A Young Girl (Advent 2021)

A young girl

A quiet night

A small baby

A shining star 

A rugged Cross

I know it doesn't sound like our usual Advent themes; Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Christ.
But as we move through Advent I hope you will see that these are the key points in the what our Christmas story is all about ...

Hope 🕯 

A young girl - hope was in an innocent,  humble girl..chosen by God
📖  The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.  For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Luke 1:28-38
With a humble heart and a reverent spirit Mary submitted herself to God's plan. After she visited her cousin Elizabeth,  she sang a song of hope.
📖  Mary’s Song
 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”  Luke 1:46-55

She knew who God was, and what He could do.  She had HOPE in His promises.

My prayer 🙏❤
📖 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:4,13

🎵 Hope For Everyone Matt Maher

Something To Be Thankful For

 Another year and nothing seems better...maybe even worse.  Still wearing masks, people still needing to quarantine, people still getting sick. Now we are arguing over vaccinations and a country ...world in turmoil and supply and worker issues,

our health care industry is strained to the max.

AND we are supposed to be thankful?

Some of us are weary, beat down, the losses and sorrow in the past year may have nearly crushed many of us. 

And some, many,, may have asked...

"Where is God in all this?"

He is where He has always been and will always be..on His throne.

📖 God reigns over the nations;

    God is seated on his holy throne. Psalm 47:8

But because He is God that doesn't mean He is way high above..unreachable, uncaring.

He provided a way to be with us; 

📖 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  John 3:16-17

He cared that much! He sent His Son to walk among us...to teach us, to point to Him and to love us, so much He died for us. 

📖 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

He also provided for us once Christ went to sit at His right hand.

📖 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26

God loves each one of us with an everlasting love

📖 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying “I have loved you with an everlasting love;   I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

And He is with us in all of our sorrow and grief 

📖 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

We were never promised lives free from grief, pain, or sorrow.

But He does promise He will be with us every step of the way.

📖 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

If we confess our sins and profess our belief in God and His Son Jesus Christ, and our faith in His death and resurrection, 

📖 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

📖 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

 “For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

And that, my friend, is something to be thankful for.

🙏My prayer for you this week is that you know Him and His love and regardless of your circumstances or situation you can be thankful, grateful and feel blessed. ❤

Especially as next week we enter into the Advent season in anticipation of the celebration of Christ's birth...God plan to be with us always!

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23

Sing praises to God, sing praises;   

sing praises to our King, sing praises. 

For God is the King of all the earth;   sing to him a psalm of praise. Psalm 47:6-7

Don't Lose Sight...Practice the Presence

 I have used some of this scripture in a blog "Step Out Of the Boat (Coffeetime With A Dear Friend Nov 27, 2017)

But I am going in a little bit of a different direction this time.

In some of my devotions and in my thoughts Peter kept popping up.

I thought about the times when Peter's doubt and uncertainty and fear got the better of him....when he did not have his focus on Christ.

 📖 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”  And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:23-33

Peter focused more on the storm than on Jesus who was right in front of him.

📖 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”  “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”  Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22:54-62

Peter was first at a distance, and then lost sight of Jesus all together, figuratively, if not literally.  He actually had forgotten the words that Jesus spoke predicting what would happen.

📖 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”  Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”  “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”  But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. Matthew 26:31-35 

Peter forgot this conversation where he so adamantly denied running, leaving or disavowing Jesus.

Peter's history with Jesus was a strong one:

📖 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20

When Jesus was standing right in front of Peter and his brother Andrew and said; "Come follow Me."  it says "at once" they dropped everything and followed Him.  It doesn't say they doubted or were afraid.  They left their life behind and followed.

Even in the garden, when Jesus was arrested, Peter drew a sword and cut off a man's ear defending Jesus!

📖  Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:10-11

I believe Jesus, being who He was, knew Peter inside and out and knew his heart;

📖 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:15-19

Jesus, knowing that Peter would have fear and doubt, also knew Peter's heart and what he would accomplish for the kingdom, despite the times in which he would lose focus.

I find great relief in that!  because I lose my focus, and let the storms and fear take over and I begin to sink. EVEN when I am one of His defenders and cheerleaders!

Peter was actually in the physical presence of Jesus....how can we do that today?

