Author: John Page 129 of 166

John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

As we approach another year, and find our nation continuing to drift away from its Bible-based foundation, it is easy to be troubled. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see around us in our secular culture. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see in government. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see in entertainment. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see in the courts. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see in our schools. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see in our communities. It is easy for Christians to be troubled by what we see in the media.

Yet, there are reasons to be encouraged. Even in recent days, we have seen victories coming from the voting booths. We have seen victories coming from the courts. Most importantly, we have the ultimate of reasons to be encouraged and not to be troubled. God is still the Lord. Jesus is still the Saviour. If we fully believe in their power and love, then going into 2015 we may be dismayed by our culture but should not be troubled.

AS WE ENTER 2015, PLEASE PRAY FOR BELIEF THAT RELIEVES THE TROUBLE OF OUR HEARTS. Have a blessed New Year!

ADDITIONAL NOTE:
Please see this previous post for General Washington’s address to his troops in the waning hours of 1776:
https://prayatlunch.us/engage-anew/

Psalm 84:12 “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”

As a theme for the PLUS ministry in 2014, and as a personal focus throughout the year, it is fitting to end the year the way I began it – with an emphasis on trust.

American Christians should desire the Lord’s blessings. Furthermore, we should humbly expect to be overwhelmed by His blessings. We should desire and humbly expect spiritual blessings. We should desire and humbly expect temporal blessings. We should desire and humbly expect relational blessings. We should desire and humbly expect familial blessings. We should desire and humbly expect vocational blessings. We should desire and humbly expect communal blessings. We should desire and humbly expect national blessings.

We should desire and humbly expect blessings of all magnitudes. We should desire and humbly expect blessings in all areas.

We should desire and humbly expect blessings throughout our lives. We should desire and humbly expect blessings throughout the year.

There is only One to whom we should turn to bring these desires and expectations to fruition. There is only One in whom we should place our trust. PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS IN 2015 WOULD DISCOVER THE BLESSINGS OF A PROPERLY PLACED TRUST. The Lord of hosts stands ready to meet our desires and humble expectations.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:
Please see these previous posts on the 2014 PLUS ministry focus on trust:
https://prayatlunch.us/all-thine-heart/
https://prayatlunch.us/unsearchable/

Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

American culture is trending towards eliminating Jesus from all consideration. We are told that our ‘tolerant’ society no longer has room for Him. We are making no room for Him in our governments, in our schools, in our communities, and in our courtrooms. Some who call themselves Christians have even made no room for Him in their families and in their churches.

Making no room for Jesus is not new. In fact, throughout His life Jesus found that there was no room for Him. There was no room for Him as He was born on that Bethlehem night – “there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). There was no room for Him among the Jews – “his own received Him not” (John 1:11). There was no room for Him among His neighbors – “no prophet is accepted in his own country” (Luke 4:24). There was no room for Him among His family and friends – “a prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4). There was no room for Him as the crowd chanted “crucify him, crucify him” (Luke 23:21).

Yet, in spite of a society that had no room for Jesus, he made a monumental impact – an impact that influenced His society then; our society now; and eternity past, present, and future. He made an impact regardless of the lack of room society had afforded Him; He made an impact because of the truths contained in the mere mention of His name. That name has the same power today to make an impact, which is why it is so hated by the world.

Society may make no room for your testimony. Society may make no room for your witness. Yet, each can make a great impact regardless of whether the world will afford you room for either.

PLEASE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD MAKE ROOM IN YOUR LIFE FOR JESUS, AND THAT YOUR WITNESS AND TESTIMONY WOULD IMPACT OUR WORLD. The name of Jesus has amazing power, regardless of whether the world makes room for it. Have a blessed Christmas!

ADMIN NOTE:

Please continue to share the PLUS ministry with others to magnify its impact. More than ever, we need to make room for Jesus in this land. Also, in order to receive an email of each PLUS post, please input your email address in the lower right corner of https://prayatlunch.us

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

It is appropriate for Christians to joyously celebrate Jesus’ birth, the amazing anniversary of ‘God with us.’ He arrived humbly on that Bethlehem night to be with us. Our amazing Saviour – Emmanuel – was born into our sin-filled world that first Christmas Day to redeem those who put their full faith in Him. What a marvelous gift to humanity!

While it is amazing that upon His birth He was ‘God with us,’ it is equally miraculous that God is with us today. He is with us when we pray; He is with us when we witness; He is with us when we work; He is with us when we study; He is with us when we fellowship; He is with us when we minister; He is with us when we labor. He is with us when we stumble, struggle, and succeed.

