#sickness – herbcotton.org

Are You Searching for Peace? Come Let Me Show You Where to Find It

Text:

John 16:33 (NKJV)

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.”

Observation:

My friends, the answer to the question in the title is found in the Bible in John 16:33. Read the text listed above for your convenience. Did you see it?

The answer is Jesus. He said, “In Me, you may have peace.” Do you have Jesus alive in your heart?

John 1:12 (NKJV)

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Are you a child of God? If you are, you have the peace of God within you. Notice what the Bible says about the peace of God.

John 14:1 (NKJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

John 14:27 (NKJV)

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Application:

Make two columns. One the World, and the other Jesus on a sheet of paper.

The World Jesus

Sickness Jesus

Sorrow Jesus

Sin Jesus

Temptation Jesus

Testing Jesus

Trial Jesus

Isolation Jesus

Your problem Jesus

The world gives us troubles, but God gives His children peace, and the world cannot take it away. The peace that God gives you will stay with you. Your responsibility is to live in the presence of God who gave you the gift of peace. God gave you this peace when Jesus came into your heart.

Prayer:

Father God, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that your children will never forget the source of peace and that they will live in Your presence and enjoy the peace of God all of the days of their life.

Father, I pray that Your children will decide today that the devil is a liar, and He cannot steal our peace. Our Savior and Lord have us securely in His arms, and our peace is safe and secure in Jesus. Let all of God’s children say, Amen.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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Do You Believe God Works?

Text:

Luke 9:37-42 (ESV)

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.

38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.

39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.

40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”

41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

Observation:

In our focal passage for today we are presented with two truths that grip my heart.

The first is that we can’t but God can. We don’t know who the disciples were that could not help the son of the man who made his appeal to Jesus after the disciples of Jesus could not help the child.

But, the second thing that we see from this passage is that nothing is impossible when we put it in the hands of the Lord.

There is something that encourages my heart as I read, and reflect upon this passage. Jesus has provided the way for those of us who are His disciples to be His extended heart and hand in the healing and helping ministry.

There is something that we can do with every problem we face in this world. We can take it to the Lord in prayer. The key is to have faith in God.

Luke 9:41 (ESV)

41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, Oh how sweet it is to live in Your presence; to know You, and to know Your power.

Father, we pray that You will never have an occasion to look at us, and say, “O faithless and twisted generation”. Father, I pray that You would grant us the grace gift of sufficient faith in You so that we would be faithful to You all of the days of our life.

Father, make us mighty men and women of faith who have a pray first attitude; a people who are devoted to prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

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How Do You Deal With Suffering?

Text:

Psalm 30:2-3 (KJV)

2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Observation:

The questions that many are asking is, “Why Am I Suffering?” As we read the bible we see that all of the disciples suffered. They suffered, and many died a martyrs death. Even Jesus suffered, and died. A better question to ask is, “How do we suffer?”

The bible says this about our suffering.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

In the season of our pain we should never forget that God is a good Father, and He cares for His children, and He has a great, and enduring love for us. We know that in everything God is working for our good.

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The response to our pain should be praise from our lips to God’s ears. That is what David did, and that is what we should do. No matter what you are going through, the best is yet to come. God has you in His heart, and in His hands. Don’t allow your suffering to make you bitter. God has better plans for you; so offer up some praise to Him. A song of gratitude will change your attitude.

Psalm 30:4 (ESV)

4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

Prayer:

Father God, we exalt You, and we extol, and give praise, honor, and glory to Your most holy and righteous name.

Father, with grateful hearts we say thank You for loving us with an everlasting love, and for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Father, we love You, and cling to Your presence in our lives both now, and forever. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

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How Do You Handle Your Trials and Troubles?

Text:

1 Peter 5:6-11 (ESV)

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Observation:

There is hardly a day that goes by when I am not presented with a request to pray for some person that has a pressing need in their life.

I’m learning not just to say a prayer for that person, but I’m learning how to cast all of my cares upon the one who cares for them and for me more than anyone on earth or in heaven. I’m learning that prayer is the most that we can do, and I’m learning how to take my faith in God to a new level. To see God as He alone is willing and able to care for all of our our anxieties.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer:

Father, I am so thankful that you have prodded me by the Holy Spirit to think on this topic, and to write and talk about it to you, and to others.

Father, I pray that you would increase my faith; Lord, increase the faith of all my brothers and sisters, until we all take our faith to another level; to the point where we are willing to cast all of our cares upon You. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

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