Tag: joy and peace
Sunday rest and reflection: joy and truth!
Dear Friends,
Wow, only one more day of rest in this year! Where has it gone? What a journey through God’s Word we have enjoyed! Only three more letters and we will finish this year’s trip and prepare for another! Our goal has been to find Jesus speaking to us in each book and letter of God’s word. I am amazed at how each time I sit down to read and write, the Holy Spirit opens up some aspect of the passage for me.
This week we have the short letter of 2nd John as our reading. Here are a few Scriptures that speak to me from this short letter. May they minister to your heart as you rest this day.
“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” 2nd John 3
“It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. “ 2nd John 4-6
‘Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2nd John 7
“I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” 2nd John 12
Have a great day of rest–talk to the Lord face to face and be filled with His joy and peace! In His Love, Pastor John
Endurance, encouragement and hope!
Scripture reading for June 5th: Romans 15, Psalm 111, Proverbs 18
Romans 15: 4-7, 15 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through the endurance and through the encouragement of Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Jesus Christ, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. . . . .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.”
Our God knows exactly what we need and even before we were born, He has written it down for our instruction. His purpose is to encourage us because He is for us, not against us! He has a glorious future planned for us so He wants us to hold fast to Him and His awesome and glorious Name. He wants us to dwell together with our brothers and sisters in harmony, and with one voice to bring Him and our Father glory! We are called to be encouragers and show hospitality by welcoming others into God’s forever family! This brings God eternal joy and fulfills His desire to share His eternal covenant of love, mercy and peace with all people! Praise His awesome and holy Name!
Psalm 111: 9-10 “He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His Name! The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
Prayer: Father God, Your Son Jesus Christ is my strong tower of encouragement and hope in a world that is sometimes very dark and foreboding. Thank You for the eternal covenant of life and peace which brings me hope and joy each day as I anticipate Your coming. Help me to live in harmony with others of like-precious faith and to welcome them into Your forever household. Fill me with the Holy Spirit today!
Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
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.”
The God of Hope and Encouragement!
Scripture reading for July 3rd: Romans 15
Paul identified himself with those who were ‘strong’ in their faith. He understood the liberty that believers have in Jesus Christ. He also knew that strong believers might become prideful and judgmental, as he had been towards followers of Christ before he was saved. In order to encourage the strong believers, he asked them to bear with the failings of the weaker believers. “Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on Me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:2-4)
Christ, our example, always sought to please the Father and as a result suffered for it. He was insulted and ridiculed as a ‘friend of tax collectors and sinners‘! Those insults were directed towards Christ and the Father! But Christ was on a mission to save the lost, not condemn them! The Scriptures record the endurance and message of hope that Christ proclaimed in order to help us follow His example. So must we be kind, patient, and encouraging to those who are weaker in their faith. We must accept them as Christ accepted us and cultivate unity and love.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13) It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are filled with joy and peace through faith in Christ! The Holy Spirit brings a hope that ‘overflows’ into the lives believers encouraging all!
Abounding in Hope!
Scripture reading for August 1st: Romans 15:1-22
Paul concludes this letter with another admonition to the strong in faith. They are to bear with the failings of the weak and not just seek to please themselves. Our goal should be to build up our neighbors, not judge them! (Romans 15:1-2) Jesus set the example for us by offering Himself in our place to take the penalty of our sins! What we deserved fell on Him.
God wants His people to dwell together in unity and hope as they follow Christ! (Romans 15:5-6) The Scriptures teach us how to have hope by the stories of God’s miraculous power and by the record of Christ’s example. Jesus prayed for His disciples and those who would follow Him from their ministry. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.” (John 17:20-21) Unity is maintained as we walk in the Spirit and allow the Word to dwell in us. We have hope for the future because of the promises of God for those who believe. The best is yet to come!
Both Jew and Gentile must accept one another because Christ accepted them both! “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13) This is the practical benediction to Paul’s letter to this group of Roman believers. What an encouragement it is to them to hear from the Apostle Paul that God is a God of hope! He wants all believers to be filled with joy and peace as they trust in Christ for their every need. As they are filled with the Holy Spirit, the power of God’s hope will bring them encouragement and perseverance through any and all trials.
As you think about this passage today, remind yourself that God is the God of all hope! Hope is not found in our world or it’s leaders. Their promises may or may not come true. But God has the power and ability to make good on His every word! Hope abounds in Our Lord forever!