January 27, 2010: The Journey 38

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God."

Happy Salvation Wednesday, my dear brothers and sisters. Dawn is breaking and there are more clouds in the sky this day, but still a beautiful morning. Today we are blessed to be able to travel to Duncannon Pennsylvania for a 2.00 PM Concert at Stone Bridge Retirement Home. Of course you are invited to attend. Please take time to pray today for the unsaved and for God to use we who are saved to help bring in the lost. Other prayer requests at the end of the message.

The Journey 38: Matthew 5: 9 - "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God." (NIV)

These are the words of Jesus being quoted, my dear brothers and sisters, and let me point out that in my mind there is a major difference between peacemakers and peacekeepers. In short, a peacemaker is in my mind someone who will set down and try and work out problems between different parties who might be at odds with each other. While a peacekeeper might be a police officer or our military who stands armed over others to see that a fight does not break out. Those are in short, now let's dig in just a little bit. I know on this line we have some different family members where there is a sister or brother who really tries to be a peacemaker in their family. Different members of the family just do not get along with each other, some fight all the time, while others just do not talk to one another. And you have one or two of the family who hates this and wants to see the family all get along. Yes, we do have some of those on the line. And I would think we have some peacekeepers also, who when having family events do not invite the parties who do not get along, or they have two outings so that they get to see all of the family.

One place where peacemakers and sometimes even peacekeepers are needed is in the church setting. You would not think that, but it is a fact, friends, as members on the board for one reason or another just do not see eye to eye and while you have others who will try and work things out, even doing what we are to do and that is pray about these things, it just gets way out of hand, often ending with a division in the church or a bunch of people leaving and starting another church.

If I look now at what is going on in Haiti I can see both working there. I see those going in peace and working trying to dig out the injured, while others are working on the injured and still others handing out food, etc. And yes, those would be peacemakers as they come in peace to help. In the meantime, a lot of folks, including our military, were sent in to help and a lot of them are being used to keep the peace which is what are military is really good at.

A lot of times it takes that third person or party to be the peacemakers between others. Even in war, it takes people to sit down and try and work out the differences between those fighting to get the war to end. Although our Lord Jesus tells us that there will be wars and rumors of wars and that must come to pass, He still wants us to be the peacemakers on this earth. In fact if we all were peacemakers we would not even need peacekeepers, am I making sense here? God has ordered we who have chosen to be disciples of His to go into all the world and tell them the good news. And what is that good news? It is about the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ and salvation through Him... How long has it been since you have really worked being a peacemaker? Yesterday, a week ago, a year ago, or maybe never? Now wait a minute, how often have you been the peacemaker and you did not even think of it that way? You are with your spouse, and you really want to do something, something you like, maybe you are stopping to eat and you would like to eat at a sit down place but the "old man" wants one of those eat till you are sick places so to keep the peace you give in. Or you give in to the kids and instead of that soup and salad you were wanting you go to the Pizza Hut or to Mickey Dees for a load of grease. Or maybe one in the family wants to watch one thing on TV and one wants to watch something else. So you give in, or in the case of a parent you go and keep the peace. Folks, don't think of peacemaking on the world front all the time, think of it being right in your home or in your community or in the schools.

If we truly want to be a peacemaker we will do our best to work for God each day and if we work hard at being a peacemaker we might not need to be called on to be a peacekeeper... AMEN.

Dear Father in Heaven, help us to teach peace, to teach love, to teach understanding and to help unite folks together, help us to make peace. Lord, so often we join in the gossip or we tell tales we edge others on... and then we are not working for You. Help us to always work for You, and on this day our Salvation day on this line, help us to bring that peace and joy to others by bringing them to Your feet to be saved. Lord, be with those on our prayer list and help them in their walk in life... In Jesus Name, Amen.

Now go forth being a peacemaker, and folks, sharing your blessings will go a long way in doing just that, being a peacemaker. Remember, if you do a good job at being a peacemaker you might not need to be a peacekeeper... Love ya, Pastor Dan.

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Phones Home 717 691 8200 Cell 717 991 0754

Prayers today for Karen (no last name given) Auto accident where she suffered the loss of her husband and also injuries to herself including a broken leg.
Matthew Lehman (Hospital, Depression)
Eleanor Saylor and her family...
Vicki and her family.
Those living along the rivers in the North East
Haiti...