Daily Devotional

Synced Daily Devotionals Week 3

Peace - Week 3

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Monday

Luke 2.14

14 Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth for those pleasing Him.

How do we obtain peace when our lives are not tranquil? 

The context of Luke 2.14 shows the birth of Jesus being the ultimate example of bringing peace to earth.  This peace was not obtained through an easy life or a simple road.  Jesus entered the world in the midst of hardship and trials. 

It is natural to attempt to gain peace through our own planning.  I rejoice with many young families as they are planning the arrival of their first child.  There is a birth plan, packed bags, meal plans, and family and friends waiting in the wings to swoop in and care when eyes are heavy and brains are fuzzy. 

However, this was not how Mary and Joseph planned for the birth of their first child, the Savior of the world.  They had a rocky start to say the least! 

Their marriage hadn’t even begun.  They were still getting to know each other.  They were traveling.  They weren’t in their hometown.  They weren’t even in a home.  But they had true tranquility of spirit because God was in control and His plan was much larger than theirs or anything they could imagine.  They had peace and were honored to be a part of God’s great plan. 

Mary and Joseph didn’t have friends or family to bring them a meal, but they had angels proclaiming the birth of their son.  The angels sang “glory to God in the highest and peace on earth.”  Jesus, the Son of God, had been born.  The heavens declared His glory.  True peace was coming to earth. 

Jesus is ultimate peace.  He was tranquility born in the midst of turmoil.  When our world seems to churn and spin we can find true rest and peace in the presence of our Savior.  Just like Mary and Joseph, we can come to the feet of Savior Jesus Christ and find rest from our torment in the peace of His presence.  Plans and preparation are not what bring peace.  The presence of God in our lives, and His power working through us, is what brings peace in the midst of this world’s chaos.  Therefore, instead of planning to obtain peace, plan to connect and commune with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

~Melinda Manus

 

Tuesday

Luke 10:5-6

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

Jesus did it again... He flipped the script.

The 72 disciples (who had been sent 2 by 2) used the phrase “peace to you” for generations and now Jesus has reframed it and said to ask for “peace to this house.” Jesus has us beginning with a blessing to bring shalom. This peace that passes understanding immediately catches their attention because the phrase is different than what had been spoken for generations. The Jewish greeting is now been updated to bring peace to the physical space rather than just an individual. I wonder what it would have been like to be one of the original disciples going out door-to-door, almost like today’s interns, with a phrase that had not been spoken before as a greeting. I can imagine they were greeted with confusion and questions, which naturally was a beginning point to talk about the kingdom of God that they were about to encounter.

Much has been written about Christians offering hospitality. This is not only a strong call for what we are to offer, it is also a call for Christians to be gracious receivers of hospitality regardless of whether the giver is a follower of Christ, no matter their skin color, gender, age, socioeconomic status, etc.

The early church depended on the hospitality of others. The message is about more than peace: it's about the Christian needing to know how to accept hospitality from others. The implications around the theology of “guest” means we are to respect each other. We are to find comfort in homes of people. It means we pay attention to each other and most of all we bring peace to the home we find ourselves in. We enter into the place of others embodying the message of peace. We represent the tribe of Jesus followers… a tribe that brings peace with us.

It also assumes we have something to offer everyone, not just Christians. There's also an implication that Christians need to find themselves accepting hospitality from others, even those that are not Christians. Ask yourself: where do you find hospitality from non-Christians?

I have recently found myself a guest in the home of an Algerian woman who has overwhelmed me with her hospitality. I have learned new cultural cues, like don't empty your plate or she will fill it again! Or, take care not to mention something similar that you have enjoyed or she will run to the store the next morning and buy it for you. This Arab hospitality is beyond anything I've ever experienced and I recognize that my role is not to out-give her or resist her gifts, but instead to extend the blessing of peace.

Imagine if we were to greet others saying “I would love for you to experience peace that passes understanding in your home and family.” This would be quite different than the greeting that evangelical Christians are too often known for. We are often painted as judge and jury rather than speakers of peace and blessing.

Now go out and get invited into a home (preferably someone who is different from you) where you have an opportunity to speak peace and blessing to the physical space that you walk into.

~Curt Gibson

 

Wednesday

Luke 19.37-40

Have you ever felt an overwhelming gratitude and you just start singing, smiling or praising God?  The kind of sudden joy while driving or walking by yourself and you start singing.  Sometimes it’s triggered by a song, a thought of a new born child, or a thought of a person that lifts you up (mentor, parent, friend, pastor, etc.).   How about when you think of God’s faithfulness and the mercy he shows in your life?

I was once invited to visit a Celebrate Recovery ministry at a church in Los Angeles.  Celebrate Recovery is a biblically-based recovery program that provides a safe place in a Christ-centered community.  When we arrived at this meeting, I quickly picked up the positive energy in the room starting from the greeter at the door.  She was ready to tell us all about her experience through this ministry.  We then made our way to the first part of the service for food and socialization.  Once we introduced ourselves as guests, we were made to feel at home.

 The second part of the service was held in the main sanctuary where we worshiped together for about an hour.  Every speaker and worship leader that came up to the stage introduced themselves and said what they are recovering from.  These were not easy topics to share in public but it’s part of the healing process.  Some of the people are recovering from multiple issues like sexual addiction, food addiction, co-dependency, history of abuse, and many other challenges.

When the worship time started, I was amazed by the power of their worship.  It was genuine, total surrender and full of the Spirit.  It was evident that their joy and peace came from the freedom they experience in Christ.  This is their time of peace after many years of struggle and defeat. 

They are daily reminded about their dependence on God because of this recovery process.  Their choice of songs are about God’s amazing grace, being made new, looking to God, asking God to do what he wants, and how much he loves them.

