Friday, December 17, 2021
Where’s the Peace?
“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, goodwill toward men!’” (Luke 2:13-14 NKJV).
The message of the angels to the shepherds was, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14 NKJV). Peace on earth. When we look at all the wars and conflicts in the world today, we wonder where the peace is.
But a better translation of the angels’ statement would be, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among men with whom God is well pleased.” When our lives are well-pleasing to God, we’ll have peace. But before we can have the peace of God, we must have peace with God.
If we don’t believe in Jesus, then we are, effectively, enemies of God. We’re at war with God. That comes as a shock to some people. They might say, “I believe in the man upstairs, in the good Lord.” But they’re still at war with God because their sin separates them from Him.
I remember when I first heard Jesus’s words, “He who is not with Me is against Me” (Matthew 12:30 NKJV). As a nonbeliever, I looked around at the Christians in the meeting I was attending on my high school campus and thought, “Well, I’m not one of them. Does that mean I’m against Him?”
I didn’t want to be at war with God.
That was the day I believed in Jesus. I remember feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. And for the first time in my life, I found the peace that God promises for each of us.
Jesus came to give us life in all its fullness. He said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10 NKJV). He has the meaning of life. You can live life to its fullest in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Copyright © 2021 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
In thanks for your gift, you can receive a copy of Marvel at the Moon by Levi Lusko
In this fantastic 90-day devotional, author and pastor Levi Lusko uses illuminating stories, biblical teaching, and eye-opening surprises about outer space to show kids that they’re never alone because God is always with them. A copy of this beautifully illustrated book will be mailed to you when you make a gift of support to Harvest Ministries this month.