Pursuing Peace And Holiness

And so tonight, if you're taking notes, the title of my message is Pursue Peace and Holiness.

Pursue Peace and Holiness, and I'll be reading in Hebrews 12.

So I'm going to read in a couple of translations.

I'm going to read it in the New King James and then I'm going to read it in the New Living Translation.

But Lee will put up the New Living Translation, but the New King James, in Hebrews 12, 14, says pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

And then in the New Living Translation it says work at living in peace with everyone and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

Let me read that again Work at.

You know, there are some things we have to work at.

There are some things that are not, or just it's not going to naturally come upon us, but we have to work at some things.

So here he's telling us to work at living in peace with everyone and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

And so God is a God of peace and holiness.

We should never compromise our standard of living.

First of all, there should be a standard.

What is the standard of living?

Do we look at our neighbor, or do we look at the ones out in the world?

And well, that's our standard?

No, the word of God is our standard of living, right?

If it's not in the word, it shouldn't be our standard.

We always go to the word for our standard of living.

When it comes to everything, you can't just be like, oh well, that part of my life is holy, but then what I eat over there, that doesn't really matter.

No, it goes all across the board.

You'll find it in the word of God.

So God is a God of peace and holiness, and so we should never compromise our standard of living when it comes to those two things.

And so, a lot of times, what happens, though?

People never establish following peace or holiness.

That's part of our foundation.

And here he says the way we have, you know, peace.

It says to pursue peace with all people.

And so if we, you know, to have peace with all people, to have peace with others, to get along, right, it's all about getting along and working.

We have one goal, one vision to see others come into the kingdom, to help, to preach the gospel, to encourage one another.

And so the way we have peace with all men well, let me rephrase it and put it this way we cannot have peace with everybody, with all men, if we don't have peace within, here, within our heart.

It first starts with us, right, so you can fake it and say, yeah, I'm at peace, I'm good, it's all well.

And there's turmoil.

There can still be turmoil, you know.

And there's turmoil, there can still be turmoil, you know, life happens and things happen, but you can be at peace.

It starts here.

And so we have to make sure that we are at peace here in our hearts, and that only comes through reading the word of God, praying much in the Holy Ghost and living by his standards, living by God's standards, not our own standards, but by his standards.

And so it all goes back to us.

It starts with you, it starts with me, it goes back to having peace in our heart.

And so a lot of times people are pushed and they're pursuing other things.

Here the word says pursue peace, and so what are you pursuing in life?

And so we have to make sure that whatever we're pursuing in life, that it's all based in peace and holiness, right.

And so, holiness, that you know there's a standard with holiness, and so we have to make sure that we're just not led by anything, our emotions or somebody.

The boss said something and, okay, you're quickly going to do that.

No, no, no, we have to follow peace.

Peace, it looks a certain way, like I said, when turmoil, when there's sticky situations, you're at peace.

And so you can't live a peaceful life.

If you are not at peace, right, if you're not doing the word of God, if you're not following his instruction, if you are living in sin, you will not ever be at peace.

And so we have to make sure, right here, when he says pursue peace with all people and holiness, you won't see the Lord.

So we have to decide what.

What am I going to follow?

What am I going to pursue?

So, am I following money?

Am I pursuing my career?

You know that hobby that I love so much?

Is that all flesh?

Or am I allowing peace, right?

Am I pursuing peace?

Am I pursuing um, you know that step that I'm about to take in this direction.

Do I feel peace about that?

Just like the word says to watch your step, watch where you're, watch the way you walk.

Right, he lead.

He does lead us and guide us, but we have to make sure.

A lot of times people just want to slap.

Well, that's the Holy Ghost told me to.

Did he really?

Did he?

Oh, you know, and I'm not saying but there's fruit there.

There should be fruit.

If you're going in a direction and God told you to go in that direction, peace and holiness are there with you.

Peace and holiness are there with you.

You're not going in God's path and it just be turmoil and war and doing unholy things.

That is not God.

And so we have to make sure to always pursue peace and holiness, because that's what the word says.

The word says to pursue peace and holiness, to live a holy life, a life that is pure, a life that is set apart, uncontaminated.

The scripture says an uncontaminated life.

