Blessed Are the Peace Makers 2

[Voiceover] Churches and fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God rightly desires a godly home front. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 1] Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers. And we began the fellowship or looking into this scripture last week when we considered that one, looking at some background issues that one, blessed are, not is, that peacemaking is the duty of all. It is not the duty of one person. Just like the other beatitudes, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are. When it came to peacemaking, it was also not an exception. Further, we saw that in Romans 15:33, God is a God of peace. In Romans 14:33, our God is not the author of confusion but of peace. We saw in Isaiah 48:18 that as people obey the commands of God, it produces peace. When people obey God's command, it produces peace. We saw in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We saw also, having considered that about God, we came to consider Jesus Christ. We saw that the Bible says that unto us in that Isaiah 9:6-7, he said shall be addressed as the Prince of Peace. And then we said if he is a Prince of Peace, then it means the throne upon which he sits is a throne of peace. So to establish that, we saw that in the verse 7 where the Bible says that of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end. So we saw that everywhere the government of Jesus increased, what increases with it is peace. And we said as a child of God, if your government, your dominion increase in a place, what should increase with it is peace. So if your influence, your power, your authority, your government is being stamped in any situation, in your home, in your marriage, in your business, anywhere you are, and peace is not increasing with it, then we wonder what exactly is the problem. Then we saw also in Romans 8 that the ultimate of God is to conform us to the image of his son. And if the ultimate of God is to make us like Jesus, then what God want to make us into is to be a Prince of Peace. That and until we are Prince of Peace, we are not glorified. He said as many the ultimate thing God want to do is to glorify, and that glorification is to become like the son of God, to be conformed to that image. We saw that in Romans 8. And then we began to consider something when we were through with that background. We now said why must somebody... and we come to where we are today. Why is it that there is no peace and somebody have to broker peace? And we saw in the scripture last week that actually that moment, that moment when man sinned, in Adam, man lost peace with God. And not only with God, we saw that immediately that peace was lost with God, man also lost peace with himself. He was not at peace with himself, duty conscience, all of that. And then man lost peace also with his neighbor. We saw that immediately sin came in, Adam said, "It is the woman that you have given me." And we saw how Cain killed Abel. A family. We said if within a family sin can do something like that, how much more in the society today? Society, sin can do all kinds of things. I was listening... I don't know whether you also listened on the radio day before yesterday, how a mother, I don't know how old the mother is anyway, went to visit the daughter. The daughter who she had given out in marriage. And the daughter was not feeling good. So the husband and the mother were the one getting things and taking care of the wife. But somewhere along the line, it was discovered that the mother of the wife was pregnant. And by the time things will go up and down, it was the husband that impregnated the mother. What I'm saying is I'm trying to make you see what sin, if within a family like that, within a family. I'm trying to make you see why peace, sin is... that's why we say the mystery of iniquity is also the mystery of restlessness. And the story told us that it was something that happened even inside the car, and the husband accused the mother that it was the mother that started the whole thing. Anyway, that was the story. But whatever it is, I'm just trying to make you see that even within a small family, sin is the matter. And so, price must be paid for there to be peace. And then we saw that Christ is the peace of man. Christ is the peace. We saw that in Isaiah 53:1 to the end. The Bible says he was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement for our peace [Nigerian language snippet: in alafia... aara eluwa] was upon him. And that by his stripes, we were healed. And so we saw that Christ paid the price for peace. And when that price was paid, we began to look at the pattern of God. That was something we also considered last week. And that was where we stopped. That if you look at the pattern of God, it was the offended that paid the price for peace. Our thinking always is that it is the offender that should pay the price for peace. But what we saw in the pattern of God... and we are praying, may God grant us the maturity, the conformity, the understanding, the insight to become like our father so that we will not be spiritual bastards. We will not be described as not being like our father. In his own pattern, in brokering peace, in bringing peace, it was the offended that paid the price for peace. And that was where we ended last week. And before I quickly move on to bring to us the many matters... I said I want to conclude today so that we can also pray. I want us to be able to pray. And thank God we have done almost about seven things, we are left with just about three things, so