What will Christmas bring this year?

Everyone will definitely have an answer to that question.

Lots of wishes.

Lots of dreams.

Lots of food.

Lots of gifts?

(maybe some questions)

Lots of family?

Lots of friends?

Lots of peace?

Lots of memories?

Lots of feelings?

Lots of something missing?

Lots of heartache?

Lots of uncertainty?

Lots of busy?

Lots of stuffing?

Lots of stuffing feelings?

Lots of pretending?

It’s Christmas.

Just be happy.

Sounds good to me.

 

Then I got this message at 6:45 this morning, December 23, 2017:

“Marine commandant put the marines on notice that they need to move to a wartime footing as war clouds are gathering in the Korean Peninsula and the Russia region.”

Lots of people and ideologies would very much like to strike terror at this time.

So what should we think the next few days.

Thankfully, Christmas helps us for a moment to forget the terrible evils in the world, growing bolder daily.

We’ve heard the war stories when Christmas triggered a spontaneous cease-fire, and enemies stopped to sing Christmas carols together and celebrate something greater than the reasons for war.

Of course, they went back to fighting the next day.

 

I don’t expect that to happen this year.

There isn’t any common ground between the forces gearing up for the big one.

The fighters who want to destroy us, and the populations sharing their ideology, will never relent.

I am very thankful for the U.S. military, and I support whatever we can do to defeat evil again.

But is this worldwide disaster in the making, just another page of history that will come and go like other conflicts?

Anyone who stops long enough to think and reflect, even two days before Christmas, will acknowledge widespread anxiety.

This is not going to go away.

 

We need answers.

Busy isn’t going to cover the anxiety and fear much longer.

It’s not enough to just say that good guys and bad guys always fight, and we’ll carry on after.

Here is my best effort to put answers into words:

 

Fact—Christians and Jews are the target of terrorists and the target of those who want to go soft on terrorists.

This explains nearly 100% of all attacks worldwide, including in the United States.

So, are you a Christian?

That will determine your future, and will determine where you get answers in this confusing time.

Jesus promised his followers that the world would hate them—that those who kill them would think they are doing god service.

The first thing muslims learn when they become Christians, is being willing and ready to die for their new faith.

We will learn that in America as well.

 

Now, what about Christmas?

Jesus also promised that he overcame the world that hates his followers.

Jesus gives his followers peace, but not peace like the world gives.

Real answers for real peace for real Christians don’t come from my words, or from culture or politics or military.

Answers come from His Book—that means spending time in it—that simple.

Encouragement comes from spending time with others who are spending time in His Book.

Talk about that while you share your Christmas celebration.