He is with us as we strive against the secular forces of American culture. He is with us even as we find it more difficult to recognize the nation’s Christian foundation. Emmanuel, as His name suggests, is with us always.

PLEASE PRAY THAT CHRISTIANS WOULD CLING TO GOD’S CONTINUOUS PRESENCE. God is with us, and Jesus’ birth should remind us not just of that miraculous day in Bethlehem, but of His miraculous daily presence. Both give us hope, even in the darkest of circumstances.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:
Please see this previous post for President Reagan’s 1981 Christmas Eve message: https://prayatlunch.us/made-flesh/
Please see this previous post for thoughts on the humility of our Saviour’s birth: https://prayatlunch.us/likeness-of-men/

Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

After three long years of American involvement in World War II, President Roosevelt gave the following as his 1944 Christmas Eve address:

“It is not easy to say “Merry Christmas” to you, my fellow Americans, in this time of destructive war. Nor can I say “Merry Christmas” lightly tonight to our armed forces at their battle stations all over the world – or to our allies who fight by their side.

Here, at home, we will celebrate this Christmas Day in our traditional American way – because of its deep spiritual meaning to us; because the teachings of Christ are fundamental in our lives; and because we want our youngest generation to grow up knowing the significance of this tradition and the story of the coming of the immortal Prince of Peace and Good Will. But, in perhaps every home in the United States, sad and anxious thoughts will be continually with the millions of our loved ones who are suffering hardships and misery, and who are risking their very lives to preserve for us and for all mankind the fruits of His teachings and the foundations of civilization itself.

The Christmas spirit lives tonight in the bitter cold of the front lines in Europe and in the heat of the jungles and swamps of Burma and the Pacific islands. Even the roar of our bombers and fighters in the air and the guns of our ships at sea will not drown out the messages of Christmas which come to the hearts of our fighting men. The thoughts of these men tonight will turn to us here at home around our Christmas trees, surrounded by our children and grandchildren and their Christmas stockings and gifts – just as our own thoughts go out to them, tonight and every night, in their distant places.

We all know how anxious they are to be home with us, and they know how anxious we are to have them – and how determined every one of us is to make their day of home-coming as early as possible. And – above all – they know the determination of all right-thinking people and Nations, that Christmases such as those that we have known in these years of world tragedy shall not come again to beset the souls of the children of God.

This generation has passed through many recent years of deep darkness, watching the spread of the poison of Hitlerism and Fascism in Europe – the growth of imperialism and militarism in Japan – and the final clash of war all over the world. Then came the dark days of the fall of France, and the ruthless bombing of England, and the desperate battle of the Atlantic, and of Pearl Harbor and Corregidor and Singapore.

Since then the prayers of good men and women and children the world over have been answered. The tide of battle has turned, slowly but inexorably, against those who sought to destroy civilization.
On this Christmas day, we cannot yet say when our victory will come. Our enemies still fight fanatically. They still have reserves of men and military power. But, they themselves know that they and their evil works are doomed. We may hasten the day of their doom if we here at home continue to do our full share.

And we pray that that day may come soon. We pray that until then, God will protect our gallant men and women in the uniforms of the United Nations – that He will receive into His infinite grace those who make their supreme sacrifice in the cause of righteousness, in the cause of love of Him and His teachings.

We pray that with victory will come a new day of peace on earth in which all the Nations of the earth will join together for all time. That is the spirit of Christmas, the holy day. May that spirit live and grow throughout the world in all the years to come.”

This statement, coming from a war-weary Roosevelt, was reflective and hopeful because he saw the Christmas Spirit living on. His words were focused on the need to say strong at home, prayerful and appreciative of those on the front lines of battle.

As Christians today, we should be reflective and hopeful during Christmastime and always because the Christmas Spirit lives on. As Roosevelt’s Christmas Eve message stated, the “teachings of Christ are fundamental to our lives.” His words apply to our lives personally and to the character of this nation. We should give glory to God for that truth and His gift.

We should also be focused on staying strong at home, prayerful and appreciative of those on the front lines of battle. With respect to the military conflicts of our day, we should pray regularly for those on the front lines – on land, sea, and air. With respect to the spiritual conflicts of our day, we should pray regularly for those on the front lines – missionaries and persecuted Christians in the darkest corners of our world. We should also recognize that we too are on the front lines, and must remain committed to the teachings of Christ that are so fundamental to our land.

PLEASE PRAY REFLECTIVELY AND HOPEFULLY DURING THIS CHRISTMASTIME FOR THOSE FACING THE BATTLES OF OUR DAY. As participants of the front line battle, it is our responsibility to ensure that the Christmas Spirit lives on.