Life’s Healing Life’s Healing ChoicesChoices

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. called sons of God.

James 3:16 For where you For where you have envy and selfish have envy and selfish ambition, there you find ambition, there you find disorder and every evil disorder and every evil practice.practice.

What is a “Peacemaker”?What is a “Peacemaker”?

The problem lies within the human heart.

James 4:1-2 What causes What causes fights and quarrels among fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within your desires that battle within you? you? 2You want something but You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you You do not have, because you do not ask God.do not ask God.

John 12:25 (Living) If you love If you love your life down here--you will your life down here--you will lose it. If you despise your life lose it. If you despise your life down here--you will exchange down here--you will exchange it for eternal glory.it for eternal glory.

What does a “peacemaker” What does a “peacemaker” do?do?

1. __________ and __________ 1. __________ and __________ Listen learn

James 1:19 My dear brothers, My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become to speak and slow to become angry,angry,

James 1:20 … for man's anger … for man's anger does not bring about the does not bring about the righteous life that God righteous life that God desires.desires.

John 7:24 “Stop judging by “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”a right judgment.”

Proverbs 18:17 The first to The first to present his case seems right, present his case seems right, till another comes forward and till another comes forward and questions him.questions him.

Proverbs 18:2 Fools have no Fools have no interest in understanding; interest in understanding; they only want to air their own they only want to air their own opinions.opinions.

2. __________ and __________ 2. __________ and __________ Humility honor

Luke 6:31 Do to others as you Do to others as you would like them to do to you.would like them to do to you.

Acts 24:16 For I always take For I always take pains to have a clear pains to have a clear conscience toward God and conscience toward God and toward man. toward man.

3. __________ and __________ 3. __________ and __________ Words worth

Proverbs 26:21 As charcoal to As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.kindling strife.

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom But the wisdom that comes from heaven is that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and good fruit, impartial and sincere. sincere. 18Peacemakers who Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.of righteousness.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up helpful for building others up according to their needs, that according to their needs, that it may benefit those who it may benefit those who listen.listen.

4. __________ and __________ 4. __________ and __________ Action attitude

Take the __________ .Take the __________ .initiative

Matthew 5:23-24 ... if you are ... if you are offering your gift at the altar offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your and there remember that your brother has something against brother has something against you, you, 24leave your gift there in leave your gift there in front of the altar. front of the altar. First go and and be reconciled to your brother; be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 18:15 If your brother If your brother sins against you, sins against you, go and show and show him his fault, just between the him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother you have won your brother over.over.

Ask _____________ for your part.Ask _____________ for your part.forgiveness

Ephesians 4:3 Make every Make every effort to keep the unity of the effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of Spirit through the bond of peace. peace.

Create _____________.Create _____________.good will

Romans 12:17-18 Do not Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. the eyes of everybody. 18If it is If it is possible, as far as it depends possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with on you, live at peace with everyone. everyone.

Romans 12:19-20 Do not take Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. I will repay," says the Lord. 20On the contrary: If your On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning this, you will heap burning coals on his head.coals on his head.

they shall be called children they shall be called children of God…of God…

Colossians 1:20 …and through and through him to reconcile to himself all him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. blood, shed on the cross.

Our supreme exampleOur supreme example

1 Peter 2:20 But if you suffer But if you suffer for doing good and you for doing good and you endure it, this is endure it, this is commendable before God. commendable before God. 21To this you were called, To this you were called, because Christ suffered for because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his that you should follow in his steps.steps.

23When they hurled their When they hurled their insults at him, he did not insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who entrusted himself to him who judges justly.judges justly.

24He himself bore our sins in He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his for righteousness; by his wounds you have been wounds you have been healed. healed. 25For you were like For you were like sheep going astray, but now sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.your souls.