The Sword of the Spirit (12.6.18)

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 - Hebrews 4:12

Faith Believers,
Jesus has given His disciples one piece of equipment that is powerful for tearing down the strongholds of the enemy: the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of GOD. This sword can pierce the most hardened heart and bring liberty and freedom from the bondage of sin.

There is one important fact, however, that believers must never forget. The Word of GOD is the Sword of the Spirit. It is not the sword of human flesh and effort. It can only be properly used in battle by the Holy Spirit. Many have been turned further away from the Gospel by someone who tried to browbeat them into the Kingdom with their Bible. Others have been gently led to receive eternal life by properly using the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of GOD.

Only the Holy Spirit can properly utilize Scripture. The Holy Spirit knows the deep needs of every captive. The only question to be resolved is this: How do believers place their lives under the control of the Holy Spirit so that GOD can use them effectively in the offensive battle?

We are told what to do in Ephesians 6:18 once we are clothed with our armor and hold the sword in our hands - With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

Prayer places us at GOD’s disposal. The greatest power that we have in this battle is made available to us through prayer.
  -  Marilyn

~ Prayer ~
Holy Spirit,

I desire to place myself completely in Your Power as You use my prayers for the purposes of GOD. You alone can teach me how to understand and effectively utilize the Word. Show me how to use it in such a way that the Body of Christ is edified, and that those who are not yet believers are convicted and convinced of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

 

Help me to become more like Jesus as I begin to fully obey His Word, as it is applied to my life. 

 

I want to live continually at the disposal of GOD, properly wielding His Sword of the Spirit, through you, through a life of prayer. 

 

Amen

Surrender All..... (12.5.18)

My Child,
If you do not seek Me concerning the situation you are in, you will fail.

You are troubled.
I see your tears.
I see your heartaches.
I see your heavy burdens. 

I Am the only one that can uphold you.

Lo, I Am with you always even unto the end.
Give Me your burdens.
Give Me your cares.
For I care for you.
 
You are concerned about so much. You are concerned about loved ones, your finances, healing, being successful - all of these things; but the only thing you have to do is surrender all to Me. It is too overwhelming for you to try to figure it out on your own, you must bring all to Me.

Trust in Me.
Come unto Me and I will help you.

You can rely on Me always.
Lean on the Lord your God, your Rock.
For I Am the solid rock in your storm. 
  
I Am here for you My Precious One.
I Am very close to the brokenhearted.

I can restore all that is troubling you and give you peace like you have never known. Allow Me to bear your burdens. Surrender all. Surrender all. Without Me you can do nothing. Rely on My Strength each step of the way.

I Am more than worthy to deliver you.
I Am the author and finisher of your faith.
 Be of good courage and read My Word daily for strength and direction. Allow My Word to fill your heart; for it will lift you up, refresh your soul and give you the determination to keep living for Christ. All you have to do is surrender all to Me.

  

 

READ AND MEDITATE ON HIS WORD
Psalm 34:17-19 - The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 37:5 - Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.

Matthew 11:28-30 - Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

#ScriptureReflection - Luke 10:21-24 (12.4.18)

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

 

 

 

#ScriptureReflection - Isaiah 11:1-10 (12.3.18)

On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.

Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.

The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Be Renewed & Refreshed (12.2.18)

My Child,
I know you have been crying out for more of Me. 

I Am going to honor your request, and show you
     that which you desire. 

For I See that you have been distressed lately, but I Say no longer will you be distressed.  Come to Me and lie under My Wing, and I Am going to open your eyes more than ever before.  As your eyes are opened, you will be given greater compassion and greater love for those around you. 

All because you desire to be more like Me.

Doubt has been lingering in your mind lately, and I Have seen the ways the enemy has tried to bring things of your past back to haunt you. I’ve also seen you silently struggling.  But do not worry, My Child, for I Am with you. 

I Have called you and anointed you for great things. 
I Am raising a standard against the evil one,
     and he will not harm you.
No one is greater than I AM.

You are My Warrior, and I Have placed the words you need, into your mouth. You will speak these words in ways you may not have ever thought you would. You will speak in words, all that I have shown you; and these words will bring honor to My Name. 

I Have placed you exactly where you need to be at this point in your life.  

I Am always with you beloved, and although you may not see the fruition yet; soon you will see My Promises come to pass in your life.

Come, rest in Me and let Me show you how much I Love you.
I want to remove all things from you that are not of me.

As you see more and more of My Heart for you, you will become more confident in who you are in Me and what I have called you to do.  Come now, listen to all I have to tell you, and the great refreshing that you long for, will be poured into your life.

