Category: Peace

Matthew 5:9 (NIV)
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.

“Of all the Beatitudes given in Matthew 5, there is one most likely to meet with the approval of almost everyone: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God’ (Matthew 5:9). We all want peace in the world. Yet this is not a statement Jesus made to solely advocate working for global peace, although that is an honorable thing to do. I am all for peace, but not for peace at any cost.

The context of Jesus’ statement is not about working for peace in and of itself. It is speaking more about those who are bringing the message of the gospel because they want people to enter into a relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Romans 10:15 says, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’

As people who have met God, as people who have experienced His mercy and have committed our lives to hungering and thirsting after Him, we will be true peacemakers.” [Excerpt from “True Peacemakers” by Greg Laurie]

As those who have received peace from God, let’s commit to be workers, artisans of peace bringing the message of the gospel! What this world needs is to be in relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

-DP

 Isaiah 11:6 (NIV)
⁶ The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.

“Edward Hicks was a Quaker minister and a painter who lived in the 1800s known for his painting “Peaceable Kingdom” directly from this passage. He was obsessed with this peaceable kingdom of Jesus. He wanted peace. Somehow in this picture, with this child at the center leading the people, everything starts to harmonize. The predator and the prey, they start to collaborate. They start to be gentle with each other. It’s all around this unlikely little child, out of nowhere, out of stump of Jesse that is bringing this order into this chaotic world. He brings a peace like we have never known. He is looking to the child, this unlikely source, looking to Jesus. God, can you bring peace into my life, to my relationships, to my church, into my government, into my world? Can you do it again?” [Excerpt from P. Jason P’s message at Ecclesia NYC]

Let’s spend time worshipping to the song, “His Name Shall Be” (click here) by Matt Redman and let’s be in awe of Him who alone can bring peace!

Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks

-DP

Isaiah 11:1-3 (NIV)
11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
³ and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

“This imagery of the shoot coming from the stump of Jesse is talking about His lineage, and his background. There is this really old promise of God attached to that, but it got to the point in their world and in their situation where they were saying there is no way God is going to come through with all these promises to bless His people, send the Messiah. Instead of being this big strong oak with all these big branches, all they see is a stump that’s rotted, broken, cut down. That’s all that remains of God’s old promises. There is nothing to look forward to basically. Hope is gone and all of a sudden, within this dead tree stump, is this little shoot that arises out of nowhere. Life in the midst of death.  Out of this hopeless situation, there is a little twig of hope. That’s where Jesus comes from, utterly hopeless situation.” [Excerpt from P. Jason P’s message at Ecclesia NYC]

From an unlikely place, Jesus came to be our peace, fulfilling the promises of His salvation! Spend a moment writing out a prayer of thanksgiving and adoration to God!

-DP

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)
⁶ For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 14:1 (NIV)
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

Idea of peace means whole – something that is broken is made whole. The idea that Jesus is the Prince of Peace is that He is the one who will restore order to this world that is so broken, so incomplete, so chaotic. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. We’re asking for peace that only comes from Christ. We’re not asking for a peace that you get from meditation, or whatever. Don’t come here just to forget about your problems for an hour. You can come here and you can have your problems resolved. That’s the kind of peace Jesus wants to give us, like the imagery in the cartoon – that wall being established. That’s the kind of peace that He wants to give to you, a real peace. [Excerpt from P. Jason P’s message at Ecclesia NYC]

Let’s watch the video of word study on peace. (click here) Spend a moment asking for the Prince of Peace to come and reign in us. Also, let’s pray for our friends and family who are going through tumultuous time right now that they might come to know Jesus, the Prince of Peace, personally.

-DP

John 14:27 (NIV)
²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

We have this kind of serene image of peace, but many times in the Bible when God speaks peace to a situation, it’s very forceful and he is restoring order into a chaotic environment. He is saying “Peace Be Still!” He is not saying peace when we are in the countryside. He is saying Peace in the midst of an utter chaotic situation. And one of the situations in the like in the book of Psalms for example is all these kings are mounting a revolt against God basically saying, “We don’t care if you call yourself God. We are going to do what we want and we are going to create bigger kingdoms and bigger armies to fight off and kill off your people.” And God comes to them and says, peace be still. He is leveling everything – all of this rebellion, disorder, chaos, this riot. He is saying peace be still. [Excerpt from P. Jason P’s message at Ecclesia NYC]

Let’s worship to the song, “Peace Be Still” (click here) by Lauren Daigle and let’s look upon Jesus who speaks peace into the storm in our thoughts, our emotions, our circumstances and in our relationships with authority. He is our Prince of Peace!

-DP