God’s Recipe For Peace Within The Local Church!

1. God’s Recipe For Peace Within The Local Church! “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Rom. 14:19) PEACE: Freedom from conflict or bitter disagreement; harmony.

2. 2 PETER 1:3 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” • GOD HAS GIVEN US ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO GODLINESS • PURSUING PEACE IS GODLY • THEREFORE GOD HAS GIVEN US THE RECIPE FOR PEACE

3. A USEFUL RECIPE • MUST BE WANTED! • MUST BE READ! • MUST BE FOLLOWED!

4. “PEACE”DESCRIBES THE KINGDOM WHY? • GOD GUIDES (LK. 1:78, 79) • GOD GIVES (2 Thess. 3:16) • FRUIT OF SPIRIT (Gal. 5:22) “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, BUT righteousness and PEACE and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17)

5. 1. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS SEEK PEACE • “Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it” (Ps. 34:14) • Departs from evil to do good • Pursues peace and seeks it PEACE EVIL PEACE EVIL

6. 1 PETER 3:9-11 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. WHAT YOU GIVE IS WHAT YOU GET WHAT YOU SAY, SAYS WHAT YOU LOVE & SEE WHEN EVIL PRESENTS ITSELF, DO GOOD!

7. 1 PETER 3:9-11 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. EMBRACE PEACE WHEN GIVEN

8. 1 PETER 3:9-11 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. PURSUE PEACE WHEN DENIED

9. 2. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER EPHESIANS 4:1-3 1 I. . .beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. “TO HOLD UP” (STRONG’S 430) “TO USE SPEED, to make effort, be prompt or earnest” (STRONG’S 4710)

10. “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord” (Phil.4:2) "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another." (Mk. 9:50) BEARING WITH BRETHREN • IS NOT TEACHING TO BE TOLERANT OF SINFUL PRACTICES OR ACTIONS! • DO NOT LOSE YOUR BEARINGS: • DO NOT BECOME OFFENDED IF A SUGGESTION IS REJECTED! • DO NOT BEHAVE OFFENSIVELY IN DENYING A SUGGESTION!

11. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) WE CAN BE “CHILDLIKE” BUT NOT “CHILDISH”IT SHOULD BE – “When I became a Christian, I put away childish things”

12. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) WHEN YOU PATTERN YOURSELF AFTER THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A MAN—CHRIST, YOU “PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS”

13. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) WHEN YOU PATTERN YOURSELF AFTER MEN—YOU ARE CHILDISH & FLESHLY MINDED (CARNAL)! (1 Cor. 3:1-3; Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 14:20)

14. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Pouting – “Why didn’t they invite me over?”

15. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Pouting – “Why did you forget me in the prayer?”

16. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Pouting – “Why didn’t you visit me when I was sick?”

17. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Pouting – “Why didn’t you follow my suggestion?”

18. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Pouting – “Why didn’t you speak to me?”

19. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Pouting – “You didn’t do it the way I think it should have be done?”

20. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Impulsive – “Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet” (Prov. 19:2)

21. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Selfishness –“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others”(Phil. 2:4; Rom. 12:3)

22. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Self-Centered – “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil”(1 Cor. 13:5)

23. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Insensitive To Danger – “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished” (Prov. 27:12)

24. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Too Trusting – “The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps” (Prov. 14:15)

25. 3. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS • “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) • CHILDISH TRAITS: • Undisciplined/Lacks Self Control - “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls” (Pro. 25:28)

26. Proverbs 25:16, 17 16 Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit. 17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

27. 4. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS DO NOT MEDDLE IN ANOTHER’S BUSINESS • “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters” (1 Pet. 4:15) • OFFERING UP UNSOLICITED ADVICE DESTROYS PEACE! • FEEDING CURIOSITIES IN ANOTHER’S FINANCES/EXPENSES/INCOME/SPEND-ING CAN DESTROY THE PEACE! • OVER-INVOLVEMENT IN ANOTHER’S PERSON’S WORK, WEEK, LIFE CAN DESTROY THE PEACE! Prov. 25:17, “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.”

28. 4. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS DO NOT MEDDLEIN ANOTHER’S BUSINESS • “that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you” (1 Thess. 4:11) • THE SOLUTION FOR LEADING A QUIET LIFE IS TO FIND A JOB AND GO TO WORK & Keep busy doing good things!

29. 5. A CHURCH WHERE MEMBERS ARE HUMBLE • WHERE THERE IS A CHURCH WITH DIVISION THERE IS AN INFLATION OF PRIDE IN ONE OR MORE OF THE MEMBERS • “By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom” (Prov. 13:10).

30. 1 PETER 5:5, 6 GK. (huperephanos) 1) showing one’s self above others, overtopping, conspicuous above others, pre-eminent 2) with an overweening estimate of one’s means or merits, despising others or even treating them with contempt, haughty (Strong’s 5244) 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

31. 1 PETER 5:5, 6 • GK. (tapeinos) • 1) not rising far from the ground (Strong’s 5011) • envision a tapestry • the difference between the two is as much as the ceiling is from the carpet! 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

32. WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE LOVE, PEACE, JOY AND UNITY AMONG BRETHREN? • I WILL: • PRAY MORE FERVENTLY! • SPEAK MORE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT! • BE LESS CRITICAL IN MATTERS OF JUDGMENT/SELF-ABASED! • REFUSE GOSSIP! • STAND FOR THE TRUTH! • OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS!

33. Review: • To have peace each member must: • Seek it! • Bear With One Another! • Put Away Childish Things! • Not Meddle In Other’s Affairs! • Have a Humble Attitude! Follow GOD’S Recipe For Peace!