I am sorry to be late in wishing all of you a Merry Christmas. I want to let you know our changing technology will not change the way I write this blog, although it was nice of Google to offer to "help". I assume that means AI would be involved. I know that ultimately God is in control of AI, but I have my suspicions.
As we began thinking of the year ahead, many of us wonder and worry about 'world peace'. There doesn't seem to be much of that. Jesus addresses this subject in three of the gospels - Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. The command is..."to not be alarmed, to have faith, not fear." Jesus is the "Prince of Peace", Isaiah 9:6, and to know Jesus is to know peace, no matter how circumstances look to our human eye. I had a friend who drove around with a bumper sticker that read "Know peace, know God, NO peace, No God". I thought that statement was remarkedly succinct.
In Isaiah 26:3 he wrote of the Lord. . ."You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
I think we tend to worry more about our personal peace than worldly peace, but isn't it nice to know that the Lord will keep us in perfect peace? We just need to trust Him.
Luke 2 - There were shepherds in the fields by Bethlehem, watching their flocks when an angel of the Lord appeared to announce the birth of a Savior. Suddenly there was a great host of heavenly angels who were praising God and saying
"Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace to men on
whom his favor rests."
Notice, they didn't say God gives peace to everyone, only to those who believe in Him. There are many un-believers in the world, be patient with them, God is sovereign and totally in charge. That truth alone is enough to give us peace, but so easy to forget the truth when we're hurting or struggling with difficult circumstances. Jesus said in John 14:27 "I leave you my peace". This verse has always thrilled me, "He himself is our peace". In other words, we just need to know Jesus and all our other worries will not disturb our peace!
Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, . . ." all the wonderful gifts the Holy Spirit showers on those who love God. Count on these gifts they are yours for the asking; no work on our part is required other than loving and believing our Lord, Jesus Christ.
I wish my readers a wonderful new year full of love, joy and mostly the peace that Jesus passed on to His believers.
