Princeof eace

 Thought For Today - August 12, 2023
Prince Of Peace 

By: Robert A. Searles
     Jesus Christ is known as the Prince of Peace.  His mission on earth was to make peace between God and man.  At his birth, the angels proclaimed: “peace on earth, good will toward men”, meaning that God was willing to sacrifice his son, so that mankind could receive pardon for their sins, and be at peace with God.
     Since Adam's and Eve's disobedience to God's word in the garden, mankind had been cast out of God's paradise, and all people became enemies of God, and there was war between men and God.
     Christ Jesus came into the world as the Prince of Peace to be a mediator between God and man, and to pay the price for man's sin, which is death or separation from God forever.  Individuals who will acknowledge him as God, and accept him as their sin sacrifice, will receive pardon and forgiveness, and be reconciled to God the Father and be at peace with him.
     Contrary to popular opinion, Christ did not come into the world to make peace among nations. In fact, he prophesied that there would be wars and rumors of wars before his final return and reign on earth.  He prophesied that because some would receive him as their Savior and some, would not, tension and strife would increase, and brother would be at war with brother, and the members of one's own household would be his foes.  Family ties are strong and blood is thicker than water, and we tend to defend our own, but Jesus taught that where God's word and truth are concerned, if we are truly servants of God, we must love God more than any others and take our stand for truth and combat falsehood and evil wherever it may be found, even among our loved ones and family members.
     There is a price to be paid for being a servant of the Lord, if we are to stand on his truth and righteousness.  If we are to find and enjoy life eternal, we must be willing to lose our life here for his cause.
     Jesus said:  “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me nd he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 10: 34-39