"And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2: 9-11

Our friends down under have experienced a slaughter on their beach. The recent terror attack at Bondi Beach that claimed innocent lives has shaken Australia. This author once spent a month in Australia in the middle of our winter. I was in their summer. It is a beautiful country.

They are wonderful people. But they have slipped into the darkness of anti-Semitism. They have fallen to the scourge of radical Islam. Their leaders have been inclined towards wokeism, and they are paying a heavy price for that inclination.

In America, we are plagued with mentally disturbed and demonically inspired individuals who have also succumbed to the wokeness and the deep demonic lie of Islamic hatred for Jewish people.

We are told to pray for Jerusalem (Israel).

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." Psalm 122: 6

And thus God has given us the only warning in scripture to pray for others that is appended with a promise if we do—and a warning if we don't.

"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Gen 12: 3

But anyone across this globe who thinks they can attack the Jewish people without God responding, without God's righteous anger burning against them, is foolish indeed.

"For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth." Isa 62:1

This does not mean that every calamity that falls upon our nations from today on is caused by the attack on Bondi Beach. We cannot assume that every problem that comes to us from here on is an answer from God because of the slaughter on the beach. But we also cannot say that it was not.

Everything God does for us is for us, not just for Him. He gave us life in the creation. He gave us a better life in the giving of the law. He gave us Israel to show how He would deal with men and a lifetime of a national life to show us how He deals with people collectively.

And then at the right time and place He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, and that, according to the angels, is peace on earth and goodwill toward men. How about this year—2025—we appropriate that peace and stand against the deadly hatred of radical Islam.

We're searching for the real purpose of Christmas. Let's look at Scripture. God gave the world His only begotten Son to provide salvation for sinners. Who are the sinners? That's not the right question.

Who are not the sinners? Every man or woman on earth is a sinner. We need a savior. He's already given us the gift. He has already died for our sins. We should rejoice that He came to earth to do that.

This is why New American Prophet, the website for insight, offers to you and your family a very, very Merry Christmas this year, 2025.

This Christmas, let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, share the hope of Christ with a hurting world, and stand boldly against the darkness that threatens God's chosen people.

Photo: ar.inspiredpencil.com

To read more articles by Michael Bresciani click here.