“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Showers of blessing are falling from above, showers of healing and showers of love, open your heart and only believe, open your heart and you will receive.
The beatitude for today’s Life Lesson is “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9. My Son is the Prince of Peace. He is your peace. Your peace with Me, yourself, and others. I AM Peace. Yahweh Shalom (יהוה שלום). My plans for you are shalom and not evil to give you a future and a hope. And Jesus brought you that shalom. Everything is summed up in Him. In Him you have everything, including His peace, His shalom.
I speak peace (shalom) to My people. The word “shalom” is a Hebrew word and it is hard to translate in its full sense. It means wholeness in every area of your life. It means good health, peace, prosperity, and the fullness of the blessing on and in you. With shalom nothing is missing, nothing is broken, and no one is alone. It is entering into the abundance and sweetness of My rest. It is what you were meant to have and be before sin entered the world—days of Heaven upon the earth. And the good news is you can have that peace and be a peacemaker for others—an ambassador of reconciliation.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
Peacemakers. In the Greek language, in which this passage was written, the word for “peacemaker” is eirénopoios (εἰρηνοποιός) which means peacemaking, a peacemaker. It is a combination of the words eiréné (εἰρήνη), which means one, peace, quietness, rest and is taken from eirō, meaning “to join, tie together into a whole,” wholeness, in the sense that all essential parts are joined together; peace as my gift of wholeness, and poieó (ποιέω), which means to make, do.
So a peacemaker is one makes and does peace in its fullest sense, and that has three components: peace with Me, peace within yourself, and peace with others, and it comes in that order but all three work together by faith, which works by love.
Let us start with peace with Me. In Jesus, you have it. Know this of first importance, Christ died for your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3. He bore your sins and iniquities in His own body and on the cross I punished Him for all your sins and My divine justice was satisfied. Your sins and offenses I remember no more. Hebrews 10:17. And when you believe in your heart that I delivered Jesus over because of your transgressions, and raised Him for your justification, and you confess Him as Lord, you are made righteous and saved by receiving His finished work as your own by faith. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1. My Spirit testifies that to you and witnesses with your spirit that you are My children now, so that you can call Me “Abba,” “Father,” and all that goes with that relationship.
When Jesus died, you died to sin, and when I raised Him up from the dead to everlasting life, you rose with Him before Me. There is nothing dividing you from Me when you are in Christ Jesus your Lord. We are one. You are seated with Him at My side and can come with confidence to My throne of grace, right in the Holy of Holies, at any time to receive mercy and for grace for help just when you need it. Romans 4:16. For it was My good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Myself, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:19-20.
“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 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.” Colossians 1:21-22. If you are in Christ Jesus you are at peace with Me and I am at peace with you. Forever. So settle that in your heart and in your mind.
“I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who honor and revere Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. Indeed, the LORD will give what is good.” Psalm 85:8-12. I am good. Be at peace, I will only give you good things, showers of blessing. Just open your heart to your status in Jesus and receive.
And in Jesus, I have given you the gift of peace, My peace. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27. It is not peace as the world defines it, because that goes up and down with the circumstances and has to do with force or compromise. You cannot compromise with things that are evil and have true peace. Only My Word will bring true peace.
Never compromise with the world to escape persecution. Never compromise with the world to gain praise and fame. Do not love the praise of the world more than you esteem the praise from Me so that you would compromise your faithfulness. And never compromise out of fear. I give you My peace but your part is not to let your heart be troubled or afraid. Daniel preferred to walk with Me than escape a den of hungry lions. He was at peace with Me and refused to worry about it. And I did not disappoint that kind of hope. I sent My angel to hold the lions’ mouths shut all night while Daniel was among them.
And this has to do with the next component of being peacemakers. And it is making peace with yourself. Many feel, and feelings are not faith, that they are not forgiven even though they believe Christ died for your sins. They just feel terrible remorse and pain about their past lives and mistakes and that they can never be right with Me or others. But that is not the case. I make all things new. Paul declared himself to be the worst of all sinners because of his former persecution and killing of those who believed in Me, but after I revealed My Son to him and the good news of salvation and grace, he declared that his conscience was clear. He knew and believed in the love I had for him as manifested in Christ Jesus and it made him more than a conqueror. And it gave him joy and peace beyond understanding. He was overwhelmed with gratitude. And that is the key to peace in yourself. It may sound simple but it is very deep, it is constant thanks for your life, for My love, for the fact that your sins and offenses I remember no more and that you are righteous with My own righteousness in Christ. Grateful that I truly remember your sins and offenses NO MORE. And grace to you abounds MUCH MORE now that you are saved than ever before, so even if you have sinned after being saved, My Son’s blood is making ETERNAL redemption on the mercy seat in Heaven and will wash you anew as you confess your sin to Me and to the great High Priest of your confession with confidence at My throne.
And do not permit anxiety and unrest in your soul. Remember Job? I was showering him with blessings but he feared disaster and was not at ease or living in joyful gratitude at the abundance of things I had given him. Thus, he opened his door to the devil, who brought on him what he feared and more. “For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.” Job 3:25-26. I told the Israelites that a lack of gratitude and joy for the things I had given them would make them lose them all to the evil one, to the destroyer, to their enemy. And it did.
Cast all your cares on Me because I care for you and be anxious for NOTHING, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to Me, knowing I have the answer and solution to ALL you are facing. And My shalom peace, which surpasses all worldly comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7. And Paul told you how to hold on to that peace once you cast your cares on Me, even before your answer manifests, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9. And that was how he stayed in peace despite all the persecution and troubles he daily faced in preaching the good news of salvation. Keep declaring and thanking for the good result instead of speaking the dreaded outcome.
