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Bible studies |
| Dear heavenly father, Let us seek your peace and pursue you passionately. Help us to be at peace with ourselves and with others. Help us to put away wrath and control our emotions. In Jesus' name, Amen Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. World Peace It seems to be a common theme that everyone wishes for world peace. They want unconditional love and acceptance. They want to be loved for who they are without having to change who they are. Yet, we all know true Christians need to change to be like Christ. What kind of message are we as Christians sending the world today? I think it is kind of sad that there are people who think of Christians and the church as a bunch of haters and hypocrites. Unfortunately, to some extent it is true. We often shun sinners. We tend to hate sinners and love our own personal sins. We should be hating sin, our own especially, and loving the sinners. This confusion causes conflict. We tend to hate on those who are in relationships that are not between a man and a woman. We tend to hate people who seem to be in a gender identity crisis. We hate drunks and drug addicts. We don't like people who don't conform to our way of thinking or acting our church's or congregation's way of doing things. What is a Christian? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity A Christian is a person who believes in and/or practices Christianity. This link is the technical explanation of what Christianity is. This is what the world's definition of a Christian is. https://www.compellingtruth.org/true-Christian.html#:~:text=What%20does%20it%20m... This link is to an article that explains the difference between a professing Christian and a true born again Christian. Basically, what I am trying to say is that there are a lot of people who claim to be Christian. They go to church and go through the motions. They even talk the talk. However, their heart is far from Christ. They read the Bible but they hate doing it. They go to church but they dread it every week. They don't take pleasure in the things of God. They would rather be at a football game or watching TV. They would rather be doing anything besides sitting in church or reading the Bible or paying tithe or going on visitation or praying. Being a "true" Christian, and there is a reason I put it in quotes, is about what the condition of the heart is in a person. It isn't about how you act and what you do. It is about what you truly believe. Your actions will reveal what you truly believe, but your actions aren't what makes you a Christian. It is only through faith and the grace of God any of us are saved from God's wrath and can be a "true" Christian. Purpose of Christ and Christians In reality, Isn't peace what the Prince of peace is supposed to bring and provide? Peace to the world, peace between man and God, peace within us, and peace with others? If we are then to imitate Christ, then shouldn't this be our purpose too? For a Christian, peace is the power and presence of Christ in the midst of our struggle. God is called the God of peace and the Holy Spirit is called the bond of peace. John 16:33 ▼ Prince of peace Isaiah 9:6 ▼ God of peace 1 Corinthians 14:33 ▼ Philippians 4:9 ▼ bond of peace Ephesians 4:3 ▼ According to Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, The whole purpose of man is to fear God and keep his commandments. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ▼ The fruit of righteousness is sewn in peace. There is a lot of emphasis on seeking peace throughout the Bible and the Old Testament law. James 3:17 ▼ Jesus himself stated all the Biblical laws revolved around Loving God first and others like yourself. Matthew 22:36-40 ▼ Jesus said he came so that we could have an abundant life. John 3:16-17 ▼ John 10:10 ▼ Christians are to know God and seek to bring him glory. We do this by seeking peace, righteousness, and joy. Our beliefs should drive our purpose. We need to have a right heart attitude and exercise perseverance. Romans 14:16-19 ▼ 1 Corinthians 15:58 ▼ Our purpose is to be peacemakers and love God with everything in us and obey and serve him. The peacemakers in Matthew 5:9, are the ones who promote God's peace. The Hebrew word for peace here is Shalom. Shalom can be defined as total and complete well-being. It means to thrive or flourish, to have wholeness (spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally). Another way to interpret Mattew 5:9 is, "Blessed are those who make it possible for those around them to flourish and thrive." This Jewish greating, "Shalom!", expressed a desire that the one greeted would have all the righteousness and goodness God could give to them. It meant so much more than just an absence of conflict. True peace is the freedom from all trouble and the enjoyment of everything. The world's definition of peace is the absence of conflict or a non-occurrence of war. The peace of Christ, on the other hand, can be defined as complete