[SPEAKER_00]: Christian parenting.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome back to our summer series.
[SPEAKER_00]: Today we are discussing the 7th Beatitude Jesus gave us during his sermon on the Mount.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you know what a peacemaker is?
[SPEAKER_00]: A peacemaker is someone who makes peace.
[SPEAKER_00]: This does not mean that there won't be times when we have to walk through conflict or do
[SPEAKER_00]: our goal as followers of Jesus is to bring peace wherever we go.
[SPEAKER_00]: The world is in much turmoil and much anxiety.
[SPEAKER_00]: We are the ones with the answer to anxiety and worry and fear.
[SPEAKER_00]: We have been promised peace and we have been given peace through the Holy Spirit.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's that piece we carry around with us and are able to bring into every situation we face.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let me tell you about a woman who was a peacemaker in the Bible.
[SPEAKER_00]: This woman's name was Ruth.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth was not an Israelite, but she married into an Israelite family.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth's mother-in-law's name was Naomi, and both Ruth and Naomi ended up losing their husbands.
[SPEAKER_00]: When Naomi decided to return back to her hometown in Israel, she told Ruth to go back to her own land and leave her, but Ruth would not do it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Instead of leaving her mother-in-law to be alone and survive without a family, Ruth brought Naomi peace by staying with her and moving back to her homeland with her.
[SPEAKER_00]: When Naomi returned to her homeland, she struggled with bitterness at losing her husband.
[SPEAKER_00]: She told people to call her bitter, but Ruth was right there by her side, ready to be a help, ready to bring peace to Naomi's broken heart.
[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever Naomi instructed Ruth to do, she obeyed, Ruth respected her mother-in-law, and instead of arguing with her or becoming frustrated with her, she listened and obeyed and submitted to her guidance and leadership.
[SPEAKER_00]: Naomi instructed Ruth to go out into the field and pick up the pieces of grain that were left over by the harvesters.
[SPEAKER_00]: The law gave poor people and women permission to pick up the leftovers from the crops so that they would be able to eat and survive.
[SPEAKER_00]: One day while Ruth was out picking up grain in a field, a man named Boaz noticed Ruth.
[SPEAKER_00]: He noticed right away the peaceful and gentle spirit of Ruth.
[SPEAKER_00]: He wanted to know who she was, and when he found out that she was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, he sent her home with extra bags of grain.
[SPEAKER_00]: When Naomi found out that Boaz was related to her husband, she was filled with joy.
[SPEAKER_00]: This meant that if Boaz would claim the land that used to belong to her husband, it could be redeemed and brought back into the family line.
[SPEAKER_00]: It also meant that Ruth and Naomi would be taking care of under Boaz.
[SPEAKER_00]: Boaz fell in love with Ruth and when Naomi told Ruth to go to Boaz she did.
[SPEAKER_00]: Boaz and Ruth were eventually married and Ruth gave birth to Naomi's first grandchild.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth brought peace and restoration to the line of David.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth was a peacemaker.
[SPEAKER_00]: She was not prone to arguing or causing dissension or drama.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth stayed out of the limelight.
[SPEAKER_00]: She stayed in the shadows and did not look for fame or fortune.
[SPEAKER_00]: Rather than being loud and drawing attention to herself, Ruth did what Naomi, her mother-in-law, instructed her to
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth ended up being noticed by Boas.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth brought peace with her everywhere she went.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know about you but I want to be someone who brings peace.
[SPEAKER_00]: I want to be known as a peacemaker.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's so much strife and unrest in the world today.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let us be ready to bring peace wherever we go.
[SPEAKER_00]: Even when we are asked to do something we do not want to do, I pray that we will be able to
[SPEAKER_00]: and surrender our desire to have it our way and be willing to submit to the Holy Spirit's leading, to bring peace into situations, peace into relationships with others, peace into our friendships and to our family,
[SPEAKER_00]: into our classrooms, into our churches, into the grocery store, peace, wherever we go, so that others will notice something different about us.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it will just be because we're doing what we're supposed to do as followers of Jesus.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's how we influence.
[SPEAKER_00]: will influence and we won't even know it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ruth was an influencer.
[SPEAKER_00]: She influenced Boaz by her peaceful and quiet and truthful nature.
[SPEAKER_00]: Help us always to look for opportunities to be the peacemakers.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dear Jesus, I thank you, the you are our peace.
[SPEAKER_00]: Your promise that those who are peacemakers will be called children of God, help us through your power, through the power of your Holy Spirit, to bring peace wherever we go.
[SPEAKER_00]: And as we do, we know that lives will be changed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you that you call us your children.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you that you have brought us into your family, a family that is full of peace and belonging and hope and joy.
[SPEAKER_00]: I pray that we would know your peace right now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus, if there is anyone listening right now who is struggling with fear or anxiety or depression, I ask right now Holy Spirit that you would bring your peace into their hearts and into their minds, that you would cover them with your peace.
[SPEAKER_00]: that they would no longer be bound by fear or worry or anxiety, but that they would know your peace in a real and powerful way.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's your name.
[SPEAKER_00]: So Jesus, I ask right now for those listening.
[SPEAKER_00]: You would just cover them with your peace.
[SPEAKER_00]: that as they draw close to you, printed peace, that they will know the peace that passes all understanding.
[SPEAKER_00]: We thank you, in your name we pray.
[SPEAKER_00]: Amen.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, two seekers, we have one more day.
[SPEAKER_00]: I hope you will join me tomorrow for our last day of this summer series.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll talk to you tomorrow.