At Peace
Let’s begin today with a couple of questions. Are you a person who is at peace? Do you know someone who is not at peace? I have had times in my life when I was not at peace. There have been those times when all was not right with my world, or the world of those I care deeply for. Think about the questions for a moment. Write down specific times when you did not feel at peace. What circumstances or situations were the cause of your times of unrest, or not being at peace? __________________________________________
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Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God”. Matthew 5:9 KJ
Let me ask another question. Do you feel, during those times when you did not feel at peace, you were being a peacemaker? It’s very difficult for us to pass along what we do not possess. The definition of peace is: “tranquility; freedom from disquieting or disturbing thoughts or emotions, harmony“. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Read Philippians 4:4-9
Chances are, you read this passage of Scripture from the King James translation or the New International translation. The passage is all about taking any kind of unrest we are experiencing, in prayer to the Lord. When we do this He will give us a peace unexplainable. Now read this passage of Scripture, below, in The Message translation.
“Celebrate God all day, everyday. I mean, revel in Him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know of your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious–the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” The Message Bible Translation
The ‘Greek word for peacemaker “(only in Matthew 5:9) is ‘Eirenopoios. It means, the one who makes peace in others having first received the peace of God in his own heart; not simply one who makes peace between two parties.” The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible
The Word of God, tells us that we must receive the peace of God in our own hearts, before we can make peace in others. When this happens in our hearts, we shall be called the children of God our Father. What an amazing transformation we are promised ~ unrest into the peace that exceeds all description.
Key #7 to spiritual blessedness is to become a peacemaker. The gift we receive is the awesome privilege to be called the children of God.
Thought to Ponder: Even in the middle of heartache, disappointment, worry or unfair circumstances, we can have peace.
Scripture to Ponder ~ That Will Transform Your Mind And Your Heart
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Take every thought captive and subject them to Christ ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5
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Do everything in the name of Jesus ~ Colossians 3:16-17
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Guard your mind and heart with prayer ~ Philippians 4:6-7
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Choose what you place your focus on, carefully ~ Philippians 4:8
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Draw near to God ~ James 4:8
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
This entry was posted on Monday, May 3rd, 2010 at 9:45 pm and is filed under Bible Studies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
