The gift of purity

                                             MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
    "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus" Matthew 1:18-25


The other day I was reading this marvolus story with my 10 yr old son. He is at that age where he is starting to learn about the "birds and the bees." So he asked me what a virgin was. I told him the truth. He was sitting next to me with a look of amazment on his face. Then he says, "Mom, that is very special that Jesus was born to a virgin. He is the only one to every be born to one. Thats is awesome!" I was totaly amazed that he picked up on that. He is so right, how very special it truly is that our God bacame man and was the only one to ever have and ever will be born to a virgin.


In todays world, viginity is looked at as a shameful thing. People are teased or called gay because they choose the right choice to save them selves for their spouse. Our world is not taught that when they loose their virignity they are giving a piece of themself that doesn't belong to them away. A piece of themselves that belongs to their future spouse. A special piece of themself that their spouse will never have. And far to often they loose self respect.


I am so greatful that the birth of our God was so very special. He was born in purity and wholeness. How untrusting our God would be if He was born anyother way. Thank You Father for the gift of purity.


I pray that the youth of today will learn and see the importantace of living a pure life. A life of self respect and respect for their furture spouces. I pray that the parents of today will step up and take a stand to raise a pure generation, and teach their children what is right.
With God's Love,
Christian

Just another stepping stone in the path to His return.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

Does God heal everyone who asks Him? No, we know that He doesn't. However we also know that He can and does heal physical illnesses. The truth is that only He knows who to heal and when to heal. If His will is not to heal then He always gives peace to those who ask for it.

I have heard it said that " God didn't heal you because your faith isn't strong enough." I don't believe that. Matthew 17:20 tells us all we need is to have faith the size of a mustard seed. Have you seen a mustard seed? They are VERY small.

We tend to ask our selves "what's wrong with me that God won't heal me?" Nothing is wrong with you. God knows, sees, hears and is very concerned about you. He is going to use your illnesses in someway to help others. In a way that you may not ever know. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Your illness will work for the good of God.
I think that sometimes He choices to heal some because He knows that they are going to carry out a bigger part of His plan that will require them to be well. Either way it is all of His glory, just another stepping stone in the path to His return.

God has not forgotten you and never will. He doesn't love you any less than someone He has healed. He doesn't work that way. He doesn't play favorites. If He doesn't heal you, I promise you that He has a good reason. I also promise that He will always give you peace when you seek His will. His will is always just!

Father, I pray for those who have an illness. For those who have asked You for healing. Father I pray Your will over them. I pray that You will grant them the gift of peace in their lives. Remind them Lord, that You are God and nothing is to big for You.
In Jesus name. I pray Your will, Amen
With God's Love,
Christian

We seek to please our Father.

    "The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy" Psalm 147:11

When we behave the way that God wants us to, when we obey Him and follow His guidance, He is pleased. It brings glory to Him. He is beside us every where we go and through everything we do, and when we fear Him, we respect, love, honor, and obey Him. All of which brings Him pleasure.

Like a child seeks to please his parents, As Christians we seek to please our Father. That is the wonderful part of being a Christian, Living our lives to please our God. We understand that He has only the best for us in mind. That He is good and wants good for us. Those who aren't Christians fail to understand this and therefore don't seek to please Him.

What a wonderful feeling it is to know that we can bring pleasure to our God.

Father I pray that those who are reading this are doing so for Your purpose. I pray that they will seek to bring pleasure to You. I pray Father that they will Fear You wholeheartedly and know that they can bring glory to Your name. Father bless them with Your love and grace.
In Jesus name, Amen.
With God's Love,
Christian

Our actions truly do speak louder than our words.

"But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him."
1 John 3:17-19

Its amazing how our deeds and actions can say so much about our hearts. When we are willing to help others, extend a hand, or simply show love to others, God's love shine through us and shows the world who He is. This is the best way to minister to others.

On the other hand, when our deeds are not pure. When we have an altered motive in mind. When our hearts are clouded with greed or hate and we do not help others or love them, then God is not able to shine through us. Even if we know the bible by heart and proclaim to believe it.

Our actions truly do speak louder than our words. What do your actions say?

Father I pray that You will change our hearts. Remind us to always allow You to shine through us. To extend Your love to everyone we meet no matter how we are treated in return. Help us to keep pure motives and to love all as You love us.
In Jesus name, Amen
With God's Love,
Christian

  

Fear God.

Question: "What does it mean to have the fear of God?" (gotquestions.org)
Answer: For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer's fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ’God is a consuming fire.’” This reverence and awe is exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe.


Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.


Some redefine the fear of God for believers to “respecting” Him. While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is more to it than that. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.


Believers are not to be scared of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him. We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.

I pray that you will fear God righteously and whole heartedly.
With God's Love,
Christian

The unseen Guest at every meal, The silent listener to every conversation!

"For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If  I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?  I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;  And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139 1:24 NKJ  

Did you catch that? God knows you!

He knows everything about you. Luke 12:7 tells us that the very hairs of your head are all numbered. He has counted the hairs on your head.

There is nothing that we do that He doesn't see. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3 There is nowhere we can go that He isn't there. He hears every word that we say. He sees every action that we perform. He knows our every thought, Psalm 94:11 . He knows the secrets of our hearts, says Psalm 44:21. "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."Hebrews 4:13

We will have to stand before Him one day and answer for our lives. The good and the bad. The good news is that Psalm 51:1-4 tells us that we can seek God's Mercy as David did. "Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me." He will gives us His mercy. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.  He is always faithful and true!

Not only does He know our faults and the secrets of our hearts, He also knows our good qualities, Our gifts and He see all the work of our hands. He sees when you secretly do something to help someone out. No one else may every see it, but God does. "so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:4 NIV.

We need to put to practice the recognition of God's presence at all times. To make sure that our attitude and behavior mimic that recognition. We need to mind our P's & Q's at all time and be aware of our actions. To often we worry about what others will say or think about our actions. How often do we worry about what God would say or think about our actions?

