BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS... WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

Today, as my family and I head for a new chapter in our lives, Jesus gives me a peace that passes understanding.  I am once again encouraged by the words of this verse and the song over on the right sidebar:  "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!"

"You need not fight in this battle;

station yourselves,

stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf...

...’ Do not fear or be dismayed;

tomorrow go out to face them,

for the Lord is with you.”

2 Chronicles 20:17

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS... GRATITUESDAY

What a group!!! Servant-hearted  "peacemakers" have daily shown up at our house and offices the last month to help us:

• pack up Steve's office and move it to a storage unit
• pack up my office and move it to a storage unit
• clean out the mold that we discovered in our basement and bring it out on the lawn and then back in the house depending on the rain
• clean out the shed
• take the things that did not fit in the giant dumpster into a horse trailer
• move storage unit contents to pod 1
• pack up each room in our 4 bedroom house
• load mold-less contents of basement / house onto half of pod 1 and all of pod 2.  (hopefully not putting any mold on the truck)
• pray
• fellowship
• be encouraged
• maintain peace

I love the peacemaking family of believers at the Pitman Road church of Christ.  To God be the glory... and my gratitude!

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - MEDITATION MONDAY

I've had a few discussions with friends / family, in the last few days, about the Proverbs.  Yesterday's post included a scripture from James that connected "wisdom" with "peace":

James 3:17-18

"But the wisdom from above is...Peaceable... 
...And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in PEACE by those who make PEACE."

Looking back, in the Old Testament, at the book of Proverbs, I see that the word PEACE is used 5 times.  You may be an occasional blog reader, a regular, one of my own children, or one of my children in the faith... whoever you are, I ask you to join me today in meditating on these wise words from Proverbs 3:

The Rewards of Wisdom

3 "My son (daughter), do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;
² For length of days and years of life
And PEACE they will add to you.
³ Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart."

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - SUNDAY IN THE SON

SUNDAY IN THE SON

James 3:17-18

"But the wisdom from above is...

1. first pure, (Beatitude #6)
2. then PEACEable, (Beatitude #7)
3. gentle, (Beatitude #3)
4. reasonable,
5. full of mercy (Beatitude #5)
6. and good fruits,
7. unwavering,
8. without hypocrisy.

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in PEACE by those who make PEACE."

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

"Blessed are the peacemakers,

 for they shall be called the children of God."

It's a Ketchup (Catch-up) and
Mustard (Must Do) Saturday! 

When a ketchup bottle gets squeezed, ketchup comes out.

When a mustard bottle gets squeezed, mustard comes out.

When a christian gets squeezed, what should come out?

This week, as I have meditated on this verse, I have realized how short I fall.  My words are not what they need to be in this area of peacemaking.  I've also considered where else in the New Testament it talks about the "children of God" and I have been given much to ponder.  Let me share it with you here:


CHILDREN OF GOD:

• are peacemakers - Matthew 5:9
• have received Jesus and believed in His name - John 1:12
• are those who are led by the Spirit of God - Romans 8:14
• have freedom and glory - Romans 8:21
• are in Christ Jesus by faith - Galatians 3:26
• are blameless and pure, without fault - Philippians 2:15
• shine in the world like stars in the sky - Philippians 2:15
• are lavished with love by the Father - 1 John 3:1
• are not known by world - 1 John 3:1
• will be like Christ, when He appears - 1 John 3:2
• do what is right  1 John 3:10
• love brothers and sisters - 1 John 3:10
• are born of God - 1 John 5:18-20
• do not continue to sin - 1 John 5:18-20
• cannot be harmed by the evil one - 1 John 5:18-20
• have been given understanding by Jesus Christ - 1 John 5:18-20
• are IN HIM - 1 John 5:18-20

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - FAMILY FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY

So thankful that it is God who is in control!

Yesterday our 5th grandchild was born!  We are so blessed to welcome her into the fellowship of our little family... our larger extended family of cousins, aunts, and uncles, AND our world-wide Christian family who are followers of Jesus Christ.  It is a blessing that I hope she never takes lightly.


It is amazing how beautiful it is to be part of the family of believers in Jesus Christ .  The past few weeks, as we have prepared for our move to Minnesota, the stress has mounted.  The more the stress mounts, brothers and sisters in Christ have come alongside to share the burden of the load.  In the midst of chaos, I know that I am:

TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!