we should be able to finish on time and be able to pray. But before I go, I don't know if anybody have something they want to share. Is there any contribution from the floor? Brethren online cannot connect to say anything, but brethren that are here, is there some particular lesson you want to share with us? Is there something the Lord began to raise in your own heart that could be a blessing to us? Is there something? Anybody has anything to say before I move on? Okay, nobody has something to say, so let's move on. Now, the next thing that I want us to see is this: that all who truly have found peace with God through Christ automatically enter into an allegiance to be peacemakers. I will take that again. That everyone, all who truly have found peace with God through Christ has automatically... it's not negotiable. It's not whether you "I want it" or "I don't want it." That's not the matter. Automatically enter into an allegiance to be peacemaker. And I'm going to show you that from the Bible. When you said "I pledge allegiance to the Lord," it is part of the allegiance that you actually pledge. When you pledge allegiance to the lamb, you pledge allegiance to be a peacemaker. We're going to look at that in the scripture quickly. Let's look at two scriptures together. Let's look at Psalm 34:11-16 and then 1 John 2:1-11. Let's begin with Psalm 34. From verse 11. Let me read the New King James Version. It says, "Come, you children. Children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of God." Psalm 34 from verse 11. Come, little children. Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of God. What is this thing that he wants to teach us? Verse 12. Can we look very closely at the verse 12? I will read... we'll try different translations for this verse 12. Say, "Who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good?" Other translation please? Amplified: "What man is he who desires life and longs for many days that he may see good?" What man is it who desires life and longs for many days that he may see good? Any other translation? Message: "Does who ask there has a lust for life? You want life, can't wait each day to come upon beauty. Can't wait each day to come upon beauty." Yes, you want to see the beauty, the goodness of each day. Are you following this? Let me read NLT: "Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good?" Please, don't forget what did we lost in Adam? Life. Now, look at the recipe. The recipe for life and good days. What are the recipes? Number one, verse 13. Recipe number one: keep your tongue from evil. Recipe number two: your lip from speaking deceit. I hope you know what the Bible says keep your mouth from evil. You know what the Bible mean. What is the evil that is in the tongue? Apart from lying. When you say keep your mouth from evil, what evil is in the tongue apart from lying? Yes, cursing. He has mentioned deceit separately. Gossiping? Yes, backbiting and gossip, those twin sisters. Cursing is also one. But that's not our focus. I want us to move on. Recipe number three: depart from evil. Recipe number four: do good. Don't just depart from evil, that's verse 14. Depart from evil, do good. Recipe number five: search for peace and work to maintain it. Seek peace, crave for peace and go after it. Do we have any other translation? Look at NLT. NLT say, "Work hard at living in peace with others." Are you following me? Work hard at living in peace with others. Now, what do you see in the verse 15? What did the Bible say? "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry." Verse 16: "The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off their remembrance of them from the earth." Please, look at this scripture. Looking at the recipe for life and good days. What is one of the recipe? Work hard for peace and make sure you safeguard it. Now, let's look at it one by one. If somebody does not keep his tongue from evil, please, the face of the Lord is against that person, to cut off the remembrance of that person from the earth. Number two, if somebody normally tell lies, deceitful person, what is the face of the Lord doing? To cut off his memory from the earth. Now, is the same thing not applying to working hard for peace? When somebody is not working hard and pursuing peace with people, can I announce to you that the face of God is against that person? And you know the bad thing about it. It is not just that the face of God is against you. The matter is that it is against you to cut off your memory from the heart. So when you find a man who is not a peacemaker, please, is that man a man that the eyes of the Lord are upon to hear his prayers? No. Never. I'm trying to make you understand that for God to describe any man as righteous, he must be a peacemaker. When a man or a woman is not a peacemaker, when you deliberately don't want to pay the price for peace, when you move away from making peace, from a price, he says, "Do you want life? Do you want to see good days?" Don't do things that will make the face of God to be against you to cut off your memory. Don't do such things. And one of such thing is not to be a peacemaker. Whatever happened let it happen, can I announce to you, you're only putting your life in a situation where you will not last. Because it is not the face of man that is against you. When men are against you you can run to God. Am I correct? If men are against you, who do you run to? God. Only thing you can do is God is the refuge. Is that not the truth? Now I want to ask you, if the face of God is against you, where do you run to? Brethren, I want