Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Peace

PeaceAt church today, the topic of the sermon was Peace. We're in the advent season, and over the past four weeks, the sermon topics have been Hope, Love, Joy and (today) Peace.

During today's sermon, Pastor Derek Duncan talked about, of course, Peace. There was one passage that I felt was a major take away:

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 [NIV]

In this day when we are at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting terrorism and drugs, and concerned about the future plans of North Korea, Iran, and Russia, the word Peace has become quite a buzzword. Whether you call it "troop withdrawal," or "draw down," or some other term that refers to ending hostilities, the meaning is the same: Peace. Politicians often run on a platform of Peace (either obtained through withdrawal or victory). But can they truly bring us peace?

No. Absolutely not. Only one person can bring us Peace: Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Our lives will be filled with trouble, but in the arms of Christ, we find true peace. Even in the hardest of times, we have peace in Christ.

There was something that Pastor Duncan said that I had never considered before. Today, the term "god" can mean many different things to many different people. While I might refer to God as the Creator of all, another might think of their "god," whomever that might be. As Christians, as followers of God through His Son Jesus Christ, we need to shift our focus on the One and Only source of peace and salvation: Jesus Christ. There can be no confusion whom we serve when we serve the Son.

Merry Christmas!
Happy Birthday, Jesus!

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

The God of Every Man

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}
  • S: Acts 10:34-36; Acts 10:44-48
  • O: Can't we all just get along?
  • A: It is clear that God's intention is for us to live in peace and harmony, regardless of our race, birthright, national origin, or religion. As the Apostle Luke reports in the book of Acts, God has brought together a Jew and a Gentile for the very reason of proving this point.
    "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from -- if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel -- that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again -- well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone." ... No sooner were these words out of Peter's mouth than the Holy Spirit came on the listeners. The believing Jews who had come with Peter couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on "outsider" Gentiles, but there it was -- they heard them speaking in tongues, heard them praising God. Then Peter said, "Do I hear any objections to baptizing these friends with water? They've received the Holy Spirit exactly as we did." Hearing no objections, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:34-36, 44-48 MSG)
    The world is filled today with several kinds of people. I'll name just a few: (1) those who love, appreciate, and promote peace; (2) those who would have you believe that their god is calling them to kill in his name; (3) those who find themselves defending the rest of us from the second group listed above by taking up arms and fighting back. It's clear that, first of all, God -- the only God -- is not directing people of any religion to kill others in His name. If they do so, it is because they are either (a) deluded into believing it, or (b) blaspheming the name of God by killing in his name. It would be a wonderful world if we could all live as those in the first group listed above promote, but that is not the world that we live in today, because the enemy -- Satan -- has been given the freedom to move among us and tempt us to act on his behalf. With whom will you stand? The enemy, or the Ultimate Victor? Would God have you turn your back on those in need, or lend a hand in their defense?
  • P: Lord, as we continue to defend our country -- the world -- from the tyrants who claim to kill in the name of Allah, guide those who defend us to do what is right and just, to fight only defensively, not provoking or prolonging the fight. Help us to win a swift victory against the enemy -- against the armies influenced by Satan.
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