The literal Greek reads, "Blessed are the peace-doers."

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald---- 01-16-00
As Much as Lieth in You, Live Peaceably With All Men

"We are required to be Christlike toward those who are our enemies; but we must not, in order to have peace, cover up the faults of those we see in error. The world's Redeemer never purchased peace by covering iniquity, or by
anything like compromise. Though his heart was constantly overflowing with love for the human race, he was never indulgent to their sins. He was the friend of sinners, and he would not remain silent while they were pursuing a
course that would ruin their souls,--the souls that he had purchased with his own blood. He was a stern reprover of all vice. He labored that man should be true to himself in being all that God would have him, and true to his higher
and eternal interest. Living in a world marred and seared with the curse brought upon it by disobedience, he could not be at peace with it if he left unwarned, uninstructed, unrebuked. This would be to purchase peace at the neglect of duty. His peace was the consciousness of having done the will of his Father, rather than a condition of things that existed as the result of not having done his duty."

Daryl,

Thanks. This is a most needed topic for our study these days. I have had a burden for some time now since focusing on the text in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 about the ministry of reconciliation. This past fall my study group took on the topic of reconcilliation and being peacemakers as a focus of study. It is an outgrowth of our series of studies on grace.

My group had spent about 12 weeks on a focused study of forgiveness from a practical theology perspective. After completing that study it was obvious that the end goal is reconcilation and forgiveness is half of the equation. I started a search for a good book on Christian reconcilliation. I was disappointed that I was unable to find one by an Adventist author. (It seems not to be a topic of Adventist focus. )
When I did a search on Amazon for a book on reconcillation I came up with over 300 hits! After refining it to "Christian reconcilliation" it narrowed the search to a little over 100 books! I was still overwhelmed. In the end I narrowed it down to a couple books and someone gave me another recently published book on forgiveness and reconcilliation which looks like the best one I have seen. Unfortunately, I don't have them with me right now. I will post the titles later, when I have them in front of me.

Tom

We have a book written by James Rafferty from Malo, Washington called "Ministry of Reconciliation" I believe. I'd have to go look in our bookcase but he is an SDA and the book is excellent for study. I am sure it is still in print also as they print their own books.

Debbie,

You said "they" print their own books. Who are "they"? That would tend to explain why none of my searches turned up this book or identified this author. I would be interested to know more about the book, so do tell us more.

Tom

James Rafferty and his partner Ty Gibson run Light Bearers Ministry out of Malo, WA; some info on them is at

http://www.outpostcenters.org/publishing/light_bearers.html ,

including a phone number and e-mail address. Though their own web site, http://www.lightbearers.org/ , doesn't seem to be up and running right now (it's in 'coming soon' status).

They also appear on 3ABN fairly often, on the "Lift Him Up" program. Four times during the month of March.

Hopefully Debbie can tell more, from the book jacket or something --

Thanks John. That would explain why at the time I was searching for a book, someone said to look for a book by Ty Gibson. Unfortunately, I found nothing from any conventional book search.

Debbie, was Ty Gibson a co-author? The person who told me said he had written a book by that same title.

Tom

The book is authored by James Rafferty of Light Bearer Ministry located in Malo, Washington. I'm sorry I can't give more information. They are on 3ABN regularly, but his book about reconciliation is a really good one.

He and Ty Gibson work together a lot, I know that much. I think the title of the book is "The Ministry of Reconciliation" or something close to that.

To continue on with our study.

With these examples from the Bible, etc., why do we have such a problem in this area within the church, or do we?

Brother Daryl

Yes, I believe that we do have this problem within the church.
I think the reason is because some of us are still "of the world".
"Not born again"
Have not had the "gethsemene" experience.
Are not converted. We find ourselves in Peter's shoes.

db: 4RH
pt: Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
dt: 01-31-93
at: Seek First the Kingdom of God (Continued)
pr: 3
*********************************************************************
Those who are wavering between Christ and the world, need the
converting power of God. When they see what sin is, and what is the
righteousness of Christ, they will no longer dwell in the cave of
unbelief. God calls upon them to come out of the cave, and stand with
him. No longer question your need of a personal Saviour. The heart, as
well as the understanding, must be enlarged. It is not enough to have
an intellectual knowledge of the truth; there must be a heart work
done. The soul temple must be cleansed from the buyers and sellers, and
must be opened for the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Christ drew a
decided line of distinction between his disciples and the world. Listen
to these words from his prayer offered just before his agony in
Gethsemane: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

db: 6ST
pt: The Signs of the Times
dt: 11-11-97
at: Peter's Fall
pr: 6
*********************************************************************
Peter denied the Man of Sorrows in his acquaintance with grief, in
the hour of his humiliation; but he was filled with shame and sorrow
for his act. With blinding tears he made his way to the solitudes of
the Garden of Gethsemane, and there prostrated himself where he had
seen his Saviour's prostrate form. He remembered with remorse that he
was asleep when Jesus prayed during those fearful hours. His proud
heart broke, and penitential tears moistened the sod so recently
stained with the bloody sweat-drops of God's dear Son. He left the
garden a converted man.

God help us!
We need to think more in terms of "how can I 'woo'
my brother/sister."
When we continually look in the mirror of God's law, and see our own defects, we will be less inclined to critcize each other.

Sister Midge