Because Jesus was born and given to us, because the governing of all life is on His shoulders, because we can count on His wonderful counseling, because He is mightier than mighty, because He is the Perfect, Loving Father, we can live forevermore and begin to sense that Abundant Life here too, filled with peace and joy, no matter what is going on, because He is also our Prince of Peace. Praise God! Say this one with me:
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isa 9:6 NIV
Peace. Don’t we all long for true and remaining peace? This is what Jesus has come to give us, my Friends. Not peace the way this world gives it, depending on circumstances, if others are being nice to you and doing what you tell them, if the stock market is up and the government is lowering inflation and taxes…all that would be great, but the peace Jesus offers us is so much greater. It is an inner calm when everything is not going your way. It is a reassurance that God is in control and is working it all together for our good. (Again Romans 8:28) It is a tranquility so deep within our hearts that, nothing and no one can disturb it for long. Even when we are shaken by life, we are not taken from our foundational trust in God. Inner peace is priceless. Do you know Him?
Peace. It must begin within our hearts because we are connected with this Prince of Peace, but it shouldn’t stop there. In the Church especially, we need to be unified under Christ. This may not mean we agree on every single point, but even if we choose to agree to disagree on some of that, the unity we display points others to Jesus, so they may have His peace too. Sadly, this is lacking way too often. We become like the Corinthians, who said, well listen to St Paul: “What I mean is this: One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’” Some even pridefully said, “I follow Christ,” meaning the others did not!?
Division. The devil seems to be the only one who understands divided they all. My friends, today of all days, let us be at peace with each other. Let us unify under God and His Word. Let us love God with all we’ve got and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Love. In the end, this is why God sent Jesus, this is why Jesus sacrificed Himself, this is why the Holy Spirit longs to live in each of us. Receive this Prince of Peace Who was born this day, given to us so we may live love.
Have a very merry and Blessed Christmas…I will see you tomorrow…
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
July: 26- Jas 2:19; 27- Dt 31:8; 28- Jn 14:15; 29- Jn 8:11
August: 30- Ro 8:1; 31- Pr 4:23; 32- Pr 18:21; 33- Ps 118:24; 34- 1Jn 4:4
September: 35- Mt 16:24; 36- Isa 53:6; 37- Ps 23:1-6
October: 38- Heb 4:12; 39- Jn 15:5
November: 40- Jas 5:16; 41- 1Jn 3:1; 42- 1Jn 5:12; 43- 1Jn 3:3; 44- Ps 139:16
December: 45- Ps 119:105; Eze 17:14; Isa 9:6
<>< Peace, Diane
