Blessed Are The PeaceMAKERS

Guest Lane Chaplin on Slice of Laodicea posted this on how we are called to be peacemakers and not peacekeepers. Listen to the sermon by Mark Kielar of First Baptist Church of Boynton Beach. It is an absolutely fabulous point on what exactly being a peacemaker is about. I encourage all those who are sharing their faith to take some time to listen to this one hour sermon.

Here is an excerpt from the post Blessed are the PeaceMAKERS (Not the PeaceKEEPERS):

"One of the charges Ingrid is met with often here at Slice as do many of us meet is that we are trouble makers who cause division in the Body. We are told that we should basically be pacifists who allow any and all error into our lives and practice and are scolded for even taking the time and effort to discern what exactly error is. This is propagated largely and very often by those professing the name of Christ who are carnal hypocrites because they wouldn’t hold the same philosophy of wanting others to accept everything regardless if it’s error if they were to see their child about to eat paint chips or chop off their finger by placing it next to a power saw. Since a Christian is defined by the Bible and the Bible says that it’s the one who points out error to make peace instead of lying about the “peace” that is already there which is basically keeping a veneer over false peace, shouldn’t we relinquish our subjective opinions to the authority of God?"

See full post and link to sermon here.

Spiritual Sickness

Have you noticed lately there seems to be a lot of people that are sick? I think I probably notice it more since I have been one of them. About a month ago, I got really sick. I had all kinds of ultrasounds and tests done, blood drawn, and even nuclear medicine pumped into me that made my organs glow! Thankfully, nothing too serious was found.

But I noticed it. While at the hospital having tests done I saw all the people there. I saw them picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy. I heard about sickness going on in my friends and family. And I wondered. What is going on?

I can see how sickness can make many people think that God is not there. I can see how people can be deceived by the Word of Faith teachers (Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Todd Bentley and others) who say that if you are sick you must not have enough faith. I can see how people can think that God doesn't want anybody sick and that they must have some huge sin in their life that they better deal with. Job's friends told him that. All of his troubles had to have been caused by sin -- there was no other explanation.

My soul searching for several years now as to just what was going on with me did indeed uncover unconfessed sin in my life. I do not doubt that God used this suffering in my life to show me exactly where my heart was -- and it wasn't with Him. God allowed the misery to show me that there is more to life than my circumstances. The bottom line is the reason we do suffer whether it be sickness, persecution or otherwise is because we are living in a sinful, fallen world. There is not one of us who is not a sinner and therefore could be subject to sickness and suffering at anytime. I believe God definitely uses these trials as times of testing, chastening, discipline and to remind us that we are not yet perfected in Him. I am a sinner. Job was a sinner. We are all sinners. God perhaps used sickness in my life to show me that I wasn't so humble after all. I wasn't following Him like it looked like I was. And that was frightening. It still is and I am still learning.

Even now, I am going through a time in my life where I just want to be well again. At times, it has become so consuming that it has stopped me in my tracks and kept me from doing the things that I need to be doing such as evangelizing, praying, being a parent and wife. God specifically showed me that my health was, well, my idol. I was worshiping it and I became extremely fearful. I was leaning on my own understanding about what was happening. I was doing everything to try and make it better for myself without trusting God. My prayers were full of complaining and whining. I went though so many scenarios of what could be wrong with me. Come to find out God doesn't really care so much about the physical....it is the SPIRITUAL that is important to Him. He uses the physical sometimes to shake up the spiritual. He uses the physical to make us trust in Him, to test us, and to discipline us. He uses it for His power and His glory.

We know that sin is not always the cause. Remember the parable about the man who was born blind (John 9)? The disciples asked what sin he or his parents had committed that he was born this way. Jesus answered that it was no sin that had made him blind but so that the works of God could be revealed. This particular man was born blind so that Jesus could heal him while he walked on earth and that God's glory would be seen by all!

Another explanation comes from 2 Corinthians 12. Paul was plagued by a thorn in his side that God put there to keep him from being proud. We don't know what it was (some studies elude that it was an eye problem) but we do know that obviously it bothered him and he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove it. The Lord answers him in 2 Corinthians 12:9-11, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul goes on to say that he will boast all the more gladly of his weakness so that the power of Christ could rest upon him. Concentrating on my sickness was a weakness for me. I was weak in my own strength. But God used it for good. And, sometimes it is down right hard to boast about it.

Have you ever noticed when you go to a doctor they never ask or seem concerned about what you are eating? They listen to our list of symptoms and then they jot down on their notepad a prescription and then send you out the door. God is not concerned with just giving us something that will make us feel better for a little while. He is not concerned with the symptoms. He is concerned and sent His Son to die for the cause -- our sin.

God is not concerned with just giving us something that will make us feel better for a little while. He is not concerned with the symptoms. He is concerned and sent His Son to die for the cause -- our sin.

So what food are you eating? Are you eating from the vine of life? What is coming out of your heart? Living continually in the sin of this world will make us sick just like eating things that are bad for you can make you sick (*see more on this below). The good news is that God has all ready healed that sickness. He suffered and died on the cross for it! One of the verses in the Bible that is always misinterpreted is 1 Peter 2:24 which says in part "by His stripes you were healed." This does not mean physical healing but a healing from the eternal sting of sin (read the whole verse in context). I do believe God heals in the physical but it is His choice if He wants to or not. I also believe that there is a reason that God does what He does and we should not question it but learn from it. He is a merciful God and full of loving kindness. But sometimes He will crush us to make us righteous.

And so I rejoice in my weakness for when I am weak then I am strong! I rejoice in renewed hope and joy!!

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

*(While God did show me where my heart was during this time I did have some things that were continuing to bother me. I continued to cry out to God for answers and He began to show me things regarding my nutrition and hormones. Our body is a temple for God and do believe that what I was eating has some to do with health issues. The food in this country is certainly not what it was in Bible times (it is highly processed) and I think careful consideration and study in this area is important as well. We are each individuals and I think the key is crying out to God for answers as to what He might be working in our lives whether it be physical or spiritual. Even if you don't find the answers regarding physical matters don't neglect the spiritual. Your eternal life depends on it. If you want more information on some interesting nutritional things that I have discovered please contact me.)