Learn more about how to live in harmony with others with Dr. Muriel’s Recipe for Peace.

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

I grew up in a musical family.  My mother played the piano and mandolin.  Dad played the violin and drums. My brother played the trumpet.  And I played the piano, organ, clarinet, and saxophone. For some reason, they wouldn’t let me carry a piano in the high school band.

As a pianist I have often helped others to get their instruments tuned up to the piano.  With stringed instruments, every string must be tuned for the music to sound right. My father tuned pianos, and they have many more strings than hand-held instruments!  If several keys are flat compared to the rest, there goes the harmony.

If several strings can cause disharmony in an instrument, just think what a few disgruntled Christians can do to a church. Well, think about it.  Perhaps you can remember a church split of some kind that separated and scattered the people, and all because a few persons spread disharmony.

Do we listen?  Do we join the discord? How can we save the harmony in our church?

• When we first perceive the clink of a discordant note, we can get right with the Lord if necessary. Check Romans 12:1-2 and Psalm 51.  Walking close to the Lord enables us to hear His guiding voice of wisdom. He fills our hearts with love and concern for our fellow Christians–all of them. He restrains us from adding to the discordance.
• Abstain from gossip, criticism, or caustic debate.  As we walk with Jesus, we will know in our hearts just how we may contribute to harmony and not to the cacophony.
• Pray, pray, pray!  Often when a piano gets out of tune, moisture may be involved.  Well, when a church gets out of tune, the devil is probably involved.  Peter counsels the church, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

“Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:8-9) The devil loves to tear up churches!

Ephesians 4:26 tells us, “In your anger do not sin; do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  We may get involved in church disharmony when we get up our “righteous indignation”.  (Well, hey, that sounds a little more “Christian” than anger, doesn’t it?)

Our Lord knows the right way to handle every situation with a minimum of ill feelings.  As we pray, God will show us His way to deal with anything–and He will help in the resolution.

God’s Word twice gives the following recipe for harmony:  “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.  He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.” (1 Pet. 3:10-12; Ps. 34:12-16)  And Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9)

Lord, Help me to be a peacemaker in my circle of influence. Amen.

Questions: Are you part of the disharmony in your church? What steps can you take to become a peacemaker instead of causing disharmony?

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, You’ve Already Won, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

Are you tired of living a Defeated Christian life? Why not check out this video?

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).

While we want to be people of prayer, many of us find it difficult to keep our oft-repeated promise: “I’ll be praying for you.” The more disciplined among us maintain a prayer list or notebook and faithfully record both requests and answers. Unfortunately, the practice of prayer is one that frequently slips through the cracks of our busy lives.

Recently a friend wrote that every time she breaks an egg into a frying pan, she recalls a bit of egg-cooking advice I gave her over 50 years ago…and she prays for me! That simple prayer reminder spurred me to creative thinking about my own prayer life. While I take time daily to be quiet with God, pray for friends and family and urgent needs that have come to my attention, perhaps it is also time to use my friend’s “egg method.”

When I fold clothes fresh from the dryer, I often think about my elderly friend, June, who meticulously folded every item of clothing and linen when we stayed in her home. Ah, a perfect time to bring her now frail body before the Great Physician. Many years ago another friend gave me a time saving hint about ironing shirts—now I pray for this friend as my iron glides over my husband’s shirts. The newspaper becomes another prayer journal. As I read of rebel attacks, over-populated refugee camps, natural disasters in far off countries, I bring these people to the only true peacemaker.

I am making it a habit to slowly and carefully look at the pictures of a woman living under a ragged canvas tarp or a child listlessly leaning on his mother’s shoulder. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, wrote these words inside the cover of his Bible: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”

Whether everyday acts that remind us of friends, or news reports of needs far too vast for me to imagine their solutions, God has called me to be a person of prayer.

Jesus, I imagine You not only getting away to mountainsides for private conversations with the God of the universe, but also maintaining a daily “prayer” dialogue with the One you loved. Help me do the same.

Questions: What “prayer prompts” do you use?  How do these help you stay in relationship with God?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for March 17th, PM.

Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.

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

This is the seventh of the beatitudes, and seven was the number of perfection among the Hebrews. It may be that the Savior placed this blessing seventh on the list because the peaceful child of God is perfected in the person of Jesus Christ.

Anyone who seeks perfect blessedness (as far as it can be experienced here and now on Earth) must grasp this seventh benediction and become a peacemaker. There is significance in the position of this verse. The verse which comes before it speaks of the blessedness of “the pure in heart: for they will see God.”

Understand that we are to be “first pure, then peaceable.” (James 3:17, KJV) Our peaceableness must never permit sinful behavior or toleration of evil. We must set our faces sternly against everything which is contrary to God and His holiness. Once our souls are settled, we can continue on towards peaceableness.

The verse that follows also seems to be positioned on purpose: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10) Regardless of how peaceable we may be, we will be misrepresented and misunderstood. And this should be no surprise, because even the Prince of Peace, by His perfect peacefulness, ended up bringing fire on the earth. Jesus Christ, though He loved humankind and did no harm, was “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3) Therefore, the peaceable in heart should not be surprised when they meet with enemies, despite their peacefulness.

Lord, give us grace to climb towards this seventh beatitude! Purify our minds that we may be “first pure, then peaceable,” and fortify our souls, that our peaceableness may not lead us into cowardice and despair when, for Your sake, we are persecuted.

Question: Where in your life can you act as a peacemaker?

About the Author: Charles Spurgeon

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”  (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).

While we want to be people of prayer, many of us find it difficult to keep our oft-repeated promise: “I’ll be praying for you.” The more disciplined among us maintain a prayer list or notebook and faithfully record both requests and answers. Unfortunately, the practice of prayer is one that frequently slips through the cracks of our busy lives.

Recently a friend wrote that every time she breaks an egg into a frying pan, she recalls a bit of egg-cooking advice I gave her over 50 years ago…and she prays for me! That simple prayer reminder spurred me to creative thinking about my own prayer life. While I take time daily to be quiet with God, pray for friends and family and urgent needs that have come to my attention, perhaps it is also time to use my friend’s “egg method.”

When I fold clothes fresh from the dryer, I often think about my elderly friend, June, who meticulously folded every item of clothing and linen when we stayed in her home. Ah, a perfect time to bring her now frail body before the Great Physician. Many years ago another friend gave me a timesaving hint about ironing shirts—now I pray for this friend as my iron glides over my husband’s shirts. The newspaper becomes another prayer journal. As I read of rebel attacks, over-populated refugee camps, natural disasters in far off countries, I bring these people to the only true peacemaker.

I am making it a habit to slowly and carefully look at the pictures of a woman living under a ragged canvas tarp or a child listlessly leaning on his mother’s shoulder. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, wrote these words inside the cover of his Bible: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”

Whether everyday acts that remind us of friends, or news reports of needs far too vast for me to imagine their solutions, God has called me to be a person of prayer.

Jesus, I imagine You not only getting away to mountainsides for private conversations with the God of the universe, but also maintaining a daily “prayer” dialogue with the One you loved. Help me do the same.

Questions: What “prayer prompts” do you use?  How do these help you stay in relationship with God?

About the Author Marilyn Ehle

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, What Will I Be Remembered For?, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog