August 10, 2018 (Friday)
World War I was given the slogan, “The War to End All Wars.” But the slogan failed to be enough to ward off wars. Within a few years, touting the Nazi Party as an organization to fight communism in Germany, the group made Adolph Hitler their leader. He used every means possible to become dictator and seize control of Germany. He fooled world leaders into believing he was a benevolent leader with the best interests of Austria and Czechoslovakia at heart as he took control and occupied those countries. In September, 1939, he invaded Poland and World War II was under way. The Nazis and their Axis partners were defeated by the United States, Great Britain and their allies by August, 1945, and again the world breathed the fresh air of freedom, which was almost immediately taken away by the “Cold War” with the Soviet Union, a communist country ruled by the evil Joseph Stalin. It was fear of a communist world empire that brought about the Korean War and the Vietnam War, both of them costly in human lives.
Woodrow Wilson, president during World War I, led in establishing the League of Nations as a reinforcement against wars, but it fell by the wayside because of disrespect of it by many nations. After World War II, the idea caught fire again as the United Nations organization set up headquarters in New York City. The idea of this organization is to get nations to talk with each other instead of fighting wars. It is an influence for peace, but, like its predecessor, the League of Nations, is disrespected and manipulated by the great world powers.
And so, we seek peace and prosperity, knowing all the while that our enemies are many, and threats against democratic governments are constantly being made.
Let us pray for peace. Let us pray that people around the world may hear the gospel and accept Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace in their hearts. We have an arms race on our hands, but we need to defend our beliefs about freedom for all in every way possible. The last thing we want or need is another war.