We have to make sure to be pure vessels.

And so am I going to follow the flesh and what makes me happy, or am I going to follow holiness?

Am I going to follow the word, his standard of living?

And so, if you keep on reading in Hebrews 12, 15 through 17 says look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God.

Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you corrupting many.

Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as their firstborn son for a single meal.

You know that afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected.

It was too late for repentance.

Let me say it again it was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

And so, yeah, that's in the old covenant.

The blood has been shed.

Since then.

We have Jesus, we have the blood and it washes us.

But here Esau and we know this story.

You know Jacob and Esau were sons of Isaac and Rebekah, and so he sold out not sold out in a good way, he was hunting and came in and sold his birthright all for beans, and so it kind of makes you scratch your head.

But here he says it says he traded his birthright and so afterward he wanted his father's blessing but he was rejected.

He wanted to go back, he wanted to rewind, and you know God's good, he is merciful, he is gracious, but he didn't pursue Esau.

He had a choice, he had a choice to make and he chose wrong.

You know, we're in youth, we're teaching on choices.

Narrow is the way that leads to life.

Broad is the way that leads to destruction.

But we have a choice.

God didn't make us robots, amen right.

He gave us a free will, this thing called free will, where we choose.

We can choose whether we're going to pursue peace and holiness or whether we're going to just pursue the things of this world and the way they.

You know there's a certain way that a customs that the world does right, that they follow, but then there's God's customs and standards and ways of doing things, and those are different than the world.

So if you're just trying to blend in, that's not holiness.

We should stand out, we should be set apart.

There should be a huge difference between the world and us.

Not that we're going to say, oh, I'm holy and you're not.

That's not where it's coming from.

It's coming from a heart, a heart posture.

I should say a heart posture that is clean, that is pure, that has been before God, that has just been in the Word.

Because when you're in the Word and you're prayed up, you're not going to get offended, you're not going to get all upset, you're going to allow God to heal your heart.

And so we have to make sure that the things that we're pursuing line up with the word of God, amen.

And so I wanted to read also in my word wealth.

So if you read, so if you go, hebrews 12 is a great chapter.

You know, at the beginning it talks about laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

You know there's a race that is set before you and you have people cheering you on on the grandstands.

You know the chapter before, and so they're not going to.

They know the destination, we know the destination, so they're not going to.

They know the destination, we know the destination, so they're not cheering about the destination, they're cheering how you're running your race.

How are you running your race down here?

The choices that we are making, the choice, the thoughts that we are thinking, the actions that we are taking, are we pursuing holiness, are we pursuing the things of God?

And so here it says, verse two looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith.

So when you pursue something, you look that way.

Right, to pursue something.

If I'm hungry, right, we wake up in the morning.

If we want breakfast or make a smoothie you're thinking about.

Oh, my tummy's grumbling.

It wants something, it wants a smoothie.

It you know our body needs.

You know we need food for energy and vitamins.

And so you're thinking about that.

And then you go.

What do you do?

You go to the kitchen and you open the fridge and you start looking for fruit or whatever you're going to make, and so you're pursuing that on purpose, right.

And so, just like that which is our body, our earthly body, that's going to eventually, you know, fade away.

How much more spiritual things should we pursue?

And so we should look unto Jesus here, verse two look unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

And that word, looking there, the word wealth, looking it means away from, to see.

The word signifies undivided attention.

Undivided attention, looking away from all distractions in order to fix one's gaze on one object, right.

Then it says I like this, having eyes for no one but Jesus.

If you are really having eyes for no one but Jesus, all these other things, it will be easy to walk in holiness.

It's not a difficult thing.

It shouldn't be a difficult thing.

If you have eyes only for Jesus, looking unto Jesus, who's the author and the finisher of our faith, it's not going to be difficult.

You will have peace, because he is the prince of peace.

True peace comes from him, not from anybody else, not from your husband or wife or your kids, or your job or your hobby.

Those are all wonderful things and those are things that are gifts to us, and God has given us those gifts.

But true peace, you know, looking, it comes from what you're looking at and what you're pursuing, what you're thinking about all the time, and so so I just want to encourage you to to ask yourself those questions what am I pursuing?

What am I putting my attention on?

