Are you like a tree...faithfully holding your ground...

Divine Call for Justice, Integrity, and Wisdom

Thus says the LORD, "Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the oppressor's hand. And do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place… These six things the LORD hates; yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that plots wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, and he who sows discord among brethren… Behold, I am sending you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. (Jer 22:3… Pro 6:16-19… Mat 10:16)

Living Righteously in a Challenging World: A Call to Shine as Lights

For it is God Who works in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Do all things without complaints and disputes; So that you may be blameless and without offense, innocent children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world… For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil works. Do you desire not to be afraid of the authority? Then practice good, and you will have praise from it; For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you are practicing evil, have fear! For he does not wear the sword in vain because he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to the one who is practicing evil… Do not render to anyone evil for evil, but be prepared to do what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, as much as is your part, be at peace with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves; rather, leave this to God's wrath; for it is written, " 'Vengeance is Mine! I will recompense,' says the Lord." Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in doing this you will be heaping coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good… (Php 2:13-15… Rom 13:3-4… Rom 12:17-21)

The Role of Peacemakers in Upholding Divine Principles

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Mat 5:9)

1. Peace is something you do not say…words of Truth can create peace but must be said...in Truth and Love…violence creates more violence…but the only way to end violence when words will not be received for peace is to meet a violence with violence.

2. Just treatment of the enemies of peace…Jesus said to bless your enemies not curse them…not to join the enemies of peace but to feed and water your enemies by doing so you will reap coals of fire on their head.

3. The Best a soul can do is what is right by our Creator when he learns the Truth.

4. A peacemaker desires…to harm no soul including their own…to keep the innocent innocent…the harmless harmless…and to shed no innocent blood.

5. Peacemaking stops the evil doer and keeps the innocent harmless and the harmless innocent. Peacemakers must exercise self-control and not act not out of self-will but out of love knowing love does not work ill-will towards its neighbor or enemies but seeks peace and what is best for all innocent souls.

Pause for Prayer and Devotion to God…a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus…

https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend

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To the church leadership

To the church leadership,

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint, dill, and cumin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith these you ought to have done and not to leave the other undone, you blind guides, which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel” Matt 23:23-24

There are three things that Jesus told the religious leaders of His day that they should have done:

1. Judgment – denotes the process of investigation, the act of distinguishing and separating, as in passing judgment upon another person or thing, in this passage it means the standard of judgment as in Just Dealings.

2. Mercy – Is the outward manifestation of pity, it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the part of who shows it.

3. Faith – In this verse means trustworthiness

Elders, deacons, ministers, and Christians this applies to us. The leadership of the church are often asked to help out the needy or to help others in sticky situations. With the rise of divorce in America the elders ought to be very busy working out the problems of their sheep. The same is true of family ministers and deacons that oversee similar works. People have problems and many times the leadership just does not get involved with the lives of its members or perhaps members never tell the leadership they have issues. Is that not the job of an elder? To be the father like figure to handle the squabbles of the children? When brethren have problems they call the elders. When my children have problems they call on me.

One of three things Jesus said was being neglected was just dealings or judgment. Do we try to profit from everything we do for other people? Are we trying to better ourselves at the expense of others? Are we investing and giving of our time and talents to help others?

Mercy was the second. When you run into someone in need, a brother or sister, do we take the care needed and be the hands and feet of God. Do we meet their needs or do we say a prayer and move on hoping someone else will take care of them. John said how can you love God who you have not seen when you show no love to the brother that you see.

Faith was the third- trustworthy. Are you trust worthy? Are you faithful in the little things? If someone shares their struggle with sin, do you share that with others? Or do you pray and encourage alongside of them?

I have heard ministers, elders, etc say that they are unqualified to help counsel people and their problems and refer others to professional counselors. Are we becoming so void of truth that we have to turn to the wisdom of this world and its principles instead of what would Jesus do? Is God's word not living and the words of psychology professors and founders not dead? Why would we turn someone away from God’s instruction to man’s instruction?

Father help free us from the world and its wisdom and principles and turn to your living word that is never sown void, In Jesus name may it be so