Although this Saturday’s topic was “What do we understand about the meaning of the word “Peace” in the New Testament”, the discussion evolved into determining whether inner peace was a good indicator for accepting the status quo.
To introduce the main theme of the discussion it is pertinent to mention that God has laid on Jaco’s heart the desire and passion to stir up prayer by South Africans for South Africa.
The scripture God laid on his heart was 1Timothy 2:1-4. “First of all, then, I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”
The issue however is that a stumbling block has presented itself in the form of an obstacle to this goal. Jaco is grappling with the concept of whether the obstacle is God’s way of letting him know that the timing is not right or whether it’s the devil sowing destruction and confusion. Either way how do we get peace from the situation?
After presenting the scenario and sharing his heart regarding the prayer quest, the following main points were agreed with:
- South Africa is ready to take the mission message forward.
- This can be achieved through the prayers of righteous men and woman (The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results James 5:16).
- Prayers seem to have the same heart but lack direction.
- Genuine love for others does not seem to be the motivation behind the prayer but rather seem to be egocentric and based upon fear (safety, crime, corruption, poverty, removal of prosperity …) and clearly lack the bottom line component of the covenant.
The questions raised were:
-What is the real motive for the prayer?
-Are the prayers Kingdom oriented?
-How do you know when you start to “hit the mark”?
Some answers were:
-Love should be the central motive for prayer.
-Bottom line would be the Kingdom response to the blessings we as a nation have received. So pray for the nations 1st – get the message out there. Gods economy is “if you are sick and need healing, pray for others that are sick; if you are in need of finances, sow where you see a need….” James 4:3 And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure.
-Prosperity does not bring true peace but inner peace comes with being aligned with the kingdom. This peace will probably be accompanied by trials and tribulation. So you know you’ve hit the mark when you have peace while all manner of tribulation is breaking around you.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 16:33 I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
1Peter 1:6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.
The message is right – get South Africans praying, but is the model correct?
So isn’t the strategy to pray that the nation will turn towards God’s ways … 2Ch 7:14-15 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
I will listen to every prayer made in this place…
and then to prayer for the nations and learn to love other cultures the way God loves them.
Remember God doesn’t want us to fix the problem. He will fix it but using us to do so.
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