answer. Where do we run to? And you know the issue is that it is not only against you. When God's face is against you, you have lost a lot of things. Psalm 34:16-17. Ordinarily, if the face of God is against you, is it not a problem? Are you aware? How do we know that? What is one of the blessing... how will Moses bless the people? God was telling Moses what he will tell the priest when he want to bless the people in Numbers 6, you remember? What is one of them? He say, "May the face of God shine upon you." He say that way... let's see that scripture. Let's look at that scripture. Numbers 6:23. Please look at that scripture. I want us to read it. And thank God that somebody have been able to get it for us. Numbers 6 from around verse 22. "And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons saying, "This is the way you will bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace."'"'" Are you seeing something? God's countenance, God's face. He said when they do that, Numbers 6:27, he says, "So they shall put my name on the children of Israel and I will bless them." So, if the Bible says the face of the Lord is against them who do evil, and one of that evil is not to seek peace and pursue it. If you look at those recipe, keep your tongue from evil, don't be deceitful, tongue from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it. Make sure you live at peace with people. When you are not doing that, there is something, that's why I tell people, brokering peace with people is not even first about the people, it's about yourself. He say, "Do you love life? Do you want to see good?" Live your life in a way that the face of God will be upon you for good, not for evil, to cut off your memory from the earth. Help us to see the matter of peace from your perspective in the name of Jesus Christ. That is why I'm saying that telling you that when a man is not a peacemaker, the Lord cannot describe him as righteous. We are talking of righteousness in the Old Testament. One thing you had to do is to be a peacemaker. In Christ, Christ is our righteousness. I hope you know that. So it's not by what you do or don't do. Now, let's now look at the New Testament in understanding this matter. Look at that John 2. 1 John 2:1-11. Are you there? 1 John 2:1-11. I want us to look at the reading. "My little children," I'm reading from the New King James Version. "My little children, these things I write to you, 1 John 2 from verse 1-11. My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." You see that? So we have a provision in Christ. We have a provision. That provision in Christ, we have it in Christ. And that provision is that we have Jesus Christ the righteous as our advocate. What did the Bible says? Verse 2. "And he himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but also for the whole world." Now, when he says not for our sins only, but for the world, what is that telling us? Sin is the problem, right? That is why there was no peace with God. Who paid the price for peace? Jesus. So he's the sacrifice for peace. Is that not? He says, so even if we sin now, we have an advocate. We start to make advocacy. We have an advocate with the father. Please listen. The offended paid price for peace and then also raised an advocate for the offenders. Are you understanding me at all? I want to show you that anybody who come to find peace with God automatically enter into an allegiance to be a peacemaker. That's where I'm taking you to. That's where I'm dragging you to gradually. I've shown you the first one. That if you are not a peacemaker, the face of God is against you, to cut off your memory from the earth. Now, it still says verse 3, 1 John 2:3, "Now by this we know that we know him." Are you following me? "Now by this we know." That is why I said we have looked at the Old Testament. Old Testament is past now. We are now where? In the New Testament. Now, now listen. Not before before, but now now now in the New Testament. Are you with me? "Now by this we know that we know him if we keep his command." Look at it. "He who says, 'I know him,' and does not keep his command is a liar. And what is not in him? Truth is not in him." Verse 5. "But whosoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him." Now look at it. Verse 6. "He who says I abide in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked." Is that not? How do we know anybody who is in Christ? He must walk like Jesus. So if you are not walking like Jesus, if your lifestyle, your conduct is not like Jesus, can we say you are in him? You are not in him. Now, verse 7. "Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning." Verse 8. "Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in him and in you." Look at it. Why? "Because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining." Look at that. "He who says is in the light and hates his brother is where? Is in darkness until now." Anybody who say that, "Look oh, me I'm in light, but however my problem is that I hate my brother." Please, how do we describe that person? He's in darkness until now. You see, these things are not things that are negotiable. They are things about the reality of our life. A man cannot have the spirit of Christ and not be a prince of peace. He says, "He who says is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides where? In the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him." But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because he's going to destruction. He's going to condemnation. He's going to where God will cut off his memory from the heart. Doesn't