In our humanness, we struggle at times to achieve peace.

World War 1 ended 100 years ago, and all sides joined together as a League of Nations to make that conflict the “War to end all wars.”

And then World War 2 happened.

Our history is littered with noble attempts to make things right, but only God can bring peace to nations and to individuals. He has promised both! One day, He will make everything new, forever. While we wait for that great day, He also grants us peace in our daily lives.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

We only have to ask Him for it. Jesus, as He said in Matthew 11:28, gives us peace even in our greatest trials and when we are exhausted. Then, peace comes to refresh us and give us all the strength we need.

If you don’t have peace in your life, simply ask God for it. He will provide.

Let’s pray.

Father God, let your peace wash over people everywhere in this hurting world. Make them aware of your spirit of peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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We all screw up. We all fail in some way. We fall short of goals, or get embarrassed in some kind of career implosion or other event. It’s easy then to feel like we’ll never win again.

That is not how God sees you.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   

Hope and a future. That’s what’s ahead, not depression and failure. The Bible is full of stories of people God would not allow to slip away. Peter denied Christ, and the Savior forgave him! Sarah mocked the idea that she would ever have a child, but God let her be a mother late in life!

This is the world God created. Not one of misery and losing. Does it make sense that He would create you in very specific ways, uniquely gifted as you are, and then just give up on you?

Don’t let that be your story. 

Your part in it is refusing to believe the enemy when you hear that voice that tells you it’s all over.

God knows the plans He has for you! Remember that.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank you that you don’t let us sink out of sight. Thank you for setting us on our feet and helping us move forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Let’s think about something deep today:

What is the endgame?

In this context, we’re talking about what comes after this life we are living now. Believers of course, look forward to an eternity with the Living God. And even unbelievers wonder about what comes next after you draw your last breath.

It’s the most important element in our discussion this week.

Romans 5:3–4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Like snowflakes and other beauty in nature, no two lives are alike. Each of us is unique. God made us that way. The Psalmist said that you are fearfully and wonderfully made!

And in your unique life, you face singular challenges. If you believe in Christ, you are well aware that in this life there is pain, and struggle, and obstacles.

But all through Scripture, the Lord lovingly reminds us that He is always with us, and when we pass to the next life, He has prepared a wonderful future for us. One that will never end and will never be tainted by sin.

If you endure in your faith, that is what is waiting for you. Think about that today!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, your Word tells us that eternity is joy beyond our understanding now. All glory belongs to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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There’s a reason the Bible uses so many metaphors. The wisdom God has for us lends itself well to short narratives, and we learn much from stories.

A famous passage from Isaiah we’ve been discussing this week uses a powerful mental image to convey deep truths from God.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

The sight of a majestic eagle, flying high above the ground…well, it can just make us feel good. It inspires. Gliding on the wind, the eagle dominates the place we’d like to be.

This gorgeous creature is exactly where God wants it to be. Free and sure of its place in the world, the eagle uses its extraordinary eyesight to see the big picture.

This is the place God wants you to be, and why He uses this verse in Isaiah to let us know our aspirations are not limited to the ground, not dependent on gravity.

Like the majestic eagle, let God free you to fly in every area of your life.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, your beautiful creation inspires us. Put us to flight so that we go to the place you have prepared for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Whenever we have to overcome an obstacle in our lives, we are thinking about a million different things. Our minds race. We might even be aware that our Creator is there to help.

But have you ever considered that even when life gets tough, you can still have joy?

Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Sheila Walsh has said that what got her through a bout of depression was the knowledge that God the Father loved her and wanted the best for her.

Today, one of her missions in life is to help others recover their joy, by pointing them to the Lord. The truth is, this life sometimes beats us up, but those circumstances don’t have to win. It isn’t inevitable.

It’s when we learn to rejoice while clinging to hope that true joy comes.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, in our lowest moments, we cling to you and your promises. Thank you for that joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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O Holy Night is a well-known Christmas carol that began as a French poem celebrating the opening of a new church. The beloved song we know today was translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight, an American minister and abolitionist, in 1855.

This poignant carol reflects on the birth of Jesus as humanity's redemption.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

’Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

A thrill of hope...what a poignant, moving way to describe the feeling in our hearts as we approach the date we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Right now, you may be feeling a weariness you haven’t experienced before. Concerns about the health and well-being of your family, and worldly troubles beyond your control, maybe weighing heavily on your heart this year.

