From my reading in 2 Corinthians 13 in the One Year Bible New Testament.
Paul gave the Corinthians four ways to experience the presence of God as his final instructions of the letter.
“Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11
Notice it says that if they did these things “then the God of love and peace will be with you.” The following instructions are ways to experience God’s presence.
1. Be joyful.
Joy is a natural byproduct of living in God’s presence. We are commanded to be joyful. No matter how hard our situation we have a choice to rejoice. It is not possible to be happy all the time, but we can choose joy even in the darkest times through Christ’s power.
2. Grow to maturity.
The more you grow the more you will know Jesus. Growing in your faith will allow you to go into deeper fellowship with God. As you get to know Jesus you become more like him and you fellowship with him will become sweeter.
3. Encourage each other.
Through encouragement we can help each other experience God’s presence. God can speak to you through other people. Sometimes God’s comfort is most easily felt through the loving words of a fellow Christian.
4. Live in harmony and peace.
God’s presence dwells with those who are united in his name. There is spiritual power when a group comes together in harmony and peace. When there is fighting and disharmony it disrupts what God wants to do through a group.
Which of these four commands does your community need to work on today?
Which do you need to work on personally?
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