harmony and balance wherein there is no conflict. It is tranquility and perfect unity even in the occurrence of conflict. Our identities in Christ can be displayed in how much we are creating an atmosphere of peace, flourishing, and wholeness to others. If you really think about it, this means we have the ability to help create an atmosphere that brings about flourishing abundance in everyone's life. Now that is an awesome purpose! The thing a lot of us need to remember is that we are accepted for just exactly who we are and so are other people. Instead of focusing so much on outward appearance and outward actions, we need to focus on the condition of ours and other people's condition of the heart. What is in our heart is what is important. I wonder if we would treat each other better if this is what we were considering before pointing our fingers at others. What do you think? Important Definitions Definition of peacemaker: one who makes peace especially by reconciling parties at variance. peacemaker; a person who brings about peace, especially by reconciling adversaries. Definition of peace: -freedom from disturbance; tranquility. -a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended. Definition of Flourish: VERB -(of a person, animal, or other living organism) grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment. synonyms: grow · thrive · prosper · grow/do well · develop · burgeon · increase -(of a person) wave (something) around to attract the attention of others. synonyms: brandish · wave · shake · wield · raise · hold aloft · swing · twirl · wag · swish · flap · display · exhibit · flaunt · vaunt · parade · show off NOUN -a bold or extravagant gesture or action, made especially to attract the attention of others. -an instance of suddenly performing or developing in an impressively successful way. music a fanfare played by brass instruments. Definition of flourishing: ADJECTIVE developing rapidly and successfully; thriving. Definition of Wholeness: NOUN -the state of forming a complete and harmonious whole; unity. -the state of being unbroken or undamaged. -good physical or mental health. Definition of Christian: ADJECTIVE relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings. NOUN a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity. Definition of advocate: 1: one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal 2: one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group 3: one who pleads the cause of another specifically : one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court VERB : to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.) : to plead in favor of They advocated a return to traditional teaching methods. intransitive verb : to act as advocate for someone or something Biblical Blessings and Curses There are several times I noticed as I was reading in the Old Testament and some in the New Testament, that it is stated God had instructed and commanded the Israelites for their own good that it would be well with them. Here are a couple scriptures that reflect that now. Deuteronomy 6:1-3 ▼ Ephesians 6:2-3 ▼ Notice you are blessed when you keep God's commandments and cursed when you break them. Deuteronomy 28 is the chapter that lays out the Mosaic blessings and curses of the law. It is God's desire to bless us. Romans 8:31-32 ▼ Christ came to break the curse set by the law so that we can be blessed in him. The Jews of that period however, expected a Messiah to come proclaiming war and not peace. This is why many rejected that he was the Messiah that had been promised to come. Romans 8:1-11 ▼ Before you speak, think! T-Is it True? H-Is it Helpful? I-Is it Inspiring? N-Is it Necessary? K-Is it Kind? The beatitudes are a set of statements about Godly attributes and benefits. It is impossible to have God's peace without his righteousness. These statements define what it is to live righteously and the benefits for doing so. Being a Peacemaker A peacemaker is primarily a person who reconciles conflicting parties who were formally in conflict. Peacemakers are those who seek to sooth angry persons and de-escalate and seek to resolve conflicts. Proverbs 15:1-2 ▼ Those who promote peace often must listen to reproaches, complaints, and stories from all conflicting sides. Everyone desires a good advocate and affirmations. Christ affirms us and is our advocate. Therefore, we should be an advocate for others. We need to remember to return good for their evil. Evil is overcome by good and not more evil. Romans 12:17-21 ▼ Peace restores to a state of unity. The Gospel is called the Gospel of peace because it reconciles us back to God and to other people. A peacemaker will use his wisdom and influence to reconcile conflicting parties, adjust their differences, and restore unity and end strife. By being a peacemaker, we reflect the Father's character of peace and unity. As a child of God, we develop traits that are just like him. Peacemakers desire, love, and delight in peace. They study to be quiet. They strive to keep