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Your Christmas Gift of Peace
By Pastor Mark Taylor
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward everyone.” Luke 2: 13-14
How wonderful our homes could be, how wonderful our lives could be, how wonderful our world could be, if we really did put into practice the blessing of "peace on earth, good will toward men." We cannot control what happens outside of our lives, but we can have peace in this world. Our Lord Jesus said: “My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27)
But our life doesn’t always go as expected. Chances are your perfect Christmas plans will have some unexpected interruptions. Realize that your plans may not be God’s plans, and God is working His plan when He interrupts your plan.
The messages of the angels to the shepherds, to Joseph, and to Mary was to “Fear Not”. Their first Christmas was full of unexpected interruptions.
Joseph probably would have liked the angel to explain his situation to the rest of the family. Imagine the hassle Mary endured as an unwed mother, the hassle of a wedding, the whispers and guessing: why Joseph would do such a thing, or who would of thought such a thing of a nice girl like Mary? But the angels only said “Fear Not”.
Joseph was planning on marrying his sweetheart. Mary was probably planning on an elaborate wedding and a normal family. Things did not work out like they wanted them to. God changed their plans. Because Joseph listened to God and resisted the urge to give into his fear, he did marry his sweetheart and was honored to have been chosen to raise God’s only Begotten Son.
“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary as your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1:20).
The absence of fear is an important part of having “Peace on Earth” and having peace in your life this Christmas and every day of the year.
"Do not say to yourselves: Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that." (James 4:13-14).
After the angel told Mary about her opportunity to let God work in her life by carry the Lord Jesus: The angel told her to “fear not”.
“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy Child which shall be born from you shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, your cousin Elisabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.” For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Your word. And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:34-38.
We don’t need an angel to appear unto us and speak with us today. We have God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to give us peace in difficult times.
Whether rich or poor, powerful or weak, whoever we are, we need peace that God is with us. And God has promised that when the Christ child enters our hearts and lives, then we will receive His help. And when we are helped by the Holy Spirit of God, then we are to develop a more sympathetic feeling towards one another.
God wants to give to you this Christmas the gift of Peace. Peace is an assurance that He is in control of your life if you have given your life to Him. This is called “Providence” - nothing can happen to you without God knowing about it.
Put the interruptions in your life in perspective. Sometimes they look a lot worse than they really are and many times they are only temporary. We spend $100 worth of worry on a $5 problem. This will rob you of the wonderful gift of peace the Lord wants to give to you.
Another thing that can rob you of this wonderful gift of peace is letting things that others have done to you cause you anger and hurt. Ask God to give you enough trust in Him that He will take care of the wrong that others have done to you.
“Peace on (Your hearts and minds on) Earth” and may you show good will toward all people. You can do it if you have God’s Peace in control of your life. It is a gift, all you have to do is ask for it and accept it as a part of your free Christmas gift of salvation.
