"....And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of
peace.”Ephesians 6: 15

The fighting man lives and dies by his feet. They are the vehicle by
which he is propelled. They can influence a war in a mighty way, and even
death can occur because of an inability to walk or run. Here in this
blessed passage of scripture we come to understand the gospel of peace as
that which motivates us to move onward, because, we  have peace with God
and are found covered by the righteousness of Christ.

In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto
you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”  “Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ.”        (Romans 5:1)

Through reading these verses we find that peace does not come through us
or our good deeds, but through Jesus Christ our Lord, who by the shedding
of His precious blood has made a way whereby we can come, not as
condemned sinners under the curse, but as those who have been cleansed
and can now come into the presence of God.
        
We must pursue peace, and we find the word “preparation” in Ephesians,
which causes one to wonder about who is preparing the way? In looking
closer at this word, I believe that there are two sides to it.
        
1) The power of God in saving us and giving us the Spirit of peace (His
Holy Spirit). This is purely a work of God that can only be believed on
and laid hold of by faith. We must trust the character of God, or we get
nowhere. What God says and has revealed is true and all other religions
are false.

        
2) Man is responsible to pursue peace. In Hebrews 12:14, we are
instructed to follow after peace with all, and holiness, for without
them, no man shall see God. This leaves us no room to play favorites or
be unrighteous towards those who are unsaved. Again, I place emphasis
upon peace being a living and active reality in our lives.

 We are to live in peace (II Corinthians 13:11). We have been called to
peace (I Corinthians 7:15). Our God is not the Author of confusion, but
of peace (I Corinthians 14:33). And when we rest in the peace of God that
surpasses all understanding, then that peace cannot be contained, but
must shine forth unto others. The gospel message has never been that
which could be contained or destroyed, for where the Holy Spirit is,
there is liberty.

We are to  prepare ourselves with the message of peace. This preparation
is like putting on your boots every morning to go out and work. If not
properly clad, disaster usually follows in terms of bruises and other
injuries; so the importance of having your feet shod for daily living is
essential. It is the daily laying hold of Christ and of keeping a clear
conscience so that we may live peaceably with all and bear fruit unto
God. 
        
Now let us look at another aspect of this piece of armor and the reason
that God gives us armor. It has to do with the matter of conquest. One
basic function of a warrior is to take ground held by the enemy. In the
warfare in which we are engaged, the price is much higher than mere
ground and more precious than gold or riches: we are to be engaged in
winning souls for Christ. Make no mistake: we are not saving souls, but
we are carriers of a message which saves. How can we be messengers of
peace when we have no peace, or messengers of a message that can only
save in accordance to man’s will?
        
If we have peace with God and a message of peace, then we have beeen
commanded to show forth or manifest peace unto all men. Peace is not just
a theological discourse to the one who has the peace of God abiding in
his heart. If the peace that we hold is true, then it should  shine forth
in some way unto others.

Saints, let us walk as those who have peace and proclaim the gospel of
peace to a hungry world that knows only a peace that comes and goes.
Through the turmoil of this world may the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ
shine forth, and may we not be confounded when faced with those who throw
doubts upon salvation and the security of knowing that our destination is
eternal. By God’s grace, these blessed truths revealed will give us the
assurance to move boldly forward and throw off the shackles of self. 
        
May the peace of God have its way in our hearts and minds, so that others
may see that there is peace in knowing and being obedient to God, a peace
that passes understanding, soothes the soul, and binds the heart. Let the
peace of God reign today and impart that message which is so
precious.       Amen!
                                                                
M. H. G.
     

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