 

READ AND MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD:
Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall rest under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:4 - He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you shall trust. His truth shall be your shield, and buckle

Isaiah 28:12 - To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing:

Isaiah 50:4 - The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

Matthew 11:28-30 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Ephesians 4:23 - And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

Great Days are Ahead (12.1.18)

My Child,
Great things are in store for those who wait upon Me. As it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things that GOD has in store for His Beloved - 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Your praises flooded the Heavens, and things that once hindered your blessings from coming through, are gone.  Great things are headed your way.  Do not worry about the situation you are in - for it won’t last very long.  Expect things to change for the better very soon. 

The discipline, integrity, and faith that you've been displaying has allowed Me the opportunity to show people how I reward those walking according to My Word. 

Beloved, I Am calling you to a higher place in Me. In this realm of the Spirit, you are required to be constantly living in faith, as in constantly stepping out in faith to do the things that I have commissioned you to do. You will worship Me in a whole new way as I become the center focus of your life. And as you worship Me, the window of My Blessings will open, and the abundance of My Blessings will come forth with wisdom from on high.

This is a new time, a new season, and there shall come from within you such a magnitude explosion of My Presence - that souls will look at the light that shines from within and they shall run to you, desiring what you've got.

Fear not, for I Shall give you the utterance and the words to speak, to draw all men unto Me. I Know you don’t realize this, but you are an example to more people than you know. 

As with My servant, David, I have weighed your heart
       and I find it to be good. 
Your mistakes won’t stop Me from blessing you.
I Am no respecter of persons. 
Just as I Blessed my servant David, so I Shall also bless you.

Be encouraged, great things are coming your way.
Yes, great are the days ahead.

The prayers of many of My saints and intercessors have risen like incense before Me and this has moved Me to work on their behalf. Wait patiently My child just a little while longer. 

Great days are ahead.

 

READ AND MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD

1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which GOD hath prepared for them that love him

Romans 8:18 - For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Deuteronomy 28:2 - And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy GOD.

Joel 2:21 - Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. truth I perceive that GOD is no respecter of persons:

Revelation 8:4 - And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before GOD out of the angel's hand.

December/Advent Cover Photo (2018)

Christ is Coming, Prepare the Way!!! Preparing for & Celebrating Advent.... (11.30.18)

Advent Devotional Guide:
Preparing for the Coming of Christ

by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts *

Copyright © 2011 by Mark D. Roberts and Patheos.com

Go to the Advent Devotional Guide, in it's entirety

* This version has been shortened & slightly
edited from the original version.

Introduction

Advent is a season of waiting, expecting, and hoping. Beginning four Sundays prior to Christmas and ending on Christmas Eve, Advent helps us prepare for the coming, or “advent” of the Christ child at Christmas. (The word “advent” comes from the Latin word that means “coming.”)

For hundreds of years, Christians have used an Advent wreath to inspire their hopes for the coming of Christ. By lighting candles and reading Bible verses, we are reminded about the meaning of Christ’s birth and become more excited about his coming in the past, in the future, and in our own lives. Some profess that the wreath itself, with it's perfect circular shape, has no beginning and no end - reminding us of Christ's eternal presence. The evergreen of the wreath symbolizes life.  The evergreen stays alive & green - all year round.  In more modern times, wreaths are not always evergreen.

There is no set meaning for the candles of the Advent wreath (except for the middle candle, which always signifies the birth of Jesus the Christ and is often called the Christ Candle). Some Christian faiths symbolize the candles to represent hope (week one), peace (week two), joy (week 3), and love (week four). In other houses of worship, the candles are identified with key figures in the stories of the birth of Jesus, such as the shepherds, the angels, Joseph, and Mary.  And some denominations represent the purple candles to represent "prayer, penance and preparatory sacrifice"and the pink candle to represent "rejoicing."  In this article, the main theme of waiting is used to give structure and meaning to the Advent candles, with each candle focused on different aspects of our waiting.

Advent wreath candles, depending on your denomination and/or world location, can come in a variety of colors, and typically there are 2 types of Advent wreaths.  Most wreaths will use 3 purple and one pink candle; or 3 purple, one pink and one white candle.  Some wreaths use all white candles; others may use blue candles (instead of purple); and others may even use red candles.   Sharing an understanding of the Advent wreath with many U.S. Christians, for whom the purple candles remind us of how serious and solemn God’s people have been in waiting for the Messiah. The pink signifies the joy of our waiting. The white (sometimes used) is triumphant and celebratory because Christ is born. (If your wreath has blue candles, then when “Light a purple candle” is mentioned, light your blue candle.)  Learn more about the Advent Wreath.

