Text 986, 147 rader
Skriven 2006-03-30 02:40:16 av Bob Hoffman (8:8/2)
Ärende: Prayer, Thanksgiving, Praise
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Faith's Checkbook  
Charles H. Spurgeon
Mar 29, 2006

 

March 30 
Prayer, Thanksgiving, Praise 

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). 

No care but all prayer. No anxiety but much joyful communion with God. Carry
your desires to the LORD of your life, the guardian of your soul. Go to Him
with two portions of prayer and one of fragrant praise. Do not pray doubtfully
but thankfully. Consider that you have your petitions, and therefore thank God
for His grace. He is giving you grace; give Him thanks. Hide nothing. Allow no
want to lie rankling in your bosom; "make known your requests." Run not to man.
Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in Him. 

This shall bring you God's own peace. You shall not be able to understand the
peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart
and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or
death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every rolling
wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command? 




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Holy Halitosis?


And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."  John
20.22


Peacemakers are people who breathe grace.  They draw continually on the
goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring his love, mercy,
forgiveness, strength, and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life.  God delights
to breathe his grace through peacemakers and use them to dissipate anger,
improve understanding, promote justice, and encourage repentance and
reconciliation.


Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by
Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 11.


Food for Thought


When it comes to the believer's breath on others, it's usually one of two
aromas -- life or death.  What does your breath smell like?


Have you ever been around someone with halitosis (bad breath)?  Unless you have
the patience of Job, most of us back up a little and suddenly remember an
urgent appointment.  Those with Job's fortitude stick it out, digging around in
their pockets for a mint.  Now consider the phrase, holy halitosis.  Have you
ever been around someone with that?  Everything from their denominational
wardrobe to their Christian reading list screams HOLINESS.  But when they open
their mouths, it's anything but grace they breathe; in fact, it's usually some
variation on the theme of condemnation. 


Halitosis, of the natural kind, is usually connected in some way to what we're
taking in.  A steady diet of onions or feta cheese and voila! -- bad breath.  A
similar principle applies to the spiritual realm.  As Ken writes, we must draw
continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ.  Drawing in, or
breathing in, Christ's goodness fills our spiritual lungs with the breath of
Holy Spirit filled, lifesaving grace.  Then our tanks are full, so to speak, to
breathe out that same grace on and in the lives of others. 


We're as much peacebreathers as we are peacemakers.  There's a rhythm there as
ancient as creation itself.  Inhale and exhale.  Breathe in and breathe out. 
Grace in and grace out.  Do a little spiritual diagnosis on yourself, first,
and then on others around you.  If you find that you rarely breathe grace, it's
a red flag that you're not taking any in.  The same goes for people around you.
 The only difference is that if it's you, then some time feasting on the riches
of God's grace is in order.  Take.  Eat.  If it's your neighbor, then you may
be the vessel that God wants to use to bring grace and peace to a troubled
soul, marriage, or household.  Breathe on us, breath of God! 




 
 
 

 
 
 

Resources to Help You Respond to Conflict Biblically


As we interact with other people, we must constantly make judgements about
their words and actions so that we can respond to them appropriately. But the
Bible warns that we are prone to look for the worst in people at times, and we
judge them more critically than they deserve. Judging Others: The Dangers of
Playing God, a booklet by Ken Sande, provides practical ways to guard against
this tendency and to follow Jesus' example of making accurate and charitable
judgements about others. You may order Judging Others through our online
bookstore for just $1.95, or call our Resource Center at 800-711-7118.
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 



PeaceMeal is a weekly e-publication of Peacemaker Ministries
(www.Peacemaker.net). All Rights Reserved.


 



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