The Gift of Peace

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)

In 1962, the Sawi people of New Guinea still lived in relative isolation. They were head-hunting cannibals. Their culture could not be more different from that of Don and Carol Richardson, and yet this missionary couple attempted to share Christ with them. In fact, two rival Sawi tribes, fascinated by the Richardsons, moved their villages right around the missionaries’ jungle home. But Don became frustrated by his inability to find a point of contact. He was also discouraged by the 14 civil wars he had already counted right outside his front door now that the two tribes lived side by side. Eventually, the Richardsons decided to leave. However, the Sawi response surprised them: “If you’ll stay, we promise we'll make peace in the morning.” The next morning the Richardsons awoke to see the most amazing ritual they had ever witnessed. The two tribes were lined up outside their houses, on either side of the clearing. Finally, one man dashed into his hut, grabbed his newborn son, and began to run across the meadow towards the other tribe. His expression betrayed absolute agony. His wife ran after him, screaming and begging him to give the baby back to her. But her husband wouldn't stop. He ran over to the other tribe and presented the boy to them. “Plead the peace child for me. I give you my son, and I give you my name,” he said. Moments later, someone from that tribe performed the same agonizing sacrifice with the same intensity and passion. Richardson found out later that as long as those two children remained alive, the tribes were bound to peace. If they died, then literally all hell would break loose--cannibalism, murder, civil war. While this amazing scene unfolded before him, Don suddenly realized that this was the analogy he needed to communicate Christ. The next time he spoke to the Sawi elders he told them of the perfect Peace Child, Jesus. Eventually, droves of Sawi became followers of Christ. Several years later, on Christmas day, hundreds of Sawi from every tribe - tribes that had warred and cannibalized each other for many years - gathered together for a feast for the first time. A Sawi preacher stood up and read in his own language a scripture that few people in the history of the world have ever understood so clearly: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Later, the Richardsons would write that it was the best Christmas they had ever experienced. It was the best day the Sawi had ever known. (Adapted from “Peace Child” by Don Richardson. Regal, 1976)

If you could ask God for anything you want - something that you want more than anything, what would your request be? I would speculate there are thousands who would request the gift of peace. God has created inside every single person on earth a desire to have peace, both externally and internally. The tragedy is that so many people live all or most of their lives and never discover what peace is all about. So many have no earthly idea where to find it. They spend their life looking in all the wrong places. They listen to people who can never deliver it. They use alcohol and drugs but it still eludes them. They immerse themselves in careers and work but peace is still not found. They try separating themselves from others, but even then they are still plagued by a low grade anxiety that won’t leave them alone. So many people carry a hopeless longing that that is never truly satisfied. They long for peace.

One star lit night many years ago, the angels suddenly appeared over the hills of Bethlehem to announce that the Price of Peace had arrived. He had been born to a virgin in a stable. Outside of the angels telling the story to the shepherds, I think the world fell silent - just for a brief moment. Just for a moment I think the noises of our environment hushed. The wars stopped. The anxiety ceased. The arguments died down. The Child of Peace had been born. A single silent shining star announced his birth. I think creation fell silent as God gifted mankind with peace. One brief marvelous moment of peace.

But He didn’t come for one brief moment of peace. He came to bring and establish peace in the hearts of all would put their trust in him. It is our Heavenly Father’s great gift to us. Through Jesus peace is now accessible. Peace with God. Peace with one another. Peace on Earth – Goodwill towards men. God revealed His unexplainable irrational love towards us by giving us His Son so that we might have peace.

I pray that each of you knows, enjoys and celebrates the wonderful gift of God’s Peace this Christmas. My Jesus grace your homes and families with His love, His joy and most of all His sweet and blessed Peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

Have a Merry Christmas,
PT

The Light That Brings Salvation

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

In the nineteenth century, lighthouses on the U.S. coasts were tended by lighthouse keepers and their families. If a man who tended the light took ill or became disabled, often the work was picked up by his wife or children. Such was the case of Hosea Lewis. Having become the keeper of the light on Lime Rock Island at Newport, Rhode Island in 1854, Lewis suffered a stroke four years later, at which time his wife and teenage daughter Ida took over his duties. When Mrs. Lewis died in 1879 Ida was commissioned with full responsibility for keeping the light. Near the entirety of Ida’s life was dedicated to making sure the light was shining. Her duties included cleaning the reflectors, trimming the wick, and filling the oil reservoir at sunset and midnight – as well as caring for her siblings and her ailing mother. With long and demanding tasks, Ida was unable to continue her own schooling, but daily delivered her brothers and sisters to class, whatever the weather, by rowing the 500 yards to the mainland. In the mid-1800s, it was unusual to see a woman maneuvering a boat, but Ida became well skilled and well known for handling the heavy craft.

