january 29, 2017

Since our Heavenly Father is “the God of peace” (Hebrews 13:20) and our Lord Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6); it stands to reason that as His Children we should be PEACEMAKERS.
 
Matthew 5:9 NIV78 - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
 
Jesus said that the world would know we are the adopted sons of God not by our prayer life, our mission programs, the size of our congregations, or our scholarly ability to understand His Word, but by living our lives as His peacemakers.
 
1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV - Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
 
2 Timothy 2:24 NLT - The Lord’s servants must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people.
 
Therefore, isn’t it the logical path of the Gospel, that the Lord God should give to Christ, and by extension, His Body, the precious MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION…
 
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 NIV - All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
 
There is a difference between being peaceful and being a peacemaker.  Peacemakers do not sit on their hands; on the contrary, they are often in the middle of the conflict, seeking to reconcile others, and sometimes being victims of collateral damage. Peacemakers are often risk takers, willing to enter the fray with an expanded heart.  For The Gospel is a Gospel of PEACE…
 
Romans 10:15 NKJV - And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”