You know, are thoughts being thrown my way and I'm listening to those thoughts?

Are they from the enemy?

Are they?

Where are those thoughts coming from?

Are they from the word?

If it's thoughts of accusing other people, or you know, you know where you can, you can define where those thoughts come from, if they're bad thoughts or if they're good thoughts, if they're holy thoughts.

You know, just like the word says, whatsoever, things are pure and holy and and true.

Meditate on those things.

And so if any of those thoughts are not those thoughts though that standard of living, then you know where that thought is coming from, and so you have to replace it so you don't take the next step with that thought, because then you take the next step and then that's going to lead to some actions, and those actions sometimes you cannot come back from, just like Esau.

Yes, the blood of Jesus, yes, all about the, I'm all about the blood, right, but how much better it is not to frustrate the grace of God and go that way and sell your life on a on some beans, destroy your, your birthright, just like Esau did.

And he never came back from that.

And so we have to make sure that our standard of living includes pursuing peace and holiness, looking unto Jesus, right, having eyes for no one but Jesus, excuse me.

And so when we have, when our focus is on God, is on him, what Jesus did for us, it's easy, it's going to be easy to pursue peace because it's in here, because we've been meditating on the word, we've been pursuing peace in every situation morning, noon and night, while we're cooking, while we're driving, all the while, right, not just here looking cute with the microphone and preaching about pursuing peace, but in the daily we pursue peace, when faced with opportunity to right, we all come to those crossroads of spirit and flesh and we have a choice.

We have a choice whether we're going to pursue peace or we're going to be in turmoil and worry and anxious.

So we have to make sure to pursue peace and holiness, to be set apart, to be sanctified.

God's called us to be set apart Romans 12, 1 and 2.

And the New King James says I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, he's saying, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Right, that you may prove what is good, that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Well, I ain't got nothing to prove.

No, you do.

The word says you do right.

So what?

That you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God.

So here he's saying we have to present our bodies, our lives, a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God.

And if you're a born again Christian, you know what's pleasing to God.

You don't, you know, you have that check in you and I've talked about before and pastors have been preaching on it.

You know about our words and we build our world with our words.

And you know, if you just override all the time, override, override, just sin, override, do what you want, eventually you just don't care.

You just have a seared conscience.

You get to the place where you're deceived.

And so we don't want to get to that place.

We want to make sure and maybe, um, or if you know somebody, and just keep praying for them and and and speaking the truth in love, um, to make sure, that sure that they come up and grow closer to God and his walk, you know, to walk closely with him.

Philippians 3, 18 and 19,.

The New King James Philippians 3, 18 and 19 says for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things and I wrote here in my notes earthly things equals enemy of the cross.

When we put it, when we put it like that, it's kind of harsh.

You know it kind of said I don't, I don't want to be an enemy of the cross.

I mean, this week's a holy week, can you imagine?

Oh, you're an enemy of the cross.

But really, when you, when your mind is set on earthly things, when you just have a struggle on earthly things, when you just have a struggle, struggle after struggle, the same thing, your mind is set on earthly things, that's an enemy to the cross.

The word of God says here that they are an enemy to the cross.

And you know what the end is Destruction.

We don't wish that on anybody.

We don't want people to be destroyed.

We want to help them.

We want to, you know, get them out of the lake of fire and help them.

But final choice is theirs.

You know God's going to choose this day whom you will serve, and so we have to make sure that we're not enemies of the cross.

Right that we have to make sure that we're not enemies of the cross, right that we have to make sure that we're In pursuing peace.

Sometimes it's all in what you say today, back when I grew up in the 80s.

Versus today, it's different.

We're living in different times and so we're confronted with things that we weren't confronted with back then, when I grew up.

Kids are confronted with different things now than when I was a kid, and so we have to make sure that we guard the word of God, that we guard our heart and in the pursuing of peace.

You'll have to say no to some things so you can say yes to the word.

You'll have to say no to a lot of things so you can say yes to living a holy life, but it's a good life.

It's a life that you know.

It's a Zoe life.

It's a Zoe life, and so that's the life that God intended you to live, that's the life that God intended me to live a Zoe life, not a life down here, but a life up here, a true life, a real life, not a life after the flesh, but a life after the things of God, a life after pursuing peace and holiness.

