Peace on Earth is a phrase associated with Christmas. But then a quick survey of the planet brings the response, “Not so much!” Why is that? Could the promise of Peace on Earth be false? Let’s start with what was the proclamation that the angels made over 2,000 years ago: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 So, yes, peace on earth was promised. But to whom? The Holy Spirit does not speak in sound-bites. That means that we are not free to decide which words of his we like and which ones we don’t like. The truth is that peace comes to those know God’s […]
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There is a compelling reason to celebrate the Advent. God’s angels burst into the night sky to praise the birth of Christ. In Luke 2 we read how the sky erupted with the praise of the angels: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”” Then, in Revelation 5:11-14, we again read of the angels proclaiming the praises our Savior, the Lamb. Why is the Lamb worthy to receive praise? Because he completed the mission his Father entrusted to his care. The angels proclaimed his praise at his birth and that praise continues on in […]
No doubt many will receive a gift of Adele’s music for Christmas. Her voice is strong, haunting, evocative. While her themes connect with life, they are mostly about life’s disappointments, life’s moments of almost happiness and what might have been. Her voice and style are new and stunning, but her words are time-worn and filled with the disappointment of the garden. You can almost hear Eve in the background longing for what might have been. In this sense Adele’s music is not new. Her message is that of the ancient Greek tragedies and of Shakespeare. It is the message of the blues and post modernism. It is a message of commiseration, but not of hope. Adele’s music stirs us to […]
On a beautiful Sunday morning there were signs. There were negotiations, there were weapons, there were plans, there was a grand scheme. There was deception. There was a belief things could be managed, that our country would be safe. There was also one missing component in the policy making of our country on that Sunday morning, December 7,1941. Like today, there was a refusal to believe what the Bible said about the human heart: “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jeremiah 17:9 I have no way of knowing what this December 7th will bring. But I do know that the reality of the deceptiveness of the […]
The coming of Christ has greater significance than we can possibly imagine. Often lost in the Christmas rush is the comfort the coming of Christ means for mankind and for creation itself. His coming makes all things right. You can know comfort in the face of injustice. But also look at the message that Psalm 98 and Romans 8 reveal about creation. The groaning creation rejoices at the coming of its King. Without his coming, sin would so corrupt the Earth that it would collapse under its ugly weight. The rivers and hills are not rejoicing in a vacuum. The creation knows that Christ is their salvation. Sin’s toxic curse is broken. For God’s people this means comfort is possible. […]
A note from Tedd Tripp Every Christian parent is on the lookout for good ways to teach their children the basic elements of the Christian faith. Why Christmas? and the companion book Why Easter? are illustrated books to aid parents in giving children insight into these profound events. Barbara Reaoch, International Director of Children’s Programs for Bible Study Fellowship, brings a lifetime of teaching experience to these devotional volumes. They are designed for daily reading times in the twenty-eight days leading up to Easter or Christmas. The devotional for each day inclues a Bible passage, a Listen section that gives some devotional concepts, a Truth that highlights an important idea from the passage, a Discuss time that prompts thinking with […]
The question we posed in the last post was this: If it was possible to remove all of social media would your children be better off? The answer: not really. Social media isn’t the problem. The heart is. The world, the flesh and the Devil will bring negative influences even if social media is not available. Here is what I Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:17 teach: If something cannot be done to add to God’s reputation, that is the glory of God, with gratitude to God, in the name of Christ, it should not be done! How is this a realistic, practical objective? We learn from Psalm 139 that it is not possible to exclude God from any portion of […]
Want to create some havoc in your home? Try cutting off the flow of social media to your kids. That’s right. Put all iPhones, Android phones, tablets and computers in a safe and lock them away. Then for good measure, disconnect any cable, DSL, satellite or any other internet connections to your home. Next, see what happens. There are many who think this would be the perfect solution to solve the relational issues your children struggle with. But does this really solve anything? Outside influence has always been in issue with raising children and, to be honest, for adults as well. Lot chose to live in an attractive city that had plenty of water for crops. It was well populated […]
How can you know if someone is your friend? This is a crucial life skill that you and your children must master. Failure to discern who is a genuine friend leads to being manipulated and used. This may result in bitterness and a crippling inability to trust others. God has provided tools in Scripture so that you can recognize genuine friendship. Becoming intimately familiar with passages that teach what friendship in action looks like is a way to start. I Corinthians 13:4-7 is such a passage. Another place to look is in the Proverbs. Most Proverbs should not be read as commands but as reliable observations about life. For example look at Proverbs 12:18: “The words of the reckless pierce […]
Where can you go to escape from God? Of course, you have to believe there is a God before you can worry about escaping from him. Too many politicians, professors, and media pundits have made God the moral equivalent of Santa Claus. He is nice to remember once in a while, but no one takes him seriously. But God is for real. He is not to be ignored or taken lightly. This generation has turned away from God. How has that worked out? While people stumble over material wealth unimaginable just a few years ago, on each Black Friday crowds trample on folks lusting to have more. The thirst for stuff cannot be quenched. Extra-marital sex, otherwise known as sin, […]