Peace And Goodwill Towards Men. Part [5] 12/29/2023 (Evening thought)

1st Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.

When Paul says that selfless love “Vaunts not itself” he is referring to the tendency of desiring to be seen and admired by persons. Wherever this is the case, the peace and good will Jesus came to give would become evasive. In reality, Jesus would eventually be seen and heard by everyone, but His driving motive was to save and heal not to lift up Himself in pride as is the case with someone else we know too well.

When Jesus said: If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me, it was and is to save us from ourselves, not merely for His own benefit or aggrandizement. In our day currently, we have persons in the public square who only speak of themselves. Everything is made to revolve around self, and everyone else who might not agree with their agenda is viewed as their mortal enemy.

When the tenor of one’s speech is centered around self, it is a manifestation of satanic presence, for this is who he is at his very core. All the blame for what took place in heaven against God’s kingdom, Lucifer charged upon God, Christ, and the holy angels, but he himself was always portrayed as being the victim who suffered wrongfully.

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!

Peace And Goodwill Towards Men. Part [4] 12/28/2023 (Morning thought)

Philippians 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil you my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

For example, when Christ first came to this earth in His incarnate state, He did not seek out the fanfare, and the red-carpet treatment that earthly royalties and dignitaries so often yearn for. God didn’t send His angels first to the nobility and clergy of the day, nor did He make the grand announcement to those were served in the upper echelons of government.

Instead, the grand revelation was made to humble shepherds, out on the open plains, at night, when most people should be sleeping. In fact, it seems as if the shepherds in Christ’s day stood at the bottom of the social totem pole, because it seems as if their testimony could not be admitted as evidence in the courts of the land.

Instead of the angels attending Him with a fleet of shiny black Cadillacs with tinted windows, and with secret service personnel with dark shades and guns at their waist; Christ was headed to a manger where a fleet of humble farm animals awaited Him. That is a manifestation of the selflessness Paul refers to in Corinthians.

Luke 2:6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!