Pursue Peace – Hebrews 12:14

14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14 (NET)

Pursuing peace with everyone is a common theme in the New Testament. To pursue is not passive; it means eagerly seeking, actively, and diligently seeking peace.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18 (NET)

Bitterness causes strife where pursuing a peaceful lifestyle encourages working together and building up one another.

19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Romans 14:19 (ESV)

Working to get along with and help others demonstrates that we are disciples of Christ, growing in holiness and spiritual maturity. We, as Christians, pursue peace, and abide in Jesus, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

14-17 Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. – Hebrews 12:14-17 (MSG)

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Prayer: Our Holy Father, help us to pursue peace. Guide our path helping us to get along with others and be tolerant of different points of view. Teach us to study Your Word and grow in faith. Like the Ranunculus flowers open and bloom in the spring, let us open our hearts to You and bloom with love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Gentle Spirit: Philippians 4:5

5Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5 (AMP)

Let your gentleness be evident to all, or as some versions say, let your gentle spirit, gracious attitude, or graciousness be known to all. These derive from the Greek word epiekes, which can translate to; gracious, fair, gentle, reasonable, tolerant, and forbearing. Whatever translation/definition you prefer, it should convey that Christians need to be reasonable, wise, and tolerant people; not easily angered.

Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit, a fruit; that we need to cultivate in our hearts; and show in our actions. Gentleness and patience; are attributes that allow people to feel at ease around you.

The Lord is near; we should learn to emulate him in gentleness and with conduct that is honorable.

Jesus said:

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:29 (NIV)

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Do you consider yourself to have a gentle spirit?

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your tolerance and grace toward us. Help us to be gentle and tolerant to others. Guide us on Your path for us and help us to emulate Jesus. Like the native sunflower, gently opening its petals help us to have a gentle spirit; and be tolerant in our dealings with other. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Love Deeply: 1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1Peter 4:8 (NIV)

In this verse, Peter acknowledges that we are not perfect; we make mistakes and fail to obey. The redemptive love of Jesus covers our sins. When dealing with one another, we need to exhibit this Christ-like love. We need to forgive each other, overlook past difficulties, strengthen each other, and learn to love each other deeply. Peter is requesting that we make love a priority, for love covers a multitude of sins. It is important Christians show deep love, forgiving as Christ does.

8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another
1 Peter 4:8-10 (NLT)

Do you love deeply, sharing the love of Jesus in your daily interactions?

Prayer; Jesus, we thank You for Your forgiveness and love. Teach us to embrace Your love and share it in our daily activities. Help us to love deeply and forgive graciously. Guide us in Your truth and light. Like the Passion Flower’s name emanates from Jesus’ crucifixion, let our love emanate from the love and forgiveness of Jesus. Amen.

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God’s Wisdom: James 3:17

16Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil. 17However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. 18A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers.
James 3:16-18(GWT)

James, in verse 16, is describing worldly wisdom, often driven by envy, jealousy, and selfish ambition, which results in disorder, conflict, and evil. In comparison, God’s wisdom is pure and moral; full of mercy, compassion, it is sincere. His wisdom is impartial, free of prejudice. Trusting in God and His wisdom, and; His ability to provide for us; teaches us to be caring, compassionate, and kind. It encourages us to serve the needs of others and to do good deeds. When you plant peace, along with gentleness, mercy, and compassion, you reap a harvest of righteousness.

16 Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. 17 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. 18 You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
James 3:16-18 (MSG)

What wisdom are you following, God’s wisdom of peace, gentleness, and compassion, or worldly wisdom of selfish ambition?

Prayer; Our loving and compassionate Holy Father, we thank you for your grace and mercy. Teach us Godly wisdom, facing each day with kindness and peace. Guide us to be caring and compassionate rather than being jealous and filled with selfish ambition. Let us plant seeds of peace and be impartial and gentle to each other. Like the chrysanthemum flowers are reaching out, spreading in all directions, help us to reach out in peace and spread Your wisdom and love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

True, Honorable, and Right: Philippians 4:8-9

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)

Paul is writing the Philippians, advising how to handle disagreements, and explaining how to focus on things that are pleasing to God instead. He stressed the importance of deliberately focusing on positive things; true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things. To meditate on these good things, not the bad things; to focus on things to praise rather than bemoan; to exhibit fruits of the Spirit. To embrace spiritual fruits; like love, kindness, patience, gentleness, and self-control. These spiritual fruits increase when we have strong faith and; our minds are focused on Christ; instead of on problems and difficulties. Practice kindness and love, have holy thoughts, and live holy lives; and the God of peace will be with you and guide you.

Do you allow disagreements and discord to rule your life, or do you fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your guidance, forgiveness, and grace. Teach us to respond to others as You do to us; with love, kindness, and gentleness. Encourage us to fix our minds on Christ; and focus on what is true, honorable, right, and admirable. Like the daisy flowers are open and reaching toward the sun, let us be open to positive actions, and reach toward You and receive peace. In Jesus’ holy loving name. Amen

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Love and Faithfulness: Proverbs 3:3-4

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 3:3-4 (NIV)

Solomon is sharing his thoughts on the value of obedience, love, and faithfulness. The (NIV) version of Proverbs 3:3 says, Let love and faithfulness never leave you; other versions say to let; loyalty and kindness, mercy and truth, loyalty and faithfulness, kindness and truth, never leave you. The underlining theme is love and trust wholeheartedly in the Lord always. Binding these loving actions around your neck (keep them close to you), and write them in your heart. A believer is to be continually loyal to God; faithful in following God’s ways. Also, believers need to show mercy and truth to others; always. Then you will find favor with God and gain the respect of people. We should still follow Solomon’s advice by embracing love and faithfulness and binding them to our hearts.

As Christians, we need to focus on letting love and faithfulness guide us in our daily lives. Where are love, faithfulness, and kindness missing in your life?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your mercy and grace. Guide us in Your Word and truth. Help us to embrace love and faithfulness and to write them on our hearts. Teach us to treat each other with kindness, mercy, and love. Like the bright flowers of the butterfly weed seem to be reaching outward, let us glow brightly with Your truth and reach out to others with love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

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Harmony and Peace: 2Corinthians 13:11

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT)

Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, where they were struggling to keep a Christian lifestyle. Many of the believers were being swayed by the city’s immorality, idolatry, and false teachers. Paul is seeking for them to mend their ways and restore their unity of purpose. He encourages them to be joyful, to grow in maturity. To repair their relationships so they could work together and encourage one another. To be of one mind, with shared values; to become complete, restored, work in harmony, and live in peace. Traits church people are still in need of today. For God’s love and peace surround those who work in unity for His good.

In today’s world, we are bombarded with bickering, name-calling, and disagreement daily. Are you encouraging harmony and peace in your church/community?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, you are a God of love and peace. We thank you for your compassion and grace to us. Teach us to mend our ways and live in unity, harmony, and peace. Keep us strong, in Your way, unswayed by false teaching and immorality. Guide us in your truth and light. Like the Echinacea flower’s beauty is enhanced when grouped together; let our life be enhanced with harmony and peace when we go forward in unity. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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