We invite you to join us as we approach Christmas Day in rejoicing in the Lord. A new and glorious morning is on the way, and our hope is still, and always, in Jesus.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we confess this year has made us weary. We pine for your holy presence, and we rejoice in your gift of Jesus! Be present among us, Lord. Bring peace to the chaos of this world and renew our hope for the coming year. We ask these things in Jesus’ name, amen.

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Are you comfortable in your life? This is a little different than asking if you’re always happy, or living in some sort of paradise. Comfortable just means you are relatively peaceful and content with your situation. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it can be dangerous in a spiritual sense.

Jesus calls us to something more.

Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Of the 200 or so nations in the world today, a good portion of them have citizens who have never heard the Gospel. They’ve never had someone explain to them who Jesus was, is, and will be. Millions have not heard of the eternal sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross, to pay for the penalty for our sins.

Do we even have the right to stay in our comfortable place?

Are you called to more?

Can you justify not sharing the Good News about Jesus?

Your situation is unique, and Jesus knows all of it. If He isn’t calling you to a remote place on the globe, maybe it’s working with kids in your own church. Whatever opportunity God is giving you to change the world…take it! 

Let’s pray.

Lord, we ask you to put more people in our path. Give us more chances to change our world for you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Today, we’re continuing our series on sharing the gospel, and what we’re covering today is about the Great Commission. Have you heard that term before? Christianity’s great at using terms the general public isn’t familiar with, and sometimes we use terms even we aren’t familiar with as believers. 

A recent study shows that more than 50% of U.S. churchgoers don’t know what that term Great Commission means. And when asked if they had heard of the Great Commission, half of U.S. churchgoers say they don’t know that term. Maybe our priorities need tweaking.

Matthew 28:19 says, “Go and make disciples of all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” 

And though the Great Commission is not a term used in the Bible, it does describe the command Jesus gave us to share the Good News of His sacrifice for our sins. In this way, He provides a way for people to be reconciled to God, and this is the greatest news anyone will ever hear. Christians should be excited about this action plan.

Matthew chapter seven indicates that the path leading to God is narrow, and that many are on the broad path that leads away from God. This truth should motivate us as Christians to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission. And the Bible tells us that this activity will have an endpoint. We should have a sense of urgency about that. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was literally born in the Middle East. Jesus’ disciples took His words to heart and began preaching and teaching about Him in Israel, then to all the regions around the Mediterranean basin. From there, the Gospel spread quickly into Europe, and beyond.

Today, even with all our technology and hundreds of years of sending missionaries to remote parts of the world, not everyone has heard the Good News about Jesus. We have our marching orders. It’s time to move. 

Let’s pray.

Father, we know that no matter what time is passing. We want all people to come to a saving faith in Your Son Jesus. Remind us daily that we should have a sense of urgency about sharing your good gift with everyone we come into contact with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever known someone who inherited something of great value from an obscure relative? It happens…maybe in a movie or something.

The will is read by an attorney, and all of a sudden, the beneficiary goes from struggling to pay the rent to needing a financial planner. It can be an exciting time, even disorienting.

The only downside to receiving a large inheritance is the knowledge that someday it will run out, or you die and can’t take it with you. That’s why the Bible’s revelations about eternal riches are so much more important.

Genesis 31:14 says, “Rachel and Leah said to him, ‘Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house?’”

Let’s think of this as a parable: A man took the place of another and was executed. He was no ordinary man, though. Only a few days after His death, the will was read. And he left it all to you!

Jesus Christ died for our sins and took the penalty for them so that we don’t have to. That is what the Gospel is, the Good News that we have riches in Christ, and they last forever.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your precious gift for each of us is something we did nothing to earn. You decided to put us in your will. We thank you forever for your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Table salt today is so common, it becomes another thing we take for granted. You go to the store, pick a cylinder or jar of salt off the shelf, and then go home. You don’t even think about it.

Now, consider that 1,000 and more years ago, if a person wanted to use salt on his dinner, this required some prior work. A lot of work! The Romans boiled seawater in huge, lead-lined pans. So valuable was salt in the Roman Empire, it was used as currency! Mainly, it was used as a critical food preservative.

Matthew 5 verses 13–16 says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.                         

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

See there—God is telling us that we are to be the instrument that preserves and makes known the Gospel, and salt is one of the analogies.

Let us say to our friends, loved ones, and even strangers: Taste, and see that the Lord’s promises are good!

Let’s pray.

Lord, help us to be salt and light for Your Word in this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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