As the saying goes "Jesus is the unseen Guest at every meal, The silent listener to every conversation"

Father, I pray that those who are reading this will feel Your presence in their life. Father, help us all to be aware of You at all times. Help us to behave in a fashion that is worthy of You. We thank You that You are aware of us. That You do see us and love us. Guide us Father, as we go about our daily lives. Help us to make righteous decisions.
In Jesus name, Amen.
With God's Love,
Christian

Why can't Christians agree?

I have often heard this question asked. I myself have asked this questions. Below is an article taken from gotquestions.com Hope it is helpful to you.

Question: "Why are there so many different Christian interpretations? If all Christians have the same Bible, and the same Holy Spirit, should not Christians be able to agree?"

Answer: Scripture says there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). This passage emphasizes the unity that should exist in the body of Christ as we are indwelt by “one Spirit” (verse 4). In verse 3, Paul makes an appeal to humility, meekness, patience, and love—all of which are necessary to preserve unity. According to 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God (verse 11), which He reveals (verse 10) and teaches (verse 13) to those whom He indwells. This activity of the Holy Spirit is called illumination.


In a perfect world, every believer would dutifully study the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15) in prayerful dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s illumination. As can be clearly seen, this is not a perfect world. Not everyone who possesses the Holy Spirit actually listens to the Holy Spirit. There are Christians who grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30). Ask any educator—even the best classroom teacher has his share of wayward students who seem to resist learning, no matter what the teacher does. So, one reason different people have different interpretations of the Bible is simply that some do not listen to the Teacher—the Holy Spirit. Following are some other reasons for the wide divergence of beliefs among those who teach the Bible.


1. Unbelief. The fact is that many who claim to be Christians have never been born again. They wear the label of “Christian,” but there has been no true change of heart. Many who do not even believe the Bible to be true presume to teach it. They claim to speak for God yet live in a state of unbelief. Most false interpretations of Scripture come from such sources.


It is impossible for an unbeliever to correctly interpret Scripture. “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). An unsaved man cannot understand the truth of the Bible. He has no illumination. Further, even being a pastor or theologian does not guarantee one’s salvation.


An example of the chaos created by unbelief is found in John 12:28-29. Jesus prays to the Father, saying, “Father, glorify your name.” The Father responds with an audible voice from heaven, which everyone nearby hears. Notice, however, the difference in interpretation: “The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.” Everyone heard the same thing—an intelligible statement from heaven—yet everyone heard what he wanted to hear.


2. Lack of training. The apostle Peter warns against those who misinterpret the Scriptures. He attributes their spurious teachings in part to the fact that they are “ignorant” (2 Peter 3:16). Timothy is told to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). There is no shortcut to proper biblical interpretation; we are constrained to study.


3. Poor hermeneutics. Much error has been promoted because of a simple failure to apply good hermeneutics (the science of interpreting Scripture). Taking a verse out of its immediate context can do great damage to the intent of the verse. Ignoring the wider context of the chapter and book, or failing to understand the historical/cultural context will also lead to problems.


4. Ignorance of the whole Word of God. Apollos was a powerful and eloquent preacher, but he only knew the baptism of John. He was ignorant of Jesus and His provision of salvation, so his message was incomplete. Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and “explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:24-28). After that, Apollos preached Jesus Christ. Some groups and individuals today have an incomplete message because they concentrate on certain passages to the exclusion of others. They fail to compare Scripture with Scripture.


5. Selfishness and pride. Sad to say, many interpretations of the Bible are based on an individual’s own personal biases and pet doctrines. Some people see an opportunity for personal advancement by promoting a “new perspective” on Scripture. (See the description of false teachers in Jude’s epistle.)


6. Failure to mature. When Christians are not maturing as they should, their handling of the Word of God is affected. “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly” (1 Corinthians 3:2-3). An immature Christian is not ready for the “meat” of God’s Word. Note that the proof of the Corinthians’ carnality is a division in their church (verse 4).


7. Undue emphasis on tradition. Some churches claim to believe the Bible, but their interpretation is always filtered through the established traditions of their church. Where tradition and the teaching of the Bible are in conflict, tradition is given precedence. This effectively negates the authority of the Word and grants supremacy to the church leadership.


On the essentials, the Bible is abundantly clear. There is nothing ambiguous about the deity of Christ, the reality of heaven and hell, and salvation by grace through faith. On some issues of less importance, however, the teaching of Scripture is less clear, and this naturally leads to different interpretations. For example, we have no direct biblical command governing the frequency of communion or the style of music to use. Honest, sincere Christians can have differing interpretations of the passages concerning these peripheral issues.


The important thing is to be dogmatic where Scripture is and to avoid being dogmatic where Scripture is not. Churches should strive to follow the model of the early church in Jerusalem: “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). There was unity in the early church because they were steadfast in the apostles’ doctrine. There will be unity in the church again when we get back to the apostles’ doctrine and forego the other doctrines, fads, and gimmicks that have crept into the church.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions. I pray that God will speak to your heart. That you will have the desire to seek Him despite what others have told you.
With God's Love,
Christian

IT WAS ALL GOD!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

   Sometimes we feel like we are stumbling aimlessly around in a mess of a world. No matter where we look we see chaos, trouble, and sin.  Our lives can seem like there is no plan. No meaning. No blueprint, if you will. But when we take a step back and look deeply at our lives, we can see God. We see things that happened in our past that has got us to where we are today. Things that we can say God did that. Not I, Not them, Not my job, but God did that.

I was thinking about this yesterday. How different my life has been in the last year. I even questioned myself. How did I end up here today? So I started thinking back, all the things that led me here...

