From the Author of Peace

When I got up this morning our son had left a note for me concerning John 20:23. He wanted to know what I 'saw' in it.

The study was quite fascinating and since it deals specifically with peace I'll share what I'm learning.

Context: Jesus had died and had arisen from the tomb. Just before these texts He appeared to 10 of the disciples with this greeting.

Italics (King James Version)
Red (Strong's Concordance)

John 20:21 Then certainly, accordingly, said spoke Jesus Jehovah saved to them again anew, once more, Peace to join, rest between, set at one again, quietness, [be] unto you: as [my] Father heavenly parent, hath sent me set me apart, sent me on a mission, set me at liberty, even so also send dispatch (from the point of departure) I you.
20:22 And when he had said spoken this, he breathed a relation of rest , to blow at or on, on [them], and saith lay forth, relate in words, unto them, Receive take, get hold of, (offered), accept ye the Holy sacred, pure, blameless, consecrated Ghost breath, spirit, divine life :
20:23 Whose some or any, soever much, great, long, all, wish, possibility, suppositions sins any will other than God's will, ye remit send off, send away, send forth, go, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain use strength, seize, retain, hold, keep, take, they are retained.

Any sin (any will other than God's will) you 'give up', will also be given up by those who are with you. Those people you hold on to (seize, keep) in love will stay with you.

Or

When someone brings to you a sin - any will other than God's will - and you let it go (don't hold on to it) they will also 'let it go'. If you hold on to a 'wrong' attitude, will or action, they will hold on to it also.

Following is a translation I found very interesting.

The Message (Bible translation)
John 22Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. 23“If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”

Think about the following in relation to the above text.

If you 'hold on' to another person's sin toward you, the effects of that sin remains inside you as a death tipped arrow, poisoning your whole life. When you no longer hold the other person as 'guilty' towards you and you release that 'poison' of 'holding the other one guilty' to God, you are freed of that poison AND God gives you His life to pass on to them for - in place of - the 'death' they gave to you.

May God's peace be in your heart and life today.

Bringer of Peace

'Practiciing' Peace

Saturday night I was sick. Sunday I was weak but finally got up. Monday I had promised a friend to help her but definitely did not feel I was yet up to doing driving that I think she needed most. I was struggling in my mind as to what I should do and our son told me to just make a decision. As it turned out he was willing to go help our friend which left me a little more time to 'recupe'.

That time, though, wasn't only for physical 'rest' but I realized that my mind was also on a 'short fuse' or so it seemed. I asked the Lord to guide me and He reminded me of a recent presentation I had listened to where the speaker said to tell your 'old heart' to 'shut up' when it would get to complaining. We get 'old messages' that start to play back in our minds but they are not ones that the Lord has placed there. I decided to 'try it'. When the discouraging, 'poor me' thoughts would sneak in I would tell them to 'shut up'. In it's place I would choose to focus on words of praise and thanksgiving and also I would choose to smile. At times I sang out loud and other times I would simply sing a praise in my mind. Just choosing to smile - even though no one else was around - would do my own spirit good. I usually know when I smile, even if others don't notice.

And even though I often was still feeling on a 'short fuse', I found that God's words of praise and thanksgiving was 'peace' giving. The Lord also suggested some physical actions that I believe helped me - such as drinking more water, drinking some juice, getting outside, etc. His peace is for all of me, not just my 'spirit, or my body, or any 'part' alone.

My hubby is not feeling the best this morning so whatever caused my upset is probably some kind of 'bug'. (Our son had it first.) Whatever the cause, though, God wasn't caught by surprise and I believe these smaller 'practice' sessions are permitted by my wonderful Father in heaven so that when a 'bigger' happening occurs - primarily aimed at getting me out of God's peace - I will have learned better how to 'fight the good fight of faith' and 'stay' in God's peace rather than having to come back - which is better than losing it altogether, but not as good as if I 'stayed' in God's peace in the first place.

Some who read this will probably have other tips on how they have learned to 'stay' in God's peace. My brother has one of his favorite books on this topic called "Practicing the Presence" .