Finally, as we light each candle on the wreath - the light symbolizes "The Light of the World" also known as Jesus Christ.  What follows is a helpful guide that lends to a deeper understanding of the season of Advent, Advent traditions & symbolism for your faith communities, family and especially children - who may be "caught up" and focused on Christmas, but have very little understanding or knowledge of the season of Advent.

Speaking of children, they have great expectations and hopes during Advent – usually associated with Christmas presents, Santa Claus, holiday celebrations, and so forth. Rather than discouraging these hopes, this guide offers explanation, instruction, exposure and understanding that parents can share with their children.  Helping their children get the “feel” of Advent by relating their hopes to biblical Advent themes.

Lastly, some prefer to bless their Advent wreaths on the first Sunday of Advent or to have their church minister bless the wreath.   Some even have a the Blessing of the Wreath ceremony immediately prior to the lighting of the first candle.  There are many resources available, for a variety of denominations, including The Family Advent Wreath: Blessings & Prayers, The Book of Household Blessings, and more.

The Lighting of the First Candle: Waiting for the Shepherd

The First Sunday of Advent

We Remember the Meaning of Advent

Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit”. In the Christian season of Advent, we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:

• We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore.

• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.

• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.

• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.

By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves get ready for the birth of Jesus. The candles have different meanings, each based upon the Bible. These meanings help us understand how special the birth of Jesus is for us.

Today we focus on the coming of Christ as our Shepherd.

Prayer for God’s Help **

Dear God,
Thank You for this season of Advent that helps us prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts.
Amen

Scripture Readings

• Psalm 80:1-7 -In this Psalm, we join the people of Israel as they invite God their Shepherd to save and to restore them.
• Isaiah 40:1-11 - This passage looks ahead to the coming of the Lord, who will care for his people like a shepherd.
• Revelation 7:9-17 - Like God’s people before the coming of Christ, we also look ahead to the time when Christ, who is both the Lamb and our Shepherd, will finish his work and “God will wipe away every tear” from our eyes.

Lighting of the Candle **

We light this candle - Light the first (purple) candle - because, like God’s people centuries ago, we also look forward with hope to the coming of the Shepherd. The purple color of the candle reminds us of the seriousness of our hope. 

Prayer of Hope **

Dear God,
As we light this candle, we hope for Your coming as our Good Shepherd. Please gather us in Your arms, feed us with spiritual food, wipe away every tear from our eyes, and “let Your face shine, that we may be saved.”
Come, our Shepherd!
Amen

Closing Song

[To be sung to the tune of “O come let us adore him” from “O Come All Ye Faithful.”]
O come to us, our Shepherd,
O come to us, our Shepherd,
O come to us, our Shepherd,
Christ the Lord!

** These recitations may be paraphrased.  Your church may have alternative prayers, as well.

The Lighting of the Second Candle: Waiting for Forgiveness

The Second Sunday of Advent
Action: Re-light the first candle.

We Remember the Meaning of Advent

Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit.” In the Christian season of Advent we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:

• We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore.

• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.

• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.

• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.

By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves to get ready for the birth of Jesus. Last week we lit a candle that signified our waiting for God our Shepherd.

Today, as we light the second candle, we focus on the coming of Christ who brings forgiveness from our sins.

Prayer for God’s Help **

Dear God,
Thank You for this season of Advent that helps us to prepare for the coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts.
Amen.

Scripture Readings

• Psalm 130:1-8 -In this psalm, we join the psalmist in crying out for God’s forgiveness.
• Jeremiah 31:31-34 - God promises to make a new covenant with us, in which our sins will be forgiven and forgotten.
• Luke 1:68-79 - When an angel appears to Zechariah in the temple and tells him that his wife will give birth to a son, the old man doesn’t believe the angel. As a result, Zechariah is unable to speak for many months, until immediately after the birth of his son John (the Baptist). Right after the birth, Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and speaks the prophecy that we will read.

Lighting of the Candle **

We light this candle - Light the second (purple) candle - because, like God’s people centuries ago, we also need a Savior who will forgive our sins. The purple color reminds us of the seriousness of our sin and our great need for God’s forgiveness.  

Prayer of Hope **

Dear God,
As we light this candle, we recognize our sin and our need for a savior. We wait for your forgiveness in Christ. We long to be purified so that we might present ourselves to you in righteousness.
Come, Our Savior!
Amen!

