AND ON EARTH PEACE!

 

Thursday, December 11, 2025

 

AND ON EARTH PEACE!

 

Luke 2:13-14

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 

          Max Ehrmann an American writer, poet, and attorney from Terre Haute, Indiana, is widely known for his 1927 prose poem "Desiderata" which he wrote in December 1933. Its theme is about attaining happiness in life.

 

 Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.

 

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

 

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

 

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

 

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

 

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.

 

Be cheerful.

 

Dear Lord, may I open my heart and my hand to receive from you all the things you will give today. AMEN

 

UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU!

 

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

 

UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU!

 

Heb 1:1-3

1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

 

          The word translated “express image” is the Greek character which actually refers to a graver, one who does engraving or the tool of the engraver. It means “an exact copy of the original.” Jesus was and is God! He had not only the image but the character, the moral attributes, of his father.

 

Gal 4:19-20

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

 

          Paul fretted over the people of the church at Galatia because they had a desire to be back under the law. They were about to abandon grace! Paul said he had his doubts about them and their condition. He had called them “foolish Galatians” (3:1) and considered them to have been “bewitched.”

 

          Paul, who had done the labor to give them spiritual birth, now felt that he was once again suffering the pains of birth for them. Such is the tender mercies of his ministry to them that he was ready to begin again to secure their salvation. So it is in our modern day that so many who make professions of Christ do not easily develop His character, or moral attributes. Should not the love of God make his subjects more loving? Shouldn’t we be more merciful because we have received his mercy? Shouldn’t we be holy because He is holy? Shouldn’t we cooperate until the ministry of the Holy Spirit forms Christ in us?

 

Eph 4:11-13

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 

          Such is the purpose of pastors and teachers. We are to aid in the development of the fullness of Christ in each one under our care. In many ways this ministry requires much more exertion and diligence than evangelism. Giving birth is hard but parenting is more so.

 

Dear Lord, help me to cooperate with you and your ministers until Christ is formed in me. AMEN

 

AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN

 

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

 

AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN

 

Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

 

There's a theory floating around claiming that during a time when Christians were punished for worshiping openly, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song was used to secretly pass on the ideology of Christianity. Per this theory, each gift on the list symbolizes a different aspect of the Christian faith:

 

The Partridge in the Pear Tree is Jesus Christ. [Christ on the Cross]

The 2 Turtle Doves are The Old and New Testaments.

The 3 French hens are Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.

The 4 Calling Birds are the four gospels and/or the four evangelists.

The 5 Golden Rings are the first five books of the Old Testament.

The 6 Geese A-laying are the six days of creation.

The 7 Swans A-swimming are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments.

The 8 Maids A-milking are the eight beatitudes.

The 9 Ladies Dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The 10 Lords A-leaping are the ten commandments.

The 11 Pipers Piping are the eleven faithful apostles.

The 12 Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed. Article in Good Housekeeping online magazine. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/a29212592/12-days-of-christmas-meaning-facts/

 

Lord, thank You for the Incalculable riches are ours.

 

IF WE COULD SEE THE FUTURE!

 

Monday, December 8, 2025

 

IF WE COULD SEE THE FUTURE!

 

Matt 6:30-34

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

                I have been retired now for a bit more than 5 years. Retirement is not what I feared and not what I expected. I learned that the anxiety I had while thinking of retirement was wasted energy. I have learned that God is faithful even when I am not. “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” 2Timothy 2:13 

 

                Matthew’s familiar portion of Scripture offers us wisdom in several areas. First, we see that anxiety about tomorrow’s gain cheapens today’s riches! If we are not careful, we will become sullen and dissatisfied with the things God has already given us. Look around and see if you do not have more than enough to make you happy.

 

                Planning for a soft and comfortable future will also distract us from our primary focus which is God’s kingdom and righteousness. Anxiety about tomorrow’s supply ruins today’s purpose and productivity. Jesus promised that, if we focused on His business, He would care for our needs both today and tomorrow. We either believe that or we don’t.

 

                   Warren Wiersbe tells us that: “The Greek word translated take no thought literally means "to be drawn in different directions." Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes, everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however, is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material wealth.”

 

                If we could see the future, we would also see tomorrow’s cache of evil.  William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) declared: “It is bad enough to know the past; it would be intolerable to know the future.”

 

Dear Lord, I confess to a desire to know what the future holds but I’m willing to let you hold my future. AMEN

 

SON OF MAN AND SON OF GOD!

 

Saturday, December 6, 2025

 

SON OF MAN AND SON OF GOD!

 

          On December 6, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt, because he believed Japan was preparing to invade Thailand, sent a message to Emperor Hirohito with the request that “for the sake of humanity,” the emperor intervene “to prevent further death and destruction in the world.” “The son of man has just sent his final message to the son of God,” FDR joked to Eleanor after sending off his telegram to Hirohito, who in the Shinto tradition of Japan was deemed a god.

 

          Meanwhile, 600 miles northwest of Hawaii, Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, announced to his men: “The rise or fall of the empire depends upon this battle. Everyone will do his duty with utmost efforts.”

