Let not your Heart be Troubled...the Wayfarer 9 Jan 13

Let not your Heart be Troubled!
9 Jan 13

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go, ye know, and the way ye know.”

(John 14: 1-4)

“Let not your heart be troubled, How often we hear this opening statement used at a funeral for a loved one. 

It does give great comfort in those situations, and is most appropriate for them. This however, is not the only situation in which that it was intended by Jesus to be used. When He spoke those words, He was speaking to His disciples, and addressing Peter in particular.

 He had just told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed the following day. Naturally this disturbed Peter. Jesus was telling him, and us as well, not to be troubled by the setbacks encountered in our daily lives, but to get beyond them, knowing that He will return for us and that we will then be able to be worthy of the place he has prepared for us.

 Peter went on to become the, “rock of faith”, that Jesus told him he would become, and eventually was killed because of that faith. Jesus said, “Whither I go, ye know, and the way ye know.”  He was referring to the fact that He was returning to His glory, and power, sitting beside the Father on His throne in heaven. He also was referring to the fact that He had already given all the teachings, miracles and proofs necessary to find the way to Him to both His disciples and us.

Thomas, as always the skeptic and doubter is next seen in this scripture, which led our Savior to further explain His statement.

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”

(“John 14: 5)

Please note the Lord’s answer and take comfort in it in OUR daily lives as we face the doubts and concerns that must come because of our humanity and the denial that we experience daily in others around us.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”

Despite the fact that Thomas had been physically in the presence of Jesus, he failed to comprehend the teachings and miracles to which he was a witness.

 This same doubt is later manifested in the necessity to see the nail scars in the hands of our resurrected Savior! It was hard for him to accept Jesus as the actual Son of God, After all, no previous precedent existed! He didn’t understand the statement that they already knew where he was going and how to get there.

 Jesus responded by telling him that there is only one way to reach the Father and to get to the kingdom of heaven, that way is through Him. 

There is only one truth that is acceptable to God, and that is salvation through Jesus.

 There is life eternal for those who manage to find the way through His teachings, and only through Him may we have that life! In order to know God the Father and reap His blessings, we must first know and accept Jesus. His teachings are the same as those of the Father. He tells us that once we know Jesus, we know the Father and if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father! It requires the highest leap of faith for those of us who have not lived with Him during his earthly ministry to accept what Thomas who was there, was unable to understand. Although difficult it is possible through faith and prayer!!

“Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works .Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.  Even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world seeth me no m more; but ye see me; because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth ne shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him”.

Another of the disciples, Philip, shows the same weakness as Thomas. 

This must have broken our Savior’s heart. 

The evidence of this is in the opening of the 9^th verse when He asks, “Have  I been so long time with you, and yet, Hast thou not known me,” He goes on to emphasize  who HE really is, and what the relationship between Himself and the Father is. He then explains the disciples’ relationship with the Father thereby explaining our relationship with the father and Himself.  

This scripture is much more than a promise of life eternal in heaven. 

It is also a promise that He will be with us throughout our lives on this earth if we love him and keep his commandments.

 It is a promise that we have a comforter in the Holy Spirit that abides with us forever and can see us through the trials and tribulations that we must of a necessity face in this life now. 

That comforter is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

No one can take Him from you. No one can interrupt His ministration to you. 

He is easily reached through fervent prayer and will answer each and every need you may have!

 If you truly love Jesus, you will not only be loved in return by Him, but His Father as well! Jesus will show that love for you in your life, giving you not only what you need, but also using you to reach others and show them a way to supply their needs as well!

2 Timothy 1:12

¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 I salute my brethren worldwide, pray for HIS blessings on you as well as on this poor sinner saved by grace. In the most precious name ever uttered, Jesus Christ!

Amen and Amen 
the Wayfarer