Saturday, April 23, 2022

D.L. Gardner: Let not Your Heart be Troubled

 Easter, or Resurrection Sunday is the most important day so far in His Story. When Jesus was sharing with His disciples before His crucifixion, He pulled no punches. When Peter vowed, “I will lay down my life for You,” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, a cock shall not crow, until you deny Me three times.”


Chapter 13 of John’s gospel ends there, but Jesus continued, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”


Today’s “news” has made so many of us so weary for so long. We want to do something about things, and we try to do things to help, but many times we fail just like Peter did. The news these days is not much different from Jesus’ warning Peter about his own failure. But then Jesus comforted Peter with “Let not your heart be troubled….” If we don’t want our own hearts to be troubled, we need to look somewhere besides today’s news.


Jesus comforted His disciples mere hours before suffering and dying. His death crushed all hopes He would conquer the world as Messiah. From the trials that night to the third day, could any of His disciples remember Jesus’ words of comfort? Not likely. What good news? It’s all over. 


Sometimes when things can’t get any worse for us, they do. Then what? Do we remember any words of comfort? Jesus’ words of comfort pertained to new dwellings in the Father’s house, not to any answers here and now. 


During the next 40 days after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and many others offering them comfort in their time remaining on earth. Yet, the disciples still slid a bit back into lives and habits ingrained in them well before Jesus called them to follow Him.


Our lives are not that much if any different from the disciples’ lives before the days of Pentecost. We tend to fall back into old habits and worries, forgetting about future promises. The daily news continues to be bad and many of us fall back into lives of quiet desperation. 


Fifty days after that darkest of days, the Father sent His Spirit to indwell those who had believed Jesus, and God’s power sparked new energy into lives that would never end. These believers trusted Jesus and lived far above all the bad news this world could muster. The world we live in hates us because it hated Jesus and crucified Him. There is no love or comfort in this world for believers except that supplied by the Spirit inside each of us even in the midst of the worst that could happen here. 


The news will continue to grow worse every day and will multiply misery among those who have no hope for the future. Those who believe will confidently hope in Jesus our Savior, and we will not let our hearts be troubled because we believe in God. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!


Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

No doubt today could be the last Easter a few important and entitled Mississippians celebrate without their well earned "convicted felon" labels.


I sometimes think of how little understanding certain self important so called christian people have of the "do unto others..." verse. A person not doing this is just faking all the rest.

Yesterday's News news sparked joy. The good news for the News this Easter is that they will avoid serving MDOC time. The worst is behind them they are moving forward.

Not so for the others involved in all these crimes.

Hopefully some of those who remained silent while they looted federal monies and then misspent these same dollars to help the ruling class will now be indicted. Upon conviction justice would be to have them sentenced to some time in the very same MDOC that they have continued to let fester as an international embarrassment.

The News have been held to account for some of their crimes, and likely got a better deal than some important and well connected people who had wished the News would remain silent while being pilloried and punished. The early bird gets the cooperation deal, the laggards were too slow to realize the prosecutors are probably only giving out tickets to poundtown at this point.

Of course, some will claim that Mississippi has no lack of laggards running things, just look around and a person can see that.

Anonymous said...

The greatest of messages. Thanks for posting, KF.

Anonymous said...

Timely read, feeling a bit down today from all the bad things going on in this old world.

Thanks for posting it.

Anonymous said...

"Yesterday's News news sparked joy. The good news for the News this Easter is that they will avoid serving MDOC time. The worst is behind them they are moving forward."


There you go making shit up. The sentencing is months away. Their lives should NOT be 'moving forward'. Their lives should be put on hold for at least ten years, perhaps 25. They stole more and involved more people than Epps.

Anonymous said...

SMDH


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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