Thursday, December 11, 2008

I Can't Be a Peacemaker, It's too Hard ....

I imagine hearing some of you moan as you read these words on peacemaking, "Pull back the carpet and deal with the main root cause of problems to make peace? Oh, sure, but not here. You just don't know my family, my work center or my church. All that would happen is they'd make me pay through the nose for upsetting the status quo."

Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:14-16, “For Christ Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.”

Now I realize as fact that the Holy Spirit is always with me; is on my side; is the power of God in my life.....I no longer try to live by my strength. I look at this scripture above and see that Jesus died for the sins of all people, not just some. Jesus destroyed the barrier that separates us from one another. But we keep trying to build it up again. He put to death hostility toward others, but we keep bringing it back to life.


So, knowing that we humans cannot love God and others by our own will or power, after Jesus ascended to heaven God implemented the next part of His plan: God sent the Holy Spirit to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

The late Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ often told the true story of a sheep ranch owned who was struggling during America’s Great Depression to make enough money in his ranching operation to pay his mortgage. He was in danger of losing his ranch. Living on government subsidy, he worried every day about how he was going to pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land, and asked permission to drill a wildcat well. He agreed. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many other wells were more than twice as large. And he owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he’d been living on relief. A multi-millionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn’t know the oil was there even though he owned it.

Peacemaker...yes, as Holy Spirit empowers me to do what He directs in His perfect love and timing. Living In Christ being peacemaker is natural living.

I'm so looking for your comments today!!!

4 comments:

sailorcross said...

You are so right!! And this is what I am doing. I cannot make the peace in some situations--situations that I truly don't understand the underlying cause.

I can try to reach out, and I have. So, the only one who can make peace in these situations is Jesus.

Jesus--The Prince of Peace--how I love that name!! He is a Prince, I am a Princess, and so are you--daughters of the King!!

For all I know, these situations in my own personal life may not be resolved, may not be restored to me according to MY liking. But, I always remember that GOD is in control--not ME!! And, He has the power, the strength, and the love.

I know He hears my prayers, and He is patient and so am I.

So, I patiently wait.

Beth

Pinkshoelady said...

I am learning this year the difference between being a peacemaker and a peace keeper.

A peacemaker brings peace to the situation.

A peace keeper tries to make a situation peaceful.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers..."

A peace keeper will never be able to change a situation.

A peacemaker can bring God's peace into te midst of any situation.

Loved this post!
Pamela

Kelly said...

Kay, this is really a case of the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. But we continue to try and as we become more in tune with the spirit we get better at the results. But we are human, so we will continue to fail at times and shouldn't let that failure define us. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need Jesus, would we?

God's girl said...

Loved that. It is so true that we realize it is only through God that we can live at peace in this world. Nothing of our own doing but through Him. Good thoughts.
Much love,
Angela

© 2008 Kay Martin

Thrive In Christ

Who I Am In Christ by Neil Anderson

For several months we will center on this book to pursue Thriving in our Christian journey.

Neil challenges us with: "Do you know who you are in God's eyes? We are no longer products of our past. We are primarily products of Christ's work on the cross. Who we are determines what we do.

You are not who you are in Christ because of the things you have done, you are in Christ because of what He has done. He died and rose again so that you and I could live in the FREEDOM of His love."

That's just the introduction. More to follow.