 

          It occurred to me that we are still listening to the same Christmas music, often by the same artists, as was being played on the radio in Hawaii on that eerie Saturday. The same radio signal that the Japanese fleet used as a beacon for their attack.

 

          You cannot reason with evil. Evil must be fought and overcome even when it resides within us. The REAL Son of God is the answer to evil and only when we submit to Him will we have peace on earth and good will to men.

 

Luke 2:10-11

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 

Dear Lord, the enemy has come to steal and to kill. You have come that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Thank you for your Son Jesus. AMEN

 

JESUS LOVES KIDS!

 

Friday, December 5, 2025

 

JESUS LOVES KIDS!

 

Mark 10:13-14

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

          It was customary for parents to bring their children to the rabbis for a blessing but evidently the disciples thought they were protecting Jesus’ time and energy by keeping them away. The idea of Jesus being “much displeased” with this is much stronger in the original language. You can see his brow furrow and his lips grow thin as he tells them to permit the children to come.

 

          He took them up in his arms! The angry brow softened, and the smile returned and broadened as he held the children. Children are simple and honest. They do not hide their true selves, and I think Jesus liked it that way. In fact, Jesus said that everyone should come in this open-faced way.

 

          Children enjoy life! Almost anything can suddenly become a toy including something valuable and breakable. How sad that we gradually lose that ability to imagine and enjoy.

 

After seeing Jesus use a child as an illustration of how to come to Him, we could reverse Spurgeon's statement and say, "An adult, if properly instructed, can as truly believe and be regenerated as a child."

 

Dear Lord, thank you for loving children! Help me to love them too and to pay attention to them for in so doing wisdom can be gained in simplicity. AMEN

REJOICE AND LEAP FOR JOY!

 

Thursday, December 4, 2025

 

REJOICE AND LEAP FOR JOY!

 

 

Luke 6:22-23

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

 

          Leaping for joy is not our first or natural response to being hated and abused. Either God doesn’t understand our pain, or we don’t understand His perspective. I think the latter might be the best guess. God does not think like we do, and he doesn’t mark time the way that we do. Our frustration at His patience while we endure trials is due totally to our failed understanding. There is little hope of reconciling our thinking without a healthy dose of faith in the unseen.

 

          When, because of our innocent attempts to serve the Lord and to serve people, we become the victims of rejection and harsh abuse, we find ourselves in some rare company. Jesus said: “for in like manner did they unto the prophets.” We do not feel worthy to sit with such a company but that is exactly where Jesus has placed those who suffer on His behalf. Paul suffered the equivalent of being run out of town. This was not the mega-church welcome that many of today’s servants have come to expect.

 

Acts 9:23-25

23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket.

 

          Since Christianity has been driven from the streets and forced to reside inside the walls of churches, that has now become the devil’s battle ground. Pretend Christians and real Christians sit together at worship, and it is inevitable that conflict will be the result. When we try to redefine genuine Christianity to fit a personal model then we exclude anyone that doesn’t fit. It’s painful but it’s common.

 

          Paul urged young Timothy to “endure hardness” as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). The word “endure” speaks nothing of strategy or tactics. It simply points out that spiritual conflict will be cruel and uncomfortable. Brace yourself! Experience, hope and boldness are the products of pain. Read it for yourself in the following verses.

 

Rom 5:3-5

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; [makes us bold and confident] because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

Dear Lord, it seems we have been lied to when we have been led to believe that Christian service involves large adoring crowds, fancy clothes, and big smiles. We soon learn that we are battling a foe that is hell bent on destroying us. Let us brace ourselves for the conflict and sternly endure the trouble that comes with serving you. Only be our captain! AMEN

 

THE POLITICS OF CHRISTMAS!

 

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

 

THE POLITICS OF CHRISTMAS!

 

Luke 2:1-7

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

          Dr. Charles Stanley said: “At best, government is second best. At worst, government is stifling, stripping away human worth.” When we situate Christmas within its real political climate things turn grey and cold. We feel the fear of travel, the pain of Mary’s pregnancy riding on a donkey, and the uncaring of Bethlehem already bloated with those others who were also forced from their homes.

 

          We still have Sadducees among us. There are those who wear the robes of religion but who are, in fact, nothing more than a political party that does not believe in the supernatural and whose goals are to please those in authority for the purpose of peace and prosperity. They challenge no sin and present no solution for it.

 

          We still have Pharisees. These are the super saints who strain at gnats and swallow camels. They see sin in everything, and their solution is as oppressive as sin’s consequences. The absence of grace is abysmal. Their robes are as black as their heart. Their reward is their own self-aggrandizement.

 

          We still have oppressive governments. The worth of the individual has been stolen and given to the vast pool of takers who are never satisfied with the taking. Government makes promises it cannot fulfill. The little that it does provide costs increasingly more and the discomfort it produces grows to a miserable level.

 

          Into this cold and grey existence comes a baby but not just any baby. This is the very Son of God and God the Son! He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords although He rests in a bed of straw in the only silence and comfort that Joseph could procure. The soft light pours over mother and child while angels sing hallelujah!

 

Matt 4:16

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

 

Dear Lord, the world is still cold, grey, and uncaring. Oh, how we need you to burst forth into our darkness. Shine your light upon us we pray. AMEN