Prince of Peace… Emmanuel!

Peace is one of the deepest longings of mankind. We long for peace in our world, peace in our country, and peace with our closest friends and family. But how about peace in the depths of our souls; a peace that transcends our understanding because we know that our good God, the Prince of Peace is in total control.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:7 that when we relinquish our anxiety to our mighty God, pray, thank, and ask, then the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.” What an amazing comfort! Our hearts are guarded, and protected by God’s infinite peace! Then verses 8-9 take it a step further. Paul says that if we dwell on “whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable … excellent and praiseworthy” and then we practice these things, the God of peace will be with us! Paul is providing directions for practicing peace. This peace of God is a promise of presence. It is an awareness of Emmanuel, God with us, throughout every aspect of our lives.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Prince of Peace. You are quite possibly headed into a time of chaos or loneliness; tension or peace. Yet the reason we celebrate is to usher in the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus is our Savior and he has come to bring hope and peace to a lost and confused world. So let’s practice, as Paul commanded, inviting his presence into our lives.

As you head into whatever Christmas may bring for you, try practicing the presence of God. Following are some practical questions to ponder as you do so:

Do I abide in Jesus?: Do you find Christ in your joy, sorrow, emptiness, and fullness? Develop a rhythm of living that brings God to mind throughout the day. Acknowledge his presence in every aspect of your life. Meditate on John 15:4-5 and Romans 11:33-36.

Where do I set my mind, my thoughts?: When you find your thoughts wandering away from the truth, bring them back to Scripture. What does God’s Word say? To what thoughts is the Holy Spirit calling you? Meditate on Romans 8:5-8 and 12:1-2.

Am I remembering God’s faithfulness and provision? When anxiety builds within your soul, remember God’s goodness. Dwell on his faithfulness. Read Deuteronomy 8:2-3 and Psalm 94:19.

Do I have a heart of gratitude? Do I notice even the smallest of blessings and thank God for them? Do I thank God for the challenges, inviting God to walk with me, trusting that his plans are perfect? Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and Hebrews 12:28-29.

Practicing God’s Presence is practicing what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy. Practice these things, and the God of Peace, the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, the tiny baby born to save the world, will be with you.

Blessings to you and your loved ones. We hope to see you at one of our Christmas Eve services tomorrow at 1, 3 or 5 or on Christmas morning at 10 am. Merry Christmas! Our Savior is born!

Lynette Fuson
Care & Counseling Director

by Lynette Fuson

In it Together

Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience. Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together. Ephesians 4:2-3

Remember the old song that said, "I am a rock, I am an island" and another one that said, “I’ll do it my way!” It is popular to be independent, and self-sufficient–even a rebel. Some of us think the best way to get things done is to rely solely on ourselves–remember the old saying “if you want it done right, do it yourself?” Jesus shows us a different way. He surrounded himself with disciples, and friends, and even had meals with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus didn’t need those people, rather they needed him. The Pharisees were scandalized when Jesus ate with sinners. He was extending grace to them, acceptance, open arms — before they had repented or changed anything about their lives. He was associating, identifying himself with sinners. That of course was at the core of his whole mission, but not many people understood that yet. Are we failing to realize there are precious souls all around us for whom Christ died? In the thirteenth chapter of Romans, Paul says..."it is later than we think, and it is high time for us to wake up".

We need each other–God made us that way and Jesus was our perfect example. Ephesians 4 teaches us the importance of being tied together in the unity of the Spirit. Why, because God gives us relationships for encouragement, accountability, and learning how to love. There is nothing more special than a friend who prays for you and takes the risk to speak the truth to you. I want to be that kind of friend, don't you?. God’s peace can be found in those special friendships with other believers and the knowledge that they care on a deeper level. We are strengthened and stretched by those friendships. Many times the grace I’ve been shown or the compassion of a friend has come at crucial moments. God has arranged divine appointments with people he wanted me to know, maybe who needed encouragement and caring, and in turn, they encouraged me. He cares deeply about our need for fellowship or friendship.

Ephesians 4: 2 instructs us “Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience.” Peace goes hand-in-hand with things like serenity and kindness. The world might say something different, but as believers, we know Jesus offers us the peace that passes all human understanding. He is the pathway to peace and when we conduct ourselves this way, we become a shining light on the dark path of this life for all to see.

