Is Peace Possible?

 

Fear is as old as humanity. If I asked you today, “Of what are you afraid?” the answers would be many and varied;  aging, poverty, sickness, war, disease, and death – to name of the more common. All of us would admit that fear finds us at least some days. Any thinking person who considers the state of our world experiences some anxiety over the future.  We may disagree about what is wrong but most all of us would agree that we are in a precarious place – rather like a car driven by a drunken individual careening down a highway, an accident waiting to happen!

Christian, one of the promises of God to His children is a ‘peace that  which passes all understanding.’ This second week of Advent we note the theme of PEACE, but unless we learn the why and how of the peace of God it will remain just a sentiment, an idea that is unattainable for the majority of us.  In thousands of churches yesterday this text was read - "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”" (Luke 2:13-14, NIV)  I hope you hear those words with faith, with a breathed prayer to know the fullness of the promise of peace in your life and thus to become a peace-maker in your world.

Luke tells us that those rough men who were shepherds living with their sheep heard the angelic announcement and that they responded with faith. They ‘hurried off to find Mary and Joseph.’  Those few words inspire me.  How easily they might have looked at one another and said, “What a strange sight,”  and settled down again for the night. But, they wanted to see, to know, to experience what God promised, so they went seeking.  Did they understand Who is was that they found newly born among the animals out back of the inn? Probably not, but they felt the wonder and spread the word.

The One they saw that night was the Prince of Peace, born to show us the heart of God, which is filled with love. The enemy of our soul, the instigator of fear, would like to us to think that God is either cruel or remote, that He does not care for us, nor take note of us.  But, the Baby of Bethlehem was a  divine letter of love to us.  John teaches us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.”  He walked with us, entering our lives, and in the end dying for us – reconciling us to our Father. 

Love makes peace possible.  John was inspired to write to us that "love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:17-18, NIV)

If you would know peace today, receive the love of Christ. No matter what you have done, who has told you that you are worthless, or what your current status – you can receive the grace and love of God, by faith, and experience peace. Copy the example of those shepherds who heard, chose faith,  and went to find the Savior.

David, in a time of distress, penned the words we read in the 70^th Psalm. How I love them for their authenticity. As I read them this morning, they were my prayer. You may want to make it yours.
If you are where you can read aloud, speak these words with faith:

"Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.
May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” turn back because of their shame. 

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
“Let God be exalted!”
Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay." (Psalm 70:1-5, NIV)

Isn’t that a wonderful prayer for peace?  And, it is not just a wishful thought!!  We are addressing a loving Father, One Who stands with arms outstretched, welcoming us – just as we are – to Himself.  Oh yes, You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD.  I receive Your peace today in this turbulent world. I pray to be a messenger of peace, knowing Your healing and wholeness, so that I will bring Your peace to others.

The word from the Word is a reminder that ours is not a religion but a relationship.  Hear the truth. Live in the promise of peace. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men." (Romans 14:17-18, NIV)   Amen.

 (Video of this blog at this link)

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 Prince Of Peace

My heart
A storm cloud's raging deep within
The Prince of Peace
Came bursting through the wind
The violent sky
Held its breath
And in Your light I found rest

Tearing through the night
Riding on the storm
Staring down the fight
My eyes found Yours
Shining like the sun
Striding through my fear
The Prince of Peace met me there

You heard my prayer

 Hope like the sunlight
Piercing through the dark
The Prince of Peace
Came and broke into my heart
The violent cross
The empty grave
And in Your light I found grace

You’re always there
And You hear my prayer

(And my soul will know) Your love surrounds me
When my thoughts wage war
When night screams terror
There Your voice will roar
Come death or shadow
God I know Your light will meet me there
(And my soul will know)
When fear comes knocking
There You’ll be my guard
When day breeds trouble
There You’ll hold my heart
Come storm or battle
God I know Your peace will meet me there (again)

Oh be still my heart
And know that You are God
Oh fear no evil
For I know You are here

Oh be still my heart
And my soul will ever know that You are God
And You heard my prayer

 Dylan Thomas | Joel Houston | Matt Crocker

© 2015 Hillsong MP Melodies (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

 

“I’m here for you”

 

Many years ago, when I still had little ones at home, the best time of each day was when evening came.  We shared dinner at 5 then we watched ABC News (Peter Jennings was like a family friend) together at 6:30. Those moments were ‘together’ time, talking, laughing, wrestling, snuggling – probably some fighting too, though I have forgotten that. There was something about being there together that defined who we are as a family, that spoke a message to my children – ‘I’m here for you.’  If I sound nostalgic, I am!  Now they are scattered around the country, but it is not all that unusual for them to call me when they are having a rough day or to share some success.  We have a text group where messages flow back and forth almost every day between siblings and Dad. Why? Because we are family, here for one another.

