PEACE MAKERS... PEACE KEEPERS...

MATTHEW 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Peace = one, quietness, be at rest, + set at one again.)  (King James Version)

9 Blessed…
(enjoying enviable happiness,
+spiritually prosperous—
+with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation,
regardless of their outward conditions)...
are the makers and maintainers of peace,<(PEACE KEEPERS)
for they shall be called the sons of God! (Amplified Version)

BLESSED –  pronounce fortunate:
                        +--call blessed,
                            +count happy...
supremely blest (STRETCHED OUT, ONGOING!)
    +--happy(X -ier)… (MUCH MORE HAPPY…)
HAPPY TO THE POINT OF BEING ENVIED BY THE WORLD!
SO HAPPY THAT ALL THE WORLD WANTS YOUR HAPPINESS!

HAPPY… MEANS THE SAME AS BLESSED!!!

JAMES 5:11       
BEHOLD  (AN IMPERATIVE… A COMMAND… SOMETHING TO NOT AVOID… PERK UP YOUR EARS… PAY ATTENTION…,) we count them HAPPY  which endure...
ENDURE -  To stay under , i.e.
    REMAIN... to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude...
    PERSEVERE:--ABIDE,  (take) patient(-ly)...
    SUFFER - THAT IS TO EXPERIENCE, TO STAY WHEN OTHERS ARE                         LEAVING!… TO HANG IN THERE!… NOT QUIT!

ALL OF THIS IS DESCRIBED SIMPLY IN GALATIANS 5:22-23
(Following contributed by  Maria McGonegal, previously a chaplain working under my supervision, and expanded by mysellf... Thanks Maria.)
22 God's Spirit makes us...
loving... ACTING IN GOD’S WAYS,
happy (joy, glad)... BEING WHOLE AND PRODUCING A FOUNDATION FOR                                                 OTHERS,
peaceful...  LIVING WITHOUT AGITATION,
patient... WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES,
kind... GIVING GOOD ATTITUDE + GOOD SERVICE TO OTHERS,
good...  NO BAD, NOTHING INJURIOUS, (God knows that sometimes violence is                         necessary in order to keep or restore peace.)
faithful...,  DOING ALL THAT WE KNOW TO DO,
23 gentle...   NO UNNECESSARY HARSHNESS,
and self-controlled...  GOOD HABITS EXERCISED FOR OTHERS.
There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. (Contemporary English Version)
WE (PEACE MAKERS AND PEACE KEEPERS) ARE CREATED TO FUNCTION TOGETHER IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE OF THE GOALS AND RESULTS THAT WE ARE CREATED TO PRODUCE FOR THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF ALL THE OTHERS.
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I have been praying, meditating and writing to, for and about peace keeping for many years now.  The introduction of this message is the best short description of the human beings who are the peace makers and keepers of peace in this world that I have been able to use to express what I see and know about you who are the peace makers and the keepers of peace in this world.  Generally speaking... and most of the time... this description covers the Peace Keepers that I know.

Even when we fight wars... the purpose is to stop evil and restore peace.   Your  assignment , no matter what it is, is for the purposes stated.  Any action that you have to take is for the purposes stated.  Whether your duty is on ground face-to-face confrontation... flying cover and support... launching missiles from a ship... or any support operation... the efforts are all for the purposes stated.

Even when we arrest law breakers... the purpose is to restore, preserve and maintain peace, safety and an orderly society.  Even warnings about violations of what are considered to be minor laws are necessary for the purpose of educating and protecting the people and keeping the peace.  Investigating traffic crashes, directing traffic, moving disabled vehicles, investigating deaths, apprehending DUI, stopping speeders, checking equipment for safety... All of these actions and any others that must be taken are for the purposes stated.

My Operations Manual for Life (the Bible) states plainly that the Peace Keeper does not bear and wear the weapons for nothing... But that the Peace Keeper is there to stop the evil, unlawful functions of those who do evil and to execute His wrath upon the wrongdoer... always according to our laws and rules of conduct.

Understanding???... The people we have to deal with usually do not understand why we are who we are... and why we do what we do.  The people we love and live with usually do not understand...  Our families seldom understand...  Very few, unless they are part of us, understand that what we do and what we stand for are the most powerful expressions of love of which we are capable... Love expressed for the safety, and well being of of all that we love and care for and care about.  We will come home at the end of our tour either carrying our shield... or being carried upon it... because we love the people that we care for and care about so deeply that we express our love for them in this manner for their good, safety and welfare.  Only a person with the heart of a Peace Keeper can or will understand.  Previous Peace Keepers who have already served... Those who are serving now... And those who are preparing to serve because they can do no other... Only these can truly understand who we are, what we do and why we do it.

These, and more, are the reasons I used the introduction to this message.  Where we are... or where we serve is not the important point.  How we serve where we are is the important point.  I know from experience that you all serve well when the pressure is on and action must be taken.  I know that we would have no life, peace and safety as we know it today if it were not for each of you and all of you who dedicate your lives and talents to making and keeping peace wherever you are. 

Many times during my week I am on some front line that demands I take an action to do what I took the oath to do so very long ago.  Each action in which I am involved makes me appreciate you so very much more each day.  Even if you get tired of hearing me say these things, I will never get tired of saying them to you and writing them to you.

My Commander-In-Chief and I deeply appreciate all the efforts and powerful attitudes you manifest by your actions to make, restore and keep the peace and safety for all the rest of us.  THANK YOU, AGAIN... AND AGAIN... AND AGAIN!!!... ETERNALLY!

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"  Stay alert, watchful, suspicious and wary.  Take the very best care of you as you do these things for the safety and welfare of others.  Be extra careful to see to the best of condition and welfare of your spirit... See to your spiritual needs.  Your spiritual condition must be strong in order for you to be successful.

I pray for your success and your survival daily.  Call or write if I may be of any assistance.

As it has always been... So it still is...

"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST...
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST...
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN."  Sun tzu

ONLY LIVE PEACE KEEPERS SEE THE VICTORY!!!
THEY SEE IT ONLY BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR ETERNAL
PAYMENTS OF SWEAT, BLOOD, TEARS AND LIFE FOR THAT VICTORY!

WITH THE DEEPEST OF APPRECIATION AND RESPECT...
BE BLESSED (A CONDITION TO BE ENVIED)...
BE SUCCESSFUL... BE SAFE...
[My injunction to be safe means doing all you know to do as you do your job... it means
doing the best you can with what you have where you are using all your faculties to get
the job done well and with good results conquering evil and keeping or restoring peace...
it does not mean to avoid duty and honor... it does not mean to cower or allow anything
to hinder you in the process of duty according to rules, law and ethics...  it means that if
the demand takes your earthly life you destroy as much evil as possible in the process. 
That is my definition of being safe... doing the best you can and leaving the rest to God
or whomever else is responsible... being best employed for the sake and protection of all
the things and people that we hold dear.]

I represent, write for... and give the credit to:
God the Father (my Commander-in-Chief),
Jesus Christ the Son (the Eternal Captain of my life) and
the Holy Spirit of God (my Eternal Teacher, Keeper and Guide).
In Christ I live... with Him and for you I serve...
And I rejoice that you are there whether you are Christian or not...
D. R. (Don) Staton, Chaplain to Peace Keepers, 
VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ALUMNI,
RETIRED Police Officer, Certified Police Instructor,
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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