Watch Focus -  Friday Dec 6, 2024: Peace on Earth

 

The First Responders
 

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” … the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child… the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Luke 2:8-20
 

1. The shepherds were simple men who upheld the economy of the nation and the temple in many ways. They were the first to have the news of Christ revealed to them. In our watch focus we pray for encounter, visitation of angels and men prepared with the gospel, to come to the common man by the multitudes as we end and begin another year.

Raise up “Preachers”
 

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee… that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:12-16

2. Jesus knew when to step back and when to push forward according to the will of His Father. We pray the word of salvation would multiply in the mouths of all those who name the Name of Jesus in this season. That the Lord “sends” them, “sends” us, like a dam bursting across this nation to preach the gospel and add to the family belonging to heaven’s kingdom.

 

Rumors of War
 

My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war. Psalm 120:6-7

3. The ongoing danger of confrontation between Russia and the U.S. continues to threaten escalation in the closing days of the current administration. We pray for the Trump transition team and all the newly elected President’s nominees. We especially pray for a divine halt on the “cassions” of war and a proper realignment of our military industrial complex. The cassion in early war history is a horse-drawn military wagon used to transport munitions and then used to carry a funeral casket of fallen soldiers. With 800 U.S. military bases in 80 countries around the world American sons, daughters, and their families, are subject to a vast machine that may or may not actually serve our strategic national interest in every case.  

A Day that Lives in Infamy

Franklin Roosevelt addressed Congress on December 8, 1941, in response to the previous day’s attack by the Empire of Japan on the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. That attack drew the U.S. into a meeting with history and involvement in WW2. With 81% of Americans listening, Congress almost unanimously voted for war with Japan. 

4. Tomorrow is the anniversary of that attack which triggered many other personal and world events involving American families and values. We thank the Lord for the men and women who went to war in good faith and gave their lives for defense of this nation. We pray the Captain of Armies who met Joshua on the plain before Jericho and is the Lamb who makes War against His enemies would restrain the hand of all who promote war through wickedness, give us leaders filled with wisdom and the fear of the Lord for guidance in crisis, and guide and protect American troops in every place they are sent.

Prisoners 

Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are appointed to die; Psalm 79:11

5. This week the family of 20-year-old American Israeli Edan Alexander were shown a video of their son, 422 days in captivity, asking world leaders to bring an end to the war in Gaza and the captivity of the hostages. We pray again for the release of the hostages from Hamas terror dungeons. According to the U.S. State Department there are at least 1 million people in prison unjustly around the world for political reasons. Additionally, many of the people present on January 6, 2020, are being held without trial or representation. We pray for divine intervention to break open prison doors and set these captives free!