    Christmas about 8 years ago, We had spent it with My husbands family in Wyoming. We lived in Strasburg at the time and traveled through a little town called Hudson on our way  home. As we drove through we both said at the same time, "this is a cute little town, wouldn't mind living here some day" LOL.
    We started looking to buy a house shortly after that. We looked all over our area. We simply couldn't afford anything close to us. I searched the internet for the cute little town we once drove through. BOOM we bought a house. We couldn't believe how fast it went. We had been looked for a house for 3 years. Every house that we tried to buy didn't go through. God led us to that cute little town.
    We started searching for a church. We became the "church hoppers" that so many people become. We jumped from church to church to church. Every single one of them we found a problem with. "The building is to old" "I don't like the parking lot here" some pretty lame excuses. Then one day we saw a billboard on I-76 that read something like this. "Boycott the Orchard Church.-Satan" We thought it was funny. A few days latter our local news aired the same billboard. We decided to try that church. We where running out of places to try. LOL. So we went a few times. We didn't really apply ourselves. Sleeping in on Sunday morning just seemed so much more important. I had signed up for Discipleship through the Orchard. Two years went by and I was never connected to anyone at the church. We quit going all together. ( I might add that our lives where messed up. I faced depression pretty bad)
    One day out of the blue, I received an email from a lady I didn't even know, telling me that she has been assigned to Disciple me through the Orchard church. I had completely forgotten all about it. It took me a few minutes to even remember the church. So I called her and we set up a date to meet for dinner and get to know each other. I so almost called it all off, but I went.
     I came home in tears. I told my husband that I didn't expect him to lead us spiritualy (he wasn't a Christian) But I did expect support in raising our kids in God's word. We went to church that very next Sunday and have been going every Sunday since. Our lives have changed dramatically in the last year. Both my oldest son and my husband are now saved. Both my oldest son and I are now baptized. Every area of our lives is so different, so new. It is like a whirlwind of God came through and completely removed our old lives. Turned us inside out and upside down, and washed us clean. I no long suffer from depression. Praise God! My marriage is back on track and I found my best friend again. He was never lost, but I was, Through my depression we drifted apart a bit. I can't express enough how wonderful our lives have been since we put God first.
    So I guess my whole reason for telling you all this, is that God has a plan for us. We couldn't buy the house where we wanted to. It wasn't by accident. We didn't move here by accident. We didn't find the church by accident. We didn't plan the timing or places. IT WAS ALL GOD!
 He has plans for each of us. Even through our struggles. He doesn't plan to hurt us, He plans to make us better for His glory, for His kingdom. He has plans for our future.
Stop and think, what has He done in your life that no one other than Him can take the credit for? I bet you will be amazed.
Father, I  am so very grateful for the plans that You have for my life. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for You. You are so amazing, so loving, so wonderful. I am always in complete awe of You. I pray Father, that You will show those who are reading this, that You have a plan in their life. A plan to prosper them and not harm them. A plan to build them and not bring them down. A plan to use them to perfect Your kingdom. A plan to bring glory to Your name. I pray Father, that they will open their heart to You so that Your plan will be accomplished in them.
I pray Your will Father, In Jesus name, Amen
With God's Love,
Christian

All things are new under the SON!

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit. All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing. That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after."    Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

"The key word in Ecclesiastes is vanity, the futile emptiness of trying to be happy apart from God. The book of Ecclesiastes is written by King Solomon. He was the wisest, richest, most influential King in all of Israel's history. He looks at life under the sun and from the human perspective, declares it all to be empty. Power, popularity, prestige, and pleasure all of which can not fill the God- Shaped void in man's life. Solomon then sees life from God's perspective and life takes on a whole new meaning and purpose. Skepticism and despair melt away when life is viewed as a daily gift from God."
(NKJ notes)

King Solomon had everything. He kept nothing from himself. He denied himself nothing. He had all the money a person could ever imagine. He had anything his heart desired. And yet through it all, he was still empty. He quickly found out that all was pointless without God. He claims it to be like "chasing after the wind." Have you ever tried to catch the wind? If so, how is that working for you?
Solomon also noticed that "there is nothing new under the sun." What is has already been done in one form or another. But when Solomon turned his eyes on God, he found a totally different view. He saw that nothing is done in vain. Everything has a purpose. He no longer had the emptiness and longed for nothing. He also noticed that all things are new under the SON! The son of God. When Jesus is the main focus in our lives everything becomes new. You become new!

This is one of my most favorite books in the bible. It is so easy to identify with. I encourage you to read it even if you already have. God always speaks to us through His word and may reveal something different to you. I pray that when you read it, your heart will be open to God. That you will embrace any conviction that God may place on your heart and focus on changing to His glory. I pray that you will no longer chase the wind but chase Jesus Christ where all things are new under the SON.
With God's Love,
Christian

"No pain, No gain"

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrew 4:15-16

Jesus, fully man, fully God. The man part of Him faced temptations from Satan (Matthew 4) just as we do. The God part of Him kept Him from sin. The man part of Him suffered beyond anyone can ever imagine. The God part of Him did so willingly with love for us.

How comforting to know that there is nothing that we could face that Jesus doesn't understand or sympathize with. He understands completely what we are going through. He is our High Priest, our only intercessor before God the Father. The bible says "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Tim 2:5-6) He goes before God the Father on our behalf. He knows our hearts and our struggles and He has sympathy on us. 

When we struggle or suffer the bible tells us to rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:13
We are to count our suffering as joy, look at it as though we are sharing Jesus' suffering for us. This doesn't mean that God is happy when we suffer. It means that He is honored when we see our suffering as Christ saw His. Our suffering seasons our spirits and grows us closer to God. When we suffer righteously we bring glory to God and He blesses us for it. Then His glory is revealed to us and we will see that we are better for it. "No pain, No gain."  Praise God that He completely understands what we are going through. He is always there to lift us up and carry us through.
What a mighty God we serve!!!!!!

Father, I pray that you will comfort those who maybe suffering. I pray that they will count it as joy to partake in Your sacrifice for us. If its Your will Father, reveal to them Your glory so that they will see that their suffering is not in vain. Speak peace over them Father and remind them that You sympathize completely with them. Bless them with Your mercy. In Jesus name, Amen
With God's Love,
Christian

No matter what we do, we do it for the glory of God!