know where he is going. Because the darkness has blinded his eyes. What am I trying to say, brethren? What am I putting together for you? When the Bible says, "Follow after peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." When the Bible says, "As much as it lies in you, live peaceably with all men." When the Bible says, Jesus said, "I send you into this world as sheep among wolf. Be wise as serpent, but be harmless as dove." When you look at all of this, and somebody says he abides in him and is not walking according to his word... somebody says he abides in him and the person is not making effort. Do you know one scripture that shock me most about the matter of peace? That's the last scripture we are going to now. This was the direct word of Jesus Christ. Matthew 18. Jesus Christ and the matter of peace. Matthew 18 then Matthew 5. In Matthew 5, that one is still understandable. He say if you are going to the altar, you are going to the altar to pray. Am I quoting scriptures? Are you with me? And you remember that there is an issue between you and your brother. Please, what should you do with your sacrifice? Leave it. Go and resolve with your brother. You now come back to go and offer the sacrifice. Please, what does that tell you about Jesus and peaceful relationship? I am saying this thing about your... if you notice all of these word, "your brother," "your brother," that household of God. That household of God. We are commanded to live at peace with all men. How much more living at peace with your brother? That is why Bible say if you hate your brother, you cannot say you know Jesus. Because even with your enemy, he say be at peace with him. So he said if you're going to offer it and you remember that your brother has something against you, what should you do? Go back and broker peace. Go and be a peacemaker. Go and do something about the peace. Go and do something about restoration of peace before you offer the sacrifice. That tells you that if you go ahead to offer the sacrifice without brokering peace, without going making sure that you broker peace between you and your brother, please, who are you? How do we describe you? How do we describe your offering? The Bible says even the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto God. What I'm saying is that you are somebody that brings abominable offering to the Lord. That is who you are. I am says anybody that have found peace with God actually enters automatically enter into this allegiance to be a peacemaker. It's an automatic entrance. If not, if you don't enter into it, you are nothing different from a spiritual bastard. He's not like his father. He's not like his Lord. He's not like his master. But the one that interest me most about this peacemaking is the one in Matthew. That's the one I want us to read and then we go ahead to pray. Matthew 18. Just to make us see that we have a duty. Look at what the Lord said in Matthew 18. I will read first verse 7. That's the direct word of Jesus. What did he say? "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to the man by whom offense comes." What is this place saying? What are they trying to tell us? Look at NLT: "How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting." Are you following that? Having said that, Jesus moved on talking about offense. Talking about resolving issue with one's brother. I move to verse 15. "Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you would have gained your brother." If your brother sin against you, go and meet him. Go and resolve it with him. If he hears you, what will happen? You'd have won your brother. But look at the next thing. "But if he will not hear..." Did the Lord say you should go away? Are you asked to go away? What should you do? "Take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." Are you seeing that? You have tried all your effort, it did not work. Did he say you should stop? No. Go and get people. Please, there is an issue. I am trying to quote back for you. Psalm 34:11-17 that we read. He says do what? Seek peace and do what? Pursue it. Sometimes you'll be trying to make peace and peace will be running away. As it's running away, what are you to do? Follow after the peace. You have gone to meet your brother. "Bro, there's no issue now." And he say, "Ah! Is it you? If I knew it was you that was coming, I would have opened my bulldog to finish you. I hope you have not come to assassinate me. Please, I don't want to hear you." You have come to resolve a matter, and the person is not even listening to you. He says don't stop there. Pursue the peace. Get two, three more witnesses. Go and meet him again, so that by the mouth of two or three every word will be established. Look at what the Bible says. Verse 17. "But if he refuses to hear them..." Is he say you should stop there again? Are you to stop there? No. Please. Is this a small journey? Brethren, I want us to be sincere. This journey. Why are you doing all of this? Because if you don't pursue peace, if you don't pursue peace, you are a spiritual bastard. It's not because you are weak. That's the mistake people are making. No. It is because you love life and you want to see good. It is because you have entered into an allegiance. You have pledged that allegiance to the lamb that, "Look, with my life, with all I am, I will obey and I will do your will." That is why you are doing that. So, making peace... like I was telling somebody. But that God made peace and paid the sacrifice for peace. Did this reduce God? Was God reduced because Jesus died for man? Was God not more justified