Peacemaking

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Those who follow my posts know that I have not posted anything in quite a long time. The reason was that I was hearing from God that it was time to take a break for a season. During that time God has been working in my spirit lifting up to me the importance of peacemaking. God through the Holy Spirit has shown me that the real problem behind the violence we see on the news everyday in America and around the world is because people are not at peace with God or their neighbors. In response I feel called to call people to peace with God and with their brothers and sisters all over this world. So I begin today by calling us to peace with God. We will not get very far seeking peace if we are at odds with the One who made the very world we live in.
Genesis 3:1–7 (NRSV)
3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
Adam and Eve didn’t know it but they were being dragged into Satan’s war against God. And since the war was against God it was also against everything that God created including us. Satan is a murderer. God has allowed Satan to be able to make the earth into a hotbed of rebellion against God. So it is of utmost importance that we find out how to defeat Satan’s plans that would keep us in rebellion against the Creator. So this is what God has done to help us win our battle with Satan: John 3:16–18 (NRSV)
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Today through putting our faith in Jesus we can join forces with God as an agent for peace in our world. If you have never given your life to God by believing in Jesus won’t you take the first step of peacemaking today?
One caution this isn’t some magic formula to make you feel peaceful. In fact the moment you do this Satan will attack you as never before. Just pray to God for help. Call on other believers to pray for you. Begin your life of peace today. Amen.  

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