> A Message and Prayer for Peace for the Middle East
>
> Our world is threatened with terrorism, a new cold war and perhaps
> world war III if the Iranian situation is not resolved. Russia,
> Iran, Israel and
> the US are dangerously close to the precipice of war according to
> many news sources online.
>
> For example on Goggle News:
>
> Invasion of Iran would trigger World War III: official
> Tehran Times, Iran - 30 Aug 2008
> TEHRAN – Brigadier General Massud Jazayeri said on Saturday that any
> military invasion of Iran would trigger another world war. “Any
> aggression against Iran ...Hürriyet
>
> Report: US about to strike Iran; Tehran warns of World War III
> Israel Today, Israel - 1 Sep 2008
> ... General Masoud Jazayeri, said on Saturday that any attack on his
> nation would result in World War III. Speaking to Iran's IRNA news
> agency, ...
> The Dutch Connection CounterCurrents.org
> all 35 news articles »
> Middle East Online
>
> Invasion of Iran would Trigger World War III
> Fars News Agency, Iran - 31 Aug 2008
> Iran also test-fired its Shahab-3 missile which puts Israel within
> range. In recent months, several Israeli politicians have talked of
> the possibility of a ...
> ALEXANDER: Iran's 'perfect storm' Washington Times
>
> Is peace possible in a fallen world on the brink of war?
>
> With man perhaps it is impossible. God's Peace is available for
> individuals and like salt and light can spread with God's help in
> our
> society and beyond. When the Prince of Peace returns the prophets
> say
> there will be permanent peace...however before that Day comes can we
> be Peacemakers in a world being torn apart by hatred? Yes, we can
> ....God who created the human race and has acted into human history
> has
> not left us in the dark as to the nature of Peace.
>
> The following quotes, comments, and scriptures will hopefully
> shed some understanding and light on that that humanly difficult
> thing
>
> to achieve...which is Peace.
>
> War is easily spread by the flames of hate, racism, demonization and
> desire for revenge. When people or nations are not just in their
> treatment of others ..the seeds of conflict are planted.
>
> Racism as defined by the dictionary is "an irrational belief or
> advocacy of the superiority of a given group, people or nation."
> Racism is not just a matter of differences in the colour of one's
> skin
> and
> culture..it goes much deeper into issues...such as cultural pride ,
> nationalism, non-scientific or untruthful definintions of race,
> prejudice, etc.
>
> Racism is widespread in our world and has led to lynchings, mob
> violence, genocide and war and has resulted in the death of untold
> millions on this planet. Racism and hate if unchecked have the
> potential to destroy all life on this planet. Is this what people
> want
>
> ...If we come to our senses I think not!
>
> What are the roots of racism and hate... The following quotes by
> various prophets and sages will shed some light on the roots of
> racism
>
> and hate and offer some alternative solutions:
>
> A person who is treated poorly by a person of another race or culture
> can
> respond with hate or heed the words "You have heard that it has been
> said, You should love your neighbour, and hate your enemy, But I say
> unto you, Love your enemies....bless them that curse you, do good to
> them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,
> and
> persecute you.."
>
> The latter is difficult but can defuse a potentially reactionary
> situation.
>
> The person who said these words also said:
>
> "So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; this is
> the meaning of the Law and the Prophets." *
>
> A person who loves will honestly recognize one's own faults and will
> hold his breath rather than condem others.
>
> "He who has no sin cast the first stone" -this was said by Jesus of
> Nazereth to an angry judgemental crowd who was ready to cast stones
> at a women caught in the act of adultery.
>
> No racial group or individual can claim it, or he or she is without
> sin...unfortunately we are often too quick in condeming others
> while
> failing to see one's own
> shortcomings.
>
> Jesus had the following wise words to say about blindly condeming
> others:
>
> "Condem not, that you be not condemed.
