Tag: God of peace
Our Great Shepherd!
Scripture reading for October 30: Hebrews 13
“Now may the God of Peace Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
The writer of Hebrews concludes his letter with a blessing for a benediction. I love blessings and all God’s people love to be blessed and rejoice in their deliverance from the curse of sin and death. Here God the Father is called the “God of Peace” because of His wonderful plan of redemption that worked out peace with God and sinners who were separated from God and under His wrath. His amazing plan was to send His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to demonstrate the love of the God of Peace. Jesus would be God’s final Word that would draw mankind to repentance and faith and adoption into His forever family.
Jesus Christ is introduced in this blessing as the Great Shepherd of the sheep. Jesus came to call His sheep out of the world of sin and darkness. He came to lead them to quiet waters of peace with God and green pastures of transforming food. This Great Shepherd laid down His own life as a sacrifice for sin to purchase back the lost sheep. He gave His own blood to make an ‘eternal covenant’ of righteousness by faith. The Father sent His Holy Spirit to equip the purchased sheep to love Him and others and do His will. The Holy Spirit would make them pleasing to God as He worked increasing faith and obedience into their lives through a deeper walk with God. All this results in glory and honor and praise to God the Father and Jesus Christ forever and ever! Amen!
Have you received this blessing from the God of Peace? Are you pleasing God through a life of faith, doing what is pleasing in His sight? Is the Great Shepherd leading you each day to fulfill God’s will and live a life of peace and worship?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your peace through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the Great Shepherd Who leads me daily through His Holy Spirit to do what is pleasing to God. May my life and faith bring joy and glory to my Great Shepherd and the God of Peace. Amen.
God’s sanctifying work
Scripture reading for September 18: 1Thessalonians 5
“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-23
As Paul concludes his letter, he gives some very basic instructions on being prepared for the return of Jesus Christ. We have a part in this preparation and the progressive nature of sanctification taking place as we submit to Jesus and live lives of increasing holiness and separation from the world and our old nature. Our part is to respect God’s authority and gift to us in the form of pastors and elders and apostles. It is not a matter of personal preference, but honoring them for their work done in loving obedience to our Lord. Each person should seek to live in peace and admonish those disrupting that peace. We must be patient, kind, and loving towards one another. The fruits of God’s Spirit should be evident and the gifts of the Spirit allowed and tested against the Word of God and Spirit of Christ. Evil must be avoided and confronted.
But God also does His part in the process of sanctification. He gives us His Holy Spirit to convict us when in sin, to encourage us when weak, to guide us in obedience and prepare us for Christ’s return. Paul’s prayer is that each believer would be brought to completion in spirit, soul, and body and presented blameless in Christ to our Lord. Amen!
As you survey your own walk in relation to this passage of God’s Word, how would you rate your progress in applying God’s Word to your own life and relationships? Are you listening to those who are over you in the Lord and respecting them for their work? Are you listening to the Holy Spirit as He prepares you?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for those over me in the Lord and their labor of love. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit in leading me and guiding me into truth and repentance where needed. I am trusting You for my complete sanctification in spirit, soul and body at Christ’s soon return. Amen.
God will not confuse His people!
Scripture reading for August 18th: 1st Corinthians 14, Psalm 15, Proverbs 10
1st Corinthians 14:26-33 “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”
God’s people are commanded to gather together for worship, prayer, and teaching of the Word. God speaks to His people through gift-people and through spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit to edify, exhort and comfort God’s people. Each person has a gift or manifestation of the Spirit that may be shared, but never to cause confusion. God is a God of peace and order. He gave instructions about the use of gifts. Two or three at most should speak in tongues publicly, but only if there is one who can interpret. Tongues are a sign for unbelievers. Prophesy can be given by two or three, each in turn and care taken that all would understand and be encouraged and built up. Each person is responsible to follow God’s instructions in a humble and submissive spirit of love for God and those present.
Psalm 15:1-3 “O Lord, who shall sojourn in Your tent? Who shall dwell on Your holy hill? Who who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up reproach against a friend; . .”
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You are a God of order and peace, not of confusion. Help me as a pastor and overseer to instruct Your people in these simple instructions. Help me to always invite the Holy Spirit to move through Your people in the gifts and to bring clarification and understanding so all may be edified. Build up Your church that they might do mighty exploits for You and share Your wisdom.
Proverbs 10:13-14 “On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.”
Wise to what is good!
Scripture reading for June 6th: Romans 16, Psalm 112, Proverbs 19
Romans 16:17-20 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise for what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Paul closes his letter to the Roman believers by personally sending greetings by name to over thirty workers there, plus their families! His last appeal is for watchfulness over the brothers for those causing doctrinal divisions. These people are not serving Christ Jesus, but their own appetites. They try to seduce those who are young and immature. Paul encourages them in their obedience. His pastoral desire is that they stand firm, opposing evil and standing strong for good. He encourages them that God’s power will soon crush Satan and his evil schemes through the grace flowing from Jesus Christ! He rejoices in this prospect and their obedience!
Psalm 112:1-2 “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for being a God of peace that gives His people victory and discernment. Thank You for Your amazing Word and instruction and the peace that is ours through Your promises. I claim that my offspring will be mighty in the land and that those following me in faith will be blessed by You and protected and used for Your glory!
Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”
Praying for God’s workers!
