Peace

One mark of a children of God is Matthew 5:9
      Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.

Many times the peace of man is controlled by what other person do to you or what you meditate about others.
Some study revealed that 5 million people go to sleep at night with the aid of a sleeping pill because they have no peace.
A former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India have come up with some startling information: Since 3600 B.C. the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14,351 wars, large and small, in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed would pay for a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Since 650 B.C. there have also been 1656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved.

Kingdom of God is about
Romans 14:17
    For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

Peace with God
-------------------
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”  Romans 5:1 

Lord Jesus Christ has done the work so that when we believe in Him, we are being made righteous.
now if we say, brother i believed in Christ and  I believe that i am made righteous, but i dont have peace, then it is a problem.
Beacause Psalm 85:10 says Righteousness and Peace are united.
Kiss is a expression of more intimacy. when we say we are righteous by what Lord Jesus has done. and we are made the children of God, now since we are made children of God , we are not only made righteous but we are people who are at peace.
Righteousness and Peace kiss each other.

Then why we dont have peace.
1 John 1:8
       If we confess our sins, then we have peace.
      peace does not come with money, or riches, or name or fame.
peace comes because we have peace with God.
How much ever you have in life, but you have no peace with God, then there is no peace.
if there is any unconfessed sin, let us confess it.


Personal 
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Sometimes, People around us try to take out our peace.
Say, if we deserve a promotion in office, but goes to another, it irritates us and we loose our peace.
Say, people may try to insult us even when we have done no wrong.
or some people may take hold of our posession ( say in India, if you buy a land, and some politician occupies your land, we get angry and we loose peace.)

Gensis 26: 12-15.
Water is very important for the crops in that area. Philistines envied Issac, and started filling all the dugs.
Verse 22 says he moved on from one to another.

When someone is trying to disturb you or insult you or grab what is yours, do not keep worrying on the same issue but keep moving on and look what is in store that is coming from the Lord.

Issac.
Genesis 26:22

Verse 28 says, others will give testimony when we are at peace saying that we can see that Lord is with you. because you are children of peace and even when things goes wrong , you depended on God and you prospered.

                 Psalm 37:37 - man of peace, there is future for him.

Family:

         1 Chronicles 22:19
          God wants His house to be built by a person who is at peace. God presence dwells where there             is peace. because He is God of peace.
He did not chose David because He is man of blood. Today also it applies the same.
If you are angry, if you are restless, if you always quarrel each other at home, you keep scolding your kids, you always complain about your relatives, or you are a person who always have self pity on you .How can God dwell in your house.
But if  you are man is gentle, a man of peace Gods peace is revealed to the home that we go.

God chose Solomon, because He said Solomon is man of peace.
Many of us are short tempered, or quickly react to others or not wise in using our tongue, but Solomon is a man of peace and God used him to build His temple.


         Luke 10:6 - it is not easy to find a home of peace. but Lord Jesus said, if you find a home of                   peace, that is the place for godly man to stay.

      When you go and see find the house there then stay there. thats it. God wants a family which is peaceful to be a household from where Gods workers to stay or Gods work should be done from there.
what a privilege just if a man of the house is peaceful.

Today if God is sending a man of God to our house and imagine you are restless and not a peaceful man, you are basically rejecting God.

Church:

 Philippians 4: 2 “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.”  
Stop fighting. 
In Church, many times unnecessary quarrels happens, based on the language we speak or from the region that we come. If God looks from heaven, doesn't these quarrels look silly.
We are all one in Christ.
Oneness brings peace - Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus -





Pursuing peace

1 Peter 3:11  seek peace and pursue it
2 Timothy 2:22 - Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart


How to pursue peace:

Steadfast love for God: 
 Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace  those whose minds are steadfast,  because they trust in you.
The more we meditate on God we have peace.


Don't remember the hurt that others caused us
  Isaiah 57:20
if somebody has caused has some serious  hurt earlier then in the nights you remember what other person said, but forgive and have peace.

Let you Mind be governed by Spirit and heart be rules by peace of Christ.
   Romans 8:6
   if our minds are controlled by flesh,
        like earning more and more money
        or what other people think more about me.
        what they say about my kids
        constantly if we dwell on flesh, then peace gets robbed easily.
  but if my mind is dwelled on Godly things.
       our mind is set on Gods righteousness, Gods forgiveness, God kingdom.
   Colossians 3:15,16  - Peace of Christ

All things work for good.
    Romans 8:28
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

    Remember everything that happens for us is for our good.
        


John 16:33
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
In Jesus we have peace, not looking at the world. 
you wont have the peace looking at the world. when you look at the office,neighbors, then turn to Jesus because in Jesus we have peace.
Peace does not come from our own understanding. If we try to understand people or situations, we get more frustrated. but peace comes when we meditate on God. because God gives peace which surpasses all understanding.

