Peacemakers
In our Tuesday study of James by Beth Moore, her daughter Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick adds excerpts called "The Next Level." On page 125 of the study she expounds on James 3:18, "Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness" (NIV). She notes the following:
"We do love to talk about peace...But are we really peacemakers? Do we actually sow in peace? Do we promote peace and remove divisiveness in our communities, or do we secretly like to stir it up?...Our tendency so often is to champion some kind of abstract notion of peace for the masses, all the while failing to bring peace to specific people we encounter in our daily lives."
Melissa ends by noting she tends to be one that, "brushes off gentleness and peacemaking as idealistic attributes that simply are not part of her God-given personality." Of course, she says this in jest as a bit of condemnation on one of her personality traits, that many of us possess, which excuses behaviors that we feel justified in retaining. We may be "new women in Christ," yet hold onto a particular personality trait which we feel is hereditary, biological, or brought on by some life experience, thus unchangeable.
But God can and will change you according to His purposes if you have faith and do not doubt. KT
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
"We do love to talk about peace...But are we really peacemakers? Do we actually sow in peace? Do we promote peace and remove divisiveness in our communities, or do we secretly like to stir it up?...Our tendency so often is to champion some kind of abstract notion of peace for the masses, all the while failing to bring peace to specific people we encounter in our daily lives."
Melissa ends by noting she tends to be one that, "brushes off gentleness and peacemaking as idealistic attributes that simply are not part of her God-given personality." Of course, she says this in jest as a bit of condemnation on one of her personality traits, that many of us possess, which excuses behaviors that we feel justified in retaining. We may be "new women in Christ," yet hold onto a particular personality trait which we feel is hereditary, biological, or brought on by some life experience, thus unchangeable.
But God can and will change you according to His purposes if you have faith and do not doubt. KT
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Pacific Ocean off Kauai, HI
Matthew 21:21
Matthew 21:21
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
Truly inspiring!
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