for why man will eventually be sent to hell? He said if he does not listen to you, go and tell it to the church. Bring the church into the matter. He's just telling you don't stop at "I've tried." No. He's trying to make you see make effort. Do everything possible. As much as it lies in you, go miles. If they compel you to go one mile, what did he say you should go? Should you go the one mile? Go two mile. That is what is described here. Go two miles. If they want to take the polo, what should you do? Even the shirt, give it too. Is that showing weakness? It's not showing weakness. It's showing a man who have an understanding of who he is. Look at that. He says, "But if he refuse even to hear the church, let him be to you like an heathen and a tax collector." Do you see that? So, as much as it lies in you, have you not made all the effort? Have you not made all the effort? And when he say let him be to you like a tax collector, I want to ask you. Because this scripture some people will say, "Heh! Jesus let it be a tax collector. It means you can now do evil to the person. He has become a tax collector." That's not what he's saying. I want to ask you, has you not several sinners and tax collectors around you? Do you actively hate them? Don't you greet them? Don't you do them good? Only that there is no personal relationship between you and them. You don't share intimacy with them. Because with your brother there should be a relationship. But if you have made every effort, it will now be somebody you just say, "Good morning oh." Even if he does not answer you back, you still say good morning you go your way. He say if you only greet those that greet you, how are you better than tax collector? If you only... you understand me? So he's talking the way of relationship with tax collectors, to do them the general good. Is that not? It's not saying you become an unbeliever to you, it's not saying that you now actively hate him. It's saying that you now do him general good, like you do good generally to people, but you don't have relationship with them. That is what he's saying. A peacemaker. A peacemaker. And I want to ask you are you a peacemaker? Are you a peacemaker? Blessed are the peacemaker, because they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are the peacemaker, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are the peacemaker, they will be described as sons of God. And I want you to meditate on these things, check your life. Check your life. Are you sure you will be called the sons of God? I want to read something. I want to read something. It just came to my mind. I want to read it. "Give to him who asks you, and from him who want to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You love your neighbors and hate your enemies.' But I say to you love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." "That you may be the sons of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and send rain upon the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collector do the same? If you greet only your brethren, what do you do more than others? Do not even tax collectors do so? Therefore, exercise maturity just as your Father in heaven is mature." That is, the Bible says therefore be ye perfect, be like your Father. Behave like him. Don't be a spiritual bastard. Can we talk to the Lord this evening? Can we talk to the Lord? Can you pray this evening? Can you talk to the Lord? We pledge an allegiance to the Lord. We pledge an allegiance, there's an allegiance we pledge. We automatically entered into this pledge. We entered into it. That day we receive power to become sons and daughters of God. We also receive a responsibility. We receive a commission that we should walk in his step. We automatically enter. It is not a negotiation. It is not a negotiation. Look at what God did. He not only paid the price for peace, he also raised an advocate for peace. Ah! Look at God. Look at how God pursued peace. God did not only paid the price for peace, God also raised an advocate to be making peace. Jesus became a mediator. He was the offended. Look at all the provisions. Look at all the provisions he made. What provision are you making in your marriage? What provision are you making in your relationship? What provision are you making in your office? What provision are you making in your neighborhood? What provision are you making for there to be peace? What sacrifice? What are you making? What are you laying down? What are you putting down for your marriage to be peaceful? For your home to be peaceful? For your life to be peaceful? For your neighborhood to be peaceful? For your workplace to be peaceful? What are you doing? What sacrifice are you making? Blessed are the peacemaker. The peacemaker. Those who make peace, people who broker peace, people who understand this thing, they are actually the sons of God. Anybody who is not making for peace, who stand in hatred and bitterness. That person is in darkness until now. I'm telling you. You are in darkness until now. If you are not making for peace. You are not pursuing it. You are not doing something. You are not making sacrifice. It's not costing you something. You are not laying something down for peace to reign. Our God is a God of peace. Our God is a God of peace. Our God is a God of peace. Thank you Father. Thank you Father. One thing I want us to also go ahead to pray this evening. Is there any particular person the Lord is pointing your heart to that you should make peace with? Is there any particular person? I want you to pray this evening. Maybe your husband, maybe