“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) As we end 2022, I pray that we do not carry over any anger, unforgiveness, or animosity into the new year. May we enter into the new year with the heart of a Peacemaker. Charles Spurgeon pointedly wrote: “There are some individuals in the world that cannot help getting angry very quickly…They go into a sulky fit, disagreeing with everybody, eternally grumbling; they are like dogs in the flock—only barking, and yielding no fleece. O that nasty anger! If it gets into the church it will split it to pieces. It can tear apart families and end friendships. Oh! we must take care that we love one another. We are all going to the same house. We may disagree here, and not speak to one another…but we will all have to sit together in heaven. Therefore, let us not fall out by the way. Consider, again, the great mercies we have all shared together. We are all pardoned, we are all accepted, elected, justified, sanctified, and adopted. Striving to be a Peacemaker! GiGi❤️
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“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) Sometimes the slightest thing can disrupt our peace. An unkind word, how something was spoken to us, or even a look, the slightest eruption can throw us off. But the Word of God provides us with the encouragement we need to maintain our peace. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “Ah, how insignificant a matter will mar our peace of mind: some little thing that happened— some trifling incident…may, like dust in your eye, cause you the greatest distress. Such poor creatures we are that we may lose our peace of mind even by a word or a look. If you want to have peace of mind, make God your joy, and place all your joy in God. You cannot rejoice in yourself, but you ought to rejoice in God. You cannot always rejoice in your circumstances, for they greatly vary, but the Lord never changes. ‘Rejoice in the Lord alway.’” Rejoicing in the Lord helps us to maintain focus. Even if we get off kilter, like the groove in a gear, we get back on track again by rejoicing. GiGi❤️ 
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the children of God." (Romans 15:33) Nothing shows a person to be much fonder of peace than when they seek to make peace between others; or, when others have offended them and they endeavor to make peace between themselves and the other person. If I should be able at all times to maintain peace with myself, and should never provoke a quarrel, I should of course be considered a peaceful spirit, but if other persons choose to quarrel and disagree with me, and I desire and purposely set to work to bring about a reconciliation, then everyone says I am a peacemaker. Taken from: Charles Haddon Spurgeon November 4, 1855, Romans 15:33 From: New Park Street Pulpit Volume 1 GiGi❤️ 
“All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The man who believes in Jesus and is reconciled to God has nothing outside of him that he needs to fear…Whatever may be suggested that might alarm or distress the believer, deep down in his soul he cannot be disturbed, because he trusts his God is at the helm of the ship holding the rudder with a hand which defies the storm. This is peculiarly advantageous in days like these when all things wear a dreary aspect. The storm signals are flying, the clouds are gathering, flashes of lightning and grumblings of distant thunder are around us. If you read the papers, wars and rumors of wars are incessant; your eyes light upon narratives of famine and drought; you see distress here, slackness of business there, and poverty and starvation in many places, and the fear creeps over you that there are dark days yet to come, and seasons in which faces will grow pale and hands hang heavy. Brethren, it is for the believer in such a case to feel no dismay, for our God is in the heavens, and he doth not forsake the throne; his purposes will be fulfilled and good will come out of evil, for at this very moment God sits on the throne and nothing happens without his permission. He sitteth in the council-chambers of kings, and ordereth all things according to the counsel of his will. We are not children whose father has gone to sea and left them at home without a guardian. We read the words, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you,” and we believe that gracious word. God is most near us, and we are most safe. Though we cannot see the future, and do not wish to pry between the folded leaves of the book of destiny, we are absolutely certain that nothing is written upon the unopened page of the future which can contradict the divine faithfulness so conspicuous in the past. We are sure that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose, and therefore our soul as to all external circumstances casts anchor and enjoys the peace of God, which passeth all understanding. Taken from Charles Haddon Spurgeon January 6, 1878, Philippians 4:7, From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 24 GiGi❤️ 
