1
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:09,640
Speaker 1: Life Audio.

2
00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,120
Speaker 2: Hello, thank you for listening to your Daily Bible Verse,

3
00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,919
Speaker 2: the podcast that examines one verse each day to learn

4
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,040
Speaker 2: more about God and his will for us. I'm your host,

5
00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,079
Speaker 2: Jennifer Slattery, and after this short word from our sponsors,

6
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,120
Speaker 2: we'll continue with our advent series Experiencing Christ this Christmas

7
00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:43,480
Speaker 2: with a discussion on John sixteen thirty three. Today's Bible

8
00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,920
Speaker 2: Versus John sixteen thirty three. I have told you these

9
00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,960
Speaker 2: things so that in me you may have peace. In

10
00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,800
Speaker 2: this world you will have trouble, But take heart, I

11
00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,160
Speaker 2: have overcome the world. As I record today's episode, I'm

12
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,120
Speaker 2: preparing for an event that's so verely challenges my peace

13
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,600
Speaker 2: for numerous reasons. That to me is when anxiety hits

14
00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,400
Speaker 2: hardest when it comes not from one situation or potential scenario,

15
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:15,040
Speaker 2: but multiple difficulties and uncertainties that bombard our brains, temporarily

16
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,880
Speaker 2: crowding out our awareness of God's unalterable promises, like the

17
00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,199
Speaker 2: one Jesus gave us in today's verse. If you caught

18
00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,240
Speaker 2: yesterday's episode, you know God spoke this beautiful promise of

19
00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,800
Speaker 2: peace to provide a way for us to access our

20
00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,280
Speaker 2: source of peace long before Jesus arrived. That brings me

21
00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,080
Speaker 2: comfort because it assures me that, as Tewod Corinthians one

22
00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,960
Speaker 2: twenty states, in Christ, all God's promises are yes and amen,

23
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,200
Speaker 2: meaning as good as done. This was the reminder God

24
00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,000
Speaker 2: spoken to my soul this morning as I reflected on

25
00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,200
Speaker 2: the uncomfortable journey ahead, and more importantly, the power and

26
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,920
Speaker 2: presence of the Savior who stands with me, displacing the

27
00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,600
Speaker 2: chaos within with his perfect peace. I'm intrigued with the

28
00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,800
Speaker 2: similar between our world today, the events surrounding when Jesus

29
00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,800
Speaker 2: spoke today's verse, and the circumstances in which the Lord,

30
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:11,560
Speaker 2: through Isaiah prophesied the coming Messiah biblically referred to as

31
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,960
Speaker 2: our Prince of Peace. In Isaiah's time, God's people lived

32
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,600
Speaker 2: in deliberate, persistent, active rebellion, and we're about to experience

33
00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:24,200
Speaker 2: a terrifying, heartbreaking tragedy when their enemies would conquer the nation,

34
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,600
Speaker 2: destroy their homeland, and force the people to live in exile.

35
00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,280
Speaker 1: God warned them that trouble was indeed coming, but that

36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,800
Speaker 1: wouldn't be the end of their story, nor would this

37
00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,280
Speaker 1: world's darkness reign. The Messiah, the long promised Savior, would

38
00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:44,480
Speaker 1: come to make all things right and bring lasting, supernatural

39
00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,680
Speaker 1: peace to his people. Fast forward about seven hundred years

40
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,799
Speaker 1: to a quiet, humble cave in an equally humble village, Bethlehem,

41
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,720
Speaker 1: to where godly couple celebrated the birth of Jesus Immanuel

42
00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,839
Speaker 1: God with us. That, my friends, is why we can

43
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:06,160
Speaker 1: experience peace even in our most unsettling circumstances, Because Almighty God,

44
00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,000
Speaker 1: who stepped into our broken and hurting world, remains with us,

45
00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,120
Speaker 1: and if you've accepted his free gift of life, he

46
00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,200
Speaker 1: resides within us to lead, strengthen and comfort us. Really,

47
00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,200
Speaker 1: to give us precisely what we need at each moment

48
00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,480
Speaker 1: to thrive. That was the message Jesus spoke to his

49
00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,280
Speaker 1: disciples on the night before his death. I have told

50
00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,840
Speaker 1: you these things, he said, pointing back to all the

51
00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:33,200
Speaker 1: instructions and assurances lovingly provided to his disciples and by

52
00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,880
Speaker 1: extension to us. I wish we had space to expand

53
00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,280
Speaker 1: on all the powerful truths he revealed on that holy night.

