It was 3 a.m. on this day in 1941 as the Japanese fleet moved through the darkness of the Pacific Ocean. Men on every enemy ship began to stir. This was the hour, this was the moment of truth.

At 5:30 a.m. the planes began to take off from the carrier decks of the Hiryu,, the Soryu, and the Atsugi—350 Japanese aircraft in total—the largest airborne naval assault in history.

As the first planes crossed the mountains separating them from Pearl Harbor, the pilots cried out the prearranged code word that means total surprise had been achieved: “Tora! Tora! Tora!”

The first bombs fell at 7:53 a.m. Pearl Harbor time.The battle was over quickly. Within 90 minutes the second wave of planes had returned to the carriers. Behind them, the Japanese pilots left a sea of flaming wreckage. Before it was all over the death count would reach 2,403 brave Americans, including nearly the entire crew of the battleship U.S.S. Arizona.

To this day it remains the single greatest naval defeat in American history. It truly was “A day that will live in infamy.”

What happened at Pearl Harbor led directly to World War II, The bloodiest war in world history.

And the angels sang out on that night so long ago, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14). These are among the most familiar words in the Bible.

After 2,000 years this promise of Christmas is still unfulfilled. The ultimate problem keeping us from experiencing the fulfillment of God's promise is the universal condition of the human heart (see Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-17).

Unfortunately, there still seems to be more people who love war than people who love peace.

God’s message of peace is spread one heart at a time, one person at a time. Remember the song: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me?”

That's the way peace spreads. From God's heart to my heart and your heart, and from us to other people.

The angels' message is true. There is such a thing as peace on earth and goodwill toward men. It comes when Jesus Christ comes into a life! It is possible for former enemies to be reconciled and for people who once hated each other to love each other and to forgive.

My prayer for each one of us in the Foothills family this Christmastime is the peace of Jesus Christ will be our peace.

Your pastor,

Duff