In Luke 19: 37-40, we read how the disciples suddenly start praising God in a loud voice when they remembered the miracles Jesus has done. 

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

We all struggle daily with some type of addiction as a result of sin (e.g., anger, lust, gossip, love of money, pride, etc.).  Maybe we all should be in recovery!  Let us all praise God for the peace that comes from experiencing his faithfulness and healing power.

~Tsega Worku

 

Thursday

Luke 24.36-40

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

The disciples were gathered together.  Peter had seen the empty tomb.  There was a report of Jesus appearing on the road to Emmaus.  But Jesus had not appeared to his closest followers yet.

I wonder how they felt?  They must have been sad.  Their friend, mentor, teacher, and leader was dead.  But they must have also been confused and perhaps a bit hopeful.  Jesus’ body was missing and there was this report of him appearing to some people.

It’s in the midst of this confusing and emotional time that Jesus appears among them.  He says, “Peace be with you,” in the same way that angels often do in the Scritpures.  This (Jesus’ appearance among them despite having died and him speaking to them as well) totally freaked the disciples out!  They were scared!  Was Jesus a ghost or what?

Now Jesus could have scolded them here.  He could have said, “You know, I predicted my death and resurrection lots of times when I was alive.  Were y’all not listening or what!?”  But instead, Jesus patiently and peacefully explained to them what had happened, showing them his wounds.

Jump to today – has Jesus changed?  Nope.  Not one little bit!  He still does things in our lives that freak us out and make us question him.  And while he could be on all our cases about our lack of faith, he isn’t.  Instead, he extends peace to us. 

He offers us his shalom.  Shalom is a Hebrew word which means “peace” but it’s so much more than simply that!  It means “wholeness, completeness, fulfillment.”  When Jesus extends his peace to us, it’s much more than the cessation of strife in our lives.  Instead, Jesus gives us his shalom, which is exactly what we need to be all that he created us to be!

Lord Jesus, send us your shalom!

~Matt Barnes

 

Friday

John 14.25-27

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

In John 16 Jesus tells his disciples again, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.”  Let’s be really honest for a moment.  When trouble comes, when push comes to shove, when the heat is on, and when life is not going the way you want it to go…where do you turn?  Where do you look to find security and peace?  We know the right answer because we just read it in Scripture.  I am asking us to be honest about what we do when those times come.

If you are like me, then you try to control the situation and get things back on track with your agenda and your best interest, because of course that’s what God would want, right?  Sometimes the situation is out of my control so I settle for the alternative of getting as much information as possible so that at least I understand why things are going the way they are going.  My smartphone has trained me to find peace and security in getting any information I need right when I need it.  I have an “app” to solve every problem that might come my way.

Now, because I am a follower of Jesus, of course I am praying this entire time.  My prayers sometimes sound like this, “God, please help me out of this trouble, take the pain and confusion and problems away.  Help me get out of this trouble and give me peace and security.”  If you are like me, you have discovered that these strategies don’t often result in peace. 

Peace does not come from control.  Peace does not come from more information.  Peace does not come from simply changing our circumstances and taking the trouble away.  There is only one source of real peace – in Jesus.  In this world we will have trouble, but Jesus says “take heart! I have overcome the world.” And with the promised Holy Spirit Jesus gives us this gift, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Abiding in Jesus.  That sounds like a much better strategy for peace.  Has trouble come to you?  Take a moment and thank God that He has given us his Holy Spirit and as we rest and abide in him.  He will bring fruit that results in peace.

~John Secrest

 

Saturday

John 20.21-22

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Peace is defined as “a state of tranquility, quiet as freedom from civil disturbance.”  It is “a time of security and order”.  Note that in verse 21 the disciples are fearful of the Jewish leaders and they are meeting behind closed, maybe even locked, doors.  They were in a time of fear, anxiety, doubt and insecurity. 

They felt alone. 

And at this time of anxiety, who shows up but Jesus.  He comes to comfort them, to remind them of their calling of being sent ones into this world. 

Every single one of us has been in this situation, haven’t we?  We don’t know where to turn and this causes great distress and uncertainty to build within us.  We can’t see beyond the present, and in these situations we see little hope of solution or resolve. 

I have found that these are the very times when God wants us to turn to Him the most, putting our complete trust in what is ahead when He is in control of our lives.

In Psalm 46.10 we are reminded to “Be still and know that I am God.”  This is so hard to do, but God wants us to live with great peace.  We can be certain that every step we take is ordered by Him.  We have nothing to fear.

I’m reminded of one of the newer songs we have learned as a church family called “Nothing Ever,” written by Ben Calhoun and Seth Mosley.    It is based on the scripture found in Romans 8.38-39 and clearly states that “our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.”

Nothing can ever separate us now that Christ has brought us unending peace, just like He did for the disciples that day as they hid away in seclusion.   Separation from someone we trust can cause anxiety and doubt, and it can remove any peace we may desperately need to make it through difficult situations. 

When you get a chance, listen to the song, “Nothing Ever” from our Shared Faith CD.   The words of this song offer great hope when times of despair and doubt come our way.  And, they most certainly will come as we continue to live on this earth.  We need to remember these promises.  “Peace to You” was not only a greeting like Shalom, but on an individual level this peace secures composure in difficult times of trouble and dissolves fear.  This peace should rule within the hearts of those who know Him. 

Believers are sent into a world filled with discord, unrest and daily events that can cause worry.  We are not sent unarmed.  Instead, we are armed with supernatural peace, if only we will avail ourselves of it. 

~Duane Funderburk

Study Notes

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Synced: A Peace Filled Journey Chinese Translation