Take a stand for... Peace

Take a stand for... Peace

Being peaceful is one of the beatitudes of Christ.

Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God." NJKV

As Christians we should always be seeking to be peaceful, especially if we are trying to walk in the light of Christ. Jesus is and always will be a peacemaker himself. And God is the God of peace (1 Cor. 14:33). We are instructed to be peaceful, not with vengeance, bitterness, wrath, and anger. For all these things destroy the peace we should have in us.

Peace
noun dictionary.com

1.

the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.

2.

( often initial capital letter ) an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups,etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick.

3.

a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations: Try to live inpeace with your neighbors.

4.

the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community; public order and security: Hewas arrested for being drunk and disturbing the peace.

5.

cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.

So, a peacemaker would be one that settles disputes. 

Let's look at peace in the scriptures...

• 1 Peter 3:11 "Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it." NKJV
• Romans 14:19 "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another" NKJV

Peace is also one of the fruits of the spirit, in which we must not only live in the Spirit, but walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-22).

Romans 12:19 "Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord." NKJV

It is easy to become angry with someone and feel like you have to seek revenge on to that person. Scripture clearly tells us that it isn't our job to do so, do not seek the vengeance on someone who has wronged you. Rather, forgive them for what they did and realize the the Lord will take care of it, the vengeance is His. Have a peaceful mind, the world we live in is only temporary so there is no point in staying angry and seeking for something that you should not.

Same aspect applies with bitterness, wrath, and anger.

Ephesians 4:31 "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."

Sometimes having these emotions inside you can cause harm not only to yourself but to those around you. These emotions break the peace of those that you are surrounded by and with yourself. Most importantly it isn't obeying Gods word, and could potentially cause injury with these emotions taken place. Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin":do not let the sun go down on your wrath". What if you went to bed angry with your spouse without making things right and finding out the next morning they died in their sleep? Or got in a crash going to work? Being angry does no good to anyone.

- God is a God of peace
- Jesus is the Prince of Peace
- Christians are to be peaceful

God is a God of peace
The source of peace is God. This is why we must trust and obey Him so they we may receive and give back peace. And of course, the enemy of peace is Satan and sin. Do not let Satan have his way. 
1 Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."
Hebrews 12:14 "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord"

Jesus is the Prince of Peace
Prophecy was made in Isiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon his shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor  Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" NKJV. 
Jesus never promoted violence or fought back with violence, not even when he was persecuted. He suffered for us and went through the physical pain that we couldn't even begin to imagine how painful it must have been.He preached to us spiritual peace. Ephesians 2:14-18 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
The Prince of Peace died for us through His blood so that we may have peace. 
Romans 5:1 "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through out Lord Jesus Christ." NKJV 
Colossians 1:20 "and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." NKJV

Christians are to be peaceful
If we are the children of God, we should make great amounts of effort to behave this way.
1 Peter 3:10-11 "For "He would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good." NKJV
Romans 12:18 "If is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." NKJV
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapon of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds." NKJV

When we pass away from this world, what would you rather be remembered by?
A person of peace?
Or a person of conflict and vengeance?




*On a side note, I'm beginning my first Christian teen/adult book on "Taking a stand for Him". This will be based on everyday Christian living and how we can take a stand for Him in a world that is becoming against Him. So I would appreciate prayers that I am able to write in truth with this. Thank you!

Take a stand... Against worldly possession!

Take a stand... Against worldly possession!

We live in a world that revolves around the love of money and materialism. We see commercials on television, and ads on the computer that try to draw us in to buy the latest technology or tend. Many people all over the world have an obsession with possession. From smart phones, laptops and tablets, digital TVs, sports cars- all the "desirable" stuff. These things aren't necessarily bad, but they can easily become a source of false security, even pride. It is easy to become obsessed with all things that money can get you.
Luke 12: 15 "And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." NKJV

Money is intended to serve us, not to rule us! There is nothing wrong with setting a goal to make money, but be careful not to make it first in your life or that it does not become a stumbling block in your spiritual life. Do not let it make you into a person you don't like or cause you to do things you can not be proud of. Be careful that you aren't storing up wealth in this world. For what does it matter anyway? We have something much more greater than any value of money. A price you can not place.

Matthew 6:19-20 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal." NKJV

Don't be concerned with what this person has and what that person has. It's dangerous for us to want after someone because they have this or that and it just seems like the coolest thing in the world. And most importantly, life isn't measured by how much you own. Do not fall into the love of money, of what it can buy you. Appreciate the things you have. I'm not saying it's wrong to want to buy something here and there, just be careful and always let it serve you, not rule you.

Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things you have.." NKJV

What is the root of all kind of evil?

1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." NKJV

One last thing to leave with you, it is impossible to serve both God and money. God first, never forget that.

Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" NKJV

* Image Courtesy of Flickr

Take a stand for.. Joy! Patience! Prayer!

Take a stand for.. Joy! Patience! Prayer!

Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;" NKJV

This is one of my favorite scriptures, as well as chapter. I advise you to read Romans chapter 12, it's a great chapter to read and study. Verses 9-20 is even, how we should behave like Christian. But for this post, I'd life to focus on Romans 12:12. We can learn so much from even just one scripture, and it is beneficial for us to examine scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." KJV 

So lets break it down..
"Rejoicing in hope,.."
So, what does it mean to rejoice in hope?

