This is post #22 of a series entitled Peacemakers for the Cause of Christ – Facilitators of God’s Peace in a World Looking for Peace. We hope you’ll enjoy these 31 podcasts and blogs that focus on our great need in today’s society for peacemakers; men, women, and children who are willing to step away from all the contempt, division, and hatred, and step in toward the blessed call of being Christ-centered peacemakers for the greater glory of God. Here you’ll find very practical and biblically-sound advice on building bridges instead of walls, offering hope instead of despair. Here’s the homepage for the entire series.

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Click on the link below to listen to the podcast version of this blog!

Truth #7:         Peacemakers Discern Where God Is Working and Join Him There.

Today’s Lectio Divina: (Jesus) said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24: 44-49 (NIV)

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As we discussed earlier in this blog/podcast series, we live in a very unique age. The time between the times. The age the New Testament calls the Last Days.

And the key distinguishing component to this dispensation (which has been going on now for nearly 2,000 years) is that this is the age of the Holy Spirit.

So, beginning approximately 40 days after Passover 33 A.D., in an upper room in the ancient city of Jerusalem, God the Father, Creator of the Universe, the One who bara’d and asah’d (see session 7.1) all life on this planet, and through the redemptive work of His Son, Jesus of Nazareth, began pouring out the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to serve as His down payment of goodness on men, women, and children from every tribe, nation, and tongue. (Acts 2: 1-21, Revelation 7: 9)

Hallelujah!

This, my friends, is the gamer-changer in life.

This is the difference between religion and relationship.

This is the key component that gives us the gift of living a peace-filled life in God vs. trying to live that same peace-filled life out of our own strength.

This is Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saves and secures a wretch like me.

This is the indwelling presence and empowering strength of God, enabling human flesh to get up out of bed each morning, raise our arms in thanksgiving to our Savior, knowing that whatever happens this day, I will never, ever be completely alone again. I’ll never be permanently overlooked again. I’ll never be intentionally unloved again. I’ll never be without a purpose and a future again. I’ll never know a final death, because Christ lives, and because the Holy Spirit dwells within, I can face today and tomorrow, knowing that in the end, I will be safe and secure in God’s peace, His comfort and care.

I like to call it: God’s Circle of Peace.

You might be saying to yourself, “Wow, Marty, that sounds almost too good to be true.”

Yes, I get it. This is one amazing promise.

And, I’ll be honest with you, there is a catch. One condition God requires for this game-changer, His Circle of Peace, to be activated in our lives.

It’s called surrender.

It’s a conscious choice, on my behalf, to take the game controller out of my own hands, and place it securely in the center of God’s hand. Or, as we call it in today’s blog/podcast title:

Preferring & Deferring to The Holy Spirit.

You see, if you and I want to be true peacemakers for the cause of Christ, living and ministering out of God’s Circle of Peace, we must learn the fine art of surrendering our daily plans for peacemaking over to this good God our Scriptures call Holy Father, Precious Son, and Indwelling & Empowering Spirit.

Paul addresses this type of daily transaction this way…

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? Galatians 5: 16-18 (MsgB)

So, are you ready to surrender today’s plans to God’s Spirit?

Are you ready to step into God’s Circle of Peace?

My Prayer: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me. Mold me. Fill me. Use me. Spirit, of the Living God, fall afresh on me. For Your Name’s sake. Amen.

A Few Questions to Ponder: When was the last time I prayed a simple prayer of surrender to God, the Father; Jesus, the Son; and the Holy Spirit? When was the last time I stopped my thoughts, my words, and my deeds long enough for there to be silence as I sit in God’s presence? When was the last time, I invited the Holy Spirit to indwell me, empower me, melt me, mold me, fill me, use me, and then waited long enough for that holy transaction to actually occur?

So, how are you experiencing God’s presence as you are becoming a peacemaker for the cause of Christ?

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Peacemakers for the Cause of Christ – Facilitators of God’s Peace in a World Looking for Peace.

We hope you’ll enjoy these 31 podcasts and blogs that focus on our great need in today’s society for peacemakers; men, women, and children who are willing to step away from all the contempt, division, and hatred, and step in toward the blessed call of being Christ-centered peacemakers for the greater glory of God. Here’s the homepage for the entire series.

If you like what you’re reading, might we suggest you share this page with others!

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