This is our third time featuring the writing of Carolyn Kincaid who writes at Carolyn Kincaid’s Potpourri for the Soul and in keeping with the blog’s title, we have a potpourri of shorter devotional articles for you today. Find the original source of each by clicking the title links which follow.
Legacy
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful. – John 14:27 CSB
A friend came to me recently and asked my advice about a conflict she and her husband were having as they were updating their wills. Life can get complicated when we have previous marriages and families from blended households. We recently had an event where an attorney in our church gave moms some knowledge on what to do with wills and it’s gotten me thinking.
What does your will say? What might you leave to those you love that would have the greatest value? Because I’ve been thinking in this realm, when I read Jesus’ words in John 14:27, this is how I saw them, “I bequeath to you a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Since Jesus was getting ready to leave this world I could see it saying bequeath. This is what He is leaving in His last will and testament to them…and to us as His followers—peace. It’s nothing that any amount of money can buy. It’s nothing that can be earned by any amount of doing. He says the world cannot give it. It can only be obtained through Him and He is giving it freely.
How many times have I taken that gift for granted, or worse, shoved it in a closet and forgot that I had it so I didn’t use it? He also said, “So don’t be troubled or afraid.” That is simply synonymous with living, right? Don’t we all have times when our hearts are troubled or we’re afraid? But as a believer I don’t have to let that be my norm. Jesus told me not to be troubled or afraid. He bequeathed to me His peace.
In summary, two things—what are you leaving to others and what are you doing with what He has given you?
Yes and Amen
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. – 2 Cor 1:20 NLT
This is not new, nor did it originate with me, but as I was reading my Bible this morning what I was prompted to do was to insert my name in what Jesus was saying to His followers. [Please note, that this promise is only for you if you are following Him.] So, as I was reading John 14, that’s what I did. I encourage you to replace my name with yours and take His promises and commands as your own.
Carolyn, if you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who will lead you into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But Carolyn, you know him because he lives with you and will be in you. No, Carolyn, I will not abandon you as an orphan—I will come to you. You will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you Carolyn. I know you love me Carolyn, because you accept my commandments and obey them. And because you Carolyn, love me, my Father loves you. And I will love you and reveal myself to you. — taken from John 14:15-21
A beautiful song on this verse is Chris Tomlin’s “Yes and Amen” which can be found on YouTube. [see video below]
He is forever faithful and He watches over His word to make sure it comes to pass. Say, “Yes” to His promises and appropriate them for you and yours in this new year.
Jesus Plus ________
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10 NIV
I am still mulling over yesterday’s sermon. Pastor Matt preached on Matthew 14:34-36 and verse 36 says that they “begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored.” Another version says, “perfectly well.” During my devotional time this morning I read 1 Peter 5:10, and thought, “Yes, another confirmation that God is about restoration in my situation!”
We all have areas in our lives where we would like restoration. Maybe it’s a broken relationship (those seem to touch each of us in some way), maybe it’s a sin in your life that you just can’t seem to be victorious over. It could be a sickness, alcoholism or addiction that you or a loved one suffer from.
It’s very natural for us to have a laser-focus on what ails us—on that area that needs to be perfectly well. However, what the Lord spoke to me this morning about was restoration in my relationship with Him for what it is—a relationship between my God and me alone. Not my God and me plus (fill in the blank). This is what Pastor Matt emphasized. Jesus alone is enough. Jesus alone makes me victorious. Jesus alone gives me a full, abundant life.
This is the video Carolyn referred to:
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Christianity 201 
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