Flourishing in Peace 101

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:15-18 NKJV)

    If there was a class called “How to Live Peaceably 101,” Romans 12 and 13 would be the curriculum!!

    Looking at just the small portion I have selected from chapter 12, we find so much valuable information on how to live in a peaceful way with others:

• Don’t let jealousy or revenge taint your love for others – be joyful in their joy and feel their hurts as though they were your own (v15)
• Don’t name drop and brand brag. Exhibit your understanding of 1 Timothy 6:6-8. Be down to earth, allowing people to feel at ease and valued while they are with you (v16)
• Be a listener – a REAL listener, not a 'locked-n-loaded-just-waiting-to-respond-er.' Listen and let others share and develop their thoughts. Pray for wisdom, practice humility (v16)
• Never become a mud-slinger, even if you’ve already been hit. God tells us to do the exact opposite (Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:19-21)! Go to Him, seek the greater good for everyone involved (v17)
• Provide good to all situations. Do what is honourable, good, and proper; let that be the lasting impression you leave with all people. See also 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (v17)
• It is within your power and capability – “as much as depends on you” – to be peaceable with all men. 

"Do not be overcome by evil , but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21 NKJV)

    Take time to read Romans 12 and 13 this week. Take time to really discern the things that you need to work on. God wants us to behave like Christians, His children, reflecting His light into the world around us. Use your baskets to gather your blessings not to cover your lampstand!

You can do it! So can I!!

Righteousness Leads to Flourishing Peace

“The work of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and assurance forever.” (Isaiah 32:17 NKJV)

    The Berean Study Bible says, “…the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.” That is what righteousness will give you – enduring quiet confidence, assurance forever!

    Faith is confidence in God. Peace is a quiet, calm confidence that we are living right before God and we are accepted by Him.

    The first epistle of John is filled with confidence-building statements. “By this you know…” and “By this we know…” are found 18 times in this one epistle! Please take time over the next few days to read through 1 John 1-5 and note these statements that give assurance to God’s children!

    When we do the things that John outlines, we can have peace with God! Living right before God – “keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22) – will result in “know”ledge (“By this we know…”), “confidence” (1 John 2:28), “boldness” (1 John 3:21), “assurance” (1 John 3:19), and “perfection” (spiritual maturity, 1 John 4:12-19).

    It is worth every effort to learn what is right and pleasing to God (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17)! You can experience true peace and quiet, confident assurance of hope through Jesus Christ! God promises it! He has provided all we need to know and to do in order to attain it! Use your time wisely, walk in the light and find out what is acceptable to the Lord, and come to understand His will so you can flourish in peace!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Remove Roots of Bitterness So You Can Flourish in Peace

    Last week we looked at Hebrews 12:14. We learned that in order to flourish in peace we must not compromise our holiness by calling wrong right for the sake of peace. This week, I would like to look at the verse that follows:

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV)

    Defiled is the opposite of holy. We don’t want defiled to describe ourselves or others. Defiled means we’ve chosen our ways over God’s ways; holiness was not sought for and therefore not obtained (consider Proverbs 14:12, 14, and 16). When we realize our situation we can either humbly repent or we can allow roots of bitterness to spring up, take root, and cause serious trouble.

    What is a root of bitterness?  This term is mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:18-19, when God commanded the Israelites to get rid of their foreign idols. I think it is worthwhile to put those verses in front of us.

“ …and you saw their abominations and their idols which were among them—wood and stone and silver and gold); so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.” (Deuteronomy 29:17-19 NKJV)

    A root of bitterness can crop up when we become resentful of being told what to do, what we have to change about ourselves, and/or what we have to give up.

    Have you experienced a root of bitterness yourself? I have! Usually, these roots first test the soil of our hearts when we are young and become resentful of our parents telling us “no” all the time.  And when they aren’t saying no, they’re telling us to ‘clean your room,’ ‘take out the garbage,’ and ‘lose that attitude!’ In our childish minds we may have even grown bitter and angry, plotting and planning parental avoidance methods, so as to bypass hearing their endless rules; and it made life miserable for everyone involved.