That our standard of living is a standard that matches the word of God, and he can help you with that.

And so, a lot of times, people have, um, you know, a justification or a certain.

Well, you know, I act this way because this was done to me or no.

We're not victims, you have the victory.

And so it's just a mindset, um, of of the allow making sure the enemy is not just, like I said, throwing things at you.

We have to make sure that we're pursuing peace.

And so a couple of things.

Peace is the result of meditating on God and his way of doing things.

Peace is the result.

Let me say it again, pete, you can write it down or you can type it.

You can type it in the comments there Peace is the result of meditating on God and his way of doing things.

That's the result.

When you do it his way, when you do it your way, when you try to figure it out, when you try oh well, my marriage is messed up and or my kids are doing this, and my boss is that I'm going to fix it, I'm going to do it my way.

Well, they did it with that.

No, you're going to mess things up.

And so we have to make sure that we are in the word of God, that we are not trying to fix it, we're not going out there and trying to fix it, that we are constant, that we are in the word of God, because peace is a result of meditating on God, right, and his way of doing things.

And so and I know it can be difficult when you when there is stuff around you and stuff that you may see that is not right and stuff that's like you know well.

But God, god, just pray and meditate on his word and he will get you through it.

You'll have peace in here, because then you can have peace.

Just like the word of God says we pursue peace with all men, then we can, then we can give people peace.

But if we're in turmoil in here, just strife, just complaints, just negativity, just bitterness.

Just guess what's going to come out?

All of that negativity and bitterness and strife and complaining about everything.

No, no, god doesn't want us to complain.

Actually, the word says don't complain.

And so we have to make sure that we're meditating on God, we're meditating on his way of doing things, because he has a way of doing things and that's the best way.

Number two the peace of God should rank or surpass understanding.

Sometimes we try to figure it out with our own brain, but the peace of God is up here, and so we have to make sure to pursue peace.

And then my last scripture is Philippians 4, 6 through 7.

And the New King James says Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God.

And so what's going to guard your heart and mind?

The peace of God, the peace of God.

What's going to do it?

The peace, the peace of God.

Here he's telling us don't be anxious, don't be worried, don't be anxious, don't fret, don't fear, but let your requests be made known to God.

Glorify God, thank him, thank him for all that he's done, thank him for what he's doing now, what he's done and what he's going to do.

He is the God of miracles, and so we have to make sure that it's his peace, not the world's peace.

It's true peace, which is the peace of God.

It passes all understanding and it's going to guard your heart and it's going to guard your mind.

So whenever trials come because trials do come to all things do life happens, and so to live a holy life and to live a peaceful life, it requires guarding your heart and guarding your mind, and so we have to make sure we're the keeper of our heart.

What we allow in and what we don't allow in is so important.

You guard it right.

A lot of times I tell the teenagers y'all, guard that phone, that iPhone, more than it seems like you guard your heart.

Everybody's glued to the phone and so we have to guard your heart.

Everybody's glued to the phone and so we have to guard our heart.

It's so important that we don't allow little things in there, things that people said that weren't said.

Right, how you know what you say and how you say, that's a whole.

Nother message is so important At the tone you say it, how we say it, when, when we say something, just leadership 101.

But, and sometimes we, you know, we're all learning, we're teachable, we're moldable.

Just like I prayed this earlier on, god helps us.

But not only are we learning, but we're also teaching our next generation and so leading by example.

And so if we want our next generation to be a generation that is holy, that is set apart, that is not just like the world doing whatever to whomever, to wherever, we have to make sure that we as leaders here at the church and as Christians right Christians that we are Christ-like, that we are living a holy life, that we are living a life that is full of peace and joy, right, and the peace that passes all understanding.

And so peace is the way God leads you.

He doesn't beat you upside the head.

He doesn't push you right.

Sometimes people can be pushy.

I'm going to make you.

No, that is not God.

I'm going to beat you upside the head until I make you do that.

No, that is not the Holy Spirit and that is not God.

And so peace is the way God leads you.

Amen.

And so if we do what God's word says, then we will have peace.

You mean, is it that easy, Selena?

