We all know someone who always has to have the last word in a conversation.  If you are struggling to think about who always gets the last word in your conversations; It’s probably you!  I’ve had conversations with someone even over a test message where they have to get the last word.  Even when a further response isn’t necessary.  For instance, they may wish you a happy birthday or something, and you respond with a thank you, and then they say you’re welcome, just to make sure that they get the last word in the conversation.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 13, the Apostle Paul had some departing words for the local church, that are crucial for us to follow today:

• Be Perfect
• Be of Good Comfort
• Be of One Mind
• Live in Peace

If we will earnestly strive to accomplish these four things, then our

fellowship with God will be nurtured and it will grow.

1.  Be Perfect

The command here by Paul to be perfect does not mean being sinless.  Anyone that reads about the church in Corinth will easily recognize that this church was full of members that were anything but sinless.  We will not ever, while in this body of sin, attain to sinlessness.  The only man to ever be sinless was the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are all sinners (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12), which is why we need a redeemer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Click here for more on this.

It is possible, however, to become more mature (perfect) in your faith.  We have some examples of people who were said to have been perfect, and we know that this isn’t a reference to them being sinless because we have the record of them not being sinless:

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. - Genesis 6:8-9

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. - Job 1:1

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. - 1 Chronicles 28:9

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; - Hebrews 6:1

It is God that produces this perfection of the heart in us

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. - Psalms 138:8

Five ways that this perfection is produced in our lives

• Patience

We need to learn to wait on the Lord.  God is not in a hurry.  We are always in a hurry to go nowhere.  We run from this to that, eat fast food and are looking for immediate gratification in everything that we do.  Sometimes paying more for something, just so that we can get it sooner.  God is not in a hurry to get things done.  King David is a prime example of this.  He was anointed King by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:11-13:

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

David did not begin to reign over all of Israel at that time.  He did not take the throne until after the death of Saul about 20 years later, and this is recorded in 2 Samuel 5:3

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. 

Joseph is another great example.  From the time that he received the dream that his brothers and the entire family would make obeisance to him, until it happened was approximately 20 Yrs.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? - Genesis 37:5-10

And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. - Genesis 42:3-6

When praying we usually get on of three answers from the Lord

• Yes
• No
• Wait

It seems like he says wait a lot!  We need to learn patience if we wish to mature in our faith and be perfect.

• Tribulation

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. - Hebrews 2:10

 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. - 1 Peter 5:10

Lifes troubles will prepare us for the journey ahead, don’t despise them.  If we don’t go through troubles, we will never be made perfect or be established in our faith.  We need this testing to strengthen and settle us.

God uses tribulation and suffering

God uses tribulation and suffering to mold us into what we ought to be.  Without the struggle, we will never be made perfect in our faith.

• Preaching and Teaching

The Lord gave us the Local Church and Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints.  One of the primary functions of the church is to perfect us in the faith and to build up our faith:

 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: - Ephesians 4:11-12

He also gave us his Word to teach us to be profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  If studied as it is supposed to be studied (2 Timothy 2:15), his word will:

• Make us profitable
• Make us perfect
• Supply us with everything that we need

Submitting yourself to good Preaching and Teaching will enable the Lord to perfect you in your faith.

• By taming our tongue

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. - James 3:1-10

The tongue is the smallest but meanest member in any organization, and the church is not exempt from this principle.  We need to learn to watch what we say.  It is one thing if speaking the truth happens to offend someone.  It is another thing entirely if we just go around trying to offend people.  We need to get control over our tongue if we desire to be made perfect in our faith.

• Choosing to love others

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. - Matthew 5:43-48

We must choose to love others.  Colossians 3:14 says to put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  Love blesses its enemies, Love prays for others, Love gives to others, Love is merciful.  These are not natural responses to the natural man.  We don’t by nature desire to bless, pray, give to, or be merciful to our enemies.  Our natural response to our enemies is that we desire to squash them like a bug.  We need to choose to love others if we want to be perfect and be mature in the faith.

Putting these five things into action will produce a more mature Christian.

2.  Be of good comfort

The second thing that the Apostle Paul wanted to encourage the local church to do, was to be of good comfort.  That sounds like an easy one doesn’t it?  I mean who doesn’t want to be of good comfort.  To be of good comfort gives the idea of a state of rest and tranquility.  That sounds pretty good.  The hotel chain is called Comfort Inn & Suites, not The Miserey Inn & Suites;  who would want to stay in a place called misery?

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; - 2 Corinthians 1:3-10

Sorrow will be turned into Joy

We can be of good comfort because the Lord will turn all of our sorrow into joy.  This is one of the great promises that we find in the Word of God.  This is why people will ask us about our hope as stated in 1 Peter:

But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
But sanctify the LORD God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: - 1 Peter 3:14-15

Notice that the reason that people will ask us about our reason for hope, is directly connected to going through suffering.  The Lord has promised to turn our sorrow into Joy:

 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; - Psalms 30:11

Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. - Jeremiah 31:13

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. - John 16:20

Despair will be turned into Hope

Losing a loved one is at the top of things that causes many people to despair.  But not the Christian, our despair has been turned into joy.  Because we know that if our loved one that has deceased was a Christian;  then we will see them again:

 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words. - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We also know that nothing can separate us from the love of God; therefore there is nothing to be in despair about.  Sure we will go through some tough times, but we know that we belong to the Lord and we are part of his body, and therefore nothing can separate us from him.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:31-39

Our sorrow will be turned into joy, and our despair will be turned into hope because we know that we have attained the victory through Jesus:

 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. - 1 Corinthians 15:55-58

How is this comfort accomplished?

