Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 KJV
Quick question: what is peace? This is defined by Google as 'freedom from disturbance; tranquillity; a state or period when there is no war or war has ended'. It seems to me that it will be quite obvious when there is no peace, and also quite obvious when there is peace. It is also clear from the definitions above that there is first an inner element, and also an outer element to peace. Men can experience both, as there are certain conditions that must exist for both to exist.
Gues the next question is: what has God got to do with these definitions? According to the account of Luke, the word peace is first mentioned at Zechariah's prophecy about the birth of the Saviour, and also by the host of heaven at the birth of Jesus, when heaven declared: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace towards men'. Heaven testified about the peace earth was receiving, so it appears that it is only in and by God that true peace can be found. How do I know this: the same account of the birth of Jesus in Matthew. The wise men came with joy to see the king that had been born, while Herod and his whole court and Jerusalem also were in turmoil. The news that brought joy to some brought pain and trouble to others.
It then means that you can't get all that God promises outside of Him. If He promises something, I have to be IN Him to get ALL of Him. What is peace, if it is not secured by the One who can cause wars to cease? What do you have if it is not backed up by the One called the Prince of Peace? And it has to be said, that you cannot give or promote what you don't have. If what you have is not birthed and sustained by the Prince of Peace, what you produce cannot be the peace that God offers. Men have tried to enforce peace, using the threat of nuclear and biological weapons, yet wars and rumours of wars have not stopped. You can't enforce God's kind of peace by man's earthly weapons; you can only institute and maintain in when you remain in God.
And that is how today's extract will work. Peace making flows from a heart that already has peace. The fruit of a child of God cannot be hid. Peace is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As I live daily, interacting with men like myself, the truth about my inner content will be revealed. Let it be known today that if I claim allegiance to God and I am busy promoting division, I am NOT a child of God. Let it not be that it will be at the judgment seat of God that the truth of my inner content will be revealed. Are you a child of God? Does His kind of life flow in and through you? Can men testify to the truth and fact of the fruit of peace in my life? His time of favour is here.
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