Advent - week four

The Time of PEACE

The final week of Advent leaves us thinking about the very reason that our Savior came; He came that we might have peace with God.  Begin your celebration by relighting the first three candles and pausing a moment to think about what each one means.

Hope

Faith

Joy

When our hope is rekindled, faith rises up anew, the darkness (of our condition) is scattered and joy is restored.  What a loving Father we have.  He always leads us step-by-step until we are exactly where we can receive the fullness of His love toward us.

Lighting the final purple candle, we invite “the peace of God which passes understanding,” (Phil. 4:7)

to envelope us and comfort us, even through times of great uncertainty, sorrow, and stress.  This candle is referred to as the “Angel’s” candle.  We are told that the angels in heaven rejoiced when earth received her King.  “Glory to God in the highest,” they sang.  Two thousand years later, their carol is the same!

Why is that?  Because every day another person is born, God comes anew into this world to unite us with Him.  Every day that “morning has broken” we are presented with new opportunities to bless Him with our love and faithfulness, quietly carrying out His will in our lives…touching others, one at a time, just as Jesus did.  And likewise, each new day brings opportunities for Him to bless us.  As with any doting Father, He loves to surprise us with gifts of love and mercy and grace.  He loves to hear our songs of praise and hear the joy in our voices when we sing.  He yearns for us to find Him early, each and every day, so that His peace may accompany us no matter what happens as the minutes tick away.  What better way to stir His heart, than to sing joyful Christmas carols as we go through the day?!

To be at peace with God is everything.  When there is a bond of peace between us, nothing, absolutely nothing can dim our Hope.  It is that hope that renews our faith, and faith realized…brings JOY.  When joy is present, peace cannot be far behind.

This week, as the days glide into that glorious of days, Christmas, look for opportunities to slow down and allow peace to prevail.  There is no reason that the weeks leading up to Christmas should be harried and stressful.  I believe that allowing unrest to prevail in our hearts and lives, causes the Father great sadness.  After all, He sent His beloved Son in order that we might be reunited with Him once again.

When you think about it, there is no possible way to truly honor God and celebrate His Son if we are not fully engaged in an active pursuit of His love and peace.

This week, consider these scriptures:

Psalm 34:14, Psalm 119:165, Prov. 16:7 (one of my favorites), John 14:27, Gal. 5:22, James 3:18

And there are so many others.  Make a list of your own favorites.

Psalm 85:10 is probably my favorite passage regarding PEACE.

Listen to what the psalmist revealed to us:

“Mercy and truth are met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

In Jesus, we have been given a door that brings us directly into the presence of our Father.

Here’s how we open it:

When the Truth of our woeful condition and the very state of our lost condition collides with the extravagant Mercy of our great God, then His Righteousness becomes our righteousness, and we have Peace with God.  Hallelujah!  Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other!!!

No need for mistletoe; the Father has made a way for us through Jesus, the beloved.

Enjoy these and other special Christmas songs:

“Silent Night, Holy Night”   “Still, Still, Still” 

And whatever else you find to do…take time for peaceful moments!  A moment here and a moment there could make all the difference.  Peace be unto you!

Advent - week three

The Time of JOY

The third week of Advent celebrates the good news that was first delivered to shepherds in the field. Appropriately then, the third candle is called the Shepherd's candle.

This week we will re-light the first candle, the Prophecy candle, and the second purple candle, the Bethlehem candle, followed by the one pink candle, the Shepherd's candle. We celebrate the great joy of our living Lord. (some scholars say that the shepherd's candle is pink to symbolize the humanity of the mortals)

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you GOOD NEWS of great JOY which will come to all the people." (Luke 2:10 AMP)

""So they went with haste..." (Luke 2:16)

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen..."

(Luke 2:20)

TAKE JOY

I salute you! There is nothing I can give you which you have not; but there is much, that, which I cannot give, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.

Take heaven.

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.

Take peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet, within our reach, is joy.

Take joy.

And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.

~~Fra Giovanni

A.D. 1513

The message is clear---JOY is for the taking. It is the fruit (Gal. 5:22) of the Spirit of our Living Lord. We choose to be joyful. We are NOT intimidated by the circumstances. (See Deut. 30:19 and Deut. 28: 1-14)

"But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.  12) For thou, Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11,12)

Many examples of joy can be found throughout the Word of God. Two stand out mightily. The account of Job, and the chronicled life of Paul, the Apostle.

"While he was yet speaking..."BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Everything gone, in a moment of time. We cannot even imagine such devastating events. However, consider Job's response: "Then Job...fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,  21) And said, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'  22) In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." (Job 1: 20-22)

"Thou he slay me, yet will I trust Him..." (Job 13:15)

"And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10)

"So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning..." (Job 42:12)

And what about Paul?

[while they were in prison] "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed." (Acts 16: 25-26)

Paul walked the talk!

"Rejoice evermore.  17) Pray without ceasing.  18) In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  19) Quench not the Spirit." (I Thes. 5:16-19)

The Shepherd's Path (a life of JOY)

J          Jesus first         Deut. 6:4-7          Matt. 7:12          Matt. 22: 36-40

O         others next       John 13:34           John 15:12

Y         yourself last      Romans 12:1

Remember, there are 366 instances in the Bible where we are told, "Fear not!" So, instead, let's take JOY and choose LIFE!

When you listen to the Christmas music this week, pay attention to the words in "The First Noel," "Angels From the Realms of Glory," and "Joy to the World."   Be joyful, today and always!

Advent - week two

The Time of PREPARATION and FAITH

You may recall that the second purple candle is called the Bethlehem candle. Now we have a "what" and a "where" in the divine mystery. What: the prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah. Where: Bethlehem.

This week we will re-light the first candle, the Prophecy candle, and we will then light the second purple candle, the Bethlehem candle, as we continue to prepare our hearts for the anticipated Light of the world.

"Prepare ye the way of the Lord." (John 1:23)

The prophets foretold the special place that Bethlehem would have in history. (see Micah 5:2)

Now, listen to this! "Bethlehem" literally means House of Bread. How fitting that the Bread of Life would first appear on earth there! He has prepared a feast; He has called us to come and dine; what hinders us, then?

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

Room for Jesus

"Have you any room for Jesus?

He who bore your load of sin...

As He knocks and asks admittance,

Sinner, won't you let Him in?"

"Room for Jesus, King of Glory...

Hasten now, His Word obey,

Swing your heart's door widely open-

Bid Him enter, while you may."

"And the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not always strive with man...'" (Genesis 6:3)

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)

"And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of Life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

Oh, yes! Celebrate with all your heart! Celebrate with great anticipation as you truly prepare a place within your hear for the King of Kings!

As you listen to your Christmas music this week, pay attention to the words of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem." The Bread of Life came to the House of Bread; why should anyone, anywhere ever go hungry again!