Prayer/Devotional Thread ✝️

[Hoosier in Mad Town]

Found this morning's Devotional timely.

Risking True Peace​

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matt. 5:9).
True peace exists only where truth reigns.

People often define peace as the absence of conflict, but God sees it differently. The absence of conflict is merely a truce, which might end overt hostilities but doesn't resolve the underlying issues. A truce simply introduces a cold war, which often drives the conflict underground, where it smolders until erupting in physical or emotional disaster.

James 3:17 says, "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable." Godly wisdom, purity, and peace go hand- in-hand. Peace is wisdom in action and is never established at the expense of righteousness. It brings righteousness to bear on the situation, seeking to eliminate the source of conflict and create right relationships. Feuding parties will know true peace only when they are willing to admit that their bitterness and hatred is wrong and humbly seek God's grace to make things right.

Some people equate peacemaking with evading issues, but true peace can be very confrontive. In Matthew 10:34 Jesus says, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." That may seem to contradict Matthew 5:9, but it doesn't: Jesus knew that sinful people have to be confronted with the truth before they can experience peace. That can be a painful and difficult process because people usually have a hostile reaction to the gospel before they finally embrace it. Even believers will sometimes react negatively when confronted with God's truth.

Being a biblical peacemaker has its price. You can expect to upset unbelievers who openly oppose God's Word as well as believers who compromise its truth for the sake of maintaining "peace" among people of differing doctrinal persuasions. Some will call you narrow-minded and divisive for dealing with controversial issues. Some will misunderstand your motives or even attack you personally. But that's been the path of every true peacemaker— including our Lord Himself. Take heart and be faithful. Your efforts to bring peace show that you are a child of God.

And peace, particularly in the New Testament, is in the for of internal peace. That is only found by faith in Christ and provided by God. “World Peace” will only come in that form and resting in Gods sovereignty and faithfulness.

What the Bible Says About Peace

Peace is something every person strives for. Peace is the ultimate form of being satified within.

letterpile.com

Additionally, the Holy Spirit, who’s primary role is to highlight Jesus, will also expose the darkness

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not become partners with them;
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,
14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. https://esv.org/Eph5.1-21

As a result, peace in the external won’t arrive until Jesus returns and kills sin once and for all.

 

[BLatta12]

Summit Crossing Sunday Worship Gathering is on Crootn Live

 

[TheGratefulReb]

 

[CBradSmith]

There are some on-the-nose reminders/statements in this one.​

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Receiving Christ's Wounds​

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me" (Matt. 5:10-11).

The persecution you receive for proclaiming Christ is really aimed at Christ Himself.

Savonarola has been called the Burning Beacon of the Reformation. His sermons denouncing the sin and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church of his day helped pave the way for the Protestant Reformation. Many who heard his powerful sermons went away half-dazed, bewildered, and speechless. Often sobs of repentance resounded throughout the entire congregation as the Spirit of God moved in their hearts. However, some who heard him couldn't tolerate the truth and eventually had him burned at the stake.

Jesus said, "'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). Sinful people will not tolerate a righteous standard. Prior to Christ's birth, the world had never seen a perfect man. The more people observed Christ, the more their own sinfulness stood out in stark contrast. That led some to persecute and finally kill Him, apparently thinking that by eliminating the standard they wouldn't have to keep it.

Psalm 35:19 prophesies that people would hate Christ without just cause. That is true of Christians as well. People don't necessarily hate us personally but resent the holy standard we represent. They hate Christ, but He isn't here to receive their hatred, so they lash out at His people. For Savonarola that meant death. For you it might mean social alienation or other forms of persecution.

Whatever comes your way, remember that your present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory you will one day experience (Rom. 8:18). Therefore, "to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing" (1 Pet. 4:13).

Suggestions for Prayer
When you suffer for Christ's sake, thank Him for that privilege, recalling how much He suffered for you.

For Further Study
Before his conversion, the apostle Paul (otherwise known as Saul) violently persecuted Christians, thinking he was doing God a favor. Read Acts 8:1-3, 9:1-31, and 1 Timothy 1:12-17, noting Paul's transformation from persecutor to preacher.

 

[TheGratefulReb]

 

[TheGratefulReb]

 

[BLatta12]

Guilt and Forgiveness⁣ - 5/17/21
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Today's Bible Reading: Romans 2:12–16⁣
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They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts. Romans 2:15⁣
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In his book Human Universals, anthropologist Donald Brown lists more than four hundred behaviors that he considers common across humanity. He includes such things as toys, jokes, dances, and proverbs, wariness of snakes, and tying things with string! Likewise, he believes all cultures have concepts of right and wrong, where generosity is praised, promises are valued, and things like meanness and murder understood to be wrong. We all have a sense of conscience, wherever we’re from.⁣
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The apostle Paul made a similar point many centuries ago. While God gave the Jewish people the Ten Commandments to clarify right from wrong, Paul noted that since gentiles could do right by obeying their conscience, God’s laws were evidently written on their hearts (Romans 2:14–15). But that didn’t mean people always did what was right. The gentiles rebelled against their conscience (1:32), the Jews broke the Law (2:17–24), leaving both guilty. But through faith in Jesus, God removes the death penalty from all our rule-breaking (3:23–26; 6:23).⁣
⁣
Since God created all humans with a sense of right and wrong, each of us will likely feel some guilt over a bad thing we’ve done or a good thing we failed to do. When we confess those sins, God wipes away the guilt like a whiteboard wiped clean. All we have to do is ask Him—whoever we are, wherever we’re from.⁣
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—SHERIDAN VOYSEY⁣

 

[AgEngDawg]

 

[AgEngDawg]

 

[Cre8ive]

So its been a while since I've actually picked up the Bible and read it. Frankly, this past year has pulled me back towards the Word of God after just kinda being a "freelance" Christian for so long......so I downloaded one of those Bible apps on my phone to check it in the morning first thing, and then before I go to sleep. It has helped me, and maybe it will help you. Will periodically bump the thread with messages that seem to be just what I needed in the moment

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My iPhone home screen.

 

[BLatta12]

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Each year in the U.S. we have the privilege of remembering those who died for our country to defend the freedoms we enjoy today. We also know there are many who mourn the loss of a father or mother, a husband or wife, a son or daughter, a cousin, a friend, or a sibling who died serving our country. Those too we remember in prayer. #memorialday #thankyouheroes #neverforget

 

[G8R-H8R]

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

[TheGratefulReb]

Having a tough night. Feel like evil is trying to get to me from all around

 

[TheGratefulReb]

Heavenly Father,

We ask you to guide and protect our brave servicemen that are in harms way, and to fill their hearts with your light so that they may do Your work here on this Earth. Let them not fear the enemy, and see that they may save as many innocent civilians as possible. We ALL need your presence more now than ever, as we fight the dark enemy that has crept into our lives closer than it ever has before.

We ask these things in your son Jesus Christ's name. Amen.