Christmas blessings,
Deb Hill

by Deb Hill

I Just Forgot ...

In second grade I got into trouble. It's hard to remember exactly what for. I think I was talking too much and didn’t get my work done. My teacher said I had to stay in during lunch break to do the work. For some reason that I can’t remember, mom had given me lunch money that day, not a sack lunch. This was a first for me. The teacher almost didn’t let me leave the classroom. After some back and forth, she told me to go get the school lunch and bring it directly to the class. Somehow, as soon as I left the classroom, I forgot about being in trouble. I bought the lunch, sat and ate it at the school’s lunch tables, and then went and played on the playground until the bell rang. I didn’t remember anything about the work I was supposed to do until the moment I saw my teacher’s glare as I approached the classroom. At that moment, it didn’t really matter that I wasn’t willfully avoiding my punishment, I made my situation worse by forgetting specific and important instructions.

Adults do the same thing. As a pastor, I regularly have conversations with people who are dealing with difficult things. One of the verses I like to bring them to is Phil 4:6-8. Some of these people have a Christian background or some biblical knowledge. I ask if they can remember the passage and say it out loud to me. Inevitably, it goes something like this: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition present your requests to God, and the peace of God, that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” This is pretty close to getting all the words right in most translations. The problem is that people forget a specific and important part of the instructions. I hope you noticed that it was missing. It is the phrase, “with thanksgiving.”

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

These instructions read like a recipe for peace. A promise of God’s peace. A peace that is bigger than the situation they find themselves in. That is why it transcends all understanding. It doesn’t make sense. Your heart (emotions) and your mind (thoughts) are guarded by peace in and through your connection with Jesus. This is beautiful, but it won’t happen in prayers without thanks. At the very least, at the absolute minimum you’ve got God with you and Jesus has proved his love in death and power over it. God’s peace is available and real; just don’t forget to give thanks.

John Riley

by John Riley

THANKS

“...and He will be called: Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

The phone on the wall rang on Wednesday, February 8, 1978; I was at home with our 3-year-old, Coy, and our 15-month-old, Cara. I answered to hear my father who was recovering from walking pneumonia. He told me my sister, Trish, while playing tennis with the base commander on North Island had collapsed on the court. She was unconscious and taken by ambulance to Balboa Naval Hospital. Her husband of 6 weeks was a naval commander on a short deployment. My mother was at a conference in Los Angeles accompanied by my brother. Dad asked if I could please go to the hospital as no one else could. A friend with children the same ages took my children as I left to go to the hospital.

Driving down, my thoughts were all over the place as I talked to the LORD. I was Trish’s matron of honor just a few weeks prior. She was beginning a new chapter in her journey. God, what are you doing? I walked into her room to see her connected to multiple machines and surrounded by people.I was stunned at how still she was in the midst of the noise of the machines and a feeling of dread came over me. Personnel turned to me and after finding out she was my sister, they took me to a small room to ask me questions about her. “No, she didn’t smoke or drink. She is in good shape, she is a tennis instructor, and runs five miles a day.” I also told them she had Athletic Heart Syndrome which is a family trait and this could be the cause of her apparent heart attack. I was in ‘doing’ mode, holding emotions at bay. That would soon change.

On Thursday evening, Trish remained unconscious and I held her hand. A pacemaker was inserted and she continued to be monitored. I was praying and talking to her when all of the machines started making noises and the nurses told me to leave. I stood in the small courtyard outside when a young doctor came to tell me as kindly as possible that things did not look good. Those words were like a knife to my heart.

I absolutely lost it and all the stuffed-down emotions erupted in fear, anger, questioning, tears, and despair. “God, you can’t do this to my family? What are you doing? This is too hard, where are you? I can’t lose my sister.” There was definitely no peace, not a shred of it. Then I heard in my head, ‘In everything give thanks.’ “God, you can’t be asking me that. No, I can’t do that. Not this.” A few moments of silence followed and again, ‘In everything give thanks.’ And so, reluctantly, but in obedience, I said, “Okay, thanks!”

