ROMANS 14:16-17 “16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

ROMANS 14:18-19 “18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another”

INTRODUCTION GOOD MORNING. We thank God…

INTRODUCTION Please repeat after me: “Blessed are the peacemakers – for they shall be called – the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

INTRODUCTION We are so very thankful for this congregation…

INTRODUCTION VISITORS: you are our welcomed and honored guest…We are thankful and excited that you all are here and under the sound of our voice.

LOVING ONE ANOTHER WILL MAKE FOR PEACE!

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19). “Seek peace, and ensue it" (1 Peter 3:11).

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE "It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling" (Proverbs 20:3). Peace is a fruit of the Spirit, but strife is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-22).

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3).

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1) ; but the sowing of discord is an abominable thing in God's sight (Proverbs 6:16-19).

FOLLOW AFTER PEACE "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (1 Corinthians 14:33).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE 1. Contention. "As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife" (Proverbs 26:21).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE 2. Vengeance. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE 3. An unholy ambition for power and preeminence. "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not" (3 John 9).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE 4. Bitterness, wrath and anger. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice" (Ephesians 4:31).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE "An angry man stirreth up strife" (Proverbs 29:22). “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE 5. Foolish and ignorant questions. “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive…" (2 Timothy 2:23-24).

THINGS WHICH DESTROY PEACE 6. Corrupt speech. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29).

CORRUPT SPEECH a. Hasty words create strife; so we are commanded: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" (James 1:19-20).

CORRUPT SPEECH b. Gossip and tale-bearing excite strife. “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends" (Proverbs 16:28).

CORRUPT SPEECH "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth" (Proverbs 26:20).

CORRUPT SPEECH c. Harsh words are to be avoided. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). d. Clamor is to be put away (Eph. 4:31). e. Railing is forbidden (1 Tim. 6:4-5).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE The seven bonds of union make for mutual concord. They are one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE A recognition of a standard of authority makes for peace (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Some professed Christians say, “I know a certain thing is true no matter what the Bible says!”

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE An unselfish spirit makes for peace (Genesis 13:7-12). Paul said, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Philippians 2:4).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE Peace will be the order of the day when the Golden Rule is practiced. "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matthew 7:12).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE Returning good for evil is one of the sure ways of promoting peace. "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head" (Romans 12:20).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE A spirit easy to be entreated will help make for peace. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE A forgiving spirit brings peace. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" (Colossians 3:13).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE We are to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12; Hebrews 10:17).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE A longsuffering spirit is one of the traits to be put on by Christians (Colossians 3:12).

THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE We began this lesson with the words, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). "Peace at any price" is a dangerous principle and should NOT be practiced by Christians (Jude 3).