Perfect peace have those who keep their minds fixed on Me, which is on My Word. All of My magnificent promises are “YES” to you in Jesus for He has made you righteous before Me. And My Blessings are on the head of the righteous. Proverbs 10:6.
Learn to live worry free and the good news is you can by keeping your eyes on My Word, that is, on My promises and Covenant Names. Great peace have those who love My Word. It is living and working, sharper than a two edged sword. So keep using the Sword of the Spirit and keep wearing the renewed mind of the helmet of salvation and you will have peace. NEVER let your heart be troubled or afraid. Speak to it and tell the spirit of fear and trouble to go, for that spirit is not from Me, it is an unclean spirit of the realm of darkness and you have no business entertaining it, no matter how threatening the circumstances and symptoms appear. Know that I have trained you for battle and given you the victory in Christ Jesus. Be a peacemaker to yourself by speaking the right words to yourself and only letting the thoughts that line up with My Words in your mind. Be firm about this. Answer your doubts and fears with My Word that counters them, next tell the unclean spirit to leave and not return, and then enter into worship, which will keep you in peace. I dwell in your praises, they bring Me down to take care of all that would harm you, just like I did for Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, 2 Chronicles 20, and for Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi.
And now you are ready, once you are established in righteousness – that is in peace with Me and yourself, to be a peacemaker to others and be true Sons of God. For Jesus came and preached peace to those who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him all have access in one Spirit to Me, your Abba Father. You can be ambassadors of reconciliation for My Kingdom.
But in being a peacemaker to others, I am not only speaking of your taking My message of peace to a hurting and unpeaceful world to reconcile sinners with Me. I am also speaking of the peace between brethren. I am speaking of you living in peace and not in strife and offense with others, especially with those in the household of faith. My church, your own families, your schools, and your workplaces should be places of peace and harmony, but division and pride, unforgiveness and offense, anger and malicious speech are there as well. Be careful about this or you will devour one another and tear your beautiful lives in shreds. Carnage left by the devil’s tactics that you embraced.
With respect to this matter, My servant James, by inspiration of My Spirit, pinpointed the problem to the words of your mouth which comes from what is in your heart, for the mouth speaks from the heart’s abundance. “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.” James 1:26. But on the other hand, “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.” James 3:2.
And he keeps on the theme of those who do not watch their tongues, “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can saltwater produce fresh. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:9-18.
“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.” Hebrews 10:14-15. Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. The problem is in the natural man, without My Holy Spirit in you, most people are slow to hear, quick to speak, and very quick to take offense which leads to anger and bitter roots towards others. Edify others with your words. Exhort and encourage but do it with a gentle spirit. Not harsh, hard and nagging.
And when an argument is ready to start up. Stop there. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1. Do not be a provoker, be a peacemaker. Answer calmly and reasonably. Exhort, encourage, edify, speak what gives grace to the hearer and leads them to the truth, to Jesus, to salvation. Speak the truth, but speak it in and with love.
Do not be so quick to put the blame on others. This will not make peace. Are you cranky, demanding, grumbling, complaining and being a burden in others’ lives? At least be honest with Me about this and know that I will help you. I am present as your helper.
Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Be quick to forgive as I am with you. In fact, I have forgiven you already so just make up your mind to live in love and let unforgiveness not be your style. Once you make up your mind to do this, I give you the grace, and My grace is sufficient for you. In fact, it will set you free. For unforgiveness puts you in a prison of pain and offense.
And do not be a strife maker between others. Do not repeat gossip you hear or bad or demeaning things people say about others, especially to the person they said it about. Do not be a tale bearer, let it stop with you and discourage others from telling you these things. Stop them before they get into it.
And do not be jealous or envious of others. Love the good you see and I will give it to you, and more besides. What you love will come to you, what you are jealous and envious of will never come to you. Do you know why? If you do not want another to have favor and good things in their lives, then I have to measure that standard back to you and not give you the favor and good things I have all stored up for you. Jealousy is a blocker to good in your life.
Do not bring up past offenses and hurts you have suffered to people you have supposedly forgiven. I do not do that to you. Once I forgive I forget. Your sins and offenses I remember NO MORE. It is like you NEVER did them. They are gone, like a heavy mist the sun has burned away. “I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud and your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22.
“There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” Proverbs 6:6-19.
Upbraiding, shaming, blaming should not be part of your vocabulary. And you should not be known as contentious, nagging, criticizing, scoffing, argumentative, stingy, rebellious, or the like. People will avoid you and you will certainly not be a peacemaker if you harbor these characteristics.
A peacemaker must be a good example of what it means to be a citizen of My Kingdom and an ambassador of reconciliation. Your joyful and thankful life is the best magnet to draw others to what you have—the peace that passes understanding. Never return evil for evil but conquer evil with good. Love NEVER fails. Why? I am love and I never fail. I will never leave you or forsake you. Come and follow Me and I will lead you in paths of righteousness. My ways are goodness and love.
Peacemakers are on a certain path, it is the Highway of Holiness and it is a royal road for you, My royal priesthood. “A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, and fools will not wander on it. No lion will be there, nor will any vicious beast go up on it; these will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 35:8-10.
I love you. I reward peacemakers richly for they are working for the Kingdom. Do you want to join the ranks?