• 1 Peter 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," NKJV
• 1 Thessalonians 1:3 "remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father," NKJV
• 1 Thessalonians 2: 19 "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming" NKJV

So, to rejoice you must be happy. Why should we be happy? Be happy because you have a hope of salvation thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ through his resurrection!

Next,
"Patient in tribulation,.."
Wait a minute, what does tribulation mean? Well, according to dictionary.com
Tribulation: (n) 1. grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering
                        2. an instance of this; an affliction, trouble, ect.
When we come face to face with troubling times, given trials to go through, suffering with great affliction... we must remain patient and not let it get to us, no matter how hard the weight of it may pull us down. Remember, the testing of our faith produces patience.

• James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." NKJV
• 2 Corinthians 6:4 "But in all things we command ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distress," NKJV
• Colossians 1:11 "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;" NKJV

Many times in our life our patience is tested, many times for the littlest of things. Sometimes I may be impatient with my littlest sister but then I remember that she is just a child as I once was. Just remember they don't stay little for long so enjoy those times when they ask for a story to be read to them, to draw with them, or even play a game with them. These children look up to us, so give them something to look up to and just love them as Christ loves us. Having the patience in the littlest of things can even go such a long way. But, sometimes it's a lot bigger than the small things isn't it? As a Christian, don't be afraid to look towards your brothers and sister for prayers, and always look up to God. Do not spend much time worrying for things of this world, be patient because we have the hope of salvation. (Titus 1:2, 3:7)

Finally,

"Continuing steadfastly in prayer"

Steadfastly: (Adj.) 1. fixed in direction; steadily directed

                            2. firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc.

As defined by dictionary.com

Our prayer life is so very important so I'd like to go a little more in depth with this. To pray steadfastly, meaning to pray very frequently. Never stop, and always remember to make it an important part of your day. Many people also think it is beneficial for them to keep a prayer journal, that way it is easy for them to remember some of the things they'd like to remember to pray about or the people who need prayers.

• Through prayer we can find peace that guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
• We also obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of our need (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Take in mind that..

• Not all prayers are acceptable by God (Proverbs 28:9)
• God does not hear the prayers of all men (1 Peter 3:12, Isiah 59:1-2)

So, what is a prayer that is pleasing to God? 

In the book of Matthew, Jesus had much to say about prayer in His sermon on the mount. The kind of prayer which finds favor in God's sight. This is Matthew 6:5-15. In this we learn what type of prayer that pleases Him, what not to do in regards of prayer, insincere prayer, our spiritual needs, and much more we can learn on this subject of the model prayer. Lets be sure we offer the kind of prayer that pleases Him. Do not take prayer for granted, it is a blessing that we have someone there, every hour of the day. Keep your prayer life healthy.

In conclusion, there is just so much you can learn from and take in even just from one scripture. Open up your bible and take in what God has to say to us all.

Take a stand for.. Modesty!

Take a stand for.. modesty!

Inner Modesty
1 Peter 3:4 "rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." NKJV
Modesty does not begin with how you dress, it first begins with the heart and then goes on to effect with how we speak, dress, and how we act.
Speech
 Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearer." NKJV So, let us not use any language that is filthy and useless. What good is using that type of language towards someone? What good will anger do? Will it reserve you your spot in heaven? No, we need to remember who we are, being gentle and kind hearted. We are after all, Gods children. So let us be that example to the world and shine our lights.
Behavior
Romans 13:13 "Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy." NKJV 
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." NKJV
Are we perfect? No, of course not! We are human and we make mistakes, but it is important that we strive to walk in the footsteps of Jesus as best we can. We need to take the time and make self-checks that our behavior as a Christian is where it needs to be. Not participating in worldly pleasures such as dancing, drinking, partying, ect,.

Outer Modesty
Dress- Respect
Why is it that when we go to youth christian camp we are told to be modest? We are told to wear shorts at appropriate length and no revealing tops. Or during swimming, we have to wear cover-ups. Why? Because modesty shows respect for our bodies.
 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." NKJV. Do not think your body is your own, or do you not know that it was bought with a price? Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and we should see it in that light. In which, we should respect. You go back home, and you go to the beach in a bikini or one piece (Both revealing). In what way is that showing modesty? It's not, it's showing that you look apart of the world. Which also is causing lust of the flesh and we are not to be apart of this world. 1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world." KJV. That 'rule' at camp, isn't there just because that's the camps requirement. It's there because we ARE to be modest. Do you ever go through your closet before camp and say "Oh, can't pack that for camp!" Too short? Too revealing? Then... why is it in the closet in the first place? 
We need to remember that we are Christians wherever we go, not just at summer youth camps or whenever we assemble with our brothers and sisters. We need to respect ourselves in the way that is righteous and pleasing to Him. I, would rather dress for the pleasing of God, than the desires of a man. Shouldn't we all?
Dress- Communicates
I once heard this saying: "What you put on your body 'talks.' And everyone who sees you 'hears' what you're saying." This is so very true, our appearance reflects or attitude and speaks out without even having to have said anything. If we dress with carelessness, or sloppy then we appear as a sloppy person. 
Proverbs 31:10 "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies." NKJV
Lets clothe ourselves with knowledge, not for lust of the eyes. Modesty is not something to be ashamed of. It is strength, not weakness. Modesty with class and elegance, modesty is always beautiful.

Take a stand for modesty!