Psalm 34:12-16
“Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it,” Psalm 34:13, 14.
Have you ever watched one of those televised beauty pageants? Then you probably heard the phrase world peace. It is the stereotypical pageant contestant’s answer. It is really cliché, but really, who doesn’t want to see peace?
We may not be seeking world peace, however we would all like to see peace in our own lives. But are we entitled to peace? Should peace just automatically come our way? We may not directly say that, but many times we act as though we deserve it.
Nevertheless, peace does not come without effort. We learn in today’s Scripture that we are to “seek peace” (verse 14). Instead of sitting back and expecting our lives to be filled with tranquility, we should be pursuing opportunities to cultivate peace. Instead, many times we do nothing and complain when conflict and chaos come.
One key way we can pursue peace is by watching what we say. There is nothing that can cause conflict in relationships faster than a loose tongue. This passage commands us to “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile” (verse 13). This sounds really good and makes a lot of sense, but it is not always easy to accomplish. In the New Testament book of James, we are shown how difficult the tongue is to tame, however, if we want peace we must learn how to be peacemakers.
Peacemaking begins with you and me. If we are going to have peaceable relationships it is going to take effort. If you desire a more peaceful life, then make peacemaking a priority.
JUST ASKING
How are you making daily efforts to keep thy tongue?
Nathan Rogers
HEAVEN’S OFFER: A LIFE OF ADVANTAGE!
William Andrew Dillard
Enduring and mighty lessons spring from what many may see as strange and perplexing events in the Old Testament. Such is the case of the patriarch Jacob wrestling all night with an angel as recorded in Genesis 32.
In context, Jacob was returning from Padam-aram (modern Iraq) with his wives, children, livestock, and substance to his parental homeland. He was under a death threat from his brother, Esau who sold Jacob his birthright, but was extremely angered when Jacob engaged in trickery to actually obtain it. News had come to Jacob that Esau was coming with hundreds of armed men, so he assumed the worst and implemented a cunning plan of appeasement to preserve life and achieve peace.
Moreover, in the long night before meeting his brother, Jacob is said to have wrestled with an angel until the dawning of day. Refusing to release hold on the angel until he should be blessed, Jacob was given his blessing, and with it a change of name to “Israel.”
“Israel” is a composite of two words: “Sara(h)” “prince(ss), royalty, possessor of power” and “El” “God”; hence, one who has power with God and prevails. This new word became the name of the patriarch from that day forward. Moreover, that name was transferred to the aggregate of his offspring, the Hebrew people who were the Old Testament people of covenant with God, and through Whose power they prevailed often against impossible odds. They had a real advantage (inside track) with God, But it was not after the flesh, but of God’s choosing.
Today, the homeland of the Jewish people is referred to as Israel, but what made that name significant, the presence and power of God, was withdrawn upon their final rejection of their Messiah Who said of them, ”Behold, your house is left unto you desolate…” Luke 13:35.
Jesus had come not only to pay the sin penalty for mankind, which men could not pay, but to bring His covenant people out from under the dispensation of law into the marvelous New Covenant of Grace. A remnant did so follow the Lord, and He also graciously incorporated the nations of all who would believe and follow Him. Hence, the beloved apostle Paul tells us that the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ is “the Israel of God.” Galatians 6:16. So long as the grace of God is extended in this dispensation of time called “today,” men have the blessed privilege of being a part of that Israel, “One who has power with God and prevails, even His people of the New Covenant.” Do you have an obedient and talking relationship with God? It really is an advantage of blessings both in time and in eternity!
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