Scripture reading for June 13th: Proverbs 16-18, Romans 15
Romans 15:29-33 “I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”
God’s Word declares that all His people are ‘saints’, set apart to serve Him. But those chosen to go out and preach and teach and evangelize are to be supported in prayer by those that send them. Paul asks the church to pray for him as he goes on to minister in places not yet reached by the Gospel. He asks deliverance from the unbelievers. This does not mean that he won’t be persecuted or suffer for Christ’s sake and the Gospel. He asks that his service, his ministry and life will be acceptable to the saints and to God and that by God’s will he might return to them and share the joy of ministry he has experienced and be refreshed by their ministry to him. As believers we are told to ‘strive together’ with God’s workers in prayer and support. As we give prayer, our God of hope and peace will be with us!
Romans 15:13 “May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Prayer: Father God of Hope and Peace, thank You for filling me with joy and peace as I trust in You for salvation and power to obey Your Word. I lift up those who are preaching and teaching Your Word in lands where they have never heard. Deliver them from attacks of unbelievers and make their work acceptable to the saints and to You. Fill them with joy and peace and abounding hope as they trust You.
Proverbs 16:20 “Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Looking for a city!
Scripture reading for March 4th: Numbers 6-7, Hebrews 13
Hebrews 13:14-17 “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His Name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
The writer of Hebrews was not looking for a permanent home here on earth. He emphatically stated, “here we have no lasting city,” but “we seek the city that is to come.” He had earlier described it at Mt. Zion, (Hebrews 12:22-24) another name for Jerusalem. He described it has the “heavenly Jerusalem” which consisted of unnumberable angels in joyful assembly and the assembly of the “Firstborn”, whose names were written on the roll of the city. In this city, there is joyful worship and eternal joy in God’s presence. Because of this, we prepare now by doing good and sharing with others our goods and the good news! We obey our leaders and submit to them. We invite God to do His will in us and through us to His eternal glory!
Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now may the God of peace Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Prayer: Father God, I also am seeking the city that You promised to Your people, the heavenly Jerusalem! I have no lasting city here but want my name in Your book! Lead me by Your Holy Spirit to do good works and to share. Help me to obey my leaders and submit. May You work in me Your will and good pleasure. The best is yet to come!
Numbers 6:24-27 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. So shall they put My Name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
Avoid the divisive person
Scripture reading for March 2nd: Romans 16
Key Scriptures: Romans 16:17-20 “I appeal to you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught: avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Paul’s final appeal to the Roman believers was a warning to watch out for people in Christ’s body who were divisive and created controversy and obstacles that would trip up others in the church. Paul warned the brothers to avoid such people. They were not serving the Lord Jesus, but using smooth talk and flattery to deceive those who were yet untaught or trained in sound doctrine. Paul desired these brothers to be wise and discerning for what was good, but to stay completely separated from those who were causing these divisions. Maintaining peace instead of constant arguing or disputing was preferred. God would take care of Satan soon as they walked with Jesus through this situation. He would be crushed under their feet!
Matthew 7:15-16 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothes but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”
Faith Confession and prayer: Dear Lord, give me discernment, strength and wisdom for what is good and keep me innocent from evil. Help me to avoid disruptive people and controversy. I believe that You will soon crush Satan under my feet as by grace I walk with You.
Romans 16:25, 27 “Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, . . . to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”
I receive the blessing!
Scripture reading for March 4th: Numbers 6-7, Hebrews 13
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now may the God of peace Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
The Jewish believer who wrote Hebrews, ended his letter with a wonderful benediction or blessing. He speaks a prayer of blessing over believers that the “God of peace” Who raised Jesus Christ, His Son, from the dead, would equip them with all they needed to do His will and be pleasing in His sight. The “Great Shepherd” Jesus Himself would enable them. His glory would be eternal! Amen!
Numbers 6:22-27 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall you put My Name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them.”
Faith Confession and prayer: I receive the blessings of God through Jesus Christ my Lord and Great Shepherd, risen from the dead by my Father of peace. Lord, equip me afresh today to do Your will and bring You eternal glory. Amen!
God of Peace!
Scripture reading for July 24th: Psalm 41-43, 1st Corinthians 14
Key Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 14:26-28, 33 “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and God.” . . .”For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”
Paul wrote to the church to instruct them in the use of spiritual gifts. They were to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophesy. As the church comes together, each person can use the gift or gifts they have received in an orderly manner. The gifts of tongues and prophesy were limited to two or three. Tongues plus interpretation is like prophesy. A tongue must be interpreted or not given. God is a God of peace, not confusion. The Spirit moving in the Church is like a living stream flowing within its banks, bringing cleansing, blessing and refreshing.
Psalm 41:13 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.”
Psalm 42:1-2 “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before the Lord?”
Prayer: Oh Lord, I bless You today for Your peace and order in Your world and in Your Church. May the living stream of the Holy Spirit flow with grace in my life and Your Church. Amen!
A God of Order and Peace!
Scripture reading for July 25th: 1st Corinthians 14
Key scriptures for over-comers: 1st Corinthians 14:26-29, 33 “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two–or at the most three–should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said”. . . . “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”
God made provision to strengthen His Church that He is building. He places each person in the Church as it pleases Him and then gives gifts to each member to be used to strengthen it. There are those that teach, prophesy, and are used in messages in tongues with interpretation. Respect for each other and taking time to allow each one to use the gifts they have make for an orderly and peaceful service that honors and invites the God of Peace to be enthroned on the praises of His people.
Observations for over-comers: The gathering of God’s people brings strength, encouragement, and a community of unity and peace when the Holy Spirit is in charge! “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like the precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3)