> For with what judgment you condem, you shall be condem: and with
> what
> measure you out, it shall be measured to you again. And why do you
> notice the speck that is in your brother's eye, but not see the beam
> that is in your own eye? Or why do you say to thy brother, Let me
> pull
>
> out the speck out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own
> eye?
>
> You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then
> you will see clearly to cast out the speck out of thy brother's
> eye.".*
>
> Love is willing to forgive and with time and God's help forget.
>
> It is difficult to love our enemies without God's help. He is the
> Vine
> ..we can bear the fruit of love, forgiveness and peace if we abide
> in
> in God .... "a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself"*
>
> "But if you are led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the
> works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
> fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft,
> hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
> envyings,
> murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell
> you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do
> such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
>
> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
> gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
> there
> is no law." Paul to the Galatians.
>
> "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh
> after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he
> shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" -John the
> Baptist
>
> How do we receive the Spirit of PEACE and LOVE?
>
> And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
> shall
> find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that
> asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that
> knocketh
>
> it
> shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a
> father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a
> fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer
> him
> a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto
> your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the
> Holy
> Spirit to them that ask him?*
>
> - * quotes from Jesus of Nazereth
>
> Faith is gift of God and comes from hearing His Word and His Gospel
> of
> Peace. This gospel will shed light on who is Jesus of Nazereth.
>
> "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
> Word
>
> was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made
> by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him
> was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth
> in
> darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent
> from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear
> witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was
> not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was
> the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
> He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world
> knew
> him
> not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many
> as
>
> received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
> to
> them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of
> the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the
> Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld his glory, the
> glory
> as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
>
> - excerpt from the Gospel of John
>
> We cannot justify ourselves before a Holy God if we have broken His
> Laws. Our conscience and God's written Law condems us when we break
> the moral Law. Depending on personal righteousness when we have
> broken
> God's Moral Laws leads only to self-righteousness, pride and often
> hypocrisy. Self-righteousness feeds pride and hate and is used as a
> justification for war and revolutions. ...human history has too many
> examples of this.
>
> Lust for power as well as a greed also feed the roots of war and
> destruction.
>
> "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence,
> even of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not:
> you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war,
> yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not,
> because
> you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." - letter of
> James
>
> "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves
> that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into
> the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The
> Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that
> I
>
> am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even
> as
> this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that
> I
> possess. And the
> publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes
> unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me
> a
>
> sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
> rather
> than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
> and he
> that humbleth himself shall be exalted."* -the Gospel of Luke
>
> Understanding we are only acceptible to God on the basis of mercy and
> grace destroys any pride and self-righteousness. In the eyes of God
> we
>
> are all poor in sufficent righteousness and if we are honest need to
> afirm the words of the publican, God be merciful to me a sinner.
>
> "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of
> yourselves:
> it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
>
> -from Paul's letter to the Ephesians...please also read Paul's
> letter
> to the Galatians and Romans to help clarifiy the issues such as the
> purpose of the Moral Law, Justification by faith and Peace.
>
> How can we be justified and make peace with God? When we make peace
> with God then He helps us make peace with men.
>
> God has provided a way of Peace
> by means of atonement..the Passover and Day of Atonement foreshadows
> God's atonement when a lamb is slain in substitution.
>
> Isaiah in 700 BC predicted this means of atonement and it can be read
> on the copper scroll of Isaiah in the "Tomb of the Scroll" in
> Jerusalem, which is part of the Dead Sea Scrolls...
> or in the Old Testament.
>
> Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD
> revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and
> as
>
> a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when
> we shall see
> him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised
> and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and
> we
> hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed
> him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
> yet we did
> esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was
> wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
> the
>
> chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are
> healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every
> one to his
> own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He
> was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he
> is
>
> brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
> shearers
>
> is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and
> from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut
> off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people
> was
> he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the
> rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any
> deceit
> in his mouth.
> 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
> when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his
> seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall
> prosper in his hand.
> 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
> by
>
> his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall
> bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53)
>
> "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."..