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1Corinthians 15:58

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1Corinthians 10:31

Unlike so many people these days, My husband has an abundance of work, in which we are so very grateful. But like any other thing, there can be too much of a good thing. He is highly overworked at times. Night before last He left our home at 1:00 am and didn't get home until 5:30 am. Then left again at 6:00 am and worked until 2:00pm. All of this after putting in 12 hours the day before. I am not stating all of this to complain or seek sympathy. We are so very grateful for the work and the gift of me being able to stay home with our children. We realize that so many families are struggling to make ends meet and that mothers struggle emotionally because they are unable to raise their families in a way that they have always dreamed of. My heart goes out to those families.
 My point here is that He is getting burned out very quickly. I'm sure some of you can relate to him. We have two young boys and he feels like he is missing their lives.  This schedule is not at all uncommon on a weekly basis for him. He is struggling right now trying to find the righteous thing to do.

These two scriptures come in very handy for this situation. We as Christians have to remember that the jobs that we have are a gift from God. We are to remember that God is in control of everything. He has placed us all in these positions for a reason that we may not see. It is very easy for us to get frustrated and burned out, Very easy for us to cut corners just to get the job done. I wonder, through all the long nights, the frustration, the temptation to cut corners instead of doing the job right, if God is testing us to see how we will handle the situation? I believe that God uses these situations to prepare us for something bigger. I have no idea what that would be and I'm not even going to try and guess. But I will put my trust in Him and remember that there is a time for every season. Yes this season too. There is a reason for this and God is always faithful to complete what He has started. I Trust Him that what ever the reason maybe, that we are right where He wants us to be. We just have to make sure that no matter what we do, we do it for the glory of God!

Father, I pray for the families who are reading this that struggle to make ends meet. I pray for those that seem like they can never do enough to support their family. Father I pray that you will bless each of them with your grace and mercy. I pray that they will seek You and trust You and know that You are in control. That they are in Your hands. Father, give them the peace that passes all understanding. Give them the courage to continue on, day in and day out in their fight to provide. Bless them greatly Father, In Jesus name I pray Your will. Amen
With God's Love,
Christian

Things somehow don't seem as important as they once were

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" Psalm 42:1-2

This last year has been a year of awesomeness for me and my family. In Jan last year, my husband and I made a decision that has changed us forever. We decided to make God a priority in our lives. To remove Him from the back burner and place Him first in everything. I have been a Christian since I was about 8 years old, But until this last year I never knew what it meant to have a personal relationship with God. WOW! It is the most amazing thing. The closer I grow to God, the more I learn about who He truly is the more my Soul yearns and craves Him. I have experienced a joy inside my soul that I never knew was possible.
God made us to crave Him. He made us to have a thirst, a need, a want, that only He can quench and fulfill. He made us to want Him and need Him. I have found that when we finally realize that and give into our need for Him, the want and need for worldly things tends to fade away. Those things somehow don't seem as important as they once were. I look at my home. The things that my family and I have possessed over the years, and I have to say that I am a bit ashamed that we have so much stuff. We don't need it. And most of it just sits there looking pretty anyway, LOL, collecting dust. We had been trying to fill the need in our souls with worldly things. When all we really needed in our hearts was God. I'm not saying that now we don't struggle or have hard times. As Christians, we will always suffer and struggle as Jesus did for us. But somehow those struggles seem so distant from our minds and hearts. They don't have the same effect on us as they use to.
To some, struggles may seem so harsh and difficult to over come. You maybe thinking, is it really that easy? Find God and life will be different? My answer to you is, YES!! Find God and have a personal relationship with Him and life will be different. I didn't say it would be easy, I said it would be different. The key is though that you need to have a relationship with Him. Take it from someone who found Him years ago, But never really knew Him. I think about all those years with out investing myself into Him and man, how different I might have handled so many things. If I could do it all over again, I sure would, while holding His hand.
We will always crave God. No matter how close a person gets. Until we are standing next to Him in heaven our souls will always pant for Him. I wonder though, even in heaven if we will long to be next to Him always. I sure hope so.
I pray that you will realize how bad your soul is panting for God. That you will open your heart to Him and build a strong relationship with Him. I pray that you will see how amazing He truly is. He loves you so very much and wants nothing more than for you to invite Him in to your life. I pray that you will do just that.
With God's Love,
Christian

Our greatest weapon!

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with the truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-." Ephesians 6:10-18

Friends, we are at war. Each and everyone of us are fighting a huge battle everyday. Satan's weapons of choice are anything that he can use against us, our weaknesses. Not saying that is his only weapon but the easy weapon. However we have to be very careful not to blame every sin, every conflict, and every problem on him or his demons. There is a difference between the war against the sin in ourselves (Romans 6) and the war against the evil one described in Ephesians. We have to fight the war of our flesh as well. Fight our sinful nature. (Galatians 5:17) I do believe that either war can be fought in the same manner. Through Jesus Christ and the word of God.
Our greatest weapon against both Satan and our flesh, is the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." When we put on the full armor of God, there is nothing that can stand against us. We have God on our side. The bible tells us that when God stands for us, nothing can stand against us. (Romans 8:31) The war in which we are fighting is a righteous war for God. Stand firm in His word.

"We are to stand firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and by praying in the Spirit. What do these pieces of spiritual armor represent in spiritual warfare? We are to speak the truth against Satan’s lies. We are to rest in the fact that we are declared righteous because of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We are to proclaim the gospel no matter how much resistance we receive. We are not to waver in our faith, no matter how strongly we are attacked. Our ultimate defense is the assurance we have of our salvation, an assurance that no spiritual force can take away. Our offensive weapon is the Word of God, not our own opinions and feelings. We are to follow Jesus’ example in recognizing that some spiritual victories are only possible through prayer.
Jesus is our ultimate example for spiritual warfare. Observe how Jesus handled direct attacks from Satan when He was tempted by him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Each temptation was answered the same way—with the words “It is written.” Jesus knew the Word of the living God is the most powerful weapon against the temptations of the devil. If Jesus Himself used the Word to counter the devil, do we dare to use anything less?" (gotquestions.org)

God's word is more than just a book. It is live and active and will always conquer the devil. He can not stand against it. Friends, I encourage you to read God's word daily and apply it to your life. Use it in time of struggle and warfare. Remember that God is always with you and will fight for you if you trust in Him. I pray that God will minister to you through His word today and always!
With God's Love,
Christian

We would be so confused!