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You: because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3) I have sometimes noticed very little chicks nestling under their mother’s wings, thrusting out their little heads from under her feathers, looking so warm and cozy that they did not seem to know that it was cold in the big world outside! Near their mother’s bosom they chirped quite happily and were altogether unaffected by the frosts of the night or the chills of the day. So we read, “He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings will you trust–His Truth will be your shield and buckler.” (Psalm 91:4) We get to Jesus and we find shelter and safety in Him, even as the little chicks beneath their mother’s wings…Tell your sorrow to Jesus! Leave your sorrow with Jesus! Bear your sorrow for Him and then see what peace, what perfect peace, you will enjoy. Charles Spurgeon  “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) Some of us can become very irritable and moody. In those moments what people say and do is an irritant, perhaps for no reason. We are just bothered. In the natural there is no harmony outside of God. There is disorder and chaos. We need the power of God to bring order to our lives. In those moments we have to submit our will, our thoughts, and our desires to Him so that we can usher in peace. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “O man, you cannot get your heart right, you cannot get your conscience right, you cannot get your understanding right, you cannot bring your various powers to their bearings and make them act in true harmony till first you are right with God…There is now a ruling power which keeps the man in order so that within him there is the ‘peace of God, which passeth all understanding.’” There is order and peace when we are present and acknowledge God in the moment. GiGi❤️ 
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) We are grateful this Christmas Season for the gift of Jesus Christ who was born, died, and resurrected that He might offer us the gift of transformation-change by GRACE. Therefore, we have the power to change in an instant. Whatever it is that we may face today, our perspective can be transformed so that we can immediately experience relief. The situation may not change but how we experience it can. If we change the way we think, we can change the way we feel, and therefore change our actions or behavior. “The mind that knows not God, knows not the heart's best rest. There is no solace for our griefs like the gospel of Jesus Christ, and those who are ignorant of it are tossed about upon a stormy sea, without an anchorage. Glory be to God; when sorrow has brought on a midnight, grace can transform it into noon.” Charles Spurgeon Think on these things! GiGi❤️  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10) No matter how saved we think we are, fear will try to creep in and take hold ever so often. But as suggested by Spurgeon, “As grace grows and increases in power, fear declines.” In essence, it has a lesser hold on us, realizing that where grace and faith reside, it will not be able to remain long. “If somebody had told you years ago that you would have passed through your last trouble, you would have said, ‘I will never be able to get through that.’” But you have. Because you have overcome your fear and gotten through your trial, you have testimony, a story to tell, and a song to sing. Yes, fear threatened to take you down, but by the grace of God you are still standing. Here is a word, if you are fearful in this moment, “I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Fear not, you will get through this. GiGi❤️ 
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) Empathy is defined as the ability to sense other people's emotions, feelings, and see their views from their perspective. Some Boys were playing one day at the edge of a pond in which lived a family of Frogs. The Boys amused themselves by throwing stones into the pond so as to make them skip on top of the water. The stones were flying thick and fast and the Boys were enjoying themselves very much; but the poor Frogs in the pond were trembling with fear. At last one of the Frogs, the oldest and bravest, put his head out of the water, and said, "Oh, please, dear children, stop your cruel play! Though it may be fun for you, it means death to us!" It is so important that we pause and consider the weight of what we are doing and saying. One wise person said, ”If you feel you just have to say it, then perhaps that’s a sign you shouldn’t.” “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15) GiGi❤️ 
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11: 1) Scientists never confirm the validity of a principle or proposition until that which is under consideration is objectively observable and independently replicable. In other words, according to science, nothing is real unless someone besides you is able to see it and do it! This is the very reason why faith and science often bump heads. The scientist can't see what the person of faith declares and the person of faith refuses to deny what the scientist can't see. This conflict can be resolved when we recognize that having faith is not an excuse for an inability to see. Instead, faith is simply another way of seeing. As such, faith becomes the evidence of things seen with spiritual eyes and not seen by the instruments of science or commonly accepted fact. It becomes our proof that the impossible is possible. When all you have is faith, just know that your evidence is not inferior. Faith is the reason you know it. Faith is the reason you believe it. Faith is the reason you will receive it. Case closed! Pastor Benjamin Morris🙏🏽 |
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