DEVOTIONAL FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Good Morning Everyone,

 Our theme for this month: “Peace”

 Our Bible verse for today: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.” James 3:17-18

 Our thought for today: “Let it begin with me (and with you!)”

 I like the definition of peace offered by the editors of “The Christian Arts Daily Planner”: “At the heart of peace is harmony. To be at peace with someone – whether a neighbor, a family member, or God – is to be in a harmonious relationship with them.”

 Doesn’t that sound nice, to be in a harmonious relationship with God and with others? Wouldn’t this world be a better place if more of us worked at being peacemakers and therefore there was more harmony?

 That’s what James was writing about in the verses cited above. In the context of the entire passage, he was contrasting the difference between those who function out of a worldly mind set and those who are guided by the Spirit of God. Worldly wisdom produces envy, selfish ambition, bragging, and dissension. Godly virtues result in love, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, and peace. More than that, those who are functioning under the influence of the Holy Spirit will actually go the extra mile and “cultivate” a spirit of peace. They will sow seeds of peace in their relationships with others and then carefully tend those seeds to grow and maintain a spirit of peace.

 In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul reminds us that one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, one of the virtues He brings out in the lives of those submitted to Him, is peace. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.”

 Experiencing peace; exuding peace; cultivating peace; that’s what the Spirit does in and through us.

 I’ve used this quote before and I’m sure I will use it again because it communicates such a powerful and important truth. It comes from Saint Francis of Assisi, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” I encourage you today to be a source of peace in the world. Be intentional about it. Sow it. Cultivate it. Let it begin with you.

 God Bless,

Pastor Jim