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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Peace

Week 21 in a multi-part series

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke  2:14 KJV). Although this is the proclamation the angels made to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth, I find very little peace in the lives of believers this time of year. While I cannot find one scriptural mandate to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, I believe there is one primary attitude that could bring peace to what we have created: love.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22 NKJV). For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5 NKJV). Christmas tends to give us opportunity to set the Spirit of God on a shelf somewhere in the back of our minds in order to get things accomplished in the flesh. The fruit of a mind that is submitted to the Spirit of God within will first and foremost demonstrate love and produce peace. If our minds are set on the things of the flesh, there will be no peace and joy, only frustration and anxiety.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, (Jesus) because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV). Can we stop hanging tinsel long enough to examine our hearts and motives behind all the decorations and gift giving? Are we working this hard to demonstrate our love for Him, or is it for us? We should be saying with every colored light and tree ornament, “I love you Jesus and I am grateful for your natural birth.” When love is our motive, we will not decorate to please ourselves or the neighbors. I want to give every gift out of a heart of love, not obligation or man pleasing. Is Christmas truly just for children or can it be an expression of my love for Him and those He has put in my life?

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live] (Colossians 3:15 Amplified). Can we allow the Spirit of God on the inside of us to guide and lead us through this Christmas? Can we allow the umpire of peace within us to decide and settle each decision we make throughout the holiday?

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance (Jude 1:2 NKJV). When love is our motive, we will not decorate to please ourselves or the neighbors. Also, when love is behind our giving, each gift will be a demonstration of the greatest gift of all. When love became flesh to dwell among us!

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