Peace on Earth
Good Morning,
Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
vs. 29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Rest and peace are frequent promises in the Scripture; and for all of my ministry, I have preached that the Holy Spirit is our Helper to find rest and quiet in a difficult world. One reason Americans use so many sleep and anxiety medications is because we fail to use the Scriptural recipes that God offers.
Children who live endless hours before screens are clearly being affected in their brains, their sleep, and their ability to function in other areas of life. Obviously, there are physical situations like arthritis that make sleep difficult, especially in adults, but there is far too much “unrest” and anxiety in our world.
A peaceful, secure home is one of the best tools to help quiet and calm our hearts and minds. Our entertainment is filled with tension, anger, violence, fear, and piled with emotions that affect the viewer. When fighting parents, out of control siblings, pre-adolescent dating, and broken marriages are added to the recipe, a peaceful home is nearly impossible to cultivate.
Our schools bring endless anxiety to children.
1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
When a child faces math, English, or other academic subjects, pressure forms in the heart of the youth. For the last fifty years, our society has added more sexuality, confusion of identity, blame, victimhood, and many more subjects to the teaching agenda that are far from academic (or biblical). Schools do not offer stability and security; they offer confusion. The passage above shows that peace is not found in a world of confusion.
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
The Word of God was given to help us find peace; yet in our culture, each generation that passes robs the Bible from our children and families more and more. Less church means less Bible, even in our private homes. It is simply rare to find a family that reads the Bible frequently but does not attend church. Church attendance, Sunday school and Vacation Bible School were common in American communities for decades, but now, they are less and less a part of our culture.
Without church and church-related activities where the Bible is present, less and less peace can be found.
Children are experiencing more mental pressure, yet being given less Divine support; anxiety, sleeplessness, and even suicide are tragic but logical results. The number of children being given sleep aides and behavioral medicine is ever increasing. The number of depressed and hopeless adults is staggering.
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Notice that the Child Whose birth we celebrate each December is named “The Prince of Peace.”
As we have pulled church and Bible from our lives, we have also allowed an endless list of sinful behaviors to be treated as acceptable. God promises that the lack of righteous living robs us of peace.
Isaiah 57:21 “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”
Consider these passages and remind yourself that God has the perfect plan.
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Psalm 85:8 “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
vs. 7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
The angelic announcement of “peace on earth” in Bethlehem was an offer, not an absolute. The One Who brings peace had arrived, and He invites you to know Him and learn of Him, but without Him, there is no peace.
Pastor