"For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."Malachi 3:6

Praise God that He is constant!

Think about our lives. How inconsistent we are. We change our minds from one minute to the next. As a society we believe one thing to be true and then decide on something else. Our emotions change from moment to moment. We are never the same, and our lives are chaotic for it.

I am so grateful that God does not change. He is constant and unwavering. He doesn't change His mind in the middle of an action. He never changes what is true. Can you imagine if He did? We would never be able to trust Him. The bible would be meaningless. We would never know what is right from wrong. We would be so confused.

 James 1:17 tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Numbers 23:19 says: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” No, God does not change His mind. These verses show that God is unchanging and unchangeable. He was, is, and will always be the same.

God never changes Himself so that we can understand Him better. He changes us so that we can see Him as he truly is. If God changed His nature, He would cease to be God.

For more information on this topic check out http://www.gotquestions.org/God-change-mind.html

With God's Love,
Christian

What can flesh do to me?

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?" Psalm 56:3-4 NKJ

What do you fear? What do you worry the most about? What digs its way clear to your bone and stirs up the greatest amount of fear you have ever known?

Some of you can answer this right away. Others may have to think about it. Either way, ask yourself this, WHY? Why do you fear what ever it is that you fear?

There is nothing in this life that can bring you harm. I'm not talking about physical harm. I am talking about spiritual harm. Nothing in this life that can remove you from you. Better yet remove you from God. Once you belong to Him you will always belong to Him. Sure life is tough. Life has many hurts to offer, and we do suffer. But no matter what we are going through we always make it out. Even when we suffer till death, as long as we have God in our lives and trust Him we will always make it out. We will always come through the hard times and the suffering and we will come out better for it. This life is a life of practice, a growing period. A time that we are to learn from and gain wisdom. We are practicing and preparing for our eternal life. However you choose to practice, Trusting in God or running from God will be the lesson that you will take into eternity. God loves us so much that He lets us choose. (a topic for another day) We can choose to continue to live in a life of fear of what will happen IF. Or we can choose to trust God completely and know that what ever we are enduring or going to face we will do with God's strength because He knows that it is something that we need. It doesn't matter if it takes your physical life, that just means that you will be with God that much faster. NO MATTER what it is that you will ever face GOD HAS A PLAN!
I pray that you will open your heart to God completely and  trust Him with all of your heart. I pray that you will know without a doubt that He is in control and trust that His plan for your life will only make you stronger. In Jesus name, Amen
With God's Love,
Christian

why is Advent celebrated

I have offten wondered why we celebrate Advent. This is what I found out. It is pretty long but a good read and very informative. Thank  you Dennis Bratcher for putting this together!

The Season of Advent:
Anticipation and Hope

Dennis Bratcher

The Colors of Advent The Spirit of Advent Evergreens and The Advent Wreath
Celebrating Advent An Advent Reflection Music for Advent

Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.

This is an Advent symbol of Jesus from Rev 1:8 and 22:13: "I am the Alpha and the Omega [the first and the last, the beginning and the end]" says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (see also Isaiah 44:6). The first symbol is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Aleph, and the second is the last letter of the Greek alphabet, Omega. Not only does this symbolize the One who has come and will come again, it also emphasizes the continuity of God's work in history throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

 

 

  

 

The Meaning of "Advent"

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the consummation of which we anticipate. Scripture reading for Advent will reflect this emphasis on the Second Advent, including themes of accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life.
In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. That acknowledgment provides a basis for Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that we live "between the times" and are called to be faithful stewards of what is entrusted to us as God’s people. So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself."

The Spirit of Advent

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!
It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.
Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right! Yet, as the prophet Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the "Day of the Lord" may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people.
Because of this important truth, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Season of Advent has been a time of fasting and penitence for sins similar to the Season of Lent. However, a different emphasis for the season of Advent has gradually unfolded in much of the rest of the church. The season of Advent has come to be celebrated more in terms of expectation or anticipation. Yet, the anticipation of the Coming of the Messiah throughout the Old Testament and Judaism was not in connection with remembrance of sins. Rather, it was in the context of oppression and injustice, the longing for redemption, not from personal guilt and sin but from the systemic evil of the world expressed in evil empires and tyrants. It is in that sense that all creation groans for its redemption as we witness the evil that so dominates our world (Rom 8:18-25).
Of course, there is the problem of longing for vindication from an evil world when we are contributors to that evil. This is the power of the images of Amos when he warns about longing for the "Day of the Lord" that will really be a day of darkness (Amos 5:18-20). Still, even with Amos’ warning the time of Advent is one of expectation and anticipation, a longing for God's actions to restore all things and vindicate the righteous. This is why during Advent we as Christians also anticipate the Second Coming as a twin theme of the season. So, while some church traditions focus on penitence during Advent, and there remains a place for that, the spirit of that expectation from the Old Testament is better captured with a joyous sense of expectancy. Rather than a time of mourning and fasting, Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as we await the coming of the King. (see Can We Sing Christmas Carols During Advent?)
There will be time enough during the rest of the journey through the Church Year to remember our sins. It begins in Epiphany when we hear about the brotherhood of the Kingdom, and realize our failure to effect it. Then as we move toward and through Lent we realize that the coming of Jesus served more to lay bare our own sin than it did to vindicate our righteousness. There will be time to shed Peter's bitter tears as we realize that what started with such possibility and expectation has apparently ended in such failure.
It is only as we experience that full cycle, beginning with unbridled joy in Advent that slowly fades into the realization of what we have done with and to the Christ, that the awful reality of Good Friday can have its full impact. And in that realization we can finally be ready to hear the Good News on Resurrection Sunday! That is the journey that the disciples took. And so there is value in taking the same journey beginning with the anticipation and joy of Advent!
So, we celebrate with gladness the great promise in the Advent, yet knowing that there is also a somber tone as the theme of threat is added to the theme of promise. This is reflected in some of the Scripture readings for Advent, in which there is a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment on sin. But this is also faithful to the role of the Coming King who comes to rule, save, and judge the world.
Because of the dual themes of threat and promise, Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. While Lent is characterized by fasting and a spirit of penitence, Advent’s prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isa 9)!
The spirit of Advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom’s expected coming. And yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. But even then, the prayer of Advent is still:

Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel!

