Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ³¹  Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

 ³²  “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone;  and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

 ³³  “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.”  John 16:29-33.

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We tend to focus on the tribulations.  Although we read that Christ has overcome the world, we tend to view that statement as just an example that we should follow such that we should go back and focus on the tribulations with a stronger sense of duty that we should overcome too.

Generally, we can receive Scriptures just as lessons to be learned with a focus on ourselves and problems that we need to overcome.  Or, we can receive Scriptures with faith with a focus on God and His victorious accomplishments.

We can focus on our alleged “free will”.  Or, we can focus on God’s will.

We can focus on our works.  Or, we can focus on God’s works.

We may lament that we don’t even have faith and try somehow to generate or bolster our own faith.  Or, we can trust God to even provide all the faith that we should have. 

In summary, like the Jews in Jesus’ day, we tend to ask:  “… What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  John 6:28.  But, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:29.  (Emphasis added.)

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So now, as you read the following three Scriptures, ask yourself:  “Who did the work resulting in victory?”        

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  

Just as it is written,
         “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
         WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:35-39. 

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“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”  2 Corinthians 2:14.

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“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;  perplexed, but not despairing;  persecuted, but not forsaken;  struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  So death works in us, but life in you.

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.  

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;  for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:7-18.

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In conclusion, through the grace and work of God, focus on Christ who said:  “I have overcome the world.”,  knowing that God’s love will never leave you, knowing that God will always lead you in triumph in Christ, and knowing that we do suffer these tribulations not to show our own wisdom, our own will-power, and our own strength in overcoming them, but rather that we suffer these tribulations so that it will be shown to others that “the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves“.