Peace that God gives Guards our heart and mind
Phillipians 4:6-7 - Peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
Will guard our heart and mind.


Avoid foolish and stupid arguments  2 Timothy 2: 23,24

not quarrelsome   2 Timothy 2: 23,24
         2 Timothy 2: 23,24

      23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful

      To not quarrel or not to have stupid arguments, what we need is   Have self control - Proverbs 25:28

       Like a city whose walls are broken through
            is a person who lacks self-control.

Peace is experienced when spend time in prayer:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).


Romans 12:28 - if possible be peaceful with all men. 


story: waterfall,rocky,

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.

A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil. 

Church, peace is not about having no problems, but peace is about knowing Christ in midst of storms and situations and different people and their actions and words.

Peacemakers release tension; they don't intensify it. Peacemakers seek solutions and find no delight in arguments. Peacemakers calm the waters; they don't trouble them. Peacemakers work hard to keep an offense from occurring. And if it has occurred, they strive for resolution. Peacemakers lower their voice rather than raise their voice. Peacemakers generate light not heat.

Hebrews 13:20 : God of peace


John 14:27 - Peace I give to you

Isaiah 9:6

Luke 1: 79

Proverbs 25:28 - broken walls

Isaiah 26:3  - Peace

Romans 5:1 

Romans 14:17 - Kingdom of God is Peace

Disciple of Jesus Christ

When Lord Jesus was doing miracles, large crowd followed Him.
Mark 5: 21-24

In John 6:53 - Flesh and Blood of Jesus. Only Jesus. Feeding on Him alone. because that is what gives Life.

John 6:66 - When people heart the teaching of how to live on Christ Alone. then disciples started leaving one by one.

What an amazing thing to note:
even now a vast majority of people want miracles, a few or that is remnant wants the way of Life.

After this statement, Jesus asked do you also want to leave?
Such a hard question it is?
and we see disciples leaving one by one. only 12 left, and in that one is devil.

And you see all those people and disciples who experienced the miracles were no where mentioned.
but these few who were left with Jesus even after this hard teaching, did mighty things for God.
and today if the Church has grown so much it is these disciples who realized that not the miracles that gives life, but it is Jesus alone that gives Life.

Dear Brother or Sister, today do you want to follow Lord Jesus for a miracle or do you really want the Life, the Abundant Life that is in Lord Jesus.

So how can we be true disciple of Lord Jesus. The central verse of today's Word is Matthew 16:24

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

To be a true disciple of Lord Jesus, not the ones who left on hearing His words like we saw in John 6:66,
Lord Jesus says- you want to be My disciple

Luke 13:22-23,
Lord are only few people going to be saved?
Lord Jesus said forget about others, but you enter through narrow way. Only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13,14  broad is the way many enter through it. Small is the gate and Narrow is the road that leads to life..

Christian Life is like a person crossing the Niagara falls on the rope.
But biggest help is Grace for us.

Deny yourself and take up the cross. and follow me.
Luke 9:23 puts it that take up the cross daily.

Carrying the Cross: 
During the early Church times, in Roman government, if people see some one is carrying the cross that means he is carrying his own death instrument. It is like saying you are dying.
The ultimate Worship to God happens, when you go to heaven.  but God has given us the privilige to Worship Him, even while we are on earth by one means, Deny completely and Carrying the Cross, is saying Lord You Alone and nothing else.


Deny yourself:
Lord Jesus on the night in Gethsemane garden prayed Not My Will But Yours be Done.
It is one thing to pray, but it is another thing to live this prayer.

The Path of discipleship is " Not My Will But Yours be done."
But most of the times we live like  " Not Your Will Lord, my will be done."

Basically we think many of things as our Right.
When some one hurts us, the automatic reaction it is My Right to get back to them.
My Right to look for what I desire. My Right to come whatever prayer meeting i like.
My Right I will dress up the way I want.

Romans 6: 16-18

All these rights that we talk about were when we were under sin. But when we believe Lord Jesus, we become slaves of righteousness.
Slaves have no right but to obey what the Master says.

Righteousness as a master leads the slaves to be righteous.
   Matthew 1:19 , Imagine the hurt that Joseph has when he knew that Mary was pregnant. but the bible says because Joseph was righteous, he wanted to let her go secretly. A slave of righteousness , even when he is hurt, will always show kindness to other person.
 This is a part of Denying Self and become slaves of righteousness.


Hurt
      When some hurts us, what is our natural reaction? to lash back at them.
         or give back strongly. I liked the word that Ashok shared about Stephen.

      Hebrews 12:24, blood of Jesus speaks forgiveness , blood of Abel speaks vengeance.

       Story of missionary who said that she knows who is scaring her.


