April 15, 2023… Being His Ambassadors of Peace

Berry Patch Devotions in 2023 - Day 105 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics  from The Maranatha Singers singing … The Reconciliation Song … poignantly, yet powerfully, singing of God’s call for His people to live in a generation of reconciliation and peace. 

Being ambassadors of peace ... 

============        

Highlight Passage: … Ephesians 4:31-32 [NLT] … 

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ.  

… As disciples of Christ, we are to take on the ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness which Christ calls for in al of His born-again disciples.      

Highlight Passage (Context): … Ephesians 4:21-32 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul admonishes and exhorts fellow Christians (and us) to put off old patterns of sinful behavior and take on the nature of Christ, being willing to reconcile and forgive one another.                             .                     

===============                                                                     .                                                                                                                         

Reference Passage  … Matthew 18:15-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches born-again Christians in His Body, (i.e., the Church) how to handle conflicts and now to resolve disputes.         

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 5:18-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches and exhorts fellow Christian to take on the ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness given to all Christians charging them (and us) to be ambassadors of reconciliation, just as Christ is to His church.  

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:13 [NLT] … 

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 

… Again Paul exhorts fellow Christians to do all we can to forgive each other just as Jesus forgives any/all in His body who believe in Him as Lord and Savior.  

Reference Passage… Philippians 2:3-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also exhorts fellow Christians to humble ourselves, taking on the attitude of Christ, in dealing with one another.  

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 12:14 [NLT] … 

14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

… God’s call for Christians to live at peace with one another.  

                                                                                                                         

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kimya Loder … AT THIS LINK …  tells how the ODB author and her sister often, in their youth, were are odds, arguing with one another; …  until, as they grew up, their grandmother helped them learn the Christlike attitude of forgiveness and peace in dealing with each other.

Difference and division seems to be the way of the world these days, doesn’t it?  Well, if you’ve taken in the linked song and meditated on the Scriptures above, perhaps you are, … as I am, … convicted to do all we can, as followers of Christ - especially in our Christian spheres of influence - to reconcile our differences and live at peace with one another and to do all we can to follow Christ’s call for His Church into His ministry of reconciliation.   

Perhaps you’re thinking of someone right now that you can reach across the divide of your differences as in the photo and bridge the gap becoming an ambassador of Christ’s love and grace   Well, if so, as the Nike motto says, Let’s JUST DO IT!   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for calling me, Lord, into Your ministry of forgiveness and reconciliation.        

My Prayer Today:Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to do all we can to be Your ambassadors of reconciliation and peace, Lord.   …  Amen               . 

=============

Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK n the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.