Followers Called to Peace –
Lent with Bonhoeffer Day 14 – Purity 986
Purity 986 03/09/2023 Purity 986 Podcast
Purity 986 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of Hays Rd in East Greenbush in the
afternoon hours past sunset comes to us from yours truly as I captured this
scene while driving back to my river side home on Sunday. I had enjoyed a day of worshiping the Lord
at church and spending time with my wife at my brother in laws house for our
church’s “growth group” and even though the day was late I had a peaceful easy
feeling during the entire drive back and
got the enjoy the setting sun along the way. But in this photo the sun is virtually gone although
its glory can still be seen on the horizon. Even though I was coming quick to
State Route 9J that borders the Hudson River and the light of day was present,
by the time I got there the glowing orb of the sun would be off to the west and
not accompany me on the way south. I know this photo may not be spectacular but
I like the wat that roadway, the trees and the clouds above create a tunnel
effect giving one the impression that there is light at the end of the tunnel
on the horizon and even though the scene may seem foreboding, we can fix our
eyes on that light and be assured that we are headed in the right
direction.
Well, It’s Thursday again and as is my habit I share
this photo also as a visual reminder to get on or stay on the path of
Christian Discipleship, which can lead us through foreboding landscapes and
season on this earth but is guaranteed to lead to the light of glory and for
our ultimate good if we simply choose to walk it out and seek the Lord’s
presence and guidance along the way.
So let me encourage you to keep on walking and
talking with God as you go through this life because when we realize that He
made us for a purpose and that purpose
is to walk with Him and follow His lead we can rest assured that He is taking
us to the place that’s the best.
So let’s follow His lead from here to there as we
continue our walk through the season of Lent with our current series: the 40
Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as we find ourselves walking into Day 14.
So I guess we are “two weeks” in on our journey of repentance and I for one am I
enjoying where the Lord is taking me as I have surrendered to the study and
just take each day as it comes, considering what is presented and answering the
questions and prompts as I feel led.
As a reminder, and as we will say each day of this
journey, we take this path to mark the season of Lent and to draw closer to God
in anticipation for the celebration of Easter, knowing that if we take this
journey of repentance seriously, the Lord will use it to change us too.
You can sign up to get this devotional yourself by
going to the Biblegateway link on the blog ((https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/40-Day-Journey-Dietrich-Bonhoeffer/today)) .
Day 14
Bonhoeffer writes:
“Jesus’ followers are called to peace.
When Jesus called them, they found their peace. Jesus is
their peace.
Now they are not only to have peace, but they are to make
peace.
To do this they renounce violence and strife. Those
things never help the cause of Christ.
Christ’s kingdom is a realm of peace, and those in
Christ’s community greet each other with a greeting of peace.
Jesus’ disciples maintain peace by choosing to suffer
instead of causing others to suffer.
They preserve community when others destroy it.
They renounce self-assertion and are silent in the face of
hatred and injustice. That is how they overcome evil with good. That is how
they are makers of divine peace in a world of hatred and war.”
Biblical Wisdom
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children
of God.” Matthew 5:9
Questions to Ponder
- What impact would it have on
our culture of violence if individual Christians and churches were
to “renounce violence and strife” as a mark of true
discipleship?
M.T. Clark: If every person and church who claimed to be
Christian renounced violence and strife as a mark of true discipleship, it
would have a major impact on our culture of violence. To renounce violence and
strife in the entertainment industry alone would cause a shift, as “blood sports”,
action or horror movies and music that glorifies violence would lose a good
percentage of their patrons. The
military would lose all their “Christian soldier” recruits. Domestic violence
would be reported and repented of. Verbal abuse and harsh speech would be
replaced with listening and a gentle answer.
If the vast amount of people who claim a relationship with Jesus were be
disciples, the world would see Christ in us and perhaps see the light and come
into His kingdom. What a wonderful world
it could be and will be when Christ, the Prince of Peace comes again to rule
and reign.
- How might being “silent in
the face of hatred and injustice” be compatible with non-violent
resistance to evil?
M.T. Clark: The two terms seem synonymous. Demonstrating
non-violent resistance to evil might be compatible to being “silent in the face
of hatred and injustice” in some aspects but to REALLY be silent like Christ
was is almost unimaginable as He spoke not a word and the implication to
Bonhoeffer’s words lead us to believe that we would sacrifice our rights to
maintain peace and submit and suffer like Christ did to keep the peace. Ironically,
Bonhoeffer himself was involved in a plot to kill Hitler which demonstrates that
even Christians can seek to devise their own ways to overcome evil that fly in
the face of the idea of non-violent resistance. Even in our attempts to “be nonviolent” we
take the stance of proclaiming our rights in the face of injustice as if to say
“Can’t you see what they are doing to me?!?” which falls short of being
silent. Loving your enemies and
surrendering to injustice are counter intuitive to our sense of self
preservation and dignity and it is difficult to remove our will from the idea
of overcoming evil with silent suffering.
