ADVENT

[Wirl]

As we wait to begin the Advent season, which officially starts on Sunday, November 27, it is a good time to remember when the world was without light...

Genesis 1:2 (MsgB)
Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

Before Yeshua, the world was still very similar to this... Not having seen God's light since Man turned away from Him in the Garden of Eden.

But, God did not let us go in darkness without hope, He spoke many a prophecy, that spoke of a Savior/King that would come and rule the world.

We know that King is Jesus.

Yet before Jesus, the world still seemed dark, but the Father spoke prophecies...

Micah 5:2 (MsgB)
But you, Bethlehem, David's country,
the runt of the litter—
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule Israel.
He'll be no upstart, no pretender.
His family tree is ancient and distinguished.

Isaiah 9:2 (MsgB)
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
light! sunbursts of light!

Isaiah 62:11 (MsgB)
Yes! God has broadcast to all the world:
"Tell daughter Zion, 'Look! Your Savior comes,
Ready to do what he said he'd do,
prepared to complete what he promised.' "

Now let's get excited for the REAL reason for the SEASON...

JESUS

 

[Wirl]

Luke 1:26-35 (MsgB)
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth [27] to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary. [28] Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You're beautiful with God's beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.
[29] She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. [30] But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: [31] You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
[32] He will be great,
be called 'Son of the Highest.'
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
[33] He will rule Jacob's house forever—
no end, ever, to his kingdom."
[34] Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man." [35] The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
will be called Holy, Son of God.

Even though this event happens right around 9 months before the birth of Jesus, it is a good way to start Advent.

Fulfilling prophecies is one of the things God loves to do, God for told of the Virgin giving birth to his Son long before this meeting between a woman and angel...
Isaiah 7:14 (MsgB)
So the Master is going to give you a sign anyway. Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She'll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us).

And so as we look forward to the coming Christmas/Birthday, we know that God has those prophecy-filling-times ready to go. God knew the time that the Savior was needed, and behold, he brings the Savior to earth.

Yet imagine Mary, we really know nothing else about her from scripture. She has a cousin, who gets to experience the same thing Sarah did, a baby from a baren womb. Yet even that child was to fulfill prophecy. Yet Mary (they believe she was a teenager), is given this message that she's carring Messiah. I, being a man, could not imagine her feelings.

Let us thank GOD, that Mary did not say no to the angel, but said...
Luke 1:38 (MsgB)
And Mary said,
Yes, I see it all now:
I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
just as you say.
Then the angel left her.

PRAISE GOD THAT HE NEVER LEFT US, BUT IS WITH US FOREVER!!!

 

[Wirl]

2nd Sunday of Advent

Matthew 1:18-25 (MsgB)
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) [19] Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.
[20] While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. [21] She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—'God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." [22] This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term:
[23] Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
[24] Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. [25] But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.

Imagine this situation yourself...

You fiance becomes pregnant before you marry her, and you have not been with her at all. WOW! Now-a-days that would be an episode for Jerry Springer. But of course that event was not of this world, the stage was being set for the first act of the works of salvation.

Joseph, a carpenter, called to be the man who helped raise our Messaih. I've ALWAYS wondered if Joseph fully understood the angel that night. "Because he will save his people from their sins," that is a HUGE statement.

One can only imagine that Joseph had grown up learning the Law and the Scriptures, so he understood about the Messiah. 'You Jospeh will be the one to bring the Messaih up in the world, and show him the way,' imagine that charge as well.

Joseph accepted the charge for he married Mary, and soon the baby came. We all need to accept the charge the Messiah puts on us as well.

Mark 16:15 (MsgB)
Then he said, "Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all."

So, start today if you already haven't, let someone know why there is CHRIST in Christmas.

PRAISE BE TO GOD, AND MAY HE BLESS US ALL WITH THE COURAGE OF JOSPEH! ACCEPT THE CHARGE!!!

 

[Old_schoola]

After the 2nd week of Advent but Before the Third

The World is Dark with out form we are Dark and Without hope.The world is reaching an Apex of darkness.Suddenly with out warning a voice cuts through the Wilderness crying out Make way for the coming of The Lord.The voice brings a word of hope preparing hearts for the prospect of light.We are in the wilderness of Advent preparing ourselves for the coming Lord,the Coming savior,The Christ who redeems the world and our hearts.We are before the next step,But we are gathering our steps towards a bethlehem Manger.



1 IN• the beginning• was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning• with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life•; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light• shineth in darkness; and the darkness ccomprehended• it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John•.
7 The same came for a witness•, to bear witness• of the Light, that all men through him might believe•.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light•, which lighteth every• man that cometh into the world.

 

[Jeshurun]

All I will say is that Jesus to me is the ADVENTure. Glory forever to the Great I Am.

 

[Wirl]

3rd Sunday of Advent

We grow nearer the time that we celebrate Jesus's birthday. And for many it is a great time of joy and celebration.

We think that God brought out His best, so too should we, so we get the biggest decorations out for our houses. We put on some beautiful clothes, and put up trees that sparkle even in the night with dazzling lights.

Yet God's best wasn't put out for all to see like our illuminated nativity scene, it was in a hole in the wall. The lowest of places in the time that Jesus was born.

Micah 5:2 (Msg)
But you, Bethlehem, David's country,
the runt of the litter--
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule Israel.
He'll be no upstart, no pretender.
His family tree is ancient and distinguished.

Bethlehem was the boonies for Isreal in those times. You only went to Bethlehem unless you had to or you had relatives there. Built upon a sheep herding economy (which was concidered the lowest job to have), it was not looked highly upon.

But yet today, this little town, can give everyone hope for these holidays. For behold God chose the lowest place to bring forth the greatest gift, so to can He call the lowest of us to be His loved one as well. No matter where we are, Jesus has set a place for us, and it doesn't matter what we look like, what we do, where we live.

His invitation is for everyone, and so the third Sunday, in anticipation for a birthday celebration, should start to stir the excitement in your hearts. For the Lover of you soul is about to celebrete the beginning just as He designed it some 2