     When Pastor speaks Word that is about you. some people will say Is that Word for me or for that         brother.  Infact,
      Ephesians 6: 18 says pray for the preacher they will speak the Word without fear.

     Do you get hurt when you are not considered for any position in Church?
     Imagine Aaron and Miriam getting upset for not being considered for the position in the Church.
     Numbers 12:2
    Think when you are upset that you are not considered for something or not given some privilege,
    You might not show your hurt outside, but doesn't He who see the hearts know this and call you         out of tent.

Church, way of Life is way of Cross, self denial.

Ambitions
   
 selfish ambitions:
    In our childhood people used to ask what is your ambition in life. I  used to say i want to become an IAS officer or doctor.
but for a Christian, what is the ambition.
 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others

2 Corinthians 5:9
So we make it our goal to please him,whether we are at home in the body or away from it

Name,our Fame.

    Even in ministry,
          the smallest things that we do, if we are worried about own name and fame, then actually we are not denying ourselves. I realized in my own life in psalm reading that I do, initially i always think whether how I did the psalm reading today. I was more concerned about How I did that How people got encouraged or how God is glorified.

  Moses
    Exodus 32: 7-9
    When God said He will make Moses into great nation. Instead of His own name and fame,
Remember Moses led 2 million people out of Egypt. but Lord not my name, not my family, but Lord Your Name will mocked, so please don't do it.
Church, the way of Life is the Way of Cross, Denying self and Taking up cross daily.

Name and Fame is all about making ourselves big.
Matthew 19:24    Camel is so big that it is tough to enter. if we make our image bigger, its tough to enter. Be Humble and enter.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.

Laziness:  Self denial most of the times in regular Christians does not happen beacause they want to but they are lazy.
Most Christians attend meetings and get excited about the Word. and then afterwards it becomes cool.
like Pastor Vinod preached on the mind and how enemy tries to attack on mind. I am sure most of us are excited how many of us started working on that part.
For me that evening itself, it started. i got a phone call which started disturbing me, then I remembered the Word and applied it, and it was peaceful afterwards.

Proverbs 24: 30- 34

I walked by the field of a lazy person,
    the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
    It was covered with weeds,
    and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
    I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
    scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

a lazy person has the field? Yes like you and me have the christian life. But the person was lazy and slowly weeds, thorns started growing up. The life that God has given us is so precious. and just being lazy we are giving a chance of weeds and thorns. only to find that suddenly poverty robbed you of all the life that God has given.

Sin:
     Is there a secret sin in our lives.
     Luke 16:30, Rich man when went to hell cried out for brothers to repent.
     Repent for every secret sin in life.
    Church, today if the man of God is rebuking you for the sin in your life, accept the correction and you will have eternal life. not the messages that tickles your ears.

Psalm 16:11
You have make known to me the path of life.

How Can we have this life of Self denial and carrying the cross.


Joy: we do anything that is Joyful to us.
        A mother who has small child endures the pain to be awake in the night and feed the baby and take care of the diaper inspite of getting sleep because she has joy in the baby.

     Hebrews 12:2 says 
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a]Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne

Image being seated along with Lord Jesus Christ on that day. What a joy it is.
I always think, we long for Him all the time,giving up things that everyone else enjoys and on that day just to see Him.
I shared this before. Fanny Crosby said the first person i will ever see is the Face of my Lord Jesus Christ.

Carrying the cross daily:
although being seated along with Lord Jesus is a joy, carrying the cross daily is not easy. putting up with people who irritate us to the core is tough. but it is to work hard for the day we need the food, and we eat breakfast, and we eat lunch. and for us to deny self and carry cross what we need is

a) Grace of God.
b) To be filled with Holy Spirit.
c) To be flooded with light of the Word  (Ephesians 1:18)

before we step out to deny self and carry cross. Let us spend time  in Worshipping God, meditating on Word.
Imagine going out for work with having your breakfast or lunch, and its very hard to work.

Bring every thought captive to obedience of Christ.
  When our thoughts are wandering against the will of God. take the stick and or take the whip, and bring every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.

Eyes Set on Eternity

How can we deny ourselves everyday? With our eyes set on eternity. Why people left when Jesus was preaching the way of Life, because all the time the eyes were set on just the temporary.
But look at Peter, whose had realization that all that matters in the end is eternity. that is why he says in verse 60  Lord where can we go. Anywhere else we go it is world. Any other direction other than direction of Jesus is world,filth and death.
Only You, only the direction of Jesus, only Jesus has the Life, the Eternal Life.
No where else Lord. This is true worship to the Lord.

Church..today world is going through crisis times, people put knives and gun and say do you deny Christ or die?

and people chose to die for Christ.

how about us for things like angry,jealous,slander,selfish ambition, name ,fame.

doesn't it sound silly when compared to people dying for Christ.

It is time to wake up, let us be true disciples of Jesus Christ.