WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
FEBRUARY 28, 2023
TOPIC: LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
BY T. O. BANSO
âLet not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Meâ (John 14:1 New King James Version).
If you live in a country where there is a high level of insecurity, high unemployment rate, high inflationary rate, widespread poverty, and other social, political, and economic problems, making lives hard for the people, there is a tendency for your heart to be troubled. When you are daily being fed with negative pieces of news, so overwhelming, your heart may be troubled. You could become frustrated and depressed.
In John 14:1, Jesus said, âLet not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Meâ (John 14:1 New King James Version). Note the phrase âLet not your heart be troubled.â Some translations, including the New Living Translation, render it as âDon’t let your hearts be troubled.â The Contemporary English Version says, âDon’t be worried!â In other words, âdonât let your heart be troubledâ means âdonât be worried.â
Jesusâ warning or command not to let your heart be troubled was preceded in John 13:21-38 by the last supper with his disciples where He told them that one of them, Judas Iscariot, would betray Him and Peter would deny Him three times before the cock or rooster crowed.
John 13:36-38 says, âSimon Peter said to Him, âLord, where are You going?â Jesus answered him, âWhere I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.â Peter said to Him, âLord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.â Jesus answered him, âWill you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three timesâ (New King James Version). This passage closes chapter 13. And verse 1 of chapter 14 opens with Jesusâ words âLet not your heart be troubled.â
Probably the hearts of the disciples of Jesus were troubled by the âbad newsâ of His imminent departure from the earth, betrayal by Judas Iscariot, and Peterâs denial of Him or Jesus was encouraging them not to let their hearts be troubled by what He had told them.
In the second part of that scripture, He said they should believe in God and in Him (John 14:1b). He further said in verses 2-4, âIn 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you knowâ (New King James Version).
Some people are living in nations where political leaders are messing up things and government institutions are not performing well. The news media are dominated by pieces of news that are not cheering and are capable of affecting the health of the people negatively. In a time like this, when the government is failing the citizens and everything appears to be falling apart, the children of God must protect their hearts and not allow government ineptitude to trouble their hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 says to keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. If you allow the socio-economic and political troubles to get to your heart, you will become troubled. This will not do you any good. Protect your heart. Donât meditate on the troubles as they would affect you spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Some people have developed negative health conditions because they allowed these problems to weigh them down.
Philippians 4:8 says, âFinally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these thingsâ (New King James Version).
Guard the gates to your heart. âKeep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evilâ (Proverbs 4:23-27 New King James Version).
Many things will happen to trouble your heart but donât let your heart be troubled. Jesus said, âPeace 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 afraidâ (John 14:27 New King James Version). God is interested in your peace; He doesnât want your heart to be troubled.
In Matthew 14:26, the Bible says, âAnd when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, âIt is a ghost!â And they cried out for fearâ (New King James Version). Note the phrase âthey were troubled.â What did Jesus do about the situation? Verse 27 says immediately He spoke to them, saying, âBe of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.â God doesnât want you to be troubled. Mark 6:49-50 records the same thing.
Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe in Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 24:6, âAnd you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yetâ (New King James Version). Jesus also said a similar thing in Mark 13:7. Note the phrase âSee that you are not troubled.â
God doesnât want your heart to be troubled. If it wonât be troubled, you must focus on Him. Set the Lord before you. Psalm 16:8 says, âI have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be movedâ (New King James Version). Referring to this psalm of David, Acts 2:25 quotes him as saying, âI saw the Lord before me at all times; he is near me, and I will not be troubledâ (Good News Translation). The New King James Version uses the phrase âI shall not be movedâ instead of âI will not be troubled.â
As a Christian, if your heart won’t be troubled, donât take any trouble to heart, and donât expect too much from this world. Christians are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven (Philippians 3:20). 1 Corinthians 7:31 says those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them, for this world as we know it will soon pass away. âIf then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earthâ (Colossians 3:1-2 New King James Version).
Donât .put your trust in any human system or organization because theyâre not perfect. They can fail and do fail. Donât put your trust in man (Psalm 146:3; Isaiah 36:6). Put your trust in God (Psalm 56:11). Put your faith and hope in God (Jesus) alone. David said his hope was in God (Psalm 39:7b). What about you?
Also, if youâre not going to be troubled, you must feed on the Word of God, and meditate on it daily. âThis Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good successâ (Joshua 1:8 New King James Version). The Bible says whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4). The Scriptures give us hope.
Let not your heart be troubled.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I receive divine encouragement from You; my heart shall not be troubled. Holy Spirit, help me to protect my heart against any form of trouble. Father, I pray that everyone whose heart is troubled will receive joy from You in Jesusâ name. You will give them victory over their troubles. Let Your peace reign in their hearts.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org