Articles
Pursue Peace with all People
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” It is our faith that we believe God spoke the universe into existence, that Jesus truly was the Son of God and died on the cross for all of us. And to me faith is a verb. It is always causing an action. It can be positive, or it can be negative. And in Hebrews 11 we read of some heroes of faith in the Old Testament. And as we read their examples of extraordinary faith, we see there is an action attached to it. And as we read these accounts of faith, it should motivate and stir us to good works.
And after the writer has stirred us up and motivated us to go out to do our Father’s business he goes right into the discipline of God. He lets us know not to burn ourselves out and that we need to pace ourselves so that we can finish the race in verse 1. We can have misplaced zeal. And it is by our faith that we accept God as our Father and allow Him to discipline us in His ways. We want to ensure that our good works are pleasing to Him and not in vain. Cain offered a sacrifice, but God didn’t respect it. (Genesis 4:6) We must be following His guidelines and discipline. In Hebrews 12:9, he even references that you paid respect to your earthly fathers who corrected us. The earthly father may try to keep alive in this life, but the Heavenly Father will give you eternal life. After we have been through the chastening then we will be able to yield peaceable fruit of righteousness.
But I want us to draw attention to Hebrews 12:14: "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Jesus always showed peace towards those He came into contact with. It also has a cross reference to Psalm 34:14 "Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it." As we go about our day let us do so in peace. Let us be those people that use that speech that is seasoned with salt. A kind word can disarm even the hardest of hearts at times. We should be trying to bring people closer to us so that we can bring them to Jesus, not push them away. Everyone loves gifts. Let’s give them the greatest gift that we can give them. Let’s show them how to have a relationship with Jesus and what they need to do in order to receive that eternal life. A person at peace with God will attract those around them. And as we are dealing with others with all peace, let us also ensure that our holiness isn't compromised, and we don't allow others to compromise theirs. Even if they are nasty and ugly to us, it doesn’t give us the excuse to be as well. Jesus tells Peter that he is to forgive his brother seventy times seven times. If that is how we are to treat a brother, shouldn’t a stranger be treated even better. Jesus gives us the sad reminder that if the world hates us, that it hated Him first (John 15:18). And as Hebrews 12 closes the writer reminds us of “since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.
There is absolutely nothing that God cannot do, and He loved you enough to allow His son to be put to death so that we would not be enemies anymore but reconciled together again. But you have to do your part and submit. Submit wholly to His will and becomes His child and allow Him to be your Father and allow Him to be your guide. As long as there is breath in your lungs it is not too late!!! " O, why not tonight?"