At age 16 Ida gained a measure of fame when she rescued four young men after their boat capsized. She rowed to their aid, hearing their screams as they clung to their overturned craft. Early in 1867 Ida hauled in three more men whose boat had been swamped by heavy seas. After getting the men safely to shore she noticed a sheep they had been transporting still out in the water. She put her boat back in the water and even saved the drowning animal. On March 29, 1869, Ida saved two drowning servicemen from nearby Fort Adams. Public knowledge of Ida’s courage spread as far as Washington, inspiring President Ulysses S. Grant to visit Ida at Newport later that year. Ida rescued another two soldiers in 1881, for which she was awarded the U.S. Lifesaving Service’s highest medal. In early February of that year two soldiers were crossing from Newport to Lime Rock Island on foot when the ice gave way. Ida came running with a rope. Ignoring the danger to herself from weak and rotten ice, she pulled one, then the other to safety. All told, Ida Lewis personally saved between 25 - 35 people in fifty-plus years of keeping the light. The total number is uncertain since she never kept records of those she saved. Her last reported rescue came at age 63 when she saved a friend who had fallen into the water on her way to visit Ida on the island. Asked where she found strength and courage for such a feat, Ida answered: “I don’t know, I ain’t particularly strong. The Lord Almighty gives it to me when I need it, that’s all.” Ida Lewis was called “the bravest woman in America” by several periodicals of her day. She died in 1911, having suffered a stroke while still tending the light. In her honor the station was renamed the Ida Lewis Light. Her former residence has now become the home of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. There is also a United States Coast Guard buoy tender that bears her name. Ida Lewis did more than polish the lenses of a light house. She herself became a beacon of light and life for many people who would have drowned if she had not rescued them.

Lights have always been an intricate part of celebrating Christmas. For some it’s a simple candle in the window. Others take the time to modestly outline their home with light to celebrate the Christmas season. And of course there is always that one obsessive individual who drains the power grid with more glitzy lights around his home than the average city uses. I can’t really imagine Christmas without a celebration of light. And I kind of think that’s the way God intended it to be. The only decoration, which I’m sure existed during that first Christmas celebration, was a light our Lord hung in the sky. It signified something special had just happened. The prophesized Messiah had come. His arrival was heralded by a star which guided wise men to his location. After arriving in Jerusalem they started asking everyone, “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.” The King had arrived and their response was to bow in worship before him. The light was more than just a beacon that guided them as they journeyed. It meant salvation was available. It meant there was hope. It meant God had not forgotten or abandoned his promise to send a deliverer.

Like Ida from the story above, “we ain’t all that strong,” but through the gift of Jesus, God has provided what we need the most. On that first Christmas day what we needed most was to be rescued. We needed a light that would show us the way to safety. We needed a life saver who would have the power to calm the high waves and speak peace into our lives. We needed someone to come and pull us out of the deep waters and bring us safely home. We needed a light to shine in the darkness so all hope would not be lost. What we needed most was a Savior and a Rescuer for our souls. God created a star and announced, “He’s here.” Jesus, the Light and the Glory of heaven had arrived to save those drowning in sin. The light that brings salvation broke into the arena of human history to rescue us. Our Savior had been born. The angels sang. The shepherds ran. The wise men journeyed. And the world still celebrates. Receive him as your Lord and Savior today and He will deliver you safe from harm. “Joy to the World. The Lord has come! Let earth receive her King!” Amazing.

Live the Victorious Life,
PT

Joy to the World!