In this Season, we remember that God came to us long ago, a Baby born to Mary.  His desire is that we can be ‘together,’ reconciled to our Father, the family of God. Isaiah, given revelation of the Spirit, saw through time and said "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. " (Isaiah 7:14, KJV)   Immanuel is a Hebrew name that means “God with us!"  The God that Moses met on a mountain, Who was wholly ‘other,’ Whose Presence was symbolically separate behind the veil of the Temple’s Holy of Holies, became a Man, entered into His Creation in that mystery of Incarnation, and bridged the gap between Heaven and Earth.  Yes, my friend, He is now “God with us!”

Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you have done – you can know Him as Immanuel, too. The Gospel writers make it abundantly clear that He is not just God for the 'together,' the rich, the beautiful, the brave, or the intelligent. Jesus, son of Mary, is the God of the little, the forgotten, the weak, those bruised and broken by life.

The Father chose a young girl from a hill town to bring His Son into this world.

He was born in the animal shelter 'out back,' because the room 'up front' was full. Just maybe the kinsfolk of Joseph in Bethlehem had 'no room' specifically because they could count to nine, and knew that Mary's pregnancy was a scandal.

The royal family in Judah determined early on to kill Him, and Jesus' family became fugitives for a time until Herod's death.

As He began His adult ministry, Mark tells us that His own family thought He was mentally unstable and tried to bring Him home to avoid embarrassment.

At the end of His short life, He hung naked, pinned to a rough cross, bleeding to death, while passers-by hurled insults at Him. Pilate mocked Him - "The King of the Jews" read the sign ordered nailed above Him as He died, a cruel joke.

Immanuel is not just a Name. It's a statement. He understands who we are –
our hopes and our aspirations,
our successes and our defeats,
our certainties and our confusion,

... because He's Immanuel - God with us!

The limits of human connection become all too obvious to me.  My heart aches for the man who battles addiction and while I may be there for him, I cannot save him.  I am touched by that woman who is drained by life, who gives without receiving, and may be there for her, but I cannot impart renewal in life.  I am concerned for a world that is divided by ideology and am a ready listener to those troubled with me, but I am not a savior.

Immanuel knows none of our limits! He offers more than empathy. He is the Savior, the Lord of Glory, the giver of Life and grace. Immanuel is the One who brings us the hope of the Great Reversal - the last, first -  the humble lifted up – the sinner made a saint – the hopeless filled with heaven’s promise.  Today, join me in meditating on the Name – Immanuel.  Thank God that He is here now, that He has brought those once far away near.

The word from the Word is the song of Mary song. Read it thoughtfully as you take note of the triumph in the words, spoken prophetically, and with great hope.

"Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. For he promised our ancestors-Abraham and his children- to be merciful to them forever." (Luke 1:46-55, NLT)

Today, find a moment to step out of the traffic, to retreat to the quiet, but don't focus on your pain.
Instead, wait for Immanuel to come. Invite Him to soothe your soul with His Presence.  I pray that you can hear Him say - “I’m here for you.”

 (Video of this blog at this link)
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Emmanuel

Holy holy
I will bow before
My Lord and King
Hallelujah
You have come to us
You make all things new

Emmanuel
Jesus Christ
You'll never let me go
My Shepherd King
You're watching over me
(Emmanuel)

So amazing
You have named the stars
Of the deepest night
Still You love me
You have called my name
I will follow You

Holy holy God Almighty
There is none like You
Holy holy God Almighty
There is none like You

Emmanuel Emmanuel (5X)

 

Reuben Morgan © 2005 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Living with Wonder

 

I treasure those moments when the amazing Presence of the Holy settles on me. Sometimes it is in the sanctuary, in formal worship. Sometimes it is in the middle of the night’s darkness. Sometimes it is just a moment in the middle of the day’s work. He comes to me outside of the confines of my reasoning mind. This is mystery!  Yes, God is everywhere and His Presence surrounds me all the time, but there are just those moments that I cannot explain when I know Him, sense His love, and I am renewed in my hope.

God found a young woman in Nazareth. "In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be." (Luke 1:26-29, NIV)  Yes, God’s Presence and Word is not always sweetly comforting. Sometimes He disturbs the peace, inviting us to grow in grace.

Are you keeping your heart and mind open to the Lord’s Presence?  

Skeptics will insist that my ‘sense’ of the Presence of the Lord is nothing more than a brew of chemicals in my brain. They will read about the angel’s visit and a virgin bearing the Son of God with disbelief.  That ‘reason’ will steal the ability to truly worship the living, loving God.  It is not just the declared atheist that misses the wonder of faith. Many Christians will as well. 

In an excellent essay, Kathleen Norris observes that ‘modern believers tend to trust in therapy more than in mystery, a fact that shows in worship that employs bland speech of pop psychology and self-help rather than resonant with poetic meaning – for example, a call to worship that begins “Lord, use this hour to get our perspectives straight again.” Rather than express awe, let alone those ‘negative’ feelings of fear and trembling, as we come into the Presence of God … we focus on ourselves, arrogantly issuing imperatives to God.”  

