Monday, February 26, 2018

James 3:18


And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.


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Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Jesus Christ is coming soon to gather the church to HIMSELF.

The apostle Peter told us to be diligent to be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.  II Peter 3:14

We must diligently keep ourselves in peace by taking every troubling matter to God in  prayer and by trusting God to give us a good heart in the situation.

Although we might not know how to bring peace to a situation, God does know.

James 1:5     If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.


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In 2017, I had some physical problem which was like the flu.

My cleaning woman, who has often been kind to me, wanted to help in the matter.  I did end up going to doctor (after praying) and I began taking a type of penicillin which helped greatly.

After I began getting better, my cleaning woman began to accuse me for failing to take flu shot.

But I do not have faith in flu shot and did not feel led by God to get flu shot.  

I began dreading seeing cleaning woman again.  (She comes to my house every Monday afternoon.)

There seemed no way to come to agreement nor to live in peace with her.  Our ways are very different concerning this life.

I prayed.

Then God led me as follows:  "Just focus on that which she does well."

The thing she does well is cleaning.  When other thoughts tried to come to me, I made my mind focus on her cleaning, which is excellent.  When I thought on that, I was at peace with her.

If I had tried to instruct her in the way of following God, I do not believe I would have been at peace.  I believe this would have led to needless strife.

God knows how to keep our heart at peace even when there is a division and difference in our ways.

This is an example of God working to cause my heart to be right in the situation.


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A few years ago, one of my neighbors became angry with me.  I tried to apologize but she hung up phone and said she wasn't interested.  

For several years this hostility continued.

One day recently, I saw this woman coming into grocery as I was leaving and we were just about 3 feet from each other.  We glanced at each other and then both of us looked straight ahead, failing to acknowledge one another.

I was very grieved over this.

Both of us were wrong and I knew it.

I began crying out to God for help.

A few days later, I was in kitchen and looked out window and saw this woman at her mailbox.

I went directly to her, humbling myself to apologize.

She was totally different toward me this time, accepting me... and she began telling me about her life.

A few months passed.  

This last week,  I noticed her house was dark.  It looked like she was not home.  I hoped she was okay.  She is approximately 86-years-old now.

I considered how much my own heart has changed toward her, for now I really do want her to be well.  But if she should die, I would be so glad we were living in peace toward one another before she died.

When we make peace with one another through the leading of God we view everything differently.


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Peace:

- a quiet, calm state of mind toward another person
- untroubled concerning another person
- absence of hostility
- freedom from anxiety, agitation, dread
- end hostilities
- freedom from strife or disorder 
- untroubled

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One day I was at beauty shop and when I turned around I saw a woman rushing down the other side of the room heading toward a separate area in the shop.

I knew she was trying to avoid me.  My flesh reacted by wanting to hide from her.

This is wrong!

I prayed.  How can this be resolved? I asked God.

The next morning I awoke knowing to contact her and ask her if she saw me at beauty shop.

I asked her this and she said she did see me.  She apologized for what she did.

Since that time there has been no problem in communicating with her and I know God has straightened out both our hearts.


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But only God can make peace where there has been trouble. 

God's way will work.  We must turn to God asking HIM to show us what to do and then wait until we see what to do.

We can make things even worse by trying to make things happen without being led by God.

Just pray until you are sure God shows you something and each time the person is called to mind pray again.


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The day of the Lord when Jesus returns for the church is coming.

Jesus says:  

Luke 21:34-36    And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (over indulgence), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

When we "pray always" in each issue of life that troubles us, we connect ourselves continually to God and to HIS way, causing us to "be worthy" to escape the great tribulation that is coming upon all the earth.


The apostle Peter instructs us:

II Peter 3:10-14    But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
 


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II Corinthians 5:9-10  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of HIM.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.


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