“But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ, the Lord.” (Luke 2: 10,11)

I read a story recently about a man who was asked to lead the opening prayer for a national sales convention for a carpet cleaning business. As he observed their meeting, he was impressed by how excited and enthusiastic they were about their products and their jobs. Now make sure you get this – this is a carpet cleaning convention. Now I don’t know about you – but when it’s time for me to drag out the vacuum cleaner or the carpet cleaner, I generally don’t get all that excited about the potential joy I might experience during stain removal from a rug! But the people at this carpet cleaning convention were apparently different. They were truly excited about their profession. Now here’s what happened; He said someone would bring out carpet samples with a wide variety of dried stains such as mud, wine, blood, chocolate, or ketchup. Then the spokesperson would apply the company’s carpet cleaner and the audience would wait with excited anticipation as the speaker scrubbed the stain. After a few minutes, as the stain disappeared, the audience went nuts. They stood and whistled, and clapped and cheered. The guy said they were so excited it reminded him of a bunch of happy puppies jumping around. They were genuinely joyful over stain removal!

This visitor was deeply affected by the enthusiasm of these people. As he was driving home, he stopped his car and bowed his head and asked the Lord to forgive him for not demonstrating the same kind of excitement about the good news of Jesus Christ. At that moment, a powerful idea grabbed him. He thought, “These people have taken something ordinary and turned it into the most important thing in the world.” His next thought was: “We have taken the most important thing in the world and turned it into something ordinary.” His carpet cleaning friends jumped around and cheered with full-throated enthusiasm when they discovered that some tough old stain couldn’t stand up to their miracle cleaner. Sometimes we often can’t find enough energy to say “amen” after we hear some great timeless truth that has eternal implications for each of our lives.

How about you? Will you experience and celebrate the joy of the Lord this Christmas Season? You might say, “I don’t know if I’m joyful, but I am fairly happy.” Don’t settle for happiness – choose joy instead. Here’s why: Experiencing joy is different than experiencing happiness. Happiness and joy come from two different sources. Happiness is tied to the circumstances around us. Happiness is a result of the happenings around us happening to happen the way we want them to happen. In other words, happiness depends upon happenstance. Joy, on the other hand, originates in what we find in Christ. The joy of Jesus is unchanging. Regardless of your circumstances, once you possess the joy of the Lord it will never leave you. Joy in Christ abides, no matter what happens in our lives. External circumstances can’t touch inner joy!

The angels announced good news of great joy with the birth of Christ! An extraordinary event was taking place. God was becoming a man. An infant was becoming a savior. The infinite was becoming a dependant little child. The King of Kings was becoming a servant to all. If ever there was something to be joyful about, it was now! Joy to the world, the Lord has come! There is nothing ordinary about their announcement. In fact it’s the most extraordinary announcement in all of human history. Heaven’s joy had arrived in the form of a babe in a stable. He is the one that has the power to remove the stain of sin in every person who trusts in Him. Joy is Heaven’s gift to us through Christ.

Now catch this: The carpet cleaners might be happy the stains disappeared from their carpets when their cleaner was applied. But reality dictates that their carpets are going to get dirty all over again with use. When the stains return, their work has to begin all over again. (but maybe that makes a carpet cleaner happy!) The good news that brings great joy for us is that the terrible stain of sin each of us has in our hearts is washed away completely and forever through the blood of Jesus Christ. The only real miracle cleanser the world has ever known is the blood of Jesus. His cleansing power is complete, finished, sufficient and forever. God says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) Now that’s something to get excited about!

Whatever else you might experience today – I hope that you experience the joy of the Lord. Unspeakable, unending, undeniable, unshakable, unimaginable, indescribable joy! That’s your heritage when you receive the gift of Christ. I pray that throughout this season it is also your choice.

Joyfully yours,
PT

How To Shine.

