ABIDE Devotionals

Abide – Good Morning

https://abide.co/prayer/srn1s7

In I Corinthians 12:23-27 NLT says, “23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So, we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So, God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

The parts we regard as less honorable refers to the sexual parts of the body, the parts that we carefully protect from the eyes of others. The point of this verse is that appearances are deceiving; all parts of the body are necessary, even the ones that should not be seen. No one should dismiss anyone else as unimportant in the body of our Lord Jesus Christ; neither should undue prominence be given to anyone. Doing this makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. The harmony Paul wanted had already been discussed in 1 Corinthians 1:10. Such harmony happens only when all the members – the weak and the strong, the flamboyant and the quiet, the up-front and the behind-the-scenes – use their gifts, appreciate one another, and share in one another’s honors and suffering. As with the physical, human body, one part’s suffering causes every part to suffer. When the head aches, the whole body suffers. When a thumb is hit with a hammer, the whole body knows it. Believers should share one another’s burdens in order to help lighten them. There is no room for jealousy or strife when one person receives praise; instead, all should be glad. Amen!

Abide – Good Night

https://abide.co/prayer/y9ja03

In John 14:27 NLT says, 27 “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

This verse echoes the first verse of the chapter. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s peace would not guarantee the absence of trouble-for our Lord Jesus Christ Himself faced excruciating spiritual, physical, and emotional struggles in the coming hours. Instead, our Lord Jesus Christ’s peace supplies strength and comfort for the burdens we are called to carry. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the disciples peace that would help them through their own time of trial ahead. After three days, the risen Lord Jesus Christ would come to them and again bestow His peace upon them (John 20:19).

The peace our Lord Jesus Christ offers His disciples isn’t like the peace the world gives. It is His peace, the peace He modeled every day of His life. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s peace did not flee conflict, pain, or death. In fact, the more intense the difficulties, the more apparent our Lord Jesus Christ’s peace became. Our Lord Jesus Christ derived His peace from His relationship with the Father.

Sin, fear, uncertainty, and doubt work to make us troubled and afraid. The peace of God moves into our hearts and lives to restrain these hostile forces and offers comfort in place of conflict. Our Lord Jesus Christ says, He will give us that peace if we are willing to accept it from Him. The Holy Spirit’s work in our lives brings deep and lasting peace. We have confident assurance in any circumstance; with our Lord Jesus Christ’s peace, we have no need to fear the present or the future. Amen!