Luke 2:11-15 KJV 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. I know it not Christmas time, but while we are on the subject of peace, let talk about peace as far as God sending us peace. What is God's peace? As I began to think on this, I began to realize it not taught about God's peace. I can not remember one minister talking on peace. Why is peace never talked about. Perhaps with the idea of peace the idea of war still exist. What is God's peace? God the Father is in control of the universe. God is on his throne looking down on all of us with his feet prop up on the earth for a footstool, with all of us running around it like ants in ant hill, and blaming God for all the corruption, and disfunction of our world. Yet God put things in order as a librarian might put things on a shelf. There an order of how things work, even to who is in charge. Christ equality with God does not supercede God's authority over his will or plan. Yet his equality is full seen as well, but the equality of Christ is the part of God that is in Christ, the part that is only subjection to God the Father. It is a deep thought to grasp for new beginners I think. But I want to go a step further and talk about the fact God sent peace to the world by sending His Son. God sent his Son knowing they would kill him. God sent his Son to teach us His ways, and His truth. A baby by itself seldom brings peace to a family even when inlaws and biological family intertwine in difference of opinion. The only thing both parties agree on is they want what is best for the child. Mary and Joseph would love this baby God sent to the world and raise him to the best of their ability, but this was not ordinary child. This child remain in the temple after the family had departed jerusalem teaching the scribes and religious leaders. It take three days for His parents to realize their child is not with them. Who is this boy of peace from God that even mystified the religious leaders of God. Who is the prince of peace that God sent to the world as a leader that would also be rejected. God sent Jesus as a gift of peace. A leader, a proof of His existence as well demonstration of God's great power to heal, and to deliver. God desired peace with mankind. To take away the resentment of his reproach among man. There many reason people do not like God. His wrath would be perhaps number one, why people do not like or resent God. For Hebrew people God was a God they could hear but not see. The could hear the sound of God's voice and it terrified them to point they wanted someone to intercede in their behalf. The image from the movie The Wizard of Oz scaring the cowardly lion comes to mind. Yet The Wizard Of Oz was a fake magician. God is not fake. His power is greater then us, but it not meant to cause us fear beyond reverent fear. Our ability to approach God's throne and ask of God is part of the peace God desire to bring to man. With Jesus being the intercessor a man in the image of God, maybe people would feel He was approachable. God desire to do one more thing bring His Word to a reality to man, that His prophecies were true. What He said was true. By sending Jesus prophesy was fulfilled as will as being fulfilled during his ministry, death and resurrection. We can not kill God. God word is for eternity. God's word exist to teach us how to live. No one wants to obey God on their own. They need the Holy Spirit to enable them to live the way God desires them to live. He desires to bring us peace. Desires to leave peace with us. Yet God's peace is like a sword and divider among men. it is either God's way or eternal destruction. It is either God's way or everylasting eternal war within. I hate to think of our nations of power to flex their muscles of saying our way the only way that works. It does not matter if it is so, it about other nations discovering and realizing not that we are right, but that people say I think that way might work better. Of course their some things other nations excel at for their people. Of course governments look into other ways of doing things to see what will work best for their people. God's way is best for all mankind. The devil does not believe that, in fact that why Eve was tempted to eat the fruit that got us into all this trouble of separation of God and man. Are you mad because Eve and Adam destroy our life by sinning. I mean instead of working hard and living in an imperfect world, we could of been on streets of gold and in paradise if Adam and Eve had not fallen, or would someone else had fallen from paradise. Is this enough to be angry about, or is the idea of the adventure into imperfect world to learn to live has God expects us to good training ground so we will not use our freedom to sin against God in heaven. I believe the knowledge of sin will be removed from us after the day of judgment. Yet to think of us not remember sin or horrids of our world is hard to grasp. Yet a day is coming that God will wipe away those tears from our eyes. He will wipe way all our pain and sorrow from us. Everylasting peace is abiding with God for eternity. God's Son comes and lives among the people to show people what it is like to live with Jesus daily. To walk with Him and talk with him as Adam and Eve did in the garden. That the kind of peace with God we all want and desire. People asked Jesus all sorts of question besides to be healed. What is it to walk with Jesus, to be a Christian? To have Jesus in your heart walk and talking with you about things of both spiritual and physical world. To have his corrective hand in our hearts, teaching us how to walk, despite our imperfection. Our humanity sometimes demonstrates our failings as a believer. God may have his corrective hand on us and our heart, but we are not always in obedience. We would think the story of Adam and Eve would be enough, if that did not do it most of the Old Testament scripture should convince us of the hazard of disobedience. It is said Abraham was called a friend of God, and God showed Abraham his hope as well as destruction of tribes surrounding him that were bad. When the Holy Spirit came after Christ death and resurrection is was to be a comforter to us. To be our teacher, to show and teach us how to live by obedience to His still small voice that is as loud as a trumpet and sounds like many waters and mighty rushing wind. God will always be with us, and never will we be alone once we believe. God's Spirit even warns sinner, not just the saved. The lost do not know to obey Him, but sometimes they still do. God did not leave us absent of his Word. His Spirit abides in our hearts as believers. It is everyday walking with Jesus, not just one day thing, however we must be willing to listen. When couples reach their golden years together and retire, only to find they seldom hear each other, but can finish each others sentences. We may know what God is going to say, but are we listening to Him. His peace being heard in our ears and heart as believers. God sends peace to us. But He also wants that relationship with us, that same relationship Jesus had with His disciples. That same relationship Adam and Eve had with God before original sin. Are we willing to open our hearts to that kind of relationship with Him. God sent the angels to tell the shepherds about the peace He sent them. To receive God's peace, one must be willing to obey Him, but foremost believe Him. He knows we do not always comply with His will because of our nature, but do we believe His word. Do we accept His peace, and his relationship of his authority over us as well as His friendship. Many things Jesus could do his disciples could not do, because of lack of prayer and fasting. Seeking God and His way. Three days into a fast unless God's in it, can be torturer. Point of this message is to understand the peace God desires to give us, not only in the form a babe but through His Word and Holy Spirit in relationship with us.God is giving us that hope of eternity through the resurrection that the relationship with Him does not end if we believe. That our relationship is eternal hope. We should not fear the relationship with Him, but embrace it. Embrace the peace he wants to bring to our heart with a relationship with Him through His Son and Holy Spirit. Dear Heavenly Father bring your children peace of the right relationship to you, in harmony with obedience to your word, but also talking with you about things to come as well as thing present. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: John 14:23-31 KJV 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. http://www.turtle30cshell.com