Being a Bridge Builder instead of a Wall Builder

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”   

 - Jesus in Matthew 5:9  NIV

    We have received righteousness as a gift from God through Christ and this righteousness has given us peace with God.  Peace with God makes it possible for us to enjoy personal peace as we confidently trust in the power, love and wisdom of our Heavenly Father.  We can have peace in all circumstances because we know that God is always working for our good.

    If we want to enjoy the blessing of peace to the fullest, we will share this blessing with others.  Because we know that God is working for our good and because we know God has our back, we can be peacemakers in this world full of conflict.  We don’t have to fight to get our own way.  We don’t have to worry whether or not we are being treated fairly.

    This week, start each day by asking God to show you where you can sow seeds of peace.  Here are some ideas, but be sure to ask God for ideas specific to your life.

•  Pray for an existing conflict in the world. 

•  Do something kind for a difficult person in your workplace.

•  Seek to connect with a friend who has been distanced from you.

Remember, God’s people are bridge builders, not wall builders.

Taking Action to Live with Peace

Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to   maintain it.   1 Peter 3:11  NLT

    If you’re like me, you’ve often been frustrated that peace of mind just doesn’t happen.  I have had to learn that peace is a gift from God.  1 Peter 3:11 says “….. Search for peace and work to maintain it.”   Searching and working are clearly action words!  So, how do we practically do this?   Prayer is certainly an action we should take, but I want to focus on something else….God’s Word.

    Ephesians 6:15 says “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.”  There are literally hundreds of verses about worry and fear (or whatever your peace-stealer is) that God gave us to arm us for the battle of the mind.  But, we can’t expect to win the battle for peace of mind without carrying God’s word with us onto the battlefield!  Memorizing God’s word empowers us to use it at a moment’s notice when our minds begin to drift away from Him.  A full ammunition belt of memorized scripture is essential to winning the battle for peace of mind.

So, this week, recognize that peace is a gift from God and thank Him for it.  Take action, too, and put on your “shoes” by memorizing and meditating on these two verses to equip yourself for battle. 

John 14:27 - 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.  NIV

Colossians 3:15 - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. NIV

** This week’s SPA was written by my friend, who is also an elder in our church, Steve McIntire

A Helpful "Centering Prayer"

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.    

Romans 15:13  NIV

   From time to time it is good to be reminded of the practice of “centering prayer”.  A centering prayer is a prayer that brings trust in God back to the center of our heart.  When trust in God gets pushed out of our heart, anxiety or anger take its place.  If we “catch” ourselves being anxious or angry, we can use a centering prayer to reaffirm our trust in God, so that His joy, peace and hope can refill our hearts.   Below is a good example of a centering prayer.

      “Father in Heaven, I trust You.  I believe that You love me and that You are always working for my good.  I believe that You are working for my good right now and that You will ultimately make all things good for me and for all of your people.  Please give me grace to trust You and please fill me with Your joy, peace and hope.”

   Write this prayer down on an index card.  Carry it with you and pray it at various times of the day throughout this week, especially if you sense anxiety or anger rising in your heart.  In some situations, you may need to pray the prayer several times to help you focus your attention on God.  Keep in mind that these are not magic words.  Your prayer must be a sincere expression of your heart.  

The Peace of Fully Trusting God

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”     John 16:33  NIV

    What kind of “things” was Jesus telling his disciples?  He was referring to everything he just shared with them around the table of their last supper and on their walk to the Garden of Gethsemane.  He told them about his love for them.  He told them about the Holy Spirit coming to them to be their comforter and guide.  He taught them how to live life connected to him.  He told them that they would be persecuted for believing in him. He told them about his death and the lasting joy they would find in his resurrection. 

    Jesus wrapped things up for his disciples by telling them that the key to having peace in this world is NOT getting rid of trouble.  That is simply NOT possible.  Peaces comes from placing our lives in the hands of Jesus, our loving Lord.  It come through putting our full trust in him. 

   This week, set aside some time in prayer to place all the different parts of your life in Jesus’ hands.  Try this method of prayer to help you give your life completely to Christ.

1.  Start with five minutes of praising Christ, as well as the Father and the Spirit for their love, faithfulness, wisdom, power  and whatever else makes them worthy of your trust.

2.  Spend the rest of your time in prayer by giving (a.k.a., surrendering) all parts of your life to God.  You can do this with this simple prayer:  “Father, I give you…”  (my  health, my marriage, my kids, my job, my finances, my future, etc.). Don’t just say these words as if they are a lucky charm.  Slowly and honestly identify every part of your life that comes to mind and give it completely to God.  Include specific details as they come to mind.   Affirm that you want your Heavenly Father’s will to be done in every area of your life just as his will is done in Heaven.

For even greater joy and peace, do this with your spouse or a friend.  In the process of giving all your concerns to God, you will discover God’s peace that passes understanding.