the peace so it isn't broken and they strive to recover it when it is broken. Being a peacemaker also involves in seeking the peace within oneself. The Greek word for peacemaker simply indicates someone who works toward peace. It is hard to work toward peace with others if you are not at peace within yourself. God is the source of our peace as we bring everything to him in prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 ▼ Matthew 5:43-45 corresponds with Matthew 5:9. The same word for sons of God is used here too. I think this further explains what it is to be a peacemaker. Matthew 5:43-45 ▼ There is no peace apart from God. Therefore, to be a peacemaker, we must seek after Christ and the glory of God. Christ bought us peace with God through his death on the cross. Only God can truly change hearts. We have to trust God that as we sew in peace we will also reap in righteousness. Romans 5:1 ▼ Satan seeks to divide and destroy relationships. Christ seeks to find resolutions to conflicts. Therefore, Christ followers also seek for resolution. Peacemakers will confront sin in hopes of bringing about righteousness. When there is a conflict, we need to determine if it is a sin issue or not. Sometimes, the role of the peacemaker is to take the blows from both sides of the parties in the conflict in order to create peace as they act as a mediator or intercessor. Spreading gossip about another's sin only makes a conflict worse. Restoring peace may also include concealing the transgressions of others and saving the face of the wrongdoer. They say, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." God is the author of peace. Proverbs 16:27-30 ▼ 1 Corinthians 14:33 ▼ To be good peacemakers, we must develop good communication skills. Healthy communication involves being a good listener. Learn to ask clarifying questions and follow the Holy Spirit's lead. We must choose our words and tone carefully. Healthy communication also includes controlling our own temper and emotions. Only a fool speaks without thinking first. James 1:19-20 ▼ Proverbs 17:27-28 ▼ Proverbs 29:11 ▼ As a peacemaker, we must be painfully honest at times. We must see sin in our own lives and other's lives the same way God sees it. Sin is what put Christ on the cross and it divides us from God and other people. Sin hurts more than just the person who is committing the sin. It hurts and offends God and it affects other people around them too. It can also spread to others when it is witnessed. Ephesians 4:15-16 ▼ Sin begins in our hearts. Rather than just judging people's actions, we need to keep the condition of our own heart and theirs in mind. Before getting involved as a peacemaker in any conflict, we need to consider what will happen by us getting involved. Will it make the situation worse or will the situation improve? We must constantly get rid of sin in our own lives first by continually confessing and repenting for our sins. It's hard to lead others to victory when when we are defeated ourselves. We are always more effective weeding sin out of other people's lives when we first remove it from our own. Matthew 7:1-5 ▼ When someone wrongs you, you should take it up with that person first, privately if possible. If they refuse to listen, we shouldn't gossip and spread it to others. With prayer, we should take up the matter with 2 or 3 witnesses. Then if they still refuse to listen, the issue should be brought before the church. Matthew 18:15-17 ▼ There are Biblical ways for us to be a reliable peacemaker. First, we must choose to confess and repent of our sins. We must choose to walk in forgiveness and be quick to forgive others as Christ forgives us for all our wrongdoings - past, present, and future through his life, death, and resurrection. We must truly lament and grieve over our hurts, struggles, and sins while reminding ourselves to trust fully in the Lord. We trust in the promises of God no matter what the situation is. We submit all our anxieties to Christ. We must pursue peace; peace in and for ourselves, our family, our community, our city, our country, and the whole world by being willing to serve others and putting others before ourselves. 1 Corinthians 13:11 ▼ As Peacemakers, we have to be willing to risk pain and suffering. Anytime we confront sin, we risk being misunderstood, hated, and persecuted. Soon, we will look at the next beatitude, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for Christ's sake.". We are already blessed to be peacemakers when we are Christ-like and not just as a reward for showing and making peace. Pacemakers make peace by spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we act like our Father in Heaven, we will be recognized as the children of God. Peacemaking is presenting God's love in the midst of hate and evil. A child of God seeks the good for all through loving others with the love of Christ. As blessed people, and God's children, we will have joy and contentment. Resources ▼  |
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