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Live in Peace
Andrea Lende • December 9, 2020
II Corinthians 13:11
Live in Peace
You can listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Live-in-Peace-enj996
II Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell (rejoice)! Be strengthened (perfected, completed, made what you ought to be); be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same [agreeable] mind one with another; live in peace, and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source of affection, goodwill, love, and benevolence toward men] and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you.”
There are some golden nuggets in this passage.
Paul has someone wonderful parting words for the church at Corinth.
A mouthful of words actually.
He gives them, and us, steps that lead to peace.
First, he tells them to rejoice.
A great message in and of itself.
As we rejoice, our whole demeanor changes.
Sometimes we simply need to put on rejoice even when we don’t feel like it.
Rejoicing is one of the best things we can do to open the door to God’s presence.
Secondly, Paul tells the people to be strengthened.
The Amplified Bible defines the word strengthened to be, “perfected, completed, made what you ought to be”.
He is telling them to become who God created them to be.
Perfect, whole, and complete.
Imagine if everyone in the whole world would allow God to perfect them and help them walk into the full creation they were meant to be.
Thirdly, Paul tells the people to be encouraged and comforted.
If we let go of our anxious thoughts and accept the Lord’s blessings and care of us, we walk into peace.
Fourth, Paul tells the people to get along with one another.
Be agreeable with one another.
Through the steps Paul gives us, we become filled with God’s love and His peace is upon us.
Paul’s message is powerful during these current chaotic times.
We may need this message even more now than the Corinthians did.
Rejoice, become perfect in Christ, be encouraged, get along with one another, and the “Author and Promoter of peace will be with you”.
Today I choose to praise the Lord and work on becoming a better person, so the Lord will walk with me in peace.
May you find as you rejoice in the Lord that God will perfect you and encourage you so you can enjoy peace with Him and those around you.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me more about peace. Thank You for giving me the steps that lead to peace. Help me always rejoice in You, Lord. You are Almighty God and deserve all my praise! Perfect me through Your Son, Father, and help me be the person You designed me to be. Help me live in peace inside my home and everywhere I go. Lord, lead me to You as I me continue this journey through life. Help me allow You to change my heart as it needs changing. Keep my heart soft toward You, Father. Help me see Your beauty as I gaze upon the mountains and deep blue sky. Help me see You everywhere and in everything as my heart rejoices in You. Thank You for all You do and all You are. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM perfecting and completing you, My child, and I will grant you My peace.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and loving Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.