Stronger together (Part 10) : Be at Peace with One Another

Be at peace with one another

One of the biggest challenges we have face over the last few years is how to maintain peace amongst us.

So many opportunities to disagree on.

and disagreement can often rob us of our peace,

it doesn’t have too, but we often allow it!

So how do we be at peace with one another as the BIble commands?

Romans 12:16–21 NASB95

16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let’s pray

There is a distinction made here bewteen having inner peace and having peace between each other.

John 14:27 NASB95

27 “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.

Inner peace comes from God and does not need to reflect the relational aspect

What I mean by this, is the peace God gives us is not dependant upon your situation.

We can still have peace in the storm

It really boils down to trusting God at His word

def Peace

a state of tranquility or quiet

I’ve associated Peace with rest.

Have you ever noticed its very hard to rest when your not at peace.

but when your at peace rest comes naturally

To maintain the peace Jesus giveyou really only have to believe 2 things:

#1 If you believe God is Good,

Exodus 34:6 NASB95

6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;

Psalm 145:9 NASB95

9 The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.

1 Chronicles 16:34 NASB95

34 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

#2 He is working everything out for our good

Romans 8:28 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

If you truly believe these 2 statements

Its very easy to be at peace.

If the enemy can convice you that either of these 2 statements are NOT true for you

Its very difficult to walk in the peace the Jesus gives us.

Philippians 4:6–9 NASB95

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 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. 9 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.

Great advice to maintaining internal peace.

But that’s not the aspect of peace I want to focus on today.

Be at Peace with one another

rather I want to to talk about the command to be at peace with one another.

Mark 9:50 NASB95

50 “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

1 Thessalonians 5:13 NASB95

13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

Romans 14:19 NASB95

19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

Hebrews 12:14 NASB95

14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:11 NASB95

11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Romans 12:18 NASB95

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

so far as it depends on you

peace between 2 requires 2 people wanting peace,

if 1 doesn’t want peace, then there will be no peace.

How to be at peace with one another

I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man’s reasoning powers are not above the monkey’s.” –Mark Twain

“Never discuss politics or religion in polite company.”

The thinking is simply this, if we don’t talk about it then we don’t give rise to disagreement

I know this is a stance many of you take.

if we don’t talk about it we can all remains friends

“The way to remain at peace is to just not talk about it”

There’s a problem with that!

not only is it easy for a person to remain is a deceitful state.

it give room for the enemy to operate in what’s not being said.

when the conversation is avoided division has already taken place.

The key to mainatining peace between people is not to avoid the converation

but rather to honor each of the people involved in the discussion.

We will have disagreements.

you put 3 Christians in a room you come out with 4 opinions

And yes disagreements can lead to divsion and seperations.

but only when honour is removed can that happen

When you value being right over the relationship

you will have division.

But if you honor one another it is possible to have the tough conversations

and likely both parties will be better for it

Pastor Trevor spoke on honor on Oct 23 if you need a refressher on it

So How can we have peace with one another and not just put our head in the sand.

1. watch what you say

Titus 3:2 NASB95

2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

Ephesians 4:29 NASB95

29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Speak truth in Love

Ephesians 4:15 NASB95

15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

It’s not true because you saw it on facebook, or heard about it around the watercooler

its only true if it comes from God’s lips

Truth can be a detructive weapon if not weilded in love.

take a second and think about what your want to say, then ask God to help you say it in a way that would be best received

Proverbs 29:20 NASB95

20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

2. Listen to their perspective

One of the biggest problems in society today is many want to be heard but very few want to listen

the thing is the person speaking isn’t the one learning!

James 1:19 NASB95

19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

3. Fellowship with like minded people

I’m not taking about an isolation bubble like twitter and facebook

where the agorithim causes people to believe everyone thinks the way they do, because thats all they ever see

Proverbs 27:17 NASB95

17 Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.

The way you sharpen a blade is by removing part of the blade

you grind it down till its edge is uniform

that’s what makes it sharp

spending time with Godly people to help you scrape off some bad ideas

4. Exercise Godly wisdom

James 3:17–18 NASB95

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Know what to say and when to say it. that’s wisdom.

5. Mind Your business

1 Thessalonians 4:11 NASB95

11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

One of the biggest issues today is people want to fix the world before they’ve fixed their own life.

maybe you try to fix your spouse before you make yourself right

Luke 6:42 NASB95

42 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

6. don’t be offended easily

Colossians 3:13 NLT

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

1 Corinthians 10:32–33 NASB95

32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

7. Agree to disagree

Sometimes you just can’t come to an agreement. that’s OK

Romans 14:1–23 NASB95

1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

NOt only are we called to have peace towards one another, but we are also called to stand in the Gap for others without peace.

We are to be peacemakers

Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 NASB95

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

One of my roles as a pastor is to be a peacemaker.

where it during marriage counselling

or family counselling

I often get to be right in the middle of a conflict.

let me tell you this. the only way to survive that is by allowing the Holy spirit to mnister through you.

You have that calling as well,