Shaloam Shaloam | John 14:27, 16:33
A Faithful Congregation is a Prayerful Congregation
Shaloam Shaloam
John 14:27, 16:33
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. -Jesus, John 14:27
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. -Jesus, John 16:33
Peace in Jesus
Peace is a very important biblical concept. Peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is wholeness, harmony, and unity. When a Jewish person greeted another, it was often with the Hebrew word “Shalom,” meaning peace. When he departed it was often with a doubly repeated, “Shalom shalom.” Peace is a difficult state to keep since the world around us swirls with conflict, uncertainty, danger, and tribulation. Yet, Jesus Himself offers true peace. He says that peace is what He leaves us, what He gives us, and that we may have peace in Him.
Trouble in the World
Jesus notes the contrast between Himself and the world. He says, “In Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.” In Jesus is peace. In the world is trouble. Jesus gives peace, but not like the world gives does Jesus give. The world gives trouble and tribulation. The result of which is fear. The peace Jesus offers in not merely the removal of trouble and tribulation, but the strength to endure trouble and tribulation and a harmonious unity with Yahweh.
Jesus Overcomes the World
Without Jesus, the world and the tribulation it gives causes our hearts to be troubled and fearful. The antidote to troubled and fearful hearts is Jesus Himself. When the disciples were troubled and fearful because of a storm that threatened to drown them, Jesus appeared. He walked on the water to them and said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Jesus didn’t have to calm the storm before their fear calmed. Jesus didn’t need to reassure the disciples about what He would do for their troubled hearts to take courage. Jesus overcomes the winds, the waves, the world. Because He is with us, we have reason to take courage, even before the situation is resolved. The reason is because the peace Jesus gives is not merely the resolution of situations, but the harmonious, unified wholeness of life in Yahweh. Our courage comes from the presence of the One who overcomes, not from receiving our desired outcomes. The difference is crucial.
Prayer Prompt
Dear Yahweh, we acknowledge that You are the triune God. You are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Thank You, Yahweh Saves—Jesus, for calling us to courage. It is so easy for our hearts to be troubled and for us to be fearful. After all, the world heaps trouble on top of trouble and sends tribulation after tribulation. There is no shortage to the worldly woes around us. Yet, You have overcome the world. You are with us. We do not need the trouble to stop for us to take courage, though we will seek to stop and prevent trouble when we can. We do not need you rescue us from the world for us to take courage, for we know that You overcome the world You and are with us. Thank you. Strengthen us. Make us courageous. Give us true peace. We love You, Yahweh, but please don’t just take our word for it, but see it in our actions. Amen.
Let our faithfulness in prayer mirror Yahweh’s faithfulness!
-FW, CC, SL,
Andrew
Shaloam Shaloam
John 14:27, 16:33
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. -Jesus, John 14:27
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. -Jesus, John 16:33
Peace in Jesus
Peace is a very important biblical concept. Peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is wholeness, harmony, and unity. When a Jewish person greeted another, it was often with the Hebrew word “Shalom,” meaning peace. When he departed it was often with a doubly repeated, “Shalom shalom.” Peace is a difficult state to keep since the world around us swirls with conflict, uncertainty, danger, and tribulation. Yet, Jesus Himself offers true peace. He says that peace is what He leaves us, what He gives us, and that we may have peace in Him.
Trouble in the World
Jesus notes the contrast between Himself and the world. He says, “In Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.” In Jesus is peace. In the world is trouble. Jesus gives peace, but not like the world gives does Jesus give. The world gives trouble and tribulation. The result of which is fear. The peace Jesus offers in not merely the removal of trouble and tribulation, but the strength to endure trouble and tribulation and a harmonious unity with Yahweh.
Jesus Overcomes the World
Without Jesus, the world and the tribulation it gives causes our hearts to be troubled and fearful. The antidote to troubled and fearful hearts is Jesus Himself. When the disciples were troubled and fearful because of a storm that threatened to drown them, Jesus appeared. He walked on the water to them and said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Jesus didn’t have to calm the storm before their fear calmed. Jesus didn’t need to reassure the disciples about what He would do for their troubled hearts to take courage. Jesus overcomes the winds, the waves, the world. Because He is with us, we have reason to take courage, even before the situation is resolved. The reason is because the peace Jesus gives is not merely the resolution of situations, but the harmonious, unified wholeness of life in Yahweh. Our courage comes from the presence of the One who overcomes, not from receiving our desired outcomes. The difference is crucial.
Prayer Prompt
Dear Yahweh, we acknowledge that You are the triune God. You are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Thank You, Yahweh Saves—Jesus, for calling us to courage. It is so easy for our hearts to be troubled and for us to be fearful. After all, the world heaps trouble on top of trouble and sends tribulation after tribulation. There is no shortage to the worldly woes around us. Yet, You have overcome the world. You are with us. We do not need the trouble to stop for us to take courage, though we will seek to stop and prevent trouble when we can. We do not need you rescue us from the world for us to take courage, for we know that You overcome the world You and are with us. Thank you. Strengthen us. Make us courageous. Give us true peace. We love You, Yahweh, but please don’t just take our word for it, but see it in our actions. Amen.
Let our faithfulness in prayer mirror Yahweh’s faithfulness!
-FW, CC, SL,
Andrew
Posted in Prayer Prompt
Posted in Prayer, peace, john, Faithful, congregation, Jesus, trouble, world
Posted in Prayer, peace, john, Faithful, congregation, Jesus, trouble, world
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