Closing Song

[To be sung to the tune of “O come let us adore him” from “O Come All Ye Faithful.”]
O come to us, forgive us,
O come to us, forgive us,
O come to us, forgive us,
Christ the Lord!

** These recitations may be paraphrased.  Your church may have alternative prayers, as well.

The Lighting of the Third Candle: Waiting with Joy

The Third Sunday of Advent (known as Gaudate Sunday)
Action: Re-light the first two purple candles.

We Remember the Meaning of Advent

Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit”.
In the Christian season of Advent we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:

• We remember Israel's hope for the coming of God's Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore.
• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.

• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.

• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.

By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves to get ready for the birth of Jesus. So far we have lit two candles. The first helped us to hope for God our Shepherd; with the second we asked God to come and forgive our sins.

Today we remember the joy of waiting, because we know how the story ends!

Prayer for God’s Help **

Dear God,
Thank You for this season of Advent that helps us to prepare for the coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts.
Amen

Scripture Readings

• Psalm 126:1-6 - This psalm celebrates God’s restoration of Israel — and it cries out to God for future restoration.
• Zephaniah 3:14-20 - Through the prophet Zephaniah God looks ahead to the time when he will renew and heal his people. It will be a day of great rejoicing, both for them and for God!
• Philippians 4:4-7 - We also rejoice in the Lord, in part because we know that “the Lord is near.” This means, not only that God is with us right now, but that Christ is coming soon.

Lighting of the Candle **

We light this candle - Light the third (pink) candle - because, like God’s people centuries ago, we know that God has come in Christ and that Christ will come again. We rejoice in God’s work in history and in the future. The pink color means joy!  

Prayer of Hope **

Dear God,
As we light this candle, we rejoice. We know how the first act of the story ended – with the birth of Your Son, Jesus the Messiah. And we know that he will come again in glory. So even though the story isn’t over, we rejoice in our hope.
We wait for you, rejoicing!
Amen!

Closing Song

[To be sung to the tune of “O come let us adore him” from “O Come All Ye Faithful.”]
We wait for you, rejoicing,
We wait for you, rejoicing,
We wait for you, rejoicing,
Christ the Lord!

** These recitations may be paraphrased.  Your church may have alternative prayers, as well.

The Lighting of the Fourth Candle: Waiting for the Son

The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Action: Re-light the first two purple & pink candles.

We Remember the Meaning of Advent

Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit.”

In the Christian season of Advent we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:

• We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore.

• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.

• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.

• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.

By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves to get ready for the birth of Jesus. So far we have lit three candles. The first reminded us to wait for God our Shepherd. With the second we asked the Lord to come and forgive our sins. The third, pink, candle signified our joy as we wait.

Today we focus on the coming of the Son – the son of Mary, the Son of God!

Prayer for God’s Help **

Dear God,
Thank You for this season of Advent that helps us to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts.
Amen

Scripture Readings

• Psalm 89:1-4, 19-37, 46-52 - This psalm celebrates God’s covenant with David and with the descendants of David. He even calls God “my Father” (vs. 26). But the psalmist composed this psalm at a time when God’s blessing upon Israel seemed very far away. He calls upon the Lord to remember his covenant to David. 
• Isaiah 9:1-7 -Deliverance will come for God’s people through the “son” who is given to them. He will sit on the throne of David and his kingdom will last forever.
• Luke 1:26-38 - The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she is pregnant and will give birth to a son. Her son will also be “the Son of the Most High” and will sit on the throne of David. He will be the reigning Son of David and the divine Son of God!

Lighting of the Candle **

We light this candle - Light the fourth (final purple) candle - because we look forward with eagerness to the birth of a child, the son of Mary and the Son of God! The purple color reminds us of how serious we are in looking forward to the Son’s birth. 

Prayer of Hope **

Dear God,
As we light this candle, we look ahead with hope to the birth of your Son — the Son of David, the son of Mary. May we be prepared to welcome him with open arms and open hearts. O come now, Son of David!
Amen!

Closing Song

[To be sung to the tune of “O come let us adore him” from “O Come All Ye Faithful.”]
O come now, Son of David,
O come now, Son of David,
O come now, Son of David,
Christ the Lord!

** These recitations may be paraphrased.  Your church may have alternative prayers, as well.

The Lighting of the Christ Candle: Our Waiting is Over!

