BBD 09.23.09 Go in Peace
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries.
Celebrating 11 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the
Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more
than 11,000 subscribers across the world.
Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group. The group began in 1998 and is
made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
You can now leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at
http://www.theburningbush.net.
I'm now on twitter and you can find me at http://www.twitter.com/edwrather.
The Burning Bush Devotional
(A Devotional Classic from 2002)
Welcome to the 1030 new subscribers since January 1, 2009
09.23.09
Go in Peace
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. - Matthew
5:9.
Have you ever found it hard to be a peacemaker? It is hard to bring peace to
a situation when those involved have no desire for peace. A phrase we hear
frequently is, "Can't we all just get along?" The problem is that some
people do not want to "get along." In fact there are some people who delight
in causing trouble and creating chaos (The same is true of some countries.).
I was reminded of this over the past few days while trying to bring peace to
a family situation.
It is obviously God's will in most instances for us to be peacemakers. In
our lives, we are to go forward in peace. In Mark 5:34 Jesus said,
"Daughter, your faith has made you well. GO IN PEACE, and be healed of your
affliction." In Luke 7:50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved
you. GO IN PEACE." In Luke 8:48 Jesus said, "Daughter, be of good cheer;
your faith has made you well. GO IN PEACE." In John 14:27 Jesus says, "
PEACE I leave with you, My PEACE I give to you; not as the world gives do I
give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." In
John 16:33 Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you
may have PEACE. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world."
How can you make peace when others desire the opposite? First an
understanding of the word "peace" is necessary. In the Bible, the concept of
peace is more than an absence of strife and hostility. The word used for
peace means in part "to be sound" or "to be complete." It carries the
meaning of being "whole" and "to live well." Here we have some clues for
being a peacemaker. For the Christian "to live well" it is necessary for us
to live like Jesus.
When we encounter the hostility of the world let us respond as Jesus would
respond. We are to "go in peace." In other words, we are to live well our
lives following the example of Jesus. Jesus gives us the example and the
instruction of turning the other cheek (Luke 6:29) and of whatever you want
men to do to you, doing also to them (Matthew 7:12). In the midst of the
strife of the world, we must "seek first the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness (Matthew 6:33)." When it seems impossible to be a peacemaker,
we remember Jesus said, "men always ought to pray and not lose heart (Luke
18:1)."
Let us "go in peace."
Copyright © 2002 - 2009. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush
website has been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Prayer Requests: Please pray for Malachi, Cody, and Mica who are young boys
with cancer. Malachi is very ill and in much pain. He is paralyzed on one
side because of a tumor pressing on his brain. Many prayer needs are posted
at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You can also post
your prayer requests there and they will be forwarded to the Burning Bush
Prayer Group (Of course, I am always in need of prayer - please pray for
me.).
If you are not my friend on facebook or myspace you can be, just add me. The
devotionals are posted in my blogs on those two social networks and you can
leave comments, feedback about them there. There are other social networks
designed just for Christians, however, this is an outreach project to reach
those who may not know the Lord or may have wandered away. You can help me
reach out to them.
If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org
Two videos of my sermons are posted on GodTube at:
http://www.godtube.com/Wrather
You can listen to services at my son, Clark Wrather's church (First Baptist
Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma) live on Sunday mornings at 10:55am CST
http://www.kkbifm.com/
There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here
is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.
You can unsubscribe to the pure text version of the devotional by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org and then respond to
the confirmation email.
You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org and then respond to
the confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.