Daily Devotional

We just concluded a presidential election and depending on what side of the political spectrum you are on thanks to the rhetoric surrounding it you are now either very excited and hopeful or possibly depressed, worried, or even scared. The media and the campaigns in this country do a really good job unfortunately of playing on the fears of people for both ratings and political points. The fact is that despite the rhetoric from both sides, the idea that one person winning the presidency was going to be the end of our nation as we know it was and is pretty far-fetched.

However, with all the media coverage saying the sky is falling and doing so from every media platform you can think of, it can be hard not to believe the hype and fall into a fearful, worried, or depressed state. As Christians, we need to rise above this noise that the world makes, and not fall prey to the Devil’s plan to control us through fear. We of all people should not be swayed by the news of the day compared to those who have no hope. We must remember that whoever wins an election, or holds power, or sway over us, God is still on His throne and any power on earth is still subject to Him.

This verse comes when Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples at the last supper just before He would be betrayed, tried, and crucified for the sins of the world. The disciples didn’t know that everything they thought they knew regarding who Jesus was and His purpose here on earth was about to be shattered. They were expecting Messiah to come and set up an earthly kingdom and bring peace and prosperity to Israel, but in a few short hours, Jesus would be arrested and executed.

Just like the disciples Jesus has warned us that the world would hate us, would persecute us for His name’s sake, and the world will get darker and more evil as the end draws near. And yet we can have peace through it all, knowing that God is still in control. Even as we see the darkness encroach on us, as the days grow evil, and as persecution intensifies we can stand boldly through the power of Jesus Christ within us. So in the midst of everything around us, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid, stand firm on the promises of Jesus Christ, and pray for strength to stand and for the souls of those around you.

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.