Author: John Page 76 of 163

Titus 2:13-14 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

There is a sense of despair all around us – an environment of divisiveness and hopelessness.  It exists in our communities, in our workplaces, in our schools, and sometimes even in our churches.  It is pervasive and ubiquitous.  It is powerful and impactful.  It is dragging us down with it.

The world is desperately looking for hope.  It is looking for togetherness.  It is looking for a future that is brighter than the darkness of today.

The world should see all of that in us as we reflect our hope-giving God.  They should see it in our demeanors.  They should see it in our attitudes.  They should see it in the spring in our steps and the rosiness of our outlooks.  They should see it in our lives, in our families, and in our congregations.  They should see it as pervasive and ubiquitous.  They should regard it as powerful and impactful.  It should lift them up with us.

We have the good news of the blessed hope.  We serve a God who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity.  We have something that is freely given and impossible to replace.  We have the perfect antidote to despair, hopelessness, and divisiveness.  We have a great God and Saviour!

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD CONVEY HOPE TO A NEEDY WORLD.  May we inspire, encourage, and uplift those around us.  After all, we have the Blessed Hope!

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing:  for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

As you wind-down your 2017, I trust that you have seen some successes during the year.  I acknowledge, however, that you have seen some failures as well.  Maybe even worse, you probably have areas in your life where you have seen nothing at all.  I have experienced the same.

In these areas, it appears that your efforts have been for naught.  As much as you have worked and toiled, the results are dim.  Even with passion, energy, attention, and dedication, you don’t’ know if you have made a difference.  It is as if all of it has been for nothing.

Don’t worry, you are not alone!  More importantly, don’t faint!  God gives us an amazing promise if we press on with vigor in our well doing.  If we faint not, we shall see results.  They will come at the right time, in the right place, and in the right way.

As the calendar flips to 2018, please keep at it!  Please keep working in well doing!  Please faint not!  In due season we will see results.  They probably will even be more grand than we could ever imagine.

PLEASE PRAY FOR FORTITUDE TO CONTINUE IN YOUR WELL DOING.  We shall reap!

For a related thought, please see: https://prayatlunch.us/while-daylight-shall-last/

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

On Christmas Eve, 1952 President Truman started his Christmas Address with the following gospel-laden thoughts:

“My fellow Americans:  As we light this National Christmas tree tonight, here on the White House lawn, as all of us light our own Christmas trees in our own homes, we remember another night long ago. Then a Child was born in a stable. A star hovered over, drawing wise men from afar. Shepherds, in a field, heard angels singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” That was the first Christmas and it was God’s great gift to us.  This is a wonderful story. Year after year it brings peace and tranquility to troubled hearts in a troubled world. And tonight the earth seems hushed, as we turn to the old, old story of how “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

He closed this address with the following powerful charge:

“We believe that all men are truly the children of God.  As we worship at this Christmastide, let us worship in this spirit. As we pray for our loved ones far from home; as we pray for our men and women in Korea, and all our service men and women wherever they are; let us also pray for our enemies. Let us pray that the spirit of God shall enter their lives and prevail in their lands. Let us pray for a fulfillment of the brotherhood of man.  Through Jesus Christ the world will yet be a better and a fairer place. This faith sustains us today as it has sustained mankind for centuries past. This is why the Christmas story, with the bright stars shining and the angels singing, moves us to wonder and stirs our hearts to praise.  Now, my fellow countrymen, I wish for all of you a Christmas filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and many years of future happiness with the peace of God reigning upon this earth.”

As we celebrate Christmastime this year, let us linger on these faith-filled thoughts from a President not all that far removed from us today.  Let us spend the season remembering another night long ago.  Let it move us to wonder and stir our hearts to praise.  Let our faith sustain us.  Let us embrace the thought that all men are truly the children of God.  Let us worship in this spirit.  Let us pray for the men and women who are serving our nation in harm’s way.  Let us also pray for our enemies.

May your Christmas be filled with the Holy Spirit and the promise of future happiness with God reigning upon this earth.

I PRAY THAT YOU HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Luke 2:11-14 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  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.”

On Christmas Eve 1946, President Truman started his annual Christmas address with the following thoughts:

“Ladies and Gentlemen and fellow citizens everywhere, again our thoughts and aspirations and the hopes of future years turn to a little town in the hills of Judea where on a winter’s night two thousand years ago the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled.  Shepherds keeping the watch by night over their flock heard the glad tidings of great joy from the angels of the Lord saying, ‘Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth, peace, good will toward men.’  The message of Bethlehem best sums up our hopes tonight.  If we as a nation, and the other nations of the world, will accept it, the star of faith will guide us into the place of peace as it did the shepherds on that day of Christ’s birth long ago.”

Indeed, our thoughts, aspirations, and hopes should all be focused on our Saviour.  He provides us glad tidings of great joy.  The reminder of His birth should bring praise and glory to our lips.  If we follow His lead, he will guide us into a place of personal, communal, national, and global peace.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PRIMACY OF CHRIST IN OUR LAND.  He is the crowning fulfillment of all our hopes and aspirations!

Psalm 23 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul:  he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:  for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

As we enter the Christmas season, it is worth spending time considering the power and the meaning of the birth of our Savior.

Trench warfare during World War I demonstrated the most brutal and animalistic instincts of mankind.  Yet, on the Western Front in 1914, up to 100,000 German, French, and British troops set down their weapons together and celebrated the birth of Christ.  It was known as the Christmas Truce of 1914, and provided a small glimpse of hope for mankind in the midst of death and despair.  Christ’s entrance into this world on the first Christmas day did the same of all of us.

These soldiers in 1914 stopped their conflict for a day and a half – from afternoon on Christmas Eve until the morning of December 26^th.  They greeted one another with wishes for a merry Christmas.  They exchanged presents.  They played soccer.  They held joint memorial services, and read scripture together like Psalm 23.  It was described as “a short peace in a terrible war.”

As we approach Christmas, we need to take time to cling to His peace.  We need to embrace His goodness and His mercy. We need to remember that His comfort can last longer than a day and a half.  It can last throughout the year and throughout our lives.

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD RECOGNIZE CHRIST’S GLIMPSE OF HOPE FOR MANKIND.  It is not just a small glimpse of hope, but an eternal glimpse of hope.