We DO have access to Him, actually in more ways than Peter did.  Peter couldn't physically BE with Jesus 24/7, every moment. Time or distance or crowds, could cause him to lose sight of Him, to separate them.  Like us fear and circumstance also caused Peter to lose sight.

BUT we can pray and worship and spend time with Jesus any moment that we need to!

We have His words at our fingertips....especially in this digital age....we can read His words at any given moment.  We can memorize them to recall them when we don't have access to the written word.

We have only to call out His name and He is there, waiting for us to focus on Him.

but it is something that we need to practice every day. Practice being in, remaining in, His presence,

so that even if the storm is great, the evil around us is stifling, the crowds seem to be pushing against us....we have the assurance that we are in His presence; because we have practiced being there!

We will not sink below the depths, we will not be overcome by the waves, will not let fear direct us.

Even if we doubt we know that we can be forgiven, and we can move forward and continue to serve our Savior, and accomplish much for the Kingdom!

🙏My prayer for you today...is that you FIX YOUR EYES on JESUS no matter the circumstances around you.  That you let Him carry you through the storm.❤

📖 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

🎵 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Alan Jackson

To Be or Not To Be ....Silenced

 God silenced Zechariah

📖  When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,  for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”  The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”   Luke 1:12-20

But not Sarah....

📖 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.  Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”  Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”  Genesis 18:10-15

📖  Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.  Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.  Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.  Genesis 21:1-3

God can silence a man...but silence a woman?! Who has that power!😉😉 (audience laughter)

Kidding...God can do what ever He wants...I pray often He silence me when I don't know enough to keep that way on my own!

When I spouted that joke with my ladies..one said "oh I see a Blog!" (Aimee)

And sure enough!!!...

My thoughts went to the study our ladies just finished...The Power of A Woman's Words. [The Power Of A Woman's Words; Sharon Jaynes]

The crux of the book/study was that there is Power in everything we say.

If God doesn't silence us it is NOT because WE have great things to say....wise words to impart.

It is because, if we let God speak through us, we...as women...moms, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts we can have a powerful impact on those around us...an eternal impact...one that comforts, encourages, teaches, supports, corrects, redirects, shapes, mentors, leads, gives freedom and loves.

And that goes for you men too!!

There is much that God can do if we turn over our "voice" to Him.  

📖 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. Luke  21:15

Most of us feel we have a lot to say (look who is writing!😉) 

📖 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. James 3:5

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.  James 3:9-10

But I believe it is because God designed us that way...however, much of the time we forget ...it is His words that we were created to speak! 

Commit your voice, your words to Him....

the old adage; "Think before you speak"  is better practiced..."pray those thoughts before they come out in words" 

test what you have to say with God ...

📖 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 t

Every thought would translate to "every word"

So that all that comes from your lips is "God approved"

📖 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

🙏Today I pray that I can  ...

Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:18. ❤

🎵 Speak Life TobyMac

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

Single-Handed

 That statement...."They did that single handed"  "He built that company up single handedly." Etc etc struck me the other day.

None of us actually do anything single-handed....as much as we sometimes feel we get no help or do all the work ourselves....there is always someone who has influenced or helped somewhere along the way.

The only act done single handed was;

📖 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

📖 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. Genesis 1:1-2, 2:1-4

Through out biblical history many did great things....but there was someone ...or "someones"...who helped.  Sometimes in the background..sometimes right along side.

But I don't believe we were made to do things single handed..we weren't created that way

📖 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

📖 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. Exodus 4:13-16

📖  Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 

20 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. Joshua 6:12-16, 20

And if we think we are doing something single handed....God is always there....we aren't ever alone!

As for us...think about it...I know sometimes we want to play the "woa is me"..."look at all I am doing all by myself".."I never get any help...."

But I would ask you to examine the situation more closely....usually there are those who helped prior, did the prep work, or someone who got the supplies for the project you are doing alone...someone had to make them, ship them, deliver them.

If we think about it...most everything we do has been or will be touched by other hands.

There are people praying for us...especially if we have a monumental task...

that is not a simple task...it is monumental to our work that they are praying.

📖  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him... Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,  working for the Lord, not for human masters, Colossians 3:17,23

Everything we do we do for God...and it is never single handed...if we are allowing Him to guide our hand!

🙏Praying today that you allow God to be your guiding hand, that you are grateful you never have to do anything single-handed.❤