LIVING AT PEACE IN A TROUBLED WORLD – PART ONE

Hello friends. I am glad to meet you again on air at this point in time. We want to thank GOD for your life, that you have been fervent in your interest in this program. We are normally encouraged when we receive feedback from you. Kindly drop a word or call to indicate your reservations so that we can keep improving.

I shall begin a new series or broadcast titled, Living at Peace in a Troubled World.

LIVING AT PEACE IN A TROUBLED WORLD

We shall take our reading from Romans 12:14-21

Romans 12:14-21

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let us pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly FATHER, The FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, as we begin this new series – the new series of living at peace in a troubled world, grant that YOUR people will hear the Word, and the Word will influence, affect, impart, transform their lives for good…in JESUS’ Mighty Name I pray. AMEN!

Friends, hear what the bible says, as we look at the Word of GOD. We will be guided by what the bible is saying, and try to change our attitude and our stand according to the Word of GOD. And I pray that the LORD will roll away the veil of misunderstanding already there in the heart and deal with the strong hatred already entrenched in the hearts of men and women occasioned by their experiences. This is our prayer…in JESUS’ Mighty Name.

GOD originally created humanity to live in a very peaceful environment. In The Account of Creation in The Book of Genesis, we read of an environment of peace, quietness and tranquility. There was nothing there to disturb the peace. However, when sin entered the human race, that peace was lost. Other things followed very quickly including confusion, frustration, suspicion, accusation, deception and many other problems that truncated the peace from humanity.

Reverend Danny Marcaine listed some of the consequences that came in as a result of the fall into sin. There are, he listed, Ethnic battles, political fights for supremacy, religious conflicts, interfamily quarrels, town and campus cultic clashes, proliferation of occultic practices, interpersonal disputes, spiritual disowners, interchurch crisis, gender disputes and of course cultural wars. The list is inexhaustible. None of these promotes peace – rather they disturb the peace in our lives and societies. The greatest tragedy is that human beings do not have peace within themselves. There is conflict within our hearts. Some will like to live in peace, but the intra-conflict within them will not give way. The bible describes this as the flesh warring against the spirit and the spirit warring against the flesh. The winner of this inner battle controls the total man.

One peculiar nature of man is the desire for peace. Man desires peace. Invariably peace was lost due to the entrance of sin in the environment. But the desire for peace is not lost. Something in the heart of every person longs for peace. Something within us reaches out and seeks after peace. Something in us is empty and incomplete without peace. Why is peace elusive to mankind?

In the Book of Romans 5:1

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

That’s the Word of GOD. Having been justified by faith, we have peace GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Apostle Paul addresses this issue of peace. He said, therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST. This verse introduces the theological concept of justification. Justification means: the action of declaring or making [one] righteous in the sight of GOD. The process of receiving justification or being justified is through repentance. Repentance is the activity of reviewing one’s actions and feeling contrition or regret for the past wrongs. The feeling of regret brings sorrow over the specific sin or series of sins that the individual has committed. This feeling of sorrow is followed by a turning-away from that sin or sins and turning to GOD for help. GOD in HIS mercy has provided forgiveness through the Blood of HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. HIS Blood was shed on the cross at Calvary. Through faith in the power of the Blood of JESUS one obtains forgiveness for sins committed. And one makes strong commitment to refrain from sinning. This is the only basis for GOD’s legal ruling: that the sinner is not guilty, and is now declared innocent, and can stand before GOD, clothed in the perfect righteousness of CHRIST, received as a free gift, not through any act of righteousness or works done by the individual. The person is no more condemned before GOD. It is this justification that ushers in peace with GOD.

No person can be at peace with other individuals without first making peace with GOD. The beginning of enjoying peace with other people or fellow believers is to have peace with GOD. This is the peace our LORD JESUS CHRIST introduced, and it is called, peace that passes all understanding. Peace with GOD stops the struggle within the heart. Beloved friends, unless you are at peace with yourself and with GOD, you cannot implement some of the biblical directives in our text.

How can you bless those who persecute you? How can you cease from cursing them? How can you refrain from repaying evil for evil? If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. Friends, do you see that you need to be at peace with GOD and with yourself? The only way to be at peace with GOD is through repentance – through repentance.

Join me in this prayer as we close today.

PRAYER

O GOD, the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOU know the secrets of my heart. No sin is hidden from YOU. I regret and repent of my sins. I surrender my life to YOU. Let YOUR Spirit take control of my life and cleanse me from my sins.

Let me pray for you.

FATHER in heaven, the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Author of Peace in troubled times like these, receive as many as come to YOU in repentance. Blot out their sins, and let YOUR Spirit take control of their lives. And grant them peace…in JESUS Mighty Name I pray. And I also ask, Mighty FATHER, that I stand in YOUR Name to pull down the strong mindset already there that will not allow them to hear the true WORD of GOD – the Word of GOD to penetrate their hearts. I ask, O GOD, that YOU will roll away, GOD our FATHER, the cloud that is standing over their hearts, and will not allow them to see the things from the biblical point of view. This is our prayer…in JESUS Mighty Name. AMEN!