
John 4:1-6
There are no enduring relationships without forgiveness.
If you think you have the right to withhold forgiveness it is because you have not properly calculated the debt of sin owed to a Holy God. Even when it’s hard… Even when it’s hurtful… Forgiven people forgive people. You might be surprised what Jesus said hangs in the balance when it comes to forgiveness.
Forgive without limit…THIS is what we do.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11, 16, ESV).
Spoiler alert: In the end, Jesus Christ wins.
Scripture tells us repeatedly and pointedly that Jesus Christ, the Mighty Warrior, is always victorious. Make no mistake about it. Jesus is going to win. Someday the clouds will break open, and we will see Him on a white horse (Revelation 19:11). His powerful appearance will be breathtaking and terrifying: “His eyes are like a flame of fire. . . . He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. . . . From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (19:12–13, 15–16). With simply a word, He will instantly set the world in order. In the end, Jesus Christ wins.
All of history leads to Jesus’ victory, and all of God’s promises culminate in Jesus.
All of history leads to Jesus’ victory, and all of God’s promises culminate in Jesus. We experience God’s promises through Jesus.
For example, do you need peace, that calm assurance that God is in control? Ephesians 2:14 assures us that Jesus “himself is our peace.” Remember, God doesn’t dispense peace like a pharmacist filling a prescription: “Take two, and call me in the morning.” He gives us Himself. God doesn’t have to give us something. He is the something! Jesus Christ fulfills the promise of God’s peace.
It’s Christ’s presence that takes away fear.
It’s Christ’s sovereignty that assures and calms us in the face of doubts.
It’s Christ’s goodness that renews us when we are weighed down by despair.
It’s Christ’s watchfulness and intervention that keep us from faltering.
And it’s Christ’s inevitable victory that assures us we will not fail.
When we think about times of trial in our lives, if we really pinpoint what’s most difficult about the trial, it’s the not knowing. The biggest reason why we fear, doubt, despair, and falter is that we don’t know how it’s all going to end.
Every one of us lives with some level of uncertainty. You’re not alone in this struggle. You have some insecurities in your life right now; I’m living with some question marks too. Yours might take the form of a health crisis, a broken relationship, a financial problem, a wandering child, a self-destructing family member.
Think of the stresses that keep you awake at night, those issues that linger on the edges of your thoughts and never fully go away. If you definitively knew when and how that circumstance would end, you would be okay. If you could foresee that it would end well, then you could bear the waiting. If you could predict with certainty that it would end badly, then you could prepare yourself for what’s to come. It’s the not knowing that pushes you to the limit.
A football team doesn’t give up because they lose a few yards. Their focus is on the final score, not one bad play. We fixate on our momentary trials (2 Corinthians 4:17), wondering, How will this finish? If only we knew.
We do know.
God is always victorious. Ultimately, I will not fail. Sure, I will experience some pains and losses along the way. But in the end, because Jesus wins, so do I.
Journal
Pray
Lord God, by faith I choose to lift my eyes from my momentary trials to the final outcome. Jesus wins. No matter how my life looks or feels today, ultimately Jesus wins. And as an adopted son or daughter of the living God, because Jesus wins, I do too. Teach me an eternal perspective, Father. Though life is painful, it’s short. I set my heart on eternity, and I thank You that I know exactly how this all ends. I pray in the name of Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, amen.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6, ESV).
For dark days and even darker nights, for stretches of hardship that seem never to end, for the everyday problems of real life, we need to cling to this truth:
God is always with us.
More specifically, God is always with you.
Now say it to yourself, “God is always with me.”
“Is your heart breaking today? God is rushing toward you.”
We see this clearly in Moses’ pep talk to the children of God. “Be strong and courageous,” Moses exhorted them. “Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Whoever the “them” is in Deuteronomy 31:6, “they” don’t stand a chance. Let’s get the context.
Moses and the second generation of the post-Egypt children of Israel were standing on the border of the Promised Land. Moses knew he was about to die. Thirty-eight years before, all the parents and grandparents of Israel had camped on this very spot, but they had doubted God was with them and would protect them when they entered the Promised Land. The verdict? No faith—no conquest, no homeland, go wander. All of that generation had died in the wilderness. God was now going to give to the children what the parents wouldn’t trust Him for. So Moses, standing on the exit ramp to heaven, delivered these marching orders (summarized in my words):
“As you go up to face those giants in the land, you might think they are too strong for you, as your parents feared. But keep in mind—God is with you. You’re going to battle some violent opposition; you might be tempted to retreat. But remember—God is with you. You’ll face overwhelming odds; you’ll be incredibly outnumbered. Fear would be your natural response. But hold onto this—God is with you. This fight is not going to be over in ten minutes or ten weeks; there’s no quick solution. When you think it’s taking too long, remember—God is with you.”
“Be strong and courageous,” the weathered old leader said. “Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” I can imagine Moses adding, “Haven’t we learned this to be true in these forty years? He never left us while we were in the wilderness. He never forsook us but always provided what we needed. Why on earth should you fear now?”
Now as then, the worse the days get, the more God is with you. The harder the trial, the closer He moves toward you. Are you feeling crushed? He is rushing toward you to stand by your side and help you. When you’re going through hardship, or when you’re heavyhearted and burdened, God rolls up His sleeves and moves toward you in a way that’s unlike any other time. It doesn’t matter if you can see Him working. His approach may not cause you to feel any different. But it’s the truth—God is right there with you. The harder the days get, the closer He leans in so you can hear His voice. Sometimes it feels like God backs away from you when you hit hard times, but that’s not true. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Is your heart breaking today? God is rushing toward you. He is always with you.
Journal
Pray
Father, for all of us who daily need to renew our confidence and faith in You, help us now to lay hold of Your promise that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Help us to speak and live fearlessly because we are aware we are in Your presence. Lord, You are with me. I am never alone. Is there any greater assurance that I should not fear? Your promise stands, spoken over and over again in Your Word and satisfying Your followers throughout thousands of years—You are with me. I commit this truth to my heart right now. In the powerful name of Jesus I pray, amen.