House of Shalom | Part 2
Children make different decisions than adults. This changes in our teenage years and young adulthood and should change again as we get older. This must be a process in our spiritual life with Christ as well.
Psalm 25:4-5 | Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long.
God’s demands become God’s promises (Andrew Murray)
Christians must mature in their comprehension
of the spiritual if they are to be spiritual leaders
Peace is found over 400x in the bible
Last week we talked about Eirene. Multiple levels of definition: personal, financial, governmental, business, physical.
This week OT Shalom. More of a state of being.
First, false Peace: We as mature men and women in Christ MUST recognize deception.
Ways Peace can be manipulated:
1.) What you are doing is ok
Others need to change but you are fine
2.) Morality is offered as a false Peace
Hey, you are a good person. You mean well
This is another way of being good…
3.) Peace is demanded when war is called for
Peace is from God. It is a gift
Sometimes to get to peace, war must be declared
Psalm 34:11 | Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
King Achish wants to kill David
David acts crazy and escapes alive
Character starts in the home
Good fathers provide
Great fathers pastor, provide and protect. This is all three
It provides a way to Shalom (fear of God)
It pastors, or shepherds in a loving way toward the truth
It protects by default against the opposite choice of not fearing the Lord
Psalm 34:12 | Who is someone who desires life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good?
Do you want real life?
Do you want to enjoy good things?
Only through the way of Shalom
Psalm 34:13 | Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.
Stop talking about evil things
Stop lying ( To yourself and to others)
This takes you to the house of Shalom
Psalm 34:14 | Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.
How do we qualify evil?
“Evil is a lack of goodness. It is goodness spoiled. You can have good without evil, but you cannot have evil without good.” (JP Morland, Christian philosopher)
How did Jesus qualify evil?
Matthew 12:30 | Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.
1st John 4:8 | The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
So stop doing evil, all the varsity sins you list that OTHERS do…
AND…
Bad Evil and Good Evil
Stop doing evil, all the actions
you do in your own name for your
own glory, for your own agenda.
They are evil regardless of how moral
they are perceived to be
What should we do instead?
Three words must be in front of every action, reaction, mindset
IN JESUS NAME
Do good things in JESUS' name, not your name!
Look for Peace! (House of Shalom) and go after it!
Psalm 34:15 | The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.
Who are the righteous? Those who do God’s will
Matthew 6:33 | But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
He is listening for your cry!
He desires to help you and take you to the House of Shalom
House of Shalom:
Clarifies who Christ is
Clarifies your need for Him alone
Magnifies His presence
Minimizes fear and anxiety
Clearly identifies your history
Allows you to see your present status
Calls you to a future IN JESUS NAME