The Colors of Advent

Historically, the primary sanctuary color of Advent is Purple. This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. Purple is still used in some traditions (for example Roman Catholic). The purple of Advent is also the color of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week. This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The nativity, the Incarnation, cannot be separated from the crucifixion. The purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world, of the "Word made flesh" and dwelling among us, is to reveal God and His grace to the world through Jesus’ life and teaching, but also through his suffering, death, and resurrection. To reflect this emphasis, originally Advent was a time of penitence and fasting, much as the Season of Lent and so shared the color of Lent.
In the four weeks of Advent the third Sunday came to be a time of rejoicing that the fasting was almost over (in some traditions it is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice"). The shift from the purple of the Season to pink or rose for the third Sunday Advent candles reflected this lessening emphasis on penitence as attention turned more to celebration of the season.
In recent times, however, Advent has undergone a shift in emphasis, reflected in a change of colors used in many churches. Except in the Eastern churches, the penitential aspect of the Season has been almost totally replaced by an emphasis on hope and anticipation.
In many churches the third Sunday remains the Sunday of Joy marked by pink or rose. However, most Protestant churches now use blue to distinguish the Season of Advent from Lent. Royal Blue is sometimes used as a symbol of royalty. Some churches use Bright Blue to symbolize the night sky, the anticipation of the impending announcement of the King’s coming, or to symbolize the waters of Genesis 1, the beginning of a new creation. Some churches, including some Catholic churches, use blue violet to preserve the traditional use of purple while providing a visual distinction between the purple or red violet of Lent.
This does not eliminate any sense of penitence from the Season. With the focus on the Advent or Coming of Jesus, especially in anticipating His Second Advent, there remains a need for preparation for that coming. Most liturgical churches incorporate confessional prayers into the services of Advent that relate to a sense of unworthiness as we anticipate His Coming. It is appropriate even in more traditional services of worship to incorporate confessional prayers as part of the anticipation and preparation of the Season.
With the shift to blue for Advent in most non-Catholic churches, some churches retain pink among the Advent colors, but use it on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. It still remains associated with Joy, but is sometimes used as the climax of the Advent Season on the last Sunday before Christmas.
Red and Green are more secular colors of Christmas. They derive from older European practices of using evergreens and holly to symbolize ongoing life and hope that Christ’s birth brings into a cold world. Although red and green are often used as part of the church decorations (see below), they are never used as liturgical colors during Advent since those colors have other uses in other parts of the church year (see Colors of the Church Year).

Evergreens and The Advent Wreath

The beginning of Advent is a time for the hanging of the green, decoration of the church with evergreen wreaths, boughs, or trees that help to symbolize the new and everlasting life brought through Jesus the Christ. Some churches have a special weekday service, or the first Sunday evening of Advent, or even the first Sunday morning of Advent, in which the church is decorated and the Advent wreath put in place. This service is most often primarily of music, especially choir and hand bells, and Scripture reading, along with an explanation of the various symbols as they are placed in the sanctuary.
The Advent wreath is an increasingly popular symbol of the beginning of the Church year in many churches as well as homes. It is a circular evergreen wreath (real or artificial) with five candles, four around the wreath and one in the center. Since the wreath is symbolic and a vehicle to tell the Christmas story, there are various ways to understand the symbolism. The exact meaning given to the various aspects of the wreath is not as important as the story to which it invites us to listen, and participate.
The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ.
The colors of the candles vary with different traditions, but there are usually three purple or blue candles, corresponding to the sanctuary colors of Advent, and one pink or rose candle. One of the purple candles is lighted the first Sunday of Advent, a Scripture is read, a short devotional or reading is given, and a prayer offered. On subsequent Sundays, previous candles are relighted with an additional one lighted. The pink candle is usually lighted on the third Sunday of Advent. However, different churches or traditions light the pink candle on different Sundays depending on the symbolism used (see above on Colors of Advent). In Churches that use a Service of the Nativity, it is often lighted on the fourth Sunday of Advent, the final Sunday before Christmas.
The light of the candles itself becomes an important symbol of the season. The light reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God's grace to others (Isa 42:6). The progression in the lighting of the candles symbolizes the various aspects of our waiting experience. As the candles are lighted over the four week period, it also symbolizes the darkness of fear and hopelessness receding and the shadows of sin falling away as more and more light is shed into the world. The flame of each new candle reminds the worshippers that something is happening, and that more is yet to come. Finally, the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the Christ candle is lighted at Christmas, and worshippers rejoice over the fact that the hope and promise of long ago have been realized.
The first candle is traditionally the candle of Expectation or Hope (or in some traditions, Prophecy). This draws attention to the anticipation of the coming of an Anointed One, a Messiah, that weaves its way like a golden thread through Old Testament history. As God’s people were abused by power hungry kings, led astray by self-centered prophets, and lulled into apathy by half-hearted religious leaders, there arose a longing among some for God to raise up a new king who could show them how to be God’s people. They yearned for a return of God’s dynamic presence in their midst.
And so, God revealed to some of the prophets that indeed He would not leave His people without a true Shepherd. While they expected a new earthly king, their expectations fell far short of God’s revelation of Himself in Christ. And yet, the world is not yet fully redeemed. So, we again with expectation, with hope, await God’s new work in history, the second Advent, in which He will again reveal Himself to the world. And we understand in a profound sense that the best, the highest of our expectations will fall far short of what our Lord’s Second Advent will reveal!
The remaining three candles of Advent may be associated with different aspects of the Advent story in different churches, or even in different years. Usually they are organized around characters or themes as a way to unfold the story and direct attention to the celebrations and worship in the season. So, the sequence for the remaining three Sundays might be Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels. Or Love, Joy, Peace. Or John the Baptist, Mary, the Magi. Or the Annunciation, Proclamation, Fulfillment. Whatever sequence is used, the Scripture readings, prayers, lighting of the candles, the participation of worshipers in the service, all are geared to unfolding the story of redemption through God’s grace in the Incarnation.
The third candle, usually for the Third Sunday of Advent, is traditionally Pink or Rose, and symbolizes Joy at the soon Advent of the Christ. It marks a shift from the more solemn tone of the first two Sundays of Advent that focus on Preparation and Hope, to a more joyous atmosphere of anticipation and expectancy. Sometimes the colors of the sanctuary and vestments are also changed to Rose for this Sunday. As noted above, in some churches the pink Advent candle is used on the fourth Sunday to mark the joy at the impending Nativity of Jesus.
Whatever sequence is adopted for these Sundays, the theme of Joy can still be the focus for the pink candle. For example, when using the third Sunday to commemorate the visit of the Magi the focus can be on the Joy of worshipping the new found King. Or the Shepherds as the symbol for the third Sunday brings to mind the joy of the proclamation made to them in the fields, and the adoration expressed as they knelt before the Child at the manger. If used on the fourth Sunday of Advent, it can symbolize the Joy in fulfilled hope.
The center candle is white and is called the Christ Candle. It is traditionally lighted on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. However, since many Protestant churches do not have services on those days, many light it on the Sunday preceding Christmas, with all five candles continuing to be lighted in services through Epiphany (Jan 6). The central location of the Christ Candle reminds us that the incarnation is the heart of the season, giving light to the world.

