Psalms 34:14 “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
Have you ever noticed how that after you have been inside of a dim building for a while then you go outside how extremely bright it seems? It is almost on the point of hurting your eyes, it seems so bright. Maybe you went back inside to find yourself a pair of sunglasses, because when you put them on the tinted glasses will diffuse that bright light and bring relief to your eyes.
Sunglasses are not the only things that can diffuse or lessen the intensity of something. You may have a pan on the stove that becomes really hot, so that you need to pour on some cold water to cool it down. Or you might have the windows down when you are driving in your vehicle when the wind starts to blow things around in the backseat, so you roll those windows up enough to calm things down. Instead of having a crazy windstorm in the back you have tranquility.
That is what peace is defined as. Tranquility, to be free from disturbance, or to be in a state of harmony between people or groups. It is this, peace, that is a quality that every Christian should seek to possess.
To be at peace with others is not to fight or argue, but some people just seen to want to fight about anything and everything. When you say something they say the opposite. Constantly trying to oppose and disagree with everything that you say. That is called being contentious, and it is the exact opposite of peace. What is the opposite of peace? War and fighting.
James 4:1-3 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
Here was an instance where James had to address an issue about there being fighting amongst the church, seemingly having to deal a large amount with covetousness, and the carnal lust and desires of the flesh. These un-godly desires were filling up the church with fighting and discord, and not with peace and harmony. They weren’t filled with love.
To live peaceably with others is what we need to do as much as possible, even in the face of evil done to you by others. Not to return evil done to you with evil back again, avenging yourself, but to seek peace with others.
Romans 12:17-19 “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
1 Peter 3:10-11 “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.”
So seek after peace. Not contention or fighting and being argumentative with others, but be filled with peace.
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 