~ Three Times Jesus Told His disciples, “Be of
good cheer.” ~
The Christian
can be of good spirits regardless of their past, their current realities, as
well as with regard to their ultimate future.
Cheer Up Regarding Your
Past ~ “Jesus
got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic
lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their
faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be
of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you’” (Matthew
9:1-2).
Cheer Up Regarding Your Present
~ “Now
when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and Jesus was alone
on the land. Then He saw them straining
at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He
came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea,
they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were
troubled. But immediately He talked with
them and said to them, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then He went up into the boat to them, and
the wind ceased. And they were greatly
amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled” (Mark 6:47-51, c.f. Matthew
14:25-27).
Cheer Up Regarding Your Future ~ “Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come,
that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is
with Me. 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
16:31-33).
Conclusion
~ If you are a Christian you
should be cheerful because your sins are gone forever! If you are going through a storm you can be
cheerful because you know Who it is that controls all your circumstances! As you recognize increasingly dark clouds on
the horizon you can rejoice in your knowledge of the final outcome and your eternal
home! God gives the Christian reason to
be cheerful in relation to their past, their present, and their future!
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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