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 hello thank you for listening to your daily Bible verse the podcast that examines one verse each day to learn more about God and His will for us I'm your host Jennifer side and after the short word from our sponsor will dive into today's Bible verse John 11:16
 I'm John Hawkins and I once heard Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy say you can tell if a person needs encouragement check to see if they're breathing I'd like to invite you to my weekly podcast encouragement for You featuring encouraging guests like dr. Greg and Erin Smalley and Josh McDowell and more to subscribe to my weekly encouragement for you podcast go to Life audio. Cam cam
 today's Bible verse is John 11:16 there for Thomas who is called didymus said to his fellow disciples let us also go so that we may die with him have you ever noticed situation convinced of your courage and strength only to find yourself sideswiped I have numerous times sitting on the couch with my Bible open before me a cup of coffee in one hand my journaling pain in the other I feel unshakable e close to Christ convinced of his every promise and determined to live in a way that glorifies him I will smile and offer Grace in that somebody cuts me off while I'm driving or a co-worker or a loved one says something careless and unkind I will live so filled with the love and peace of Christ so focused on my eternal mission not even a failed project or an unexpected crisis will steal my joy
 but then inevitably I find myself in a situation I either wasn't prepared for it or that I drastically underestimated while greatly overestimating my strength
 this appears to be what happened with Thomas one of Jesus's disciples confidently proclaimed his courage for a hypothetical situation only to become weak need when the theoretical became reality he spoke the words recorded in today is very shortly before Christ death now by this point in Jesus's Ministry the tension between him and the religious leaders had grown to murderous proportions and Jesus determined it was time for him and the disciples to return to Judea to which they responded but Rabbi a short while ago the Jews there tried to Stone you and yet you are going back to which Jesus answered are there not 12 hours of daylight anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble for it they see by this world's light it is when a person walks at night that they stumble for they have no light
 in other words I'm greater than the darkness and my work is not yet done now I don't know how the other disciples responded I don't know if Christ Words bolstered Their courage and Faith or if they remain focused on their fear and the potential danger ahead I don't know if their throats begin to tighten and their hearts began to raise and if so I get it powerful men wanted their teacher and possibly them by association dead and I can imagine how confusing it must have been later when Thomas saw the soldiers take his Lord without a fight when Jesus was brought before the high priest and the guards mocked and beat it when Thomas heard the bloodthirsty mob cry out crucify him and then when Jesus is Executioner's stripped him and nailed him the one who had demonstrated power over nature revealed himself to the hungry crowds as the Limitless provider who had even
 highest the dead to life they nailed him to a cross hanging from a human perspective week and defeated in that moment Thomas must have felt like his Rabbi the long-promised and anointed Messiah had lost this unfathomably terrifying event evokes fear in the one who'd been so certain of his courage he abandoned his Lord maybe even hearing his previous Proclamation were playing again and again through his mind can you imagine the blow
 did it feel extra heavy extra painful for Thomas after having so boldly announced his loyalty to the point of death that had to hurt so deeply but Thomas is failure wasn't the end after his death and Resurrection Christ's sake him out speaking piece into Thomas's Soul the Savior showed himself to Thomas met him and invited him to touch Christ's wounds and intimate Act of love and grace this encourages me because I know when I falter when I give in to fear to worry to frustration however my weakness or mice and might rise up Jesus still loves me and he always welcomes my back into his grace he invites you and me to rest and that is where our knees and our hearts gain strength as we sit in his loving embrace our faith grows in our fears begin to die I don't know what you're facing today or what you might face tomorrow
 I don't know the experiences that will make you feel strong and courageous and what might make you falter but here's what I do know strong or weak courageous or afraid your savior remains he invites you to rest in him and to receive His abundant grace let's pray Holy Father thank you for your mercy for your grace thank you that you do not treat us as our sins deserve that you recognize our weakness that you understand when we feel stressed anxious and Afraid and you make the first move towards as always you made the first move in sending us Jesus you made the first move in drawing our hearts to trust in him for salvation and when we mess up you move towards us as well
 Lord help us when we feel afraid when we feel defeated when we are consumed with regret may we not run from you but may we instead run to you knowing you will always meet us in that place you will welcome us in your loving Embrace and it is in your presents that we find strength that we find courage and that we are changed it's in the name of your son the one who shed his blood that we might live that we pray amen
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