    When this same resistance transfers to God and His commands, we not only continue to make life harder for ourselves, but we also are endangering our souls and those around us (think on Matthew 18:6-9, Luke 17:1-2, Romans 14:13). We, like the mistaken Israelites, may say in our heart, ‘I don’t have to give that up, I can still have peace’ or ‘I don’t need to do EVERYTHING God says; His words are more suggestions for good behaviour than actual commands! I’m fine, I can just do what suits me! As long as I’m a good person and God loves me! It’s all good!’

    We cannot follow the dictates of our own heart and claim peace for ourselves. We cannot disregard God and think we will be counted among the righteous (1 John 3:4-10).

“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin.”” (Isaiah 30:1 NKJV) 

    True peace only comes from God. His ways are constant – they do not/will not become obsolete or outdated – they are consistent in their benefit and their wisdom! God tells us that if we want to have a good life and a peaceable life, we need to depart from evil and do good, we need to seek peace and chase after it diligently, we need to tirelessly pursue it (Psalm 34:11-15, 1 Peter 3:10-12)! We must do all that is necessary on our part to always come back to a place of peace with God first, and then live at peace with others around us (Romans 12:18).

    Are you ready to deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus in obedience to all God has commanded (Matthew 16:24-26) for your own sake and for the sake of others around you? It is an essential part needed to flourish in peace! God’s ways are a perpetual benefit! His commands are abounding with wisdom! Turn away from your own notions of what you think is good, let God’s words guide you towards true peace!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Flourishing in Peace with Holiness

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14 NKJV)

    We need to make every effort to live in peace and to be peaceable (Romans 12:18), but it should never come at the expense of our holiness; without holiness we will not see the Lord.

    Holiness means to be set apart, sacred. It means that we speak/behave less like the world and speak/behave more like the Lord: in love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13, 1 John 4:7-11, 17), in purity (1 John 3:1-3), and in holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16)  

• We need to be kind without becoming soft toward sin.
• We need to be loving without disregarding or watering down God’s truth.
• We need to be just without lacking in mercy and compassion.

    Jesus exemplified all these qualities for us. He maintained His holiness while teaching and admonishing people. He loved people so much that He couldn’t bear to let them remain unknowledgeable about God and His goodness. He pointed people toward the One source from which they could obtain true peace. He, with love, corrected them, guided them, and taught them.

    “Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15) will go a long way in helping others know God and it will help us to grow up in Jesus! There are so many man made doctrines, and “the trickery of men” is all around us, leading unknowledgeable people astray – they seek peace but cannot find it in ever-changing/constantly-adapting doctrines – but with God there is TRUE PEACE, because with God we find the Truth that has never and will never change (1 Peter 1:22-25), allowing us to know without doubt how to be holy and acceptable Him and how to remain holy and acceptable to Him (read and consider Romans 12:1-2)!

    Think on these things and consider these verses today:

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20 NKJV)

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2 NKJV)

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 20-23 NKJV)

Side note: God is serious when it comes to warning the wicked and erring – He has always “rose early” to tell His children the truth and give warning (Jeremiah 7:13, 25, 25:4), sending His prophets to inform even the pagan nations to repent before it is too late (see the book of Jonah). Please read and consider Ezekiel 3:18-21 to understand just how important it is to God that people are warned away from their wickedness and sin.

    If we choose “peace” with man by remaining silent about the Truth and not warning them, we will not be holy as God is holy, we will not be at peace with Him, and our hopes of seeing the Lord will be diminished, but if we choose to be in peace with Him, we will learn to speak the truth in love, proclaim the true peace that is available to all (the gospel message, Ephesians 6:15), we will maintain our holiness, and our hopes to see Him will flourish!  

    We know the glories of God, His goodness, and His grace! Let’s never compromise our love and appreciation for Him by calling wrong, right (or ‘okay’), for the sake of “peace.” God calls us to be holy – that is top priority. Peace comes through speaking the truth in love.

    Are you ready to do that? Are you willing to stand against the wiles of the devil and speak God’s truth without compromise?

You can do it! So can I!!