16 January, 2023
Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord –Hebrews 12:14
Abba Father, you are our Mighty, Immortal God, who reigns the heavens and the earth from everlasting to everlasting and we are your children in faith, justified and sanctified before you by Jesus your Son and our Messiah. We maintain our hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, Author and Finisher of our faith.
Lord, as believers we understand that we will have to undergo hostility and persecution the way Jesus endured but, at the end is our reward of eternal posterity and salvation. We are sojourners in this world but we are also, assuredly, your children by adoption. Hence we are exhorted to discipline our faith to defeat the forces of evil and overcome our tormentors and assailants, defending our beliefs with the strengthening power of your grace. By enduring our sufferings in this world with perseverance and equanimity, we will, at the end of our mortal lives, enjoy the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Lord, as your children, we are already at peace with you, through your grace. To achieve holiness as you are holy, can be accomplished if we remain consecrated to you, in body, soul, and spirit, in all our words and in all our ways. It is only through the empowering of the Holy Spirit that we can pursue peace with all, and holiness, to be worthy to behold your countenance. Help us Father, as we pledge to attain this state, abiding zealously, in Jesus our Lord. Amen