Ah friend, let us have humility. Let us become like little children again; not childish, but child-like in wonder, admitting we cannot know all, that we are small and finite beings in a grand universe. Let us read the story of God’s love in the Incarnation with a heart of faith and a mind that is open to the mystery of things unexplained. 

You may ask, “Jerry, are you suggesting we start to believe in Santa Claus again, too?”  Of course not. I write of faith in the Living God, not in in the fables of our culture!  While Santa may appeal to a part of us, longing for simpler times and happy days of the past, we do know that the fable is just that. The story of God’s revealed love in Jesus, the Baby born of a virgin in Bethlehem, is beyond fable. It is mystery, hope, revelation!

This season of Advent make time for the discipline of worship.  Knowing His Presence will not likely just happen.  We find Him when we seek Him, when we pause to become mindful of Who exists beyond our five senses and the natural world to which we are so attached. True worship goes far beyond attaching a Christian fish to our car's bumper, or wearing a cross on our lapel, or saying a ritual prayer.  Our God, Holy and Awesome, deserves and expects our trust, our devotion in thoughts, words, and actions.  And, that is where the mystery comes in. He is eternal, His plans and purposes spanning generations, stretching across time to eternity, but we see only a tiny slice of time. When we try to make Him fit into our little boxes of preconceived notions of Who He is, what He can do, we make Him lesser and rob ourselves. 

Are there some who work at discouraging you, whose criticism causes you doubt or fear?
Are God’s ways mysterious to you, your vision so limited that you will not worship Him?
Bow in humble reverence, magnify God in sincere praise.
Remember, "It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty!"

Make His Name glorious! Worship His majesty. Accept the mystery.

Here is a word from the Word – my prayer for you today. "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:17-19, NIV) 

 (Video of this blog at this link)

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Majesty
(Ron Kenoly will lift your heart into the Presence. Listen!)

Majesty, worship His majesty!

Unto Jesus be all glory,

Honor, and praise.

Majesty, kingdom authority,

Flow from His throne,

Unto His own, His anthem raise!

 

So exalt - lift up on high -

The name of Jesus.

Magnify- come glorify -

Christ Jesus, the King!

Majesty, worship His majesty!

Jesus who died, now glorified,

King of all kings!

 

Jack Hayford © 1981 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Hoping for?

 

Christmas is one of those times when hope is alive, especially in the hearts of children. Christmas lists are made in hope. I am old enough to remember when the Sears Christmas Wish Book showed up and became tattered by us when we thumbed through the pages, dreaming of what might show up on Christmas morning. Anticipation built as ‘the day’ came closer, when Mom transformed our home with decorations of the Season. 

As I grew older, the gifts were no longer of much importance but hope remained, the anticipation of seeing family members, of spending time with those I loved.  With the realization of life’s brevity hope in things eternal has become even more real for me.

Few things are as tragic as a person who has lost hope.  In a world where evil is real, where pain is not just imagined, we can lose sight of tomorrow. Chronic illness, a thousand little disappointments, financial ruin, rejection by those we love, and missed expectations are just a few reasons that hope fades, replaced with grim resignation or despair.   

I want to invite you to find hope, to anchor your hope in the eternal promise of God, to experience the kind of hope that is available to all regardless of circumstance, personal wealth, or family heritage!  In the middle of those situations that are inexplicable, when life defies our best efforts at change, there is a Savior Whose love is offered to all, available to be received by faith. He is the Hope of this Advent season and He gives hope.

Paul, inspired by the Spirit, teaches us of the power of hope. "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Romans 8:23-25, NIV)   

Take note of the place of hope’s anticipation in his words.  Yes, Christ has saved us but the full experience of that salvation is still a promise.  In hope we know that we are not yet all that we will be. We continue to wrestle with temptation. We live in a world where the bad guys win too often.  But, we have HOPE that the Kingdom will come, that our salvation which is secured by Christ’s death and resurrection, will be completed because His promises are ‘yes and amen!’

As I meditated on that Scripture passage today, I remembered this quote from C. S. Lewis that urges us to raise our hope to higher things. “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” - C. S. Lewis   
Let’s not try to satisfy our longing for real and rich life with the trinkets of this present world. Let us pray to see Jesus, to love Him, making Him our true hope, our joy, the reason we live.

Today, are you holding onto hope? 
If your life is dark with disappointment, take your broken heart to Jesus. 
If you are marred and scarred by sins past, let Jesus take the guilt and shame and replace them with His joy.

If you are struggling to find joy in a world that seems meaningless, lean into Jesus and rest in this moment.
If you fear the future so that you have lost hope today, trust Jesus, the One who knows all our tomorrows.

He is our Hope! Here is the word from the Word. My prayer is that God’s truth will inspire hope in us today.

"And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:12-13, NIV)

 (Video of this blog at this link)

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O Come O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)

O come O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come Thou Dayspring come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight 

O come Thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to go

O come Desire of nations bind
All peoples in one heart and mind
Bid envy strife and quarrels cease
Fill the whole world with heaven's peace

John Mason Neale | Thomas Helmore

© Words: Public Domain