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:3-6)

Have you ever heard someone describe themselves as “a diamond in the rough?” Well it just might be true, at least according to a company called Life Gem. This Chicago based company claims to have developed a process by which they take cremated human remains and turn it into a diamond. You heard me correctly. This company says it can take the cremated remains of your loved one and turn it into jewelry you can wear. It’s always been claimed that diamonds are a girl’s best friend – but now apparently you can have your best friend turned into a diamond! “We’re building on the simple fact that all living creatures are carbon-based and diamonds are carbon-based,” says Greg Herro, head of Life Gem Memorials, which has begun marketing the diamonds as the answer for people who think a headstone or an urn full of ash is just too impersonal. Mr. Herro, who describes himself as an entrepreneur, said he spent three years refining the process. The process involves purifying the ash from cremated remains, turning it into graphite. That material is then placed into a press under intense pressure and heat, thus replicating the forces that create a natural diamond. It’s not exactly a new process. Companies have been manufacturing synthetic industrial diamonds for some time now. But this is the first time it has been used to make dead people sparkle. The process takes about 16 weeks to complete. The longer the process the clearer the diamond - and of course the higher the cost. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take much to make a diamond. A thimbleful of ash can be made into a ¼ carat diamond for which Life Gem charges around $3,500.00. A full carat can cost upwards of $20,000.00 Even pets can be turned into a gemstone. Don’t want to say goodbye to “Sparky?” Just have him crystallized and you can still take him jogging with you every Saturday morning.

Herro says his diamonds are of the same quality as those “you would find at Tiffany’s.” And it appears that he’s right. His diamonds have been certified for quality by the European Gemological Laboratory, an independent laboratory that vouches for diamond quality. Mark Gershburg, director of the American branch of the laboratory, said it was impossible to distinguish Life Gem diamonds from other synthetic diamonds.

Now I don’t know about you but I find this all just a bit freaky. Can you imagine a guy giving his fiancé an engagement ring made from the remains of Dear Old Aunt Betty? “She was always such a bright light in my life.” Yuck! Or how about a set of matching ear rings made from Mom and Dad? My guess is that this process has appeal for some because it gives them the opportunity to “shine a light” after they pass on. And realistically, I guess there is nothing wrong with that – I just find it a bit creepy personally. I also don’t like the symbolism of this whole deal. I don’t want the pressure of this world to cause me to become as hard as a stone. I want the light of Christ to soften me so that his light might shine through me. If you really want to shine, I suggest you follow the advice of King David in Psalm 37:

Don’t Fret – Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; Worry takes the luster out of a person’s life. If you really want to shine in this world – stop worrying. Everyone faces situations we wish we could avoid. But we don’t gain anything by worrying about our problems. Worry doesn’t solve anything. Worry never paid a debt. Worry never alleviated a pain. Worry never made an enemy a friend. Worry never turned a wrong into a right. A Christian who is known as being a “worrier” is a poor testimony. By their constant worrying, they are sending out a message - and the message is this: “God is unable to cope with my problems; He’s not big enough or He’s big enough, but my faith is too small. Don’t Fret – He’s big enough to deal with the issues you are facing.

Trust in the LORD and do good – Webster’s Dictionary defines trust as an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone. Trust is not something we give away for free. It is always earned. Love is free. Trust is earned. Our Great and Mighty God has earned our trust. His wisdom is perfect. His power is real. His faithfulness is unchanging. His mercy is everlasting. He keeps every promise he makes. When we learn to trust in the Lord and obey him, our entire countenance changes. Turn your eyes upon Jesus – trust him fully with all your heart - He’ll light your world up.

Delight yourself in the LORD – Find delight in the relationship you have with the one who spoke creation into being. God’s greatest delight is when you find delight in Him. The easiest and quickest path to joy is simple delight in our God. When your desires become His desires, you will find yourself living within His will. When you are living within his will, your heart will be at peace and you will be a light for others.

Commit your way to the LORD - Commit your way to the Lord. Give him your heart – your whole heart. Give to him an unwavering faith. Totally surrender your ways to his ways. Commitment is not a once a day decision or a once a week activity. It’s a lifestyle. We don’t commit something to the Lord and then take it back. A farmer doesn’t plant his seed and then keep digging it up to see if it's growing! Commit your life to Jesus and move forward in faith. He’ll provide the light you need to take every step you make.

If you do these things God makes a promise: He’ll make you sparkle! He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. If a person rejects worry, trusts in Him, finds delight in Him, and remains committed to him – for that person God says, “I’ll make them shine like a diamond.” Why? Because those are the kind of people he wants the world to see. If you really want to stand out in this dark world, don’t let the world pressure you into becoming hard as a rock. Let the Lord of creation soften your heart so that His light can shine through you.

Live the Victorious Life,
PT