The Lord uses many ways to accomplish this indescribable comfort in the lives of believers.  We will briefly look at three ways that he accomplishes this comfort in us:

• Through Gods Word

The scriptures were written for our learning,  when we read and study Gods Word it gives us hope.  The Bible isn’t some ordinary religious book, it’s a history of how God has dealt with man through the ages, and how he will deal with you.  You will receive comfort in your situation by reading and studying Gods Word, it will speak to you where you are:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. - Romans 15:4

• By His Spirit

If you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, then the Bible says that you now have the spirit of God residing within you (Romans 8:9).  Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is sent to us in order to comfort us and to lead us into all truth.  The Holy Spirit is even called the Comforter.  The Lord will comfort you through the Holy Spirit:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. - John 14:16-18

• By the actions of other people

At times the Lord will use the actions of others to give you comfort, and sometimes he will use your actions to comfort others:

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. - 2 Corinthians 7:4-7

When the Apostle Paul tells us to be of good comfort, that isn’t just meant for us to receive comfort, but also for us to be a comfort to those around us.

3.  Be of one mind

To be of one mind means that the church needs practice unity.  Unity within the Local Church is of the utmost importance.  The Chruch is founded on one Gospel, it is united to one Lord, and it is indwelt by one Spirit.  Therefore the Church should be one:

 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. - Romans 12:5

We are all different and we all bring something different to the Local Church.  We have different talents, abilities, and skills:

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. - 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. - 1 Corinthians 12:14-25

We need to use our talents and abilities in conjunction with one another in that they all should be used in unison to further the cause of Christ.  We are many, but we should function as one.

The purpose of unity in the church

The reason that unity is so important in the Local Church is that we need this unity to fulfill our purpose as a local assembly.

• Lead others to Faith

 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. - John 17:21-23

We need to be unified so that we can lead others to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  If we are not all on the same page, how can we lead others to the Lord?  We all need to be rowing in the same direction or else we will just go in circles or even worse, not move in any direction at all.

• Lead believers to Spiritual Maturity

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: - Ephesians 4:10-15

The purpose of the church is to perfect the saints (believers), for the work of the ministry and to build up the body of Christ.  If we do not work together and ensure that we have unity, then we will be like children and we will be tossed to and fro like a reed in the wind, or a bobber on the surface of the water.  We need to be rooted grounded and settled in the truth so that we can spread that truth to others.

Focus on Inner Unity

Our emphasis is to be placed on an inner unity of the mind and Spirit.  It needs to come from within us, it’s not just something to look good on the outside:

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. - Philippians 2:1-2

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; - Philippians 1:27

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; - Colossians 2:2

We should strive together for the faith of the gospel, we should be standing together in one spirit.  We can’t strive together if we all have a different agenda.

 We need to be uniform in our cause

To be uniform in our cause we need our emphasis to be on that inner unity, not on an external uniformity of following a bunch of rules.  Once you come to saving faith and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will find that there is a new way to live.  We are given multiple passages that are exhorting us to lay down the old life and pick up the new one.  To walk in the light and not in darkness, to put off the old man and put on the new man.  All these things are true, however, we need to grow and develop personal convictions as we walk with the Lord.  Putting a bunch of rules into place usually pulls people away from the Lord, they don’t draw people to Him.

 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. - Luke 6:6-11

In the passage above, you can plainly see that the Pharisee’s had become so enamored with the rules, that they could not even enjoy watching the Lord work.  The rules had become more important to them than helping those in need.

Our unity is based in Fellowship

The Lord wants to have fellowship with us, and our desire should be to maintain close fellowship with like believers in the Local Church.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. - 1 John 1:3-7

Fellowship in the Local Church is expressed in the following four ways:

• Meeting together
• Eating together
• Being hospitable to each other
• Being Welcoming to former adversaries

Meeting Together

We are told that we should not forsake the local assembly.  That means that we are supposed to attend church services at a local assembly, you can not maintain fellowship with those that you do not spend any time with, or that you do not share in experiences.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:23-25

Rember, Thomas missed out on the blessing that the other disciples had received from the Lord for eight days because he was not in Church:

 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. - John 20:19-26

Eating Together

Jesus often shared meals with people in fellowship.  He ate with his disciples (Luke 22:8, John 12:1-2, John 21:5-15), He ate with publicans and sinners (Mark 2:16, Luke 5:30, Luke 7:34) and he even ate with the Pharisees (Luke 14:1).

Eating meals together is a good way to get to know each other in a more personal way, which is what fellowship is all about.

Extending Hospitality

Part of fellowship is practicing hospitality towards one another.  We need to be concerned with the welfare of those that we have locked arms with.  Genuine concern and love for one another will manifest itself in hospitality.

Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. - 1 Peter 4:9-10

Welcoming Former Adversaries

Where would the church be today if the disciples would have been as unwilling as most Christians are today when it comes to welcoming former adversaries?  And had refused to welcome the Apostle Paul into their fellowship?

 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. - Acts 9:26-28

4.  Live in Peace

Finally, Paul tells the Church that they need to live in the Peace of God.  The Lord has given us peace.  We have been reconciled to him and therefore, we now are at peace with God.  Before salvation, we were at enmity with God, but now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with him (Romans 5:1).

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. - John 14:27

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. - John 16:33

Jesus is the Prince of Peace and he is offering that peace to us.  We need to make the decision to allow that peace to rule in our hearts:

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. - Colossians 3:15

Paul’s parting words to the Corinthian Church are fitting for us today.  If we will “Be Perfect” or grow and mature in our faith:

• We will receive comfort
• We will be more unified as a body
• We will be able to enjoy the Peace of God that passeth all understanding

Are you allowing the Peace of God to rule in your life today?  Or are you allowing worry, troubles, and a lack of peace to rule in your heart?

The choice is yours, choose peace.

Our hope at Irvington Bible Baptist Church is that this podcast provided some encouragement and has helped you to develop a closer relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.