your wife, maybe your son, maybe your daughter, maybe your brother, maybe your colleague, I don't know. Is there somebody God is pointing you to? The Holy Spirit is pointing your heart to that, "Look, there is this matter, there is this matter. It's time that peace reigns between you and them." Is there somebody like that? I want you to pray this evening. Lord, I receive grace. I receive strength. I receive the wisdom to make peace. I receive grace, I receive strength, I receive the wisdom, wisdom, wisdom to make peace. I receive grace, I receive strength, I receive the wisdom to make for peace. I receive grace, I receive strength, I receive the wisdom. Maybe you need to forgive somebody, you need to forgive somebody, then pray also. That Lord I receive strength to forgive. Lord God Almighty, I receive peace, I receive strength, Oh God, to make for peace, to make for peace, to make for peace, to make for peace. To forgive and to make for peace. I receive grace, I receive strength, I receive wisdom in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus. I also want you to pray. I want you to pray this evening. That Lord as we round up this month and we look into the month of May. Because by the time we'll be meeting next again, it will be in the month of May. We'll be praying next Monday, it will be a time to pray, to pray more. But I want you to pray this evening. Oh Lord, be a strength unto me and bless me with peace. Lord, bless me with peace. Lord, the Bible says the Lord gave Solomon rest on every side. Lord give me peace in all my borders. Give me peace in my heart. Give me peace in my home. Give me peace in all my endeavors. Give me peace in my workplace. Give me peace in my marriage. Give me peace in my children. Lord, give me peace. Give me peace. Lord, peace be unto me. Lord, let your peace rest with me. Let your peace envelop me. Let your peace abide with me. Let your peace speak for me. Oh Lord, and I want you to pray. Despite the situation of Nigeria today, Lord I will be at peace. Lord, I will be at peace. In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus. Lord, God Almighty. Despite the situation of this nation, Lord all my matters will be peace. All my going forth and my coming in will be peace. Peace will be my portion. Peace will be my portion. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. I will not be troubled. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus. Thank you Father. Thank you Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Let me call on Sister Comfort to close the meeting. [Speaker 2] Our Father in heaven, we thank you so much for your word to us this evening. You have opened your mind to us. What you call us into right from the beginning, that Lord you have called us into peace and you want us to be advocates of peace. Father we are asking by your grace and mercy, help us to fulfill this purpose in the name of Jesus Christ. That wherever we are located at every point in time, your peace will increase all around us in the name of Jesus. Father we pray that you will so much work upon us both to will and to do of this good pleasure, that when men come in contact with us they will almost touch peace physically and practically in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, could there be any issue between us and anyone and we are struggling to forgive, Father we are asking that you will make grace available to us today to freely forgive in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord your plan for us is not to even forgive. Your plan for us is that we will not even take offense at all. Your plan for us Lord is that we will forebear with men. Father the grace to do this release upon us in the name of Jesus Christ. Help us to see this matter the way you see it. Sometimes when we forgive men or when we try to pursue peace with men, we feel cheated. But Lord God Almighty, if we are able to see it from your perspective, these feelings will go. Father we are asking oh Lord, help us to see the matter of peace from your perspective in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you for hearing us pray. Thank you for your son that you have used again tonight to bless our lives. We are asking that Lord you will cause him to bask in your peace all the days of his life in the name of Jesus Christ. Through all situation and circumstances, that your peace will garrison his heart in the name of Jesus. Father we are asking that Lord your peace will envelop his home and everything that concerns him in the name of Jesus. Thank you Lord for hearing us pray. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's share the grace together. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever more. Amen. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. [Voiceover] This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in enriching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development and mission heat. Our regular activities are discipleship class every Monday 5:00 PM, Adolescent and Singles Club every first Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM, marriage forum second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM, family life seminars, regular school outreaches and everyday counseling. For further counseling you can reach us at our location: Life Camp by the first bridge, Ilere community opposite Very Joy Filling Station along Ijere Road, Akure, Ondo State Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles: familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 08033861136, 07033613848. God bless you all.