That title says it so well. As little children learn how to do things right by practice, so I as a part of God's family, learn how to 'stay' in God's Peace by practice. I'm not saved by the practice but it sure makes things easier after I do over and over again what God has shared with me by His loving power working through me both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

It is warmer today. There seems to be a bit of sun peaking through the clouds after a day of rain. Our son is out helping our friend and my hubby just came home because his stomach is still very upset and his boss told him to go home. It is another day to 'practice peace' in my Lord.

Join me in keeping our eyes on our heavenly Father so He can teach us more about His peace and how to experience it in our whole life.

Bringer of Peace

Slowing down a bit

Our son had a hard time about two weeks ago with his stomach. Last night I ended up losing my last two meals or so myself. We thought at first that our son had eaten something that had caused it but I now wonder if it is more like some' bug' or such. I haven't felt bad today but I have felt like I was in 'granny gear' a good share of the day. We had baked potatoes for lunch and so far my stomach has been ok for which I have been grateful. After a little supper this evening I actually feel like I am getting into one small gear 'faster'. Maybe by tomorrow I will be a little more back to my regular self.

We had all kinds of things we wanted to do today. Friday we found a leak in a pipe under the main bathroom. Duane was able to get that fixed today for which I was grateful. There was a plastic T in one of the hot water lines that must have frozen and developed a hairline crack. That was enough for the water to be spraying out onto the ground. Beings we are on a well we are not keen on water leaks. I think it is now fixed by hubby, for which I am grateful.

We finally got some tires for the Toyota, but Carl thinks there is something still wrong. He drove it home and said there are some strange noises. Guess we will check it out tomorrow.

We had hoped to get a few things done for Sabbath School class room but that didn't 'happen' -yet anyway. There is a cabinet that I want to begin using next week but it needs wheels. We found some in town but it is too late today to begin that project.

Spring is trying to spring, but today there was ice in the air. We were able to get some things sorted in the shop - but there is so much more to do on that project as well.

I didn't get up and going until near 10 a.m. because of how I had felt during the night. My hubby was up early and got quite a bit done before I even 'opened my eyes'. I've got a very special hubby to say the least and I am proud of him. He is getting ready now to go put a cap on a drain under the main bathroom. For some reason a drain pipe had been left open when we were working on the bathroom recently so all the water was simply running out on the ground from the sink. We didn't have the right kind of cap so had to go buy one - so my hubby could put it on now.

Sometimes slowing down is quite so bad. On the other hand there are so many things that need to be done I sometimes wonder if I will ever get 'caught up'.

It is nearing the end of another day. May God's peace flow out in such a way that even as you read this blog you will sense that God is not dependent on what happens. God is looking for people who are looking to Him for His kind of peace. May you receive a double portion of God's peace just now.

Bringer of Peace

Peace - result of cleansing

My hubby was reading from a book on the life of Christ and I was very impressed with the following thoughts.

"In the time of John the Baptist, Christ was about to appear as the Revealer of the character of God. His very presence would make manifest to men their sin. Only as they were willing to be purged from sin could they come into fellowship with Him. Only the pure in heart could abide in His presence"

One point is that the more I look at, dwell upon, behold, think about, focus upon and center my attention on Jesus' earth life the more I will know who God really is and what He is like. It is only then that I can come to the point of willingness to let God 'take away' any area in which I have disagreed with Him - be purged.

I can't agree with God if I don't really know His true character. Since He is the Prince of Peace, it makes sense that I need to find out what that really means so I can agree with His kind of Peace.

Fellowship - experience, relationship with the Prince of Peace - can't even begin to 'take place' if I am not in agreement with that Prince, So if I am interested in being 'in His Peace', then I need to learn to know Him on a personal basis - one on one.

I am thinking more about this but need to go for now.

