2 Peter 1:2 NKJV
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,”
INSIGHT
-Grace and peace marry in several scripture references. Apostle Paul and Peter have often used these phrases to depict that God is the source of all grace and peace. In the above scripture, Peter is found combating heretical teaching and discloses that one of the best antidotes of heresy is true knowledge of God. As Christians, we need God’s grace and peace to predispose us to the knowledge of God through His Word, prayer, and the community of God’s people. The knowledge of God also comes to those who are called through His divine revelation and experiential knowledge of Him.
PRAYER
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we come to Your throne of grace with confidence that we may obtain mercy and grace to help us during our time of need. We need You Lord in our daily walk with You. We need You in our families, churches, society and most importantly in our nation. May You take over our nation always even during times of distress. May Your peace be found in Kenya, Tunisia, South Africa and Nigeria as the people demonstrate today. May You cover us with Your precious blood like You protected the Israelites during the Passover. May You cover the door posts of our nations with Your blood and keep us safe. We need You Jesus in our national affairs, may You take over. May You grant us political and economic stability. Lord may You grant us Your peace not as the world gives. Our hearts will therefore not be troubled not be afraid for our trust is in You. May You increase in us Your perfect peace and grace that we may come to knowledge of You. May You guide us Holy Spirit through the entire week and grant us rest. We thank You Jehovah and bless Your holy name now and forever. Amen
Further reading: John 14:27, Isaiah 26:3-4
1 Corinthians 1:3-7 NKJV
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
INSIGHT
-Apostle Paul directs the Corinthians to recognize that the gifts of the Spirit are beneficial to the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 reveals that the gifts of the Spirit are given to profit all, to one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, gift of healings, faith, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. It is by the grace and peace of God that yields in us the gifts of the Holy Spirit and testimonies thereof become evident.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, we know that we have been born of the Spirit, sealed by the Spirit and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we praise Your holy name. We humbly ask You for a fresh work and anointing of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. We ask for a fresh stirring and filling with Your gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit. May You increase in us peace, grace and more grace, numerous times over. We need Your peace in our nation and other nations of the world. May Your peace that surpasses all human understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 11:1-16, Philippians 4:7
2 Thessalonians 1:2-4 NKJV
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,”
INSIGHT
-Paul’s traditional greeting of ‘grace and peace’ to the Thessalonian congregation here occurs as an exhortation of thanksgiving to God. A similar occurrence is sighted in Colossians 1:2-3 where thanksgiving is a precipitate of grace and peace of God. We are called to give thanks to God in all circumstances, whether we are happy or sad, rejoicing or weeping, peaceful or anxious, enriched or devastated. God gives us the grace to endure whatever tribulations we are going through (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is by the grace and peace of God that we give thanks always and not by our own strength.
PRAYER
Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Nissi, we come before You with thanksgiving in our hearts. We enter Your gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and come to Your courts with praise. Lord You are good and Your love endures forever, Your faithfulness continues through all generations. May Your grace and peace abound in our hearts that You may fill our lips with thanksgiving. May You forgive us all our trespasses and wash us with Your precious blood dear Jesus. May You remove any accusations against us and restore all our wasted years. Thank You dear Jesus for Your faithfulness and love. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Colossians 3:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Romans 5:1-2 NKJV
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
INSIGHT
-Grace and peace of God have been provided through the finished work of Christ on the cross. Salvation comes into the hearts of believers through grace yielding peace and not by our works but it is a free gift from God lest anyone should boast. Apostle Paul also recognized that it was by the grace of God that he labored more than them all, not by himself but by the grace of God, and when he preached they believed (1 Corinthians 15:10-11). We realize that are limited without God, and what the Holy Spirit can do for us and with us is far much more yielding that what we can do for ourselves.
PRAYER
Your grace is sufficient for us, for Your power is made perfect in weakness thus we boast all the more gladly about our weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on us. Lord we are nothing without You and can do nothing without You, may Your grace and peace Lord overtake us and help us to overcome our limitations and weaknesses. May You renew our strength dear Jesus that we may sow up with wings like eagles, walk and not faint, run and not grow weary. We believe that we can do all things through You who strengthens us, and You who are in us is greater than he who is in the world. May Your revival come Lord so that Your gospel may reach the unreached and your gift of salvation may come to every household. Save us Oh Lord, and may Your grace and peace be multiplied unto us in every sphere of our lives. Lord You are the Vine and we are the branches, may You help us to abide in You as You are in us that we may bear much fruit by Your grace and favor. Amen
Further reading: Romans 3:24, Ephesians 2:8–9
Romans 16:20 NIV
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”
INSIGHT
-The Lord is the source of all peace and grace. Christ has finished it all and has conquered the power of death through His death and resurrection. Revelation 20:10 demonstrates how satan will be judged and he will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur together with the beast and false prophets. Grace and peace of God therefore helps us to overcome every temptation and attack of the devil and it precipitates the light of God.
SUMMARY
Paul in his letter’s beginnings by this phrase, grace and peace. Peter and John also continue in it. Grace and peace is not just a salutation but there is a sermon in every phrase. It is not just mere wordings but a demonstration of God’s power in the working and indwelling of our Triune God (2 Thessalonians 1:2-4). Grace is favor and kindness that we could never deserve. Peace is not only the absence of conflict but the presence of blessings and rest. In Exodus 33:14 the Lord says that, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest”. Peace is the presence of tranquility (Isaiah 26:3), order (1 Corinthians 14:33), fullness (Romans 15:13), completeness (Philippians 1:6), prosperity (Philippians 4:19), health and wellbeing (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Grace and peace of God have been provided to us through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and none has labored for it lest anyone should boast (Romans 5:1-2). Secondly, grace and peace are not static and can be multiplied. They also lead to an increase in the knowledge of God and the reverse is true (2 Peter 1:2). Thirdly, the grace and peace of God yields in us the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:3-7). Fourthly, the grace and peace of God enable us to give thanks to God in all situations (2 Thessalonians 1:2-4). Fifth, God gives us the grace to resist temptation’s and grants us a way of escape yielding peace (1 Corinthians 10:13).
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus we thank You for loving us. Thank You for You died on the cross to save us from everlasting torment and suffering. Thank You for the hope of glory that You have instilled in us even by marking our foreheads for we belong to You. Thank You for loving us our Prince of peace. May You forgive us all our trespasses and wash us with Your precious blood. May You bless us and give us rest in You in every sphere of our lives. We love You Lord, thank You for loving us first. May You bless us and keep us dear Lord Jesus. May You make Your face to shine towards us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 9:6, John 16:33