As we have sung many times, I choose to begin my day today singing: 

"We're part of the family that's been born again.

We're part of the family whose love knows no end.

For Jesus has saved us and made us His own.

Now, we're part of the family, that's on it's way home.

And sometimes we laugh together; sometimes we cry.

Sometimes we share together, heartaches and sighs.

Sometimes we dream together of how it will be when we all get to "heaven",

GOD'S FAMILY!"

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS-TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

"BLESSED are the peacemakers,

for they will be called the children of God."

Over the next few weeks, as we make our move to Minnesota, there will continue to be much transition.  In fact, moving is one of life's biggest stresses... or is it stressors?  Whichever, moving = stress.  Notice how big of font I write with!  Can you feel my stress?!?!?!?!

Dear LORD,

Today as I have a house full of people helping me pack and de-clutter, please help me to count my blessings and not my troubles.  Help me to look at the possibilities and not all of the challenges.  Help me to keep it all in perspective.  When I get squeezed today, dear LORD, please help what comes out of me to be the fruit of Your Spirit and not stress. 

Permeate my life with Your WORD, because Your WORD is TRUTH: 

Galatians 5:

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Give me Your perspective... help me to crucify my fleshly "feelings", walking by faith and not by sight:

"I don't wanna' but I'm a gonna'!"

"Too blessed to be stressed!"

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!

OH, THE JOY!



BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

Let's read today from  Ephesians 6:13-18

^13 “Therefore, take up the full armor of God,

so that you will be able to resist in the evil day,

and having done everything, to stand firm.

1.   Stand firm therefore, (vs.14)

2.   having girded your loins with truth, (vs.14)

3.   and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (vs.14)

4.   and having shod your feet with the preparation of the

gospel of peace; (vs.15)

5.   in addition to all, taking up the SHIELD OF FAITH with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (vs.16)

6.   And take the helmet of salvation, (vs.17)

7.   and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God. (vs.17)

8.   With all prayer and petition PRAY at all times in the Spirit,

and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance

and petition for all the saints…” (vs.18)

Notice #4! 

• Is it saying that being a peacemaker takes preparation?
• Is it saying that peace describes the gospel?  Peace is the gospel?

My friend, why not make sure you have on the whole armor of your heavenly Father on before you rush into your day?  Doing this will help you on your  journey to be a JOY-filled child of the God.   Please notice that each piece of God's armor is JESUS! 

1.      Stand Firm!  JESUS is our FIRM FOUNDATION.

2.      Put on the belt of TRUTH; JESUS is TRUTH.

3.      Put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS; JESUS is our RIGHTEOUSNESS.

4.      Prepare your feet with the GOSPEL OF PEACE; JESUS is the Prince of PEACE.

5.      Take up the shield of FAITH; JESUS is the FAITHFUL ONE!

6.      Take up the helmet of SALVATION; JESUS is our SAVIOR.

7.      Take up the SWORD of the Spirit; JESUS is the WORD.

8.      PRAY all the time!  JESUS is our HIGH PRIEST and MEDIATOR!

BLESSED! 

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - MEDITATION MONDAY

In the first part of Jesus' sermon on the mount, in Matthew 5, Jesus says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God."

Still speaking the sermon on the mount, in Matthew 6:31, Jesus says, 

"Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’"



He continues a few verses later by saying, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

In order to be a peacemaker,

1. It takes a conscientious choice!
2. It takes obedience to Jesus' commands to quit worrying.
3. It takes counting our blessings and not our troubles.

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - SUNDAY IN THE SON

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART - KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

It's a Ketchup (Catch-up) and
Mustard (Must Do) Saturday! 

When a ketchup bottle gets squeezed, ketchup comes out.

When a mustard bottle gets squeezed, mustard comes out.

When a christian gets squeezed, what should come out?

 LIGHT!  SALT!

LIGHT in a dark world!

SALT in a tasteless world!

LIGHT to illuminate the way!

SALT to make it appetizing! 