> .these are the words of the prophet John speaking of the person who
> was called Yeshua or Jesus.
>
> The Lamb of God has power to take away our sins and give us power to
> live in peace because of who He is.
>
> "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
> government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
> Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
> Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there
> shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to
> order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from
> henceforth even for ever." (Isaiah 9)
>
> "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
> thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that
> is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old,
> from
> everlasting. " (Micah 5:2)
>
> " I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,
> which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
> (Revelations 1:8)
>
> "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
> partakers
>
> of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from
> the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of
> his
> dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
> forgiveness of
> sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
> creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven,
> and
> that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones,
> or
> dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by
> him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things
> consist."
>
> -Paul to the Colossians
>
> The story of Noah's Ark is a symbol of our oneness in the family of
> Man...we are all the children of Adam ..we are all God's children as
> He is our Creator. The dove of Noah carrying the olive leaf is a
> symbol
>
> of
> Peace if we follow His ways. The Rainbow is a symbol of God's Promise
> when we have faith and obey
>
> .. ALL men are created in the image of God.
> "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
> him;
> male and female created he them." -Genesis
>
> We are ALL His offspring by creation.
>
> "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is
> Lord
>
> of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither
> is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing,
> seeing
> he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of
> one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
> earth,
>
> and
> hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their
> habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might
> feel
> after him,
> and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him
> we
> live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own
> poets
> have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as WE are
> the
>
> offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like
> unto
> gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
> And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth
> all
> men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the
> which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he
> hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that
> he hath raised him from the dead."
>
> - Paul's speech to the Athenians (Acts 17)
>
> Evolutionary theories on the other hand tends to support unscientific
> theories of racial superority...Hitler borrowed ideas from Darwin to
> justify German racisim claims and genoicide.
> War and conflict are due to mankind failing to obey God's command to
> love ones neighbour and one's enemies.
>
> The following commandment of God if obeyed with God's help will bring
> peace to Jew, Gentile and Arab alike who accept and act on it...
>
> You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour,
> and hate thine enemy.
> But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do
> good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
> you, and persecute you;
> That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for
> he
>
> maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain
> on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you,
> what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same? And if
> you
> salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even
> the publicans so?
> Be therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
> perfect.* -Jesus of Nazareth
>
> .."..So let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one
> that
> loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
> 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was
> manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only
> begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10
> Herein
>
> is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
> Son
>
> to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us,
> we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any
> time.
>
> If
> we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in
> us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because
> he
> hath
> given us of his Spirit.
> 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to
> be
> the Saviour of the world.
> 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God
> dwelleth
> in him, and he in God.
> 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God
> is
>
> love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
> 17
>
> Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the
> day
> of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is
> no
>
> fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath
> torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love
> him,
> because he first loved us.
>
> 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his
> brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he
> hath
>
> seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this
> commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his
> brother
> also." (1 John 4)
>
> Please spread this gospel of peace and love before it is too late!
> Christ said his gospel would not bring peace to individuls who
> reject
> it or choose not to walk in the Spirit of Peace...however He
> promises
> a Peace that the world cannot receive or understand to those who seek
> it.
>
> Pray for a peaceful end to escalating turmoil in Iraq and threat of
> war over Iran.
>
> Pray for your own Peace with God and others
>
> The following is a peace prayer you can pray:
>
> Dear God forgive our leaders and forgive us for not obeying your
> command to love our neighbors and those who sin against us. Thank-
> you
> for sending your Son to die for our transgressions and be our Source
> of
>
> peace. May your Holy Spirit give me the love and peace I need to be
> your disciple. May your will be done in my life. Come fill my soul
> with
> your
> goodness and grace. I receive Christ Jesus into my life to be my
> sacrificial Lamb and Saviour. Thank-you for your peace, forgiveness
> and promise to be with me always.
>
> Final references:
>
> Matt.5
> [9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the
> children of God.