A Promoter of Peace

Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones helped me understand the responsibilities of peacemakers, who they are, and who they are not. What are their characteristics?

A Promoter of Peace

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

(Acts 10:38)

This week in our devotions we are discussing peace: what it is and how to bring it about, that is, be a peacemaker. I love this verse from Acts. One of the ways Jesus went about doing good, I believe, was by bringing peace to sorrowful souls. Just think about how Mary and Martha felt in John 11 when Jesus raised their brother from the dead. Oh, the joy, peace, and excitement that one miracle brought to this family.

There are many ways to be a peacemaker and help bring about reconciliation. Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones helped me better understand the responsibilities of peacemakers, who they are, and who they are not. He writes that the first and primary characteristic of those who promote peace is, "you learn not to speak. If only we could all control our tongues, there would be much less discord in this world." When someone says something and you are tempted to reply, do not say anything. "Do not repeat things when you know they are going to do harm." This is great advice for promoting peace among families, businesses, and especially in churches. "We must control our tongues and our lips. The peacemaker is a man who does not say things. He often feels like saying them, but for the sake of peace, he does not."

Second, Jones instructs us to view every "situation in light of the Gospel." How will the issue bring about a blessing and a furtherance of the Gospel? The third principle he gives is, "You must now become positive and go out of your way to look for means and methods of making peace." He says at this point, before we speak, we humble ourselves, perhaps even apologizing and then trying to be friendly, and we must do all we can to produce peace. The fourth thing he offered his church at Westminster Chapel in London, England, and what he offers the reader today is, "as peacemakers, we should be endeavoring to diffuse peace wherever we are. We do this by being selfless, by being lovable, by being approachable, and by not standing on our own dignity." (Source: Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, p. 106-07)

His words are convicting, are they not? But they are so very true. Think about the peace that would flood our lives if we lived by these principles of being a peacemaker.

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Podcast of the Week

A Man Who is Impacting the World: Dr. David Wheeler

Pastor Danny welcomes to the show Dr. David Wheeler, professor of evangelism at Liberty University and advisor for the Liberty Pastoral Counseling Center. He also serves as one of the Campus Pastors. David discusses evangelism and vocational ministry as well as sharing his testimony and experience at Liberty University.

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