Bringer of Peace

A miracle of Peace

A few weeks ago there developed a 'division' between two parties. One of the parties took their 'case' to the church board. After due consideration a couple of the board members talked to the other party briefly. After the 'talk' the person came and talked to me. We have been trying to help them and I could only pray that God would bring resolution. My friend commented that he wasn't sure when he would return to our church for which I felt rather 'bad', but could understand how he felt.

For some reason he mentioned the incident this morning while we were doing something together. He shared who he thought was involved. (He had not been given names when he was talked to but he was pretty sure who the other party was.) Later he got a phone call. Lo and behold it was the 'other party'. To make a long story short, the Lord's Spirit brought about 'peace' between the two parties through forgiveness.

When he shared with me what had happened I was definitely praising the Lord for how He had worked another miracle of Peace.

As I have watched events like this recently I have one regret. When something similar happened to me it took me 'three years' before I was able to 'let go' (forgive) and experience that miracle of peace. I'm glad others can learn the lesson in a lot less time.

May God's peace fill you this Sabbath day.

Bringer of Peace

More on Sabbath Peace

One of Jesus' titles is 'Prince of Peace'. And when He was here on this earth He said that the Sabbath was made for 'man'. I have been coming to more and more of a conclusion that the Sabbath is to be the 'outside sign' of God's kind of peace.

Just 'keeping' a list of 'rules' on the Sabbath is not keeping it holy in my present understanding.

The Sabbath - the day when God rested, blessed and united His new human family with Himself in love - was to be 'reviewed', 'remembered' 'delighted in' and even 'celebrated' as a sign that Jesus, as Prince of Peace, is Lord, even of the Sabbath.

So, how does a person 'review'? One way is by looking at how God has led me during the past week and rejoicing in His loving compassion, divine grace and almighty power. I also believe it is good to review that my strength from the Lord is called 'JOY'.

How do I remember? In order to remember something there has to be something to remember. In order for the Sabbath to be remembered I must have already been 'exposed' to the Lord of the Sabbath who 'created' the Sabbath in the first place and I would have had to accepted the "Prince of Peace" as 'being my prince (sounds like the born again experience, to me).

The Bible talks about 'delighting' in the Sabbath - or at least calling the Sabbath a delight. That is difficult at best if I don't know the "Lord of the Sabbath" as a personal friend and 'Father'. As I have been partaking of the Joy of the Lord day by day, to have a whole day to focus on God's Joy is a big reason to delight.

And then that word 'celebrate'. Oh, in some people's vocabulary it is almost a taboo. In other peoples language it has been known to refer to activities that lend themselves to revelry and drunkeness (Mardi Gras as an example). But just as with most words, there is a counterfeit as well as a genuine meaning. God intends that His family should experience true forms of celebration. I am still learning about this area of my Christian experience so I won't elaborate very much right now.

Having said all of the above, may I invite you to join me in worshiping the Creator God of the Universe this Sabbath.

Peace be in your heart from the Creator of real peace

Bringer of Peace

Peace from having God's heart in control of me

I was listening to a presentation today and the speaker said something very interesting. He commented that some folks listen to their own heart 'too much'. Some should even 'fire' their heart. I had to chuckle at the thought. But the 'thought' I got was that when we are 'born again' then we will be learning to listen to God's heart rather than what 'our' heart says. The old heart has gotten pretty hardened (and a few other terms even less encouraging). But the 'new heart', 'new spirit' from God has 'wired into it' how God thinks.

When others don't understand us, when we do things that maybe we don't even understand ourselves, when circumstances seem to be 'agin' us, the new heart experience leads us to look at us and our surroundings as God sees them - and us. How is that different than before the 'new heart'? For one thing, since God is in control, I don't have to be constantly trying to manipulate the other 'hearts' in order to get them to 'see' like I do for that is now God's business.

Another real blessing is that as I focus on who God is He has pomised to make me like what He is.

I didn't always live that way today but I believe God was really working on me in that area.

Peace is trusting in God so much that, as a small baby, we can rest in His love as a baby does in a mother that he recognizes loves him.

May the God of peace enable you to know that You are very special to Him just now.

Bringer of Peace