The prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of God’s Son Jesus Christ many centuries before he was born in the little town of Bethlehem. Isaiah said of Jesus that he would be called “Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,” and lastly, but certainly not least, “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
All civilized people long for peace in the world. We long for an end to the horrible maiming, mutilation, and death that are an integral part of all wars, and the experiences that twist men’s minds and leave them to be haunted by fearful nightmares. We long for the day to end when our patriotic young people return to their homeland in flag-draped caskets, when we hear Taps echoing across lonely cemeteries, and we see tears streaming down the cheeks of young wives, mothers, and newly orphaned children.
We long for the day to come when the billions of dollars spent on war can be used to provide health care for all our citizens, food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, and job opportunities for all those willing and able to work.
We long for peace among the various tribes and religions of the earth. We long for a day in which hatred ceases between Jews and Arabs, Moslems and Christians, Protestants and Catholics, Blacks and whites. Hatred is not of God and those who hate do not know God (1 John 2:9).
We long for peace in homes the world over, starting in America. Strong nations are built on the foundation of strong homes. We need homes, two-parent homes, where husbands and wives love and respect each other, and where children are taught to love God and respect others, not by words alone but by parental example.
We long for peace in the hearts of people all over the world. Some people’s greatest conflict may be within themselves. They feel guilt, fear, conflict, and worry; however, they need not feel this way. The Prince of Peace has come and He offers His peace to all. The Hebrew word “peace” in Isaiah 9:6 is the word “shalom.” Shalom means more than just the absence of conflict. It means the rich, harmonious, joyful life of those privileged to live in God’s kingdom. To have Christ is to have peace.
God’s Word tells us that as long as the world stands there shall be wars and rumors of wars. There is little, if anything, an individual can do to change that; however, every human being can enjoy the peace that God gives. It is personal, and it passes all understanding. It is a peace that one can have even in the midst of the storm. Jesus said, “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).

Dr. Robert Wilkerson is a minister, writer, and founder of People for the Christian Way, an organization whose mission is to encourage all people to practice Christian principles in business, politics, and every area of life. drbobwilkerson@bellsouth.net, www.peopleforthechristianway.com

Urgency of the Ticking Clock

Rev. Joseph R. Reid

A woman dies and goes to heaven. She is greeted by St. Peter, who offers to give her a tour of heaven. As the woman walks around, she notices many clocks. Some go very fast, while others move very slowly. When the tour is done, the woman asks St. Peter why some clocks move at varied speeds. St. Peter replies, “Each clock represents a person on earth. Every time we lie, or miss an opportunity to contact our Spiritual self, our clock speeds up. As you can see, people’s clocks are separated by committed believers and Hypocrites. Over here are the faithful who trust God and are on a sincere spiritual journey, and over there are people who attend church and claim to be religious but have not found God yet.” The woman nods. “Where are the Hypocrites’ clocks?” she asks. St. Peter replies, “We’re using them in the back as air conditioners.”
This may sound humorous but the ticking clock is urgent in our life. Daily awareness of this internal clock reminds us to be watchful how we live, to utilize every moment of life’s precious gift and to always seek God’s will for our life. The problem is we fail to live our life in full awareness of the internal clock that ticks daily toward our transition or death. If we fail to see, use and seek God’s will in full awareness of the urgency of the ticking clock in our life we will miss our opportunity in this and the next. Awareness of our internal ticking clock reminds us to beware of the urgency of NOW. Jesus’ message is urgent! And to follow Him is costly!  Luke 9: 57-62 speaks to this urgency and the cost of following Jesus. It says, “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Jesus made it clear that this world is not our home. “He said to another man, ‘Follow me.”’ But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” This seems like a reasonable request. But Jesus was aware of the importance of Kairos or God time in our life. “Jesus said to him,’Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’” This is an amazing statement of the necessity of the finding our soul salvation right now.
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-bye to my family.” “Jesus replied ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”
The eternal clock of the Kingdom ticks only in present time! Awareness of our internal ticking clock reminds us to do three things on a daily basis. First, it reminds us to be careful how we live our lives. We should be watchful at all times. The Bible says,“Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise.” A sure way of being careful and wise is by watching what we say and do. Not in a fearful way but trusting God for the outcomes in our lives. Second it reminds us to be aware of our inner spiritual regulator. This manager reminds us to make the most of every second of life and not waste time on temporal things. It is important for us to be reminded that things of this world are short lived. Jesus said in Matthew 6:20 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” When we suffer as Christians, these things are temporal. When we’re excited and things are going well, that is temporal. That’s not to say that we cannot have joy in our hearts with the Lord. We can. But we cannot expect things to always go exactly the way we want them. Our text says,  “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” We should not lose a moment of the ticking clock!
Finally it reminds us to seek to do God’s will daily.  The scriptures say, “So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” The only way to understand God’s will is to seek God’s will. Our internal clock tells us to seek God’s will every moment we live.

OMNISCIENT “EYES” OF GOD
Oh, how great it is to get just a glimpse of the greatness of the Lord God’s Creation of this universe of which we all reside. How magnificent it is. The very thought of it is beyond our ability to comprehend. It is a tremendous blessing to view God’s Creation from the mountain tops, and to be a part of God’s created plan.
Well, you may be thinking, where is her imagination going today?  Well, when you think about God having you in mind when He created the universe, you should want to know, what is your role? Are you not appreciative enough to seek His will for your life, and how to fulfill it?  He chose you from the foundation of the world to be a part of His vast universe, do you not want to fulfill His created plan for your life or do you just want to hang?  Is it you saying, “just hang?”  Then you are not grateful.
The “EYES” of the Lord run to and fro throughout the visible and unseen world to show Himself strong to those who are obedient in having FAITH in Jesus who hung on the open cross one day, and gave His life for the salvation of every soul. The very souls God -You – created from the foundation of the world, He gave you a choice to choose Him or not to choose Him. You know what, we all chose the enemy. Is that not unbelievable – yes it is. Still God gave His only beloved Son into the hands of wicked men, and they mutilated His body beyond any human imagination, then hung Him on a CROSS for everyone to see, to suffer and die for “YOU”, and for the very ones who committed such brutal crimes. “OH, WHAT GREAT LOVE.”  God Himself, incarnated in His Son, hung on that Cross. You do not understand, but accept it because it is true. Now, all who accepts God’s Son by FAITH, God will accept you as a “son.” How can you not give your all to God through accepting His Son by faith because of what He has done for you?
www.thealmightyeyes.com