54
00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,560
Speaker 1: Perhaps find some time this week to read through John

55
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:48,080
Speaker 1: chapter thirteen through seventeen, making note of all jesus disgust

56
00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,840
Speaker 1: both when he predicted upcoming hardship, but also all the

57
00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:56,680
Speaker 1: divine helps we receive because of our relationship with Christ.

58
00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,520
Speaker 1: In short, Jesus is inviting us to experience him in

59
00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:05,280
Speaker 1: the midst of our trouble, knowing that he has indeed overcome,

60
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,200
Speaker 1: which means we will overcome as well, because he is

61
00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,880
Speaker 1: our victory, who gives power and strength to the weak,

62
00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,280
Speaker 1: wisdom and clarity to the confused, protection for those under attack,

63
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,000
Speaker 1: and incomprehensible love to all. That love poured into our

64
00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,039
Speaker 1: souls has the power to displace the lies that hold

65
00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,719
Speaker 1: us in bondage. It gives us courage to stand strong

66
00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,640
Speaker 1: when others come against us, and assures us that we

67
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,920
Speaker 1: aren't destined for destruction or despair. We were created and

68
00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,000
Speaker 1: have been empowered to receive supernatural peace again through our

69
00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:41,359
Speaker 1: ever deepening connection with the Prince of Peace, and he

70
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:46,960
Speaker 1: will show us precisely how to move forward, how to

71
00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,640
Speaker 1: experience in priest peace. That is where he is leading

72
00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,880
Speaker 1: us at each moment this Christmas. Perhaps take a moment

73
00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,200
Speaker 1: to list numerous ways your relationship with Jesus brings in

74
00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,120
Speaker 1: priest peace. For example, you could reflect on how his

75
00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,919
Speaker 1: death and resurrection gave you peace with the Father and

76
00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,040
Speaker 1: allows you to boldly approach him, trusting him to meet

77
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,680
Speaker 1: you in your time of need. Maybe consider an attribute

78
00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,800
Speaker 1: of Christ that speaks directly to a present anxiety. Journal

79
00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,880
Speaker 1: on how that aspect of his character, when reflected upon,

80
00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:24,520
Speaker 1: comforts and strengthens your soul. Let's pray, Holy Father, thank

81
00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:30,039
Speaker 1: you so much for seeing our need, for seeing our hurt,

82
00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,839
Speaker 1: our anxiety, all the chaos in our world, and for

83
00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,760
Speaker 1: stepping into our mess, for stepping into our brokenness, for

84
00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:44,200
Speaker 1: stepping into our lives to reorient us to the path

85
00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,080
Speaker 1: that you designed for us before we took our first breath,

86
00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:52,440
Speaker 1: a path leading to increased joy, to increase peace, to

87
00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,840
Speaker 1: increase freedom. We thank you for the gift of emmanual

88
00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:01,039
Speaker 1: God with us, Jesus Christ, who came to earth to

89
00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,040
Speaker 1: live as a man, to show us what it looks

90
00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,440
Speaker 1: like to have a deep and ongoing relationship with you,

91
00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,000
Speaker 1: who took our sins upon himself, who died in our

92
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:20,400
Speaker 1: place and rose again that we might experience soul deep peace.

93
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,479
Speaker 1: And again that peace only comes through our experience of

94
00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,479
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, through our relationship with him. As we draw

95
00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,520
Speaker 1: closer to him, he brings us healing, He brings us wholeness.

96
00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,600
Speaker 1: He removes our lies with truth, and he surrounds us

97
00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,920
Speaker 1: in his love. And we thank you for that gift. Father,

98
00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,240
Speaker 1: that is the best gift we could receive this Christmas.

99
00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,520
Speaker 1: When we feel overwhelmed, anxious and stress, remind us to

100
00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:52,799
Speaker 1: just pause, to sit in the presence of the Prince

101
00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:58,080
Speaker 1: of Peace, and to let his presence fill us with

102
00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,920
Speaker 1: supernatural peace. And it is an his name that we

103
00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:07,680
Speaker 1: pray Amen. M.