What Say that again, if we do what the word says, then we'll have peace.

It's not rocket science, it's not difficult.

Just do the word, just read the word, meditate on the word and act upon the word.

That's where you'll have peace.

It is good to assemble together and to come to church, but it starts at home.

What are you doing at home?

Right?

What are you doing on your off time?

We all have 24 hours in a day.

What are you doing with the time that God gave you?

Are you seizing that time?

Are you seizing the day?

Are you making the most of every opportunity to be at peace, to fill your mind with things that are holy and true and honest?

And so that's where peace comes from.

And here I just wrote down Samson.

I was going to talk about him.

So you know, samson, all throughout the Bible what time are we at?

801.

So you know, you can read all kinds of examples.

But Samson, you know he was called of God but and he had supernatural strength, but he at the end of his life.

If you read the story at the end of his life, delilah distracted him.

He was always distracted.

If you read his story, it's kind of a wild story, a wild love story, but he had a call of God.

He started with the call of God on his life.

He was called from his mother's womb before he was even born, but he messed it all up.

He messed it up but he got strength at the very end, but then at the end his eyes were gouged out and so he had.

He ended up with no vision, and so we have to make sure not not to be like that.

I mean, god did give him.

You know he was strong at the end.

But we just have to make sure that we're living a holy life that we're pursuing and that's Old Testament.

But we can learn from those Old Testament stories, we can learn from the faith heroes, we can learn from them right, and so we have to make sure to pursue peace and to pursue holiness.

So I just want to encourage you with that.

Whatever you're going through, god knows.

God knows what you're going through, right, and so God knows, god sees you where you're at, he knows what you're going through and he loves you and he has a plan for your life.

If you're little, if you're a teen, if you're 50, if you're 80, if you're 90, god still has a plan for your life.

He's always had a plan for your life.

There's no retirement right, there is no retirement, and so in whatever season that you are in in life, god's there to meet you.

God's there, he is so good, he's so faithful.

And if I just want to encourage you just to pursue peace, to pursue the things of God, and also when you see others that aren't maybe you know, maybe you're a mature Christian and they're maybe not pursuing some holy things or some peace, you know there's turmoil there.

You have the authority to pray over them.

You, you have the authority to speak the truth in love and disciple them.

That's what God's called us to do.

God has called us to be salt and light here on this earth.

Not for later, for now, not when we get it right now, get it right now, pursue peace and holiness.

Now Live a life that's holy, that's set apart, to where people don't wonder are you a Christian or not?

And so we have to make sure that we are.

I wrote down here be defined by truth and righteousness.

I wrote down here be defined by truth and righteousness, peace and holiness, and not by sin.

We have to make sure what are we defined by?

So the things that are in this word are a standard.

That's what we're defined by.

So I just want to encourage you with that tonight.

Let me pray over you, father.

We just thank you, lord, everybody watching tonight, father, that they are going to pursue Peace, they're going to pursue holiness.

Father, I thank you that we live a life that is holy, that is set apart.

We don't blend in like the world.

You have not called us To blend in, but you have called us To shine and to stand Out, to be A light and a pillar here on this earth.

Father, I thank you that, just like Hebrews 11 says, we have those that are cheering on for us, father, not cheering on for us when we get to heaven, father, but here and then now, father, through the journey.

Lord, I thank you, lord.

You see the people watching tonight that if they're going through something, father, I thank you, lord, that you're there with them.

They cast their care on you because you care for them, lord.

They're not going to be anxious, they're not going to fret, they're not going to worry, father, but they're going to pursue peace.

And holiness, father, because your word says to pursue peace and holiness, father, that's where true joy comes from and true peace, Father, and a Zoe life, a life that is an abundant life, a victorious life, a life on top, not beneath, father.

So we just thank you that we live a holy life, a life that is set apart, father, and I thank you that we are a living example.

We are not a stumbling block, but we are a building block.

We build, father.

We don't make others stumble, we build them.

We add, we make sure that they are living a holy life and following peace, father.

So we just thank you, lord, for these things.

We thank you, lord, for your word.

It is so good and it is so yummy, father, and we take it in In Jesus' name, amen, amen.

So I pray that.

That blessed you, it blessed me.