Celebrating Advent

Advent is one of the few Christian festivals that can be observed in the home as well as at church. In its association with Christmas, Advent is a natural time to involve children in activities at home that directly connect with worship at church. In the home an Advent wreath is often placed on the dining table and the candles lighted at meals, with Scripture readings preceding the lighting of the candles, especially on Sunday. A new candle is lighted each Sunday during the four weeks, and then the same candles are lighted each meal during the week. In this context, it provides the opportunity for family devotion and prayer together, and helps teach the Faith to children, especially if they are involved in reading the daily Scriptures.
It is common in many homes to try to mark the beginning of Advent in other ways as well, for the same purpose of instruction in the faith. Some families decorate the house for the beginning of Advent, or bake special cookies or treats, or simply begin to use table coverings for meals. An Advent Calendar is a way to keep children involved in the entire season. There are a wide variety of Advent calendars, but usually they are simply a card or poster with windows that can be opened, one each day of Advent, to reveal some symbol or picture associated with the Old Testament story leading up to the birth of Jesus. One unique and specialized Advent calendar that can be used either in the home or the sanctuary is a Jesse Tree. (We have available an online Advent calendar with devotionals for each day of Advent as well as Christmas through Epiphany Day: NazNet's Advent and Christmas Celebration). All of these provide opportunities to teach children the significance of this sacred time, and to remind ourselves of it as well.
In congregational worship, the Advent wreath is the central teaching symbol of the season, the focal point for drawing the congregation into the beginning of the story of redemption that will unfold throughout the church year. For this reason, members of the congregation are often involved in lighting the Advent candles and reading the appropriate Scriptures each Sunday. While in some churches it is customary for this to be done by families, it can also be an especially good opportunity to demonstrate the unity of the entire community of Faith by including those without families, such as those never married, divorced, widowed, elderly who live by themselves, or college students away from home.

Small Things and Possibility: An Advent Reflection

We live in a world in which bigger and better define our expectations for much of life. We have become so enamored by super size, super stars, and high definition that we tend to view life through a lens that so magnifies what we expect out of the world that we tend not to see potential in small things. But as the prophet Zechariah reminds us (Zech 4:10), we should not "despise the day of small things," because God does some of his best work with small beginnings and impossible situations.
It is truly a humbling experience to read back through the Old Testament and see how frail and imperfect all the "heroes" actually are. Abraham, the coward who cannot believe the promise. Jacob, the cheat who struggles with everybody. Joseph, the immature and arrogant teen. Moses, the impatient murderer who cannot wait for God. Gideon, the cowardly Baal-worshipper. Samson, the womanizing drunk. David, the power abusing adulterer. Solomon, the unwise wise man. Hezekiah, the reforming king who could not quite go far enough. And finally, a very young Jewish girl from a small village in a remote corner of a great empire.
It never ceases to amaze me that God often begins with small things and inadequate people. It certainly seems that God could have chosen "bigger" things and "better" people to do His work in the world. Yet if God can use them, and reveal Himself through them in such marvelous ways, it means that He might be able to use me, inadequate, and unwise, and too often lacking in faith that I am. And it means that I need to be careful that I do not in my own self-righteousness put limits on what God can do with the smallest things, the most unlikely of people, in the most hopeless of circumstances. I think that is part of the wonder of the Advent Season.
I am convinced that one of the main purposes of the incarnation of Jesus was to provide hope. While most people today want to talk about the death of Jesus and the Atonement of sins, the early Church celebrated the Resurrection and the hope it embodied. It was a proclamation of a truth that rang throughout the Old Testament, that endings are not always endings but are opportunities for God to bring new beginnings. The Resurrection proclaimed that truth even about humanity’s greatest fear, death itself.
Both the season of Advent and the season of Lent are about hope. It is not just hope for a better day or hope for the lessening of pain and suffering, although that is certainly a significant part of it. It is more about hope that human existence has meaning and possibility beyond our present experiences, a hope that the limits of our lives are not nearly as narrow as we experience them to be. It is not that we have possibility in ourselves, but that God is a God of new things and so all things are possible (Isa 42:9, Mt 19:26, Mk 14:36)
God's people in the first century wanted Him to come and change their oppressive circumstances, and were angry when those immediate circumstances did not change. But that is a short sighted view of the nature of hope. Our hope cannot be in circumstances, no matter how badly we want them or how important they are to us. The reality of human existence, with which the Book of Job struggles, is that God's people experience that physical existence in the same way that others do. Christians get sick and die, Christians are victims of violent crimes, and Christians are hurt and killed in traffic accidents, bombings, war, and in some parts of the world, famine (see The Problem of Natural Evil).
If our hope is only in our circumstances, as we define them to be good or as we want them to be to make us happy, we will always be disappointed. That is why we hope, not in circumstances, but in God. He has continually, over the span of four thousand years, revealed himself to be a God of newness, of possibility, of redemption, the recovery or transformation of possibility from endings that goes beyond what we can think or even imagine (Eph 3:20). The best example of that is the crucifixion itself, followed by the resurrection. That shadow of the cross falls even over the manger.
Yet, it all begins in the hope that God will come and come again into our world to reveal himself as a God of newness, of possibility, a God of new things. This time of year we contemplate that hope embodied, enfleshed, incarnated, in a newborn baby, the perfect example of newness, potential, and possibility. During Advent, we groan and long for that newness with the hope, the expectation, indeed the faith, that God will once again be faithful to see our circumstances, to hear our cries, to know our longings for a better world and a whole life (Ex 3:7). And we hope that as he first came as an infant, so he will come again as King! (See The Second Coming)
My experience tells me that those who have suffered and still hope understand far more about God and about life than those who have not. Maybe that is what hope is about: a way to live, not just to survive, but to live authentically amidst all the problems of life with a Faith that continues to see possibility when there is no present evidence of it, just because God is God. That is also the wonder of Advent.

