Luke 2:14 (NKJV)
Today the snow fell in North Carolina. The first big snow on Christmas Day and the day after in NC since 1947. My teaching message today was to bring a series to a close by sharing about the peace of God. Here are some thoughts:
“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.” Isaiah 9:6
Over the past 4 weeks we’ve learned about the first 3 titles in Isaiah 9:6 – “Wonderful Counselor,” “Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father.” You can check out my sermon outlines and podcast on our web site if you want to review what those titles mean as they are applied to Jesus. With that said, on Sunday following Christmas Day and this last Sunday of 2010 - we will focus on the meaning of the fourth title in Isaiah 9:6 – “Prince of Peace.”
Peace with God (spiritual) - "Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1 TEV).
Peace of God (emotional) - "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).
Peace with each other (relational) - "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9 KJV).
This reminds me of some of the words from the famous hymn “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” which we sang last Friday evening at the Christmas Eve Service.. Listen to some of the words from this hymn: “Hark! The Herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king; peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.’”
With those words in your heart and mind, let God’s favor rest upon you and your homes, and make the Prince of Peace the center of your marriages and families – and then you will experience the peace of God that passes all human understanding.
"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" (Acts 10:35 MSG).
A Prayer of Thanksgiving to God
"Because of Jesus, I now can live a life of joy, purpose, peace, and love."
God, I have so much joy right now, knowing that you decided to send Jesus to earth so I could be saved from a life of hopelessness and sin and be a peacemaker for you. I recognize in this moment that you saved my life when you sent Jesus, and that because of Jesus, I now can live a life of joy, purpose, peace, and love. I hold onto that hope today. When I look at the world around me, I see so many people who are struggling with stressful, meaningless, chaotic lives without loving, caring relationships. That was my life before you saved me. To say I am grateful doesn't begin to express what I am feeling. I just know I have a sense of meaning and peace I have never had before and could never get on my own strength - and I am full of amazing happiness.
I feel like celebrating right now, knowing that I am now on your side, instead of being at war with you. I know that with you I will never again be lost and alone. I am a new person today, and I recognize what I have just been given. I pray that, as I continue to grow spiritually every day, I will come to understand everything you have just accomplished in my life. By faith, I know I can trust you to be in my life today - and every day. I know I can count on you when things get tough, and knowing I will spend eternity in your presence gives me such hope!
Thank you, Jesus, for the peace you have given me. I pray you will use me as an instrument of that peace so I can help my family, friends, and the world in which I live. I feel so different right now, knowing that you and I are now OK, knowing I am on the road to a deeper understanding of what it means to live for an audience of one. I ask you to help me pray when I become upset so that I will have your peace in any situation I face - good or bad. Help me to get ready to help other people as others have already helped me. I want to make a difference in this world, and I want to help everyone I meet have the same hope I now have. I can't do this alone, so I ask you to make me a peacemaker.
Thank you for loving me. Thank you for saving me. And thank you for giving me a peace I have never known before. May everything I do, from this day on, reflect these same qualities as I tell others what you just did for me. I am full of anticipation at the kind of life I can now live.
I love you, Jesus!
Thanks to my friend Rick W. for some insights shared
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