Topic: The Challenge Before Us

Text: 2 Corinthians 13:1-14

Paul has done all he can to lead the false teachers, the critics, and those who are in sin to repent and turn back to the Lord. His final words as recorded in 2Cor. 13:1-14 include a warning, a prayer, a challenge, and a blessing.

Verse 11 carries the challenge which we will ponder upon.

“Finally, brothers, good-bye. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (NIV)

 

Aim for perfection: Paul says; restore, reform, correct, mend yourselves and your ways. Stop your sinning, criticism, divisiveness and immorality. The goal must be to be like Christ, our perfect example.

Grow into maturity in Christ: As we aim for perfection, we must be intentional about growing. Anything that refuses to grow, simply dies.

Listen to my appeal: Be assured, consoled, and helped by repenting and turning back to God. In this month of mission, the Lord has been appealing to us to take on his heart for the harvest. Open your heart to the Lord.

Be of one mind in faith, belief, purpose, mission, and ministry. We are co-labourers. We are not competitors. A heart for the harvest is a harvest that is willing to work with others. The harvest is vast and so we must work with others to reap it.

Live in peace.  Love, care, forebear, be long-suffering and concerned for each other.  Have nothing to do with criticism, divisiveness, snobbishness, pride-or feeling superior. These are attitudes that distract us from doing the needful. Reaping the harvest demands our concentration and serious. Living in peace and being agents of God’s peace will accelerate bringing in the harvest.

Prayer:

• Ask the Lord to help you aim for perfection.
• Receive the grace of the Lord to shun every distraction as you commit to be a worthy reaper of the end-time harvest.
• Ask the Lord’s peace to fill your heart and that you may be an agent of His peace.

Rev David Kanda

National Chairman, NEMA