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At Christmastime we love to hear the angelic message of
peace on earth.
But the message that’s repeated in songs, carols, and sermons needs to be heard
and heeded every day of the year. We continually hear reports of tragedies
around the globe. And we may be troubled by personal problems and crises. We
long for and pray for peace.
 The
Bible provides an answer to that plea for peace. To start with, the apostle Paul
assured us in Romans 5:1 that it is possible to
have peace with God. Yes, we disobedient and sinful creatures
can enter into a state of reconciliation with God through faith in His Son Jesus
(Rom 5:11).
We can enjoy emotional peace as we cast
our cares on the Saviour (Philippians 4:6-7;
1 Peter 5:7). There is also the possibility of
interpersonal peace. In Romans 12:18,
Paul urged believers, “As much as depends on you, live
peaceably with all men.” Peace with others can become a reality. Best of
all, we can anticipate global peace when our Saviour, the Prince
of Peace, returns to establish His kingdom on earth.
Many of us make promises to ourselves to mark the
beginning of a new year. We make pledges such as I’m going to save more,
exercise more, or spend less time on the Internet. We begin the year with good
intentions, but before long old habits tempt us to take up our old ways. We slip
up occasionally, then more frequently, and then all the time. Finally, it’s as
if our resolution never existed.
Instead of choosing our own self-improvement goals, a
better approach might be to ask ourselves: "What does the
Lord desire of me?" (Micah 6.8).
Through the prophet Micah, God has revealed that He wants us
to do what is right, to be merciful, and to walk humbly with Him. All of these
things relate to soul-improvement rather than self-improvement.
Thankfully, we don’t have to rely on our own strength.
The Holy Spirit has the power to help us as believers in our spiritual growth.
God’s Word says, He is able to "strengthen you with power
through his Spirit in your inner being" (Eph .3:16
niv).
So as we begin a new year, let’s resolve to be more
Christ -like. The Spirit will
help us as we seek to walk humbly with God.
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