The Fruit of Righteousness is Peace
by Tonja Taylor The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the hills, through [the general establishment of] righteousness.--Psalm 72:3, AMPC I was having a satisfying joy ride the other day, when an SUV suddenly rushed up behind me, tailgating dangerously close. (By "joy ride," I mean driving and spending time with the LORD in prayer and worship, NOT stealing cars! I had no idea that the term was very WRONGly used for robbery! My daughter and I had TRUE joy rides from the time she was very little to when she was in college. (Victoria is now 24, graduated from university right after high school, married over a year to her best friend of 10 years that she met at church camp, and moved very recently into their new home that they are purchasing at an excellent deal! GOD IS FAITHFUL!) Irritated, I ignored the vehicle, and did not speed up. I was just about to pray deliverance for the driver, when blue lights flashed at me. It was a police officer! I'm not doing anything wrong, I thought calmly, and my tags are up to date. What in the world is he doing? I had peace. I knew I was right--with God, and the civil law. And the effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever.--Isaiah 32:7, AMPC I knew I was right. Knowing we are right is huge! With traffic speeding by us on the interstate, I signaled, looked behind me, and moved to the other lane. I was trusting God to work this out, and thought it was probably just the devil trying to interrupt my time with the LORD. When I moved, he sped past me, then rushed up behind another vehicle and did the same thing. The vehicle wasn't marked from the front, but the side had bold letters saying, "Sheriff." I spoke the Blood of Jesus over him and asked the LORD to give him wisdom. As I watched, he zipped across the lane in front of me and took the exit, then chased down a small truck who'd probably thought he had eluded the law--but not this time! I saw the sheriff turn on his lights and pull the driver over. I had to admire the officer for his persistence. God bless these executors of the law, whom God has put in place! I am sure they don't get enough gratitude, nor compensation! The main point, though, is that I was right, and I knew it. Thus, when the "accusation' of the officer's tailgating and lights came, I had perfect peace. Certainly, I have been wrong many times, and as the LORD has revealed areas where I needed to repent through the years, I have received His help to ask His and others' forgiveness--then stop doing those things. Sometimes, it's taken more than once or twice to get the victory, because there were deep roots that had to be fully pulled out by the Spirit and the Word, before I could truly cease those wrong thoughts or actions. That's another writing, though. Our Father is faithful to help us, and to fulfill His Word: He answered, Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be torn up by the roots. -- Matthew 15:13, AMPC Hallelujah! He tells us to keep our minds on Him, and He will keep us in perfect peace. We have nothing to fear, for He is with us always, and He is perfect Love (I John 4:8)! If you don't have peace today, ask the LORD to show you where to make changes so you can. He will help you! The Prince of Peace died and rose again that you would have a life of abundant peace, joy, righteousness, and everything else you need! (John 3:15-17, and John 10:10) You can totally trust Him! And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to God’s will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, that peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].--James 3:18, AMPC Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |
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