Christmas music—what do you like most?
We are called to live in harmony.
1 Peter 3:8 (NET)
Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble.
In harmony, not in unison. Our differences should blend together like fine music.
“The government’s position (as well as that of the average Afghan) is that Afghans cannot be Christian.”
According to Open Doors, Afghanistan is #2 on the World Watch list for religious persecution (North Korea is #1). Anyone converting from Islam to Christianity is considered insane and can be committed to a psychiatric facility. Loss of property and livelihood is common, as are beatings and even death. There are no public Christian churches in Afghanistan.
Lord, shelter those secluded believers with your presence. May they sense our prayers on their behalf this Advent season and know they are part of a larger family of God.
Joshua 22:3 (CEV)
And you have done everything I’ve told you to do. It’s taken a long time, but you have stayed and helped your relatives.
Don’t give up on your spiritual brothers and sisters. Keep the faith!
Ephesians 2:19 (CEV)
You are citizens with everyone else
who belongs to the family of God.
Lord God, I want to be a good citizen, for your sake.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (TLB)
For there are six things the Lord hates—no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers.
“Sowing discord.” If God hates it, shouldn’t I?
Malachi 2:10 (MSG)
Don’t we all come from one Father?
Aren’t we all created by the same God?
So why can’t we get along?
Why, indeed?
The Christmas season can be stressful. People get on your nerves. How do you respond?
We have an enemy who is anxious to keep things in an uproar.
“Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in … Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 – 1892)
Keep the peace, and cut the enemy out of the Christmas conversation.
Yellow-vested protesters take to the streets in France. They’re angry.
“Many protesters say their purchasing power has dwindled so much over the years that today they have trouble making ends meet … costs have risen and pay has not.”
God says,
Ephesians 4:26 (ESV)
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.
Lord, shelter these frustrated folks from their own anger. Shelter those around them from the fallout of this anger. Teach all of us how to be angry without being consumed by our anger.
Philippians 1:27 (MSG)
Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people’s trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition.
No double-mindedness, dodging or distrust. Step up and start work.
