Of Good Cheer

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Monday morning, 19th December 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

“How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:7

Isn’t that a beautiful scripture? It's good news! Romans 10:15 confirms it: 

“And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Irrespective of what is happening in the world today, it does not matter. He has told us already, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of John:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

What is the good news? Well, Jesus is not dead - He is alive! Isn’t that good news? He has not left us as orphans. He has sent us His Helper, the Holy Spirit. Even as I am speaking to you now, I can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in my prayer room, I believe that as I am talking to you now, He is with you. He gives us the strength to live and die. You see, death has lost its sting. Paul says in Philippians:

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” 
Philippians 1:21

So you cannot frighten a Christian with Heaven. We remember at this very time of the year that God became flesh and dwelt amongst us. Immanuel, means literally: “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), so you don’t have to be lonely. You don’t have to be on your own because the Holy Spirit is with you as I am talking to you. This is the message we should be telling the fearful world at this time.  

I have sat with many dying people, people who are agitated, restless and very scared but once they are reassured that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to receive us and to take us by the hand, as it were, to His heavenly home (John 14:3), then absolute peace fills their faces. They close their eyes, and they walk through that door with Jesus, holding hands, straight into the heavenly place He has prepared for you and me.

Have a wonderful Monday!
God bless you and goodbye.