Welcome!
Today: Make an effort for peace!
Passage: Eph 4
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph 4, NIV 84)-emphasis added
Peace can be maintained only through an effort
When we make no effort, peace does not happen
Many people don’t want to take the responsibility to create peace; we need peace with God, peace within ourselves, peace within the family, Church, work, etc
In all these cases, there must be a conscious effort from within
When anything comes between us and God, we must be willing to get rid of that. When we see things within us that steal our peace, we must “isolate” those things and deal with it. They will lie “mixed” with everything else
For example, if we are concerned about our children and that issue steals our peace, just bring that issue up – to God and deal with it
If there are habits in us that kills the peace within the family, find out specifically what those trends are, and deal with it
Same way, we can deal with the peace-killing culprits everywhere
Jesus shed his blood, to create peace between us and God, us and others
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Eph 2, NIV)
Jesus made a conscious effort to create and maintain peace
He preached peace; He lived (for) peace
Today, “peace” is the one thing that is in most demand in the world- more than Gold! God’s peace is different from the one the world talks about
We know where to get it; so why not be peace-creators and peace keepers?
I remember talking to a brother who is in a top position in a company
He shared with me how he was able to create peace between two of his bosses, which avoided a big trouble in that place
God has put you and me in specific places with such responsibilities
But first, we need to have peace within, with God and with others
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Rom 5, NIV)
God’s peace to you!
BG