“The leaders of North and South Korea signed a declaration on Friday agreeing to work for the “complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula”…The declaration included promises to pursue military arms reduction, cease “hostile acts,” turn their fortified border into a “peace zone,” and seek multilateral talks with other countries, such as the United States.  “The two leaders declare before our people of 80 million and the entire world there will be no more war on the Korean peninsula and a new age of peace has begun,” the declaration said.  Source CBC News, April 27, 2018

And to this let us bow our heads and pray:

Thanks be to God!

For all of you who keep praying for peace in our world, the Lord smiles on you!

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9

Let us continue to pray for peace in our world and in particular for the abolishment of nuclear weapons. A nuclear war is a lose-lose scenario for all concerned and I am so relieved to see the leaders of North and South Korea declaring that a ‘new age of peace has begun!’

If you have not already committed to being part of the Christian peace movement, A Peaceful Revolution in the Name of Jesus Christ then I encourage you to join in.

A Peaceful Revolution in the Name of Jesus Christ is uniting the followers of Jesus in a daily moment of prayer at the Time Our Lord Jesus died for us, 3pm, each of us in our local time zones. At this time we remember the Passion of Christ and we thank Jesus for dying for us. We pray for Jesus to send His Holy Spirit upon all souls to silence the forces of evil in our world and to bring souls into reconciliation with God.

Remember the ancient promise God made His people.

God said,

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the elements of this promise.

Firstly, who are God’s people, called by His Name?

One my favorite songs goes like this:

“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love.”

Song: “They’ll Know We Are Christians

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16

Christians are not the only people on earth that love. There are good Jews that love. There are good Muslims that love. There are good Buddhists that love. I have even met people who aren’t sure God exists that love. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

To Christians, God’s Name is Lord Jesus.

To Jews, God’s Name is Yahweh.

To Muslims, God’s Name is Allah.

And what we should all agree upon is that “God is LOVE”

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8

“Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:10

What does it mean to be humble?

I like to think of the humble person as the ‘empty chalice of God’. The empty chalice, cleansed of impurity, is ready to serve God. God cannot use a chalice, full of impurity, until it is emptied out and purified.

Pride and arrogance can fill human beings to the point where people think they are invincible and have no need for anything or anyone.

The humble person has no pride or arrogance. They know that they need God’s grace to accomplish all things. God is GREAT and man needs God’s love to succeed.

I pray that God gives us all wisdom to understand that humility requires that we bow down to God, emptying ourselves of our arrogance, acknowledging our profound need for God’s wisdom and grace.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10

What does it mean to pray and seek God’s face?

Prayer is a lifeline to God that enables us to speak to Him and listen to Him. Prayer is at the heart of our divine relationship. As we listen to God speak to us through His Holy Word we are listening to Our Lord teach us His will. When we pray to Him for assistance, God listens to us and pours out His grace to assist us.

To seek God’s face is to enter into His holy presence. We should strive to live continuously in the presence of God, acknowledging Him and seeking His guidance persistently. That’s what Jesus wants, to be ever connected with us, helping us through every challenge and opportunity.

“The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” Proverbs 15:29

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

What does it mean to turn from our wicked ways?

God seeks repentance that is sincere. Do you remember when St. John the Baptist preached, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Matthew 3:8

If we are sincere in our confession of sins then we will strive not to keep sinning.

And if we can fulfill these conditions, then God promises to hear us, to forgive us and to heal us.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

So friends of Jesus – be peacemakers and live persistently in the presence of God, praying always with hope in the Holy One, Jesus Christ.

“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love.”

Please join the prayer movement, The Mercy Movement. Learn more here