[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Friday, December 13, 2013

[Paul]

Hello and good Friday to all my readers, at least it's Friday here in eastern North America as I write this, although you in Australia and New Zealand are already in your Saturday.  No matter the time of day or day, I hope that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that you all are doing well.

Before I give you the Daily Thought message for today, let me state that, if no one comes up with the name of the carol and why the author wrote it the way he did by sometime this evening eastern time, then I'll give you the answer and, just as important, the source where I found this information.

And now we have an article written by a person whose name was not given, but he/she wrote it for the Faith, Prayer and Tract League many years ago.  It's entitled "Peace On Earth" and is rendered as follows:

Peace on earth? It doesn't look like it.  There has never been a time when the earth was as full of greed, hatred, and distrust.  One crisis follows another.

The angels must have been mistaken when they thought that the birth of Jesus Christ would bring peace on earth.  The centuries since that time have been an endless series of ever more violent wars.

Was God wrong? Of course not.  The peace of which the angels sang was of a totally different nature than the abolishment of war on earth.  This peace which Jesus brought is the reconciling of God to man, and then man to God--not the crushing of some blustering dictator.

Mankind is now by nature opposed to God and cannot find the way back to God by himself.  That's why all of his human schemes are doomed to failure, and wars and social ills will be ever with us.

Originally, man gave glory to God and walked in a way pleasing to Him.  But sin disrupted this perfect harmony, and the resulting disunity has permeated every relationship of life.

But God sent His Son to make a way of return--to bring peace! Jesus can truly be called the Prince of Peace because He brings peace to those who come to Him.  His name shall be called ... the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

God's peace program required that satisfaction be made for the sins of rebellious men.  This Jesus did by His death of substitution on the cross.

Having made PEACE through the blood of His cross ... you that were enemies ... hath He reconciled (Colossians 1:20-21).

When a person believes that this sacrifice was for him, God forgives his sins and makes peace with him.

Therefore, being justified by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

When a person becomes a child of God, a great peace will fill his life.  War, trouble, sickness or any other distress will become merely a surface disturbance of a deep, calm sea.

Thou wilt keep him in perfece PEACE whose mind is stayed on Thee (Isaiah 26:3).

Jesus said, "PEACE I leave with you; my PEACE I give unto you" (John 14:27).

The world is doomed to war, troubles and eventually destruction because it is in opposition to God.  The singing of Christmas carols and receiving Christmas cards with the vague wish that you may have peace may give you a temporary feeling of "Christmas spirit" but this is not real peace.

Real peace is found only in Jesus Christ.  "He is our PEACE" (Ephesians 2:14).  Turn to Him today! "Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at PEACE" (Job 22:21).

"Now the Lord of PEACE Himself give you PEACE always" (II Thessalonians 3:16).  Do you have this peace? If not, come to Jesus Christ with sorrow for your sin and, by a true faith, make your peace with God.

And there you have it for today.  Perhaps the author was "preaching to the choir," so to speak, but maybe some of us here need a re-dedication of their lives to the Lord.  If so, I hope and pray that this article started you in that direction.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be another Daily Thought message for you.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul