"PEACEMAKERS!"

Matthew 5:9
"Blessed are the "PEACEMAKERS", for they shall be called sons of GOD."


Recently my pastor, who is leading our fellowship in a study of the Beatitudes, used this verse for an entire Sunday evening devotional.  To be considered a "PEACEMAKER" one must experience inner PEACE.  On January 08, 1978 I surrendered my life to the LORD.  Until that evening my spirit was in constant turmoil, which is the antithesis of PEACE!

Psalms 85:10 states "Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE KISS EACH OTHER"!  The enemy loves to promote strife and turmoil as JESUS IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9:6)!  We must recognize that strife and turmoil come from the devil and he is all about anything but PEACE!  When you have PEACE, RIGHTEOUSNESS usually follows it very closely.  Conversely, where there is no RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE is usually absent!

Ephesians 2:14-16 says "For HE HIMSELF (JESUS) is our PEACE, who has made us both one and has broken down in HIS flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that HE might create in HIMSELF ONE NEW MAN in place of the two, so making PEACE, and might reconcile us both to GOD in one body through the cross, thereby KILLING THE HOSTILITY."

PEACE is a Supernatural thing, and until we realize that only JESUS can bring PEACE, then turmoil and strife will continue to thrive!  Anyone who advocates violence is more than likely against PEACE, and being against JESUS is a dangerous place to be!  Sure, there is a time for war and hate (Ecclesiastes 3:8), but that is usually when fighting the ruler of turmoil and strife!  However, being against a Believer who has the Spirit of JESUS living inside of them is once again being against JESUS!

How many times do I think I have to do something to combat evil and wrong in "this world"?  Exodus 14:14 says "The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." GOD wants to fight for us but we need to let HIM do the fighting!  HE "requires" of us to "only to be silent" AND trust in HIM for deliverance.  Prayer, faith, and fasting will produce more results than any army.

It has been said quite often "Can't we all just get along"?  Galatians 5:17 has a blunt response to this question as it says "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do".  Sometimes you have to CHOOSE to be a "PEACEMAKER", even if it means disassociating yourself from people who are of the flesh.  Just because someone of the Spirit stands for being a "PEACEMAKER" doesn't mean they agree with the fleshly opponents, it simply means they elect "PEACE" over turmoil and strife!!