Path to Peace 5 - Loving the Divine Will

This is a continuation from Path to Peace 4 - Less Me, the Divine Will and the conclusion of the Path to Peace segment.

 

Dying to self through living for and through Christ is God and it must be the one thing that I seek, forgetting and putting all other things behind me and beneath Him. Self-death is the only true victory for the believer.

And so I be-come, ready to wage war in a whole different dimension. Waging war as a son or daughter of God is to do so from the position of being seated with the I Am through the atoning works and blood and manifold promises of Jesus, the Loving Sacrifice and Living Word. I Am at peace with God. I Am making peace with me. And as I Know peace, I Will bring peace.

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 2Cor 10:3-5 [AMP].

Blessed are the Peacemakers who shall be-come the Sons and Daughters of the Great I Am. When we have learned to war for peace within ourselves, we will realize that peace is increased within when it is more abundant without. We begin to war on the behalf of our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, community. We not only cry for peace, we fight for peace. But the power of Christ is both proactive and creative, allowing us to make peace - in ourselves and for others.

Let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities. (Heb 10.24 AMPC)

The obedience of God being fulfilled in us, our lives begin to set the atmosphere around us, creating the sweet fragrance of the presence of the Prince of Peace. Our works speak of His Work, and others are drawn closer. What to do with the closer? That's something we'll be exploring in our next series of articles.

I am reminded that thanksgiving is a key weapon in our arsenal. The thankful soul appreciates the gift and displays it with honor and gratitude. I am thankful for the path, the process that God has laid out for us as He calls us to become peacemakers. It serves us well to remember with gratitude how gracious God is to us and that everything He does for us is because He loves us.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jer 29:11-13 NIV)

Peace is found when we seek the peace-giver with all of our hearts. We share it with others because of His love.

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I pray that this little exploration on peace has been a blessing to you and that you've gleaned something by it. Be sure to remark in the comments - either here, or on Facebook - any way that this has been a blessing to you. Thank You for joining me; after Thanksgiving we'll be exploring Biblical Friendship. I'm grateful for your presence on this journey; may the peace of God be upon and within you in all that you say and do.

Path to Peace 4 - Humility, the Divine Will

This is a continuation from Path to Peace 3 - Less Me, the Divine Will 

It takes patience and agreement with the Word of God to learn and accept His divine will, and just as importantly, time alone with Him, communing on which of our thoughts are acceptable to Him and what is not. In spending time with Him, we discover what is needed in order to fill the lacks and change the desires; this will allow us to submit to, agree with and eventually love His divine will.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” -Matt 11:28-30 MSG

Our flesh wants this to be a hard thing, a badge to borne, an achievement to achieve. Jesus, the Good Shepherd says, "Lay those things down. Leave them, you won't need them here. Stop trying to do. Just sit here with me and become. When it's time to leave this pasture and go do, we're taking that smaller package."

Humility becomes our path to peace: it is the doorway to the self-mortification process and the appreciation of the Art of Letting Go. I learn to release myself from the offense, agitation, anger, desires of control, and fear of the I am nots - I am not so talented, I am not so smart, I am not so in control... I embrace and trust the great I Am. I come to a place of peace, free from turmoil, because I learn to appreciate and hold dear and true, I come to love, what God thinks about me. I begin to delight in the little, beautiful things revealed to me that I never knew about myself, and the things that I never knew that He thought about me.

I Am... Loved, Protected, of Amazing Worth, Strong, Wise, Free, Beautiful - all of these things and so much more, but only effectually and safely In Him.

As Christians, we must re-learn how and what to learn; humility - realizing how little we truly know - is key. Developing new, positive routines is useful scaffolding-work to build upon our Incredible Foundation. Unorthodox tools can be used to create indelible edifices that can stand the tests of time - that is to say there are diverse methods available which can write pathways of change upon our hearts; we bring them before the Word, test them, try them on to see how they rest upon us and do the submission-work to see them come to life in us so that they come to life through us.

Self-death - release from the ties and lies of this life and all its vain precepts - is the only true victory for the believer. These other things are good, but dying to self through living for and through Christ is God and it must be the one thing that I seek, forgetting and putting all other things beneath Him and behind me so that I may press onward to the prize of Christ-likeness that is before me.

This love story concludes in Path to Peace 5 - Loving the Divine Will

I dedicate this episode of Path to Peace to the memory of my beloved, dear departed former wife, a Warrior Queen for the Kingdom of Heaven who spoke peace to our hearts always.