Devotionals

2 Thessalonians 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”             Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to the church of Thessalonica. In this second letter, Paul addresses issues of Christ’s return and what that may look like. Paul lists several events that must happen before Christ will return. He talks of this because the church in Thessalonica was confused by other teachings that Christ had already returned. They were full of fear. Paul needed to calm these fears and clear up the misunderstanding. It is important that Christians today do not confuse this scripture with the same scripture in other books or letters of the bible because they are all referencing different things, like one Antichrist is mentioned in 2 Thessalonians, but there are many in 1 John. The original audience of this time understood Paul’s teaching and knew what he was referencing when ...

Luke 1:78-79 “because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”             Luke was written by the physician Luke who sometimes traveled with Paul. It is the first book of a two-book series, Luke and Acts. Both were written to someone names Theophilus, which means “lover of God”. This leaves some to believe that this name is not referring to a specific person by rather to all who love God (1). Luke gathers the information by interviews and investigation of all events that he records. This book, like the other three gospels give an account of the life of Jesus, His birth, important childhood events, adulthood, death, and resurrection. The beginning of Luke also includes John the Baptist’s conception and birth. This is important to Jesus’s life because John announces Jesus’s coming...

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace .”             Paul wrote both 1st and 2nd Corinthians to the church of Corinth. The church of Corinth was made up of house churches and everyone lived in close proximity to one another. This way the believers could function as a large family. But, as in all families, conflict arose and this was the reason for Paul’s writing the book 1 Corinthians to this church (1). Paul was also addressing some questions that this church had written to Paul. He spent some time with the church in Corinth; visited at least twice as it is recorded in Acts. So, he functioned as a leader or a mentor to the leaders of this church.             In chapter 14, Paul discusses the division over spiritual gifts within the church of Corinth. The two most prominently discusses gifts are of prophecy and of tongues (1). Because of this ...

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace . In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”             John was written by John, the son of Zebedee, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples. John’s purpose is so that all “may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life” (John 20:31). A distinctive feature of John is that he claims that Jesus is from heaven. In the first chapter, John poetically describes how Jesus was with God and He is God. That He was the Word of God that through Him everything was created and He “became flesh and lived here among us” (John 1:14). The book of John tends to give a different perspective from the other three gospels. He tells of events that were not recorded in the other gospels. He also speaks of himself, whereas the other gospel authors do not mention themselves within the events (1). ...

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest . 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 . For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”             The book of Matthew was written by the tax collector Matthew as mentioned in 9:9. Matthew is one of the 4 gospel books in the New Testament. It’s intended audience was Jewish. The opening of Matthew is Jesus’s genealogy that connects His ancestry with Israel’s. It is clear that Jesus was from King David’s line making Him royalty. But it is also important that Jesus’s lineage is traced all the way back to Abraham, which makes Him Jewish by birth as well (1). Matthew is a story from the beginning of Jesus’s life to His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.             In Matthew 11, Jesus is teaching ...

Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”             Romans is another letter written by Paul. It is to the church in Rome as a preparation for his visit to this church and a defense of his message and mission to the Gentiles (1). Through this letter, Paul explains how God brought salvation to all people through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This meant that Gentiles, or non-Jews, did not need to convert to Judaism in order to be acceptable to God. God’s acceptance is not based on Law, not even His final commandment to love Him and love others. It is based on Jesus’s blood that paid the price for all humanity (1). To the Jews, it appeared that this new sacrifice was a betrayal of the Law God had given to Israel in the Old Testament. But on the contrary, Paul’s letter tells us that God remained faithful to the Jews AND found a way to save the entire world with Israe...

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”             Paul wrote Philippians while in prison. It was a response to aid he had received from the church in Philippi, which is the recipient of this letter. Paul expresses that he is at peace with his current situation, which is a large theme in this letter or book (1). One thing he is at peace with is death. He says that if he lives, he can continue to spread Christ’s message to others, but if he dies he gains eternal life and permanent relief from his sufferings (Phil. 1:21). Paul uses his present situation to encourage the church in Philippi to be joyful during persecution. They should imitate his attitude towards suffering and to trust God for everything they need ...

Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”                         The author or Hebrews is unknown, as is the recipient of this letter. What is known is that the basic message of this letter is to “keep going, stay confident in Christ, remain faithful, do not drift away” (1). The first and second chapters in Hebrews give an overview of the salvation story. It uses many references to the Old Testament; Psalm 2:7, 104:4, 45:6-7, and 8:4-6, 2 Samuel 7:14, 1 Chronicles 17:13, and Deuteronomy 32:43. The first chapter discusses God’s original plan for humanity, but sin entered the world and the next chapter discusses God’s plan for salvation so that everyone can have the opportunity to receive Christ’s forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. A few key points of chapter 2 is that Christ became ...

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter was written by the apostle Peter. It is a letter addressed to “God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the lands of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pet. 1:1; 1). This letter addresses believers who were suffering under “fiery trials” (1 Pet. 4:12). Peter encourages these Christians to live lives of integrity, in a respectable and orderly way. He also encourages them to stay focused on their eternal promise of heaven and that Christ is returning soon. Some key themes in 1 Peter is that Christians are foreigners and aliens while on earth, their true home is in heaven. Another theme is that Peter addresses the believers as born again through the Spirit; they are redeemed by Christ’s blood. Peter also commands the believers to be holy, just as God is holy (1:15). Chapter 5 is addressed to the Elders and their “flock” or congregations. Peter discusses how the E...

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians was written by the apostle Paul to the church in Galatia. Paul wrote this letter because some in the group of believers were exerting pressure on the Galatians to be circumcised and to follow the Jewish Law in order to be completely “saved”(1). Paul’s letter gives the Gentiles (all non-Jews) a way to be acceptable to God without following the Old Testament or Jewish Law, but instead by their faith in Jesus Christ.  Chapter 5 discusses how in Christ we are free from the Law. Paul says in verse 6b, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” He says this against the need for circumcision or following any other Law that was deemed necessary to make oneself acceptable to God before Christ’s death and resurrection. This was also an encouragement to the Gentiles. And h...