December 25, May you find peace in Him!

John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  (NIV)

Promise:  Jesus promises peace in Him and that He will be victorious over all sin and oppression.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  He is Peace, Hope, Conqueror, Omnipotent, Sovereign, Ruler, Victor and  Lord of All.

Promise provides me with: assurance of peace for my mind, heart and soul in Jesus, eternal hope, knowledge that He will be victorious over all sin and will indeed overcome the world, assurance that in Him eternity is secure and that He is greater than any enemy we will encounter in this world and knowledge that though his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead He conquered sin and death for us.

     For this Christmas Day,  I chose John 16:33 because it is important for us to remember that Jesus did not stay in the manger but came with a purpose and mission to save us from our sins that included a trip to the cross.  He made the ultimate sacrifice in leaving heaven to come down and become a man to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  He was truly human in his suffering and yet truly God in his perfection and power to redeem us.  When Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, he knew what lay ahead- the suffering and death on the cross and he knew the suffering and anguish his followers would face.  He wanted his disciples and all believers to know that He would be victorious and that peace was to be had though faith in Him.  As followers of Jesus, we too can have this confidence that He is stronger and more powerful than anything we can face today or tomorrow, that peace is available though faith in Him and that He will return as victor to totally defeat Satan forever.  Philippians 2:8-11 describes it  this way, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a  cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”  Praise God this Christmas for his perfect gift to all mankind, Jesus who came to bring us peace and to save us from sin.

Merry Christmas!

Linda