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
Action: Re-light all the purple & pink candles.  Note: Some Advent wreath's will not have a 5th center white candle.  If your wreath does not have a 5th candle, simply light all the candles and proceed below.

We Celebrate the Birth of Christ

In the season of Advent we have used the Advent wreath and its candles to help us get ready for this great celebration of the birth of Christ.

When we lit the first purple candle, we asked God to come and be our Good Shepherd. God our Shepherd has come in Jesus Christ!

When we lit the second purple candle, we asked God to come and forgive our sins. God has come in Jesus Christ to take our sins and die upon the cross so that we might be forgiven!

When we lit the third, pink candle, we felt joyful even in our longing for Christ to come. Christ, who has been born in a manger, will come again in glory to wipe away every tear from our eyes!

When we lit the fourth candle, we remembered that Christ would come as a son – the son of Mary, the Son of David, and the Son of God! This Son has been born! He is Immanuel – God with us!

Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Good Shepherd, Jesus who forgives our sins, Jesus who will come again, Jesus the son of Mary, the Son of David, and the very Son of God!

Prayer for God’s Help **

Dear God,
As we light the center candle today, may we celebrate with full joy the birth of your Son, Jesus the Christ.
Amen!

Scripture Readings

• Micah 5:1-5 - God promises through the prophet Micah that his future rule will come from Bethlehem, even though this town is, indeed, a “little town” and quite insignificant.
• Luke 2:1-20 - Jesus the Messiah is born in Bethlehem!
• Psalm 145 - Let us join the psalmist in offering praise to God for his mighty works!

Lighting of the Candle **

We light this candle - Light the fifth, white candle (if your wreath has one) - with great joy and celebration, because Christ is born in Bethlehem. God’s Son has come into the world to be our Savior! And He will come again in glory.

Prayer of Joy and Adoration **

Dear God,
As we light this candle, we rejoice in the birth of your Son. May we worship him, welcome him, and make room for him in our hearts. O come, let us adore him!
Amen!

Closing Song

O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!

** These recitations may be paraphrased.  Your church may have alternative prayers, as well.

Merry Christmas!

*See below for additional pictures of various Advent wreaths
and a link for more ideas/information.

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Download awesome Advent ideas (including the children's paper advent wreath above) on Pintrest. - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/381117187201029840

Merry Christmas!

#ScriptureReflection - Jeremiah 33:14-16 (11.29.18)

The days are coming, says the LORD,

when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.

In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.

In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
“The LORD our justice.”

But God.... But God.... (11.28.18)

Faith Believers,
There will come a time in all our lives, when we have done all that we can, and fought as hard as we could; and now we stand helpless in the sight of a situation that we cannot change. 

It is at this point in our walk that we must not allow the enemy to make us believe that our prayers have fallen on deaf ears. Do not stop standing on GOD’s Word while professing, “What’s the use of praying?” and give up. Giving up will not accomplish anything, except push you further into despair.

The first thing I want you to remember is this:  when the opposition comes on strong, it is because the enemy is trying your faith. he’s trying to put thoughts of despair into your mind, so that you will give up; because he knows you are so close to Victory. We must close our minds to his tricks of intimidation, and STAND on our faith. We must persevere in prayer and not allow the enemy to steal the Word of GOD, which has been planted in our hearts.

The second thing is: BUT GOD… GOD and GOD alone will bring you out of your difficulties.  BUT ONLY if you keep believing and standing on His Word, regardless of what you see with your natural eyes.
  -  Marilyn Chaney

On this day, GOD wants you to know:

My Child,
I want you to come boldly to the throne of grace to seek mercy and find the grace to help you during your time of need. And having done all that you can, stand and never stop praying.

Do not waver when you pray. Do not waver in your faith. Be strong and of good courage, knowing that I Am your Father, and I always hear you when you pray.  Never forget that I Can do great things in your life when you have complete trust and faith in Me.

Do not allow the enemy to touch your soul, to tempt you to give up. You must live by faith, for it does not bring pleasure to Me when you doubt My Word. Have faith in Me to bring to pass My Word in your life.

Persevere in praying. 

My Child, you have battled storms before and won; why is this one so different?  Is it because it’s lasting longer than expected?  Well, let Me tell you this, when you see your Blessing, you will understand.

So continue to pray and believe in Me.

 

Read and Meditate on God's Word:

Luke 18:1 - And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Colossians 3:6-7 - I have planted, Apollos watered; but GOD gave the increase.  So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but GOD that giveth the increase.

Hebrews 10:23 - Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Hebrews 10:38 - Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.