Let's Get Active - Peace

1) Peace is a Pursuit

Isaiah 55:12 NKJV

12 “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Hebrews 12:14–15 NKJV

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Hebrews 12:14–15 NKJV

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Psalm 34:14 NKJV

14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

Romans 14:19 NKJV

19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

2) Pursuing Peace is Harder When You Feel Victimized

Background of Psalm 34

Psalm 34:14–20 NKJV

14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.

In the midst of David’s writing about the pursuit of peace when he was wronged, there is a prophecy of the crucified Christ

Isaiah 53:1–6 NKJV

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

3) Pursuing Peace is My Responsibility

Romans 12:17–19 NKJV

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

How To Activate Peace in Relationships: 1) Hold Your Peace

hold (one's) peace - to stay quiet despite wanting to say something.

Matthew 27:11–14 NKJV

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Exodus 14:14 NKJV

14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Aramaic Bible in Plain English: “LORD JEHOVAH will fight for your persons when you will be calm”

How to Activate Peace in Relationships: 1) Hold Your Peace 2) Keep the Relationship Open

Matthew 5:39 NKJV

39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Is Turning the Other Cheek a Jewish Value? - Questions ...

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1791975

Published: Mar 27, 2012

Author: Yehuda Shurpin

Estimated Reading Time: 7 mins

turning the other cheek "the turning of the other cheek" mean't not to bear a grudge, not to let 'the sun go down on your anger'. It has nothing to do with lex talionis or otherwise. Self defence is encouraged in both Jewish and 'Christian' writings. Neither does the Torah tell one to walk tall but carry a big stick.

Turning the Other Cheek in Jewish Law | Torah Musings

https://www.torahmusings.com/2014/11/turning-the-other-cheek-in-jewish-law

Nov 11, 2014 · Nov 11, 2014 · It is a reconciliation, the mending of a rift. As such, true forgiveness requires two parties, the offender to apologize and the victim to forgive. If someone is unrepentant, he cannot be forgiven. When you turn the other cheek and allow an assailant to hit you again, your attempt to forgive is violently rejected.

Offer forgiveness Even When It Isn’t Sought. Consider the other’s perspective.

Philippians 2:4 NKJV

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

4) God’s Desire for You is Peace

John 14:26–28 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Jehovah shalom (Yahweh shalom) The Lord is Peace

Jehovah shalom is one of three names for God that was actually given to an altar. It happened when the angel of Yahweh (the LORD) visited Gideon to recruit him as a new judge over Israel to deliver the nation from the Midianites. Gideon thought that he would die because he had seen the angel. God spoke to Him and said, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die” (Judg. 6:23 NIV). The incident made such an impression on Gideon that he built an altar in Ophrah and gave it the name Jehovah shalom. Altars made of uncut stones lasted for centuries in the relatively dry climate of Israel.

Shalom is not just an absence of noise or strife. The word shalom speaks of wholeness and harmony with oneself and others, and of completion and fulfillment. As Jesus said, it is a peace far beyond the world’s peace (John 14:27; 16:33). The ultimate peace is peace with God.

How to Activate Peace in Your Life: 1) Shift Your Focus

Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 NKJV

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

How to Activate Peace in Your Life: 1) Shift Your Focus 2) Worship

1 Samuel 16:15–23 NKJV

15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” 18 Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

It Is Well Story

How to Activate Peace In Your Life: 1) Shift Your Focus 2) Worship 3) Give Your Problems To God

Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV

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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Deuteronomy 4:29 NKJV

29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Jeremiah 29:11–13 NKJV

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:14 NKJV

14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

Hezekiah Story