Jesus is telling us, in the Matthew 5 beatitudes, how a Christian is "SALT" and "LIGHT".  When a Christian gets squeezed, what should come out?  SALT!  LIGHT!  (Matthew 5:13-20)

Now, back up to where we've been in the last few months... the verses before the SALT and LIGHT verses... Matthew 5:3-8:

•  ^3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

• ⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

• ⁵ “Blessed are the gentle (meek), for they shall inherit the earth."

• ⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

• ⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

• ⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Considering the Greek, here is how I read the above:

• ^3" OH THE JOY of being poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

• ⁴ “OH THE JOY of those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

• ⁵ “ OH THE JOY of being gentle (meek), for they shall inherit the earth."

• ⁶ “OH THE JOY of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
  
• ⁷ “OH THE JOY of being merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

• ⁸ “OH THE JOY of being pure in heart, for they shall see God."

In a limited way, I have written about each of these, on this blog, over the last 12 weeks.  If you've missed something, now is the time to read or re-read past posts.

Tomorrow, LORD willing, we will begin our 2 weeks with,  

• ⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."
•  ⁹ “OH THE JOY of being peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."

Once those two weeks are over, my husband, daughter, and I should be moved to a new city and state for a new ministry.  In the midst of the move, as in past weeks, I will post when I can.

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!

 Chorus:

Turn my heart, O Lord, like rivers of water,
Turn my heart, O Lord, by Your hand;
Till my whole life flows in the river of Your Spirit,
And my name brings honor to the Lamb. (Repeat)

Verse
Lord, I surrender to Your work in me;
I rest my life within Your loving hands.

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART!

OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART - FAMILY FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY

Dear Mom,

How do you keep your heart pure?

How do you help keep your children's hearts pure?

How do you help keep your husband's heart pure?

As I grieve the loss of my mom, I keep returning to the thought, "Mom had such a pure heart!" How does that happen? Instead of writing a post about it, today God connected me with a post to read. I MUST share it with you! I can so relate to how the author grew up and what he says. I encourage you to take heed of his words!
LINK HERE!

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART...

OH, THE JOY!!!

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART - TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

If you look up the word "transform" in a dictionary, you are going to read something like this:

trans·form  

/transˈfôrm/

Verb: Make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of.

Noun: The product of a transformation.

Synonyms: verb.   change - convert - alter - metamorphose - transmute noun.   transformation - metamorphosis - conversion

The month of July found multiple transformations occur in my family:

• July 1st found my hubby hanging out at home.  His last day on the job was June 30th.  Transition!  Transformation!
• Our newest grandson entered this world on July 2nd!  What a transformation took place during the 9 months in the womb!  Then, the transformation didn't stop on arrival day: physical, intellectual, relational, and emotional transformations will occur throughout his entire lifetime. His coming has certainly changed his daddy, mommy, and brother's world... and that of his entire extended family. Yes, transition and transformation!
• Our house began to change from a cozy place to call "home on earth" to a house full of boxes, looking more like a packing plant, as we prepare for a move. Transition!  Transformation!
• On July 20th, my mom transformed from this world to paradise.  Her body became an empty shell... her soul is with her Savior!    Transition!  Transformation!
• Last night, our congregation lovingly honored my family and me, as we prepare to leave them for a new work in a new place.  Much change will occur for them... for us... Transition!  Transformation!

Lately, my life has been one big whirlwind!  Today, as a new month begins, I move out of my office and finish up the employment that I have had for the last 5 years.  Transition!    Transformation!

None of this would be possible without Jesus holding it all together for me!

I love Colossians 1.  What an encouraging scripture for times of transition and transformation.  May you be blessed by this reading beginning in verse 13:

 

^"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
     (Redeemed us!  Forgave us!  THE REASON WE CAN HAVE PURE HEARTS!)

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
¹⁶ For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.

¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

¹⁸ He is also head of the body, the church;
and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

¹⁹ For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
²⁰ and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
having made peace through the blood of His cross;
through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

²¹ And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind,
engaged in evil deeds,
²² yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death,
in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
²³ if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast,
and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard,
which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven..."

Time to become PURE IN HEART?  You can, with Jesus!

Transition from ALIENATED, HOSTILE, AND EVIL

TO

RECONCILED, HOLY, BLAMELESS, and 

BEYOND REPROACH...

TRANSITION!  TRANSFORMATION!

BLESSED! 

OH, THE JOY OF BEING PURE IN HEART!