Tag Archives: Love

Are You a Peacemaker?

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We are all peacemakers. It is a natural practice and as Christians, we benefit by implementing the characteristics of Christ and therefore are described by God as His children.

~Lisa Blair

We are all peacemakers. It is a natural practice, and as Christians, we benefit by implementing the characteristics of Christ and therefore are described by God as His children.

Mathew 5:9 says peacemakers are blessed because they will be called children of God. So, who are peacemakers? Barnes Notes on the Bible-biblehub.com informs us that they are the people who work to prevent contention, strife, and war. They are the people who use their influence to reconcile opposing parties, and who prevent hostilities in families and neighborhoods.

 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of competing or fighting. That’s when you discover who you really are and your place in God’s family.” ~ Matthew 5:9 MSG

We can influence others in our homes, between friends, at work, and in social settings. We are the peacemakers. We can promote peace.

As Christians, our call is to share the gospel. The gospel can be shared in several ways: we can share the Word of God, i.e., scripture, ensure our behavior reflects the character of Christ, and mediate verbally.

I believe if any of us retrace our past experiences, we have already established ourselves as peacemakers from a very young age. Given our pasts, some of those experiences were done before and others after being saved.

Our goal should always be to live as a peacemaker whenever the opportunity arises and not to shy away It may call you to share a scripture or scriptures with others, offer to listen to others in distress, and offer options if it is the right time, or volunteer to serve as a mediator.

In doing these things, God says He will call us His children. As peacemakers, we abide by the characteristics of Christ. We are acting under our primary goal in life to share the scripture and reflect on how the scriptures frame who we are and how we live. We should not only share what the Word of God describes a peacemaker to be, but we should act as peacemakers. You never know who is observing you. Some people will reflect during trying times about how you present yourself as a peacemaker; others may ask why you feel comfortable being a peacemaker.

Reference: Matthew 5:9, biblehub.com; biblegateway.com

Image: bibleversestogo.com, free site

Living As Those Alive In Christ

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I love Colossians 3. It reiterates Galatians 5. God is emphasizing who we are in Christ and how we should govern our lives. That’s right, the does and don’ts of life. Paul was inspired by God to write both Books, one to the Galatians and one to the Colossians, same message. It’s the same message to us today, these millennial years beyond the days of the Bible. It doesn’t matter who we were before Christ entered our lives. When you received Him, you were given new life and freed from your past. You can become the ‘you’ God created you to be, that person who was laying dormant in the recesses of your mind. Shed the past, it does not own you, nor you it. Today is a new day!

Accept this fact, Christ died for you. You have morphed into a child of God. Now is the time to recognize the new you and work towards manifesting that person who was formally lost in darkness.

If you rid yourself of the old behaviors and exchange them for the new behaviors delineated in both Books, your new self will see the light of day. Psychologist’s say it takes six months to eliminate bad habits/behaviors. It is a process. So, this too, you will succeed, fail, retry, give up, BUT never give in to the difficulties the evil one uses to keep you from changing. You may loose friends and loved ones. In exchange you will gain new friends and loved ones who are children of God. The most important of these new loved one’s is our Lord and Savior. Our Lord walks with you. The Holy Spirit will nudge you and direct you. You are not alone.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

NOTE – I added orange text to add emphasis.
‭‭Scripture: Colossians‬ ‭3:1-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬. Bible.com. Images: amazing facts.org;knowing-Jesus.com; woman’sday.com