Music for Advent

Traditional Songs for Advent

Full lyrics for these can be found at various places online, such as NetHymnal.

Christ, whose glory fills the skies

Come, thou long expected Jesus

Comfort, comfort ye, my people

Creator of the stars of night

Day of wrath! O day of mourning, Part 1 (English translation of Dies Irae)

Go, labor on! Spend and be spent

Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding (English translation of Vox clara ecce intonat)

Hark! The glad sound

Hark! The voice eternal

High o'er the lonely hills

Hosanna to the living Lord (for the first Sunday of Advent)

Let all mortal flesh keep silent (English translation of Σιγησάτο παρα σαρξ βροτεία)

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates (for the first Sunday of Advent; two versions)

Lift up your heads, rejoice (for the third Sunday of Advent)

Light of those whose dreary dwelling

Little children, Advent bids you (for the fourth Sunday of Advent; Second Advent)

Lo! He comes, with clouds descending

Lord Christ, when first thou came to men (two versions)

O Come, Divine Messiah

O come, O come, Emmanuel! (English translation of Veni, veni Emanuel)

O Day of God, draw nigh

O North, with all thy vales of green

O very God of very God

O Savior, rend the heavens wide

O Word, that goest forth on high

On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry

Rejoice, rejoice, believers!

Savior of the nations, come! (English translation of Veni Redemptor gentium)

Sleepers, wake!

The advent of our King

The day is surely drawing near (for the fourth Sunday of Advent; Second Advent)

The King shall come when morning dawns

The Lord will come and not be slow

The world is very evil (English Translation of Hora novissima)

Thy kingdom come! on bended knee

Thy kingdom come, O God

Wake, awake, for night is flying

Watchman, tell us of the night

When shades of night around us close

Modern and Contemporary Songs for Advent

Full lyrics for some of these can be found at various places online, such as NetHymnal; others are fully copyrighted and can be obtained only from publishers.

At the coming of the Lord

Be Immanuel in me

Before the starry universe

Breath of heaven (for the fourth Sunday of Advent)

Child of wondrous love

Come, our Lord (also a song for Eucharist)

From David's city

Have mercy

Hear the prophets talking

I need a silent night (for the third or fourth Sunday of Advent)

Immanuel, Immanuel

Light a candle

People look east

Prayer for God's presence

Prepare us

The Advent candle shines with hope

There's a voice in the wilderness crying

This is my song (tune Finlandia; for the fourth Sunday of Advent)

To a maid engaged to Joseph (for the third or fourth Sunday of Advent)

Veiled in darkness Judah lay (for the fourth Sunday of Advent)

We have a hope

Welcome to our world (for the fourth Sunday of Advent)

When will the Savior come?

Advent Songs Sung to Christmas Tunes

Full lyrics for these can be found at various places online, such as NetHymnal; for links to downloadable .pdf files for use in church bulletins, see Advent Hymns Set to Christmas Tunes [external link]

The King shall come when morning dawns (using tune Antioch, Joy to the World)

Watchman, tell us of the night (using tune Mendelssohn, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)

The people that in darkness sat (using tune Christmas, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks)

Lo, He comes with clouds descending (using tune Regent Square, Angels from the Realms of Glory)

Of the Father's love begotten (using tune W Zlobie Lezy, Infant Holy, Infant Lowly)

Instrumental

Music and arrangement scores for these are fully copyrighted and can be obtained only from publishers.

Gabriel's Oboe
(From the movie The Mission; various soundtracks are available online, including this one [external link])

-Dennis Bratcher Copyright © 2011, Dennis Bratcher All Rights Reserved

To the glory of God.

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31

As you go about your day with many tasks in mind, how often do you complain about what you are doing? How often do you do something with an ulterior motive in mind? Who do you complete those daily tasks for?

As a stay at home mom of two, I find myself complaining about the mess that I had just cleaned up. Or the never ending job of laundry. Sometimes even the lack of adult conversation. In the last year God has really opened up my eyes to the fact that I don't do what I do for anyone but Him. Sure, my family benefits from me staying at home, But the only one that I am to please is God.

If we can remember as we do anything that we are to do it for God's glory, then He will use it to bless someone else. God's glory goes far beyond just pleasing Him, it allows doors to be opened so that He can take it and bless others. When I take care of my family to glorify God, He then uses that to please my family.

Sometimes we think that we don't have much to offer God. Maybe we aren't educated enough to do something great in this world. Maybe we don't have enough money to make a difference. God doesn't see us that way. He doesn't want that from all of us. He wants each of us to do the best we can with what we have and give Him the glory for it and through it. "God doesn't call the qualified He qualifies the Called."
I pray that you will open your heart to God. Let Him work in your life. Make it a conscious decision to do all that you do to the glory of God.
With God's Love,
Christian