Then peace came, overwhelming me like a warm flood, the Prince of Peace gave me peace that passes understanding. I wish I could describe the feeling. This peace did not mean Trish would be healed, it meant that He was present and I could trust Him. The peace was there on Friday when the doctors said she was brain-dead and we gave permission for them to turn off the machines. The following Tuesday, February 14, there was peace as we buried her. There was peace during the memorial service and there is peace in knowing where she is.

“... And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

Francie Overstreet

by Francie Overstreet

Jesus, Our Prince of Peace

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is the Person we need now more than any other substitute to overcome the anxiety that robs us of the peace of God. At the root of anxiety are three elements: (1) insecurity: “something bad might happen,” (2) helplessness: “there is nothing I can do” and (3) isolation: “there is no one to help me.” These nagging thoughts disrupt peace. If fearful thinking persists, it can cause heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and panic attacks. Anxiety can be mild or severe. Recent brain science reveals that our emotions play an important role in our ability to deal effectively with stress. Simply put, we have an emotional brain and a thinking brain. When our emotions hijack our thoughts, we have to allow the truth of God’s Word to take over. This is why it is important to “not be anxious” but in all things turn to God in prayer who gives His peace which surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:6-7). This peace guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Believers in Christ must learn to love God with all their mind.

What the mind attends to it considers. What the mind does not attend to it dismisses. What the mind attends to continually it believes. What the mind believes it eventually does. Hence, Paul teaches the Philippian believers to meditate on these things: “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are of good report if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Phil 4:8). Isaiah also wrote: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You (Isa 26:3).”

The peace we long for we have; God sent His Son Jesus so that we could have peace with God; Jesus our Prince of Peace provides us with the peace of God in order to enjoy peace in our daily lives and relationships with one another. Let’s not allow anxiety to rob us of the peace that is already ours. We may feel insecure, but we are secure in Christ, we may feel helpless, but we have a powerful Helper, we may feel alone, but we are never alone; prayer invites us to turn to God. He promises peace to those who are willing to commit their anxieties to Him.

Margy Hill

by Margy Hill

Everlasting Father

Earthly fathers, for good and for bad, shape one’s view of our heavenly father. As 2022 winds down, the two-year mark of my dad’s passing approaches. I learned some good things from my dad. I learned to put my mind to something, learn about it, and then go do it. My dad could pretty much fix anything. No need to pay a professional to come and fix it. I can’t remember ever seeing my dad pay for someone else to fix something. My dad fixed whatever needed fixing. And he did that without YouTube or the internet:

Plumbing
Electrical
Masonry
Automotive

Adding two rooms onto a house. Sure, he could draw up the plans, file those with the city, buy the materials and build it himself.

Dad showed me how to be steady, consistent, reliable, and even keel. He also liked to learn which was probably why it was so hard to beat him at Trivial Pursuit.

Even with all the good, my family wished for more from my dad. I knew he loved me, but he had trouble saying it. My siblings and I hoped for some attention, some affection, some sharing of what was on his mind. We hoped for some validation, some encouragement, some conversation, some kind of reaching out for a relationship. Over my adult life, dad only called me once, when my mom was visiting us after my first son was born when we lived in Colorado. When I answered the phone I was happy to hear my dad’s voice, but instead of conversation, all he asked was, “Is your mom there?” When dad passed away, the hope of any connection or reaching out happening in this earthly life also passed away.

The realities of my relationship with dad taint my perception of my heavenly father, and your realities with yours do too, for good and for bad. It takes training, belief, and trust in Scripture to accept all God is as our heavenly father. One new insight for me is seeing Jesus as an eternal father. This might strike you as odd, but in Isaiah 9:6, the prophet proclaims “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… …and his name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6. Jesus truly is God in the flesh. The roles of the persons of the Trinity are expressed in the names of Jesus on earth; counselor, father, and prince.

Then, in Luke 8:48, in conversation with a woman he had just healed, Jesus “said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Jesus calls her “daughter.” This implies fatherly care for and connection with that woman. That connection is available for all his followers too. A relational connection believers get to experience; an eternity of connecting with their healer, savior, counselor, father, prince, and mighty God!

John Riley
Jr. High Pastor

by John Riley

Spotlight

by Ryan Paulson