- Why can violence never help
the cause of Christ’s kingdom?
M.T. Clark: Violence can never help the cause of Christ because
His kingdom is a kingdom of peace. As much as we think it would be wise to just
“kill the evil people”, we have to realize that God’s will would be not to break
His commandment to not murder. Situational ethics don’t over ride God’s laws
and while we can be forgiven, we shouldn’t take that as license to have the
ends justify the means. Jesus said to turn the other cheek not to fight fire
with fire. And for that reason, we have to believe that even “well intentioned”
violence can never help the cause of Christ’s kingdom.
Psalm Fragment
Which of you desires life,
and covets many days to enjoy good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:12-14
Journal Reflections
- Have you ever thought deeply
on the fact that your call to follow Jesus is a call to peace? Reflect in
your journal on how that realization makes you feel. Any actions suggest
themselves?
M.T. Clark: I struggle with the idea of “total peace” and
suffering in silence and surrendering our rights in the face of injustice. So
yes I have though dteeply about following Jesus’s call to peace. I am currently involved with a legal
squabble in an attempt to cause the other party to do what they agreed to do in
a contract. Because they won’t obey the
terms of the agreement, I am calling on the authority of the state to help my
cause. Overall, I believe that when the
duties contracted are performed both parties will find a measure of peace and
mutual benefit but that peace apparently requires a battle of sorts. I had remained silent for a few years on
this matter but there is no indication the other party will willingly do what
they are contracted to do, so in the name of the ultimate peace that we both
could enjoy when this business is completed I am in the midst of a struggle and
I am paying for it. The realization that I am called to peace makes this all
the more difficult but I have prayed about it and I felt compelled to do this “hard
thing” to bring us all to a place of peace. Lord help us all to get there.
- Think of any people with
whom you are in conflict or tension. Reflect on what might happen if the
next time you met them you greeted them with a “greeting of peace.”
M.T. Clark: OOF, I am pretty sure it would not be accepted as my
opponent is not a Christian and is known for their pettiness, anger, and bitterness.
This stance by my opponent necessitated the legal action. But I will certainly
greet them with a “greeting of peace” the next time I need to speak to them and
see how it goes.
- What experiences of
peacemaking have you had? Reflect on what it felt like to be a peacemaker.
M.T. Clark: As a CFMA for Freedom in Christ Ministries, I lead
people through the Steps to Freedom in Christ in which they seek to have peace
with God through prayer, confession, renunciation, and forgiveness. So in a way I encourage people to be at peace
and the Lord has been faithful in the process to bring those who ask for it the
peace they long for. It feels wonderful
to be used by the Lord to be a part of that process.
Intercessions
Pray for all
politicians and government leaders that they might “renounce violence and
strife” and embrace peacemaking as a priority at all levels of government.
M.T. Clark: Lord God,
We pray for all politicians and government leaders to “renounce
violence and Strife” and embrace peacemaking as a priority at all levels of government.
In these days there is much division in the ranks of leadership and we pray for
you to move all sides of our governmental systems to stand for what is right
according to your word and come together to establish peace that you would
bless.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Prayer for Today
God of peace, you
give me peace, now teach me to be a peacemaker.
M.T. Clark: In Jesus Name, I
pray, Amen.
(40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007
Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.)
***As we are being
provided with Bible verses from the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we
will are taking a break from sharing a verse of the day from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”. We plan on
resuming that normal installment of the blog following Easter.***
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I
always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to
assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from A.W. Pink’s “The
Sovereignty of God.”
As always, I share this information for educational
purposes and encourage all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own
private study and to support his work. This resource is available on
many websites for less than $20.00.
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
By
ARTHUR W. PINK
CHAPTER NINE
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND PRAYER
“If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us” (1 John 5:14).
Throughout this book it has been our chief
aim to exalt the Creator and abase the creature. The well-nigh universal
tendency now, is to magnify man and dishonor and degrade God. On every hand it
will be found that, when spiritual things are under discussion, the human side
and element is pressed and stressed, and the Divine side, if not altogether
ignored, is relegated to the background. This holds true of very much of the
modern teaching about prayer. In the great majority of the books written and in
the sermons preached upon prayer the human element fills the scene almost
entirely: it is the conditions which we
must meet, the promises we must
“claim,” the things we must do in
order to get our requests granted; and God’s
claims, God’s rights, God’s glory are disregarded.
As a fair example of
what is being given out today we subjoin a brief editorial which appeared
recently in one of the leading religious weeklies entitled “Prayer, or Fate?”
“God in His
sovereignty has ordained that human destinies may be changed and moulded by the
will of man. This is at the heart of the truth that prayer changes things,
meaning that God changes things when men pray. Someone has strikingly expressed
it this way: ‘There are certain things that will happen in a man’s life whether
he prays or not. There are other things that will happen if he prays; and will
not happen if he does not pray.’ A Christian worker was impressed by these
sentences as he entered a business office and he prayed that the Lord would
open the way to speak to some one about Christ, reflecting that things would be
changed because he prayed. Then his mind turned to other things and the prayer
was forgotten. The opportunity came to speak to the business man upon whom he
was calling, but he did not grasp it, and was on his way out when he remembered
his prayer of a half hour before, and God’s answer. He promptly returned and
had a talk with the business man, who, though a church-member, had never in his
life been asked whether he was saved. Let us give ourselves to prayer, and open
the way for God to change things. Let us beware lest we become virtual
fatalists by failing to exercise our God-given wills in praying.”
The above illustrates
what is being taught on the subject of prayer, and the deplorable thing is that
scarcely a voice is lifted in protest. To say that “human destinies may be changed and moulded by the will of man” is rank
infidelity—that is the only proper term for it. Should any one challenge this
classification, we would ask them whether they can find an infidel anywhere who
would dissent from such a statement, and we are confident that such an one
could not be found. To say that “God
has ordained that human destinies may
be changed and moulded by the will of man” is absolutely untrue. “Human
destiny” is settled not by “the will
of man, but by the will of God. That which determines human destiny is whether
or not a man has been born again, for it is written, “Except a man be born
again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” And as to whose will, whether God’s or man’s, is responsible for the new
birth is settled, unequivocally, by John 1:13—“Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but OF GOD.” To say that “human destiny” may be changed by the will of man is to make
the creature’s will supreme, and that
is, virtually, to dethrone God. But
what saith the Scriptures? Let the Book answer: “The Lord killeth, and maketh
alive: He bringeth down to the grave,
and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the
throne of glory?” (1 Sam. 2:6–8).
Turning back to the
Editorial here under review, we are next told, “This is at the heart of the
truth that prayer changes things, meaning that God changes things when men
pray.” Almost everywhere we go today one comes across a motto-card bearing the
inscription “Prayer Changes Things.” As to what these words are designed to
signify is evident from the current literature on prayer—we are to persuade God to change
His purpose. Concerning this we shall have more to say below.
Again, the Editor
tells us, “Some one has strikingly expressed it this way: ‘There are certain
things that will happen in a man’s life whether he prays or not. There are
other things that will happen if he prays, and will not happen if he does not
pray’.” That things happen whether a man prays or not is exemplified daily in
the lives of the unregenerate, most of whom never pray at all. That ‘other
things will happen if he prays’ is in need of qualification. If a believer
prays in faith and asks for those things which are according to God’s will he
will most certainly obtain that for which he has asked. Again, that other
things will happen if he prays is also true in respect to the subjective
benefits derived from prayer: God will become more real to him and His promises
more precious. That other things ‘will not happen if he does not pray’ is true
so far as his own life is concerned—a prayerless life means a life lived out of
communion with God and all that is involved by this. But to affirm that God
will not and cannot bring to pass His eternal purpose unless we pray is utterly
erroneous, for the same God who has decreed the end has also decreed that His
end shall be reached through His appointed means, and one of these is prayer.
The God who has determined to grant a blessing also gives a spirit of
supplication which first seeks the blessing.
The example cited in
the above Editorial of the Christian Worker and the business man is a very
unhappy one to say the least, for according to the terms of the illustration
the Christian worker’s prayer was not answered by God at all, inasmuch as,
apparently, the way was not opened to speak to the business man about his soul.
But on leaving the office and recalling his prayer the Christian workers
(perhaps in the energy of the flesh) determined to answer the prayer for himself, and instead of leaving the Lord to “open the way” for him, took
matters into his own hand.[1]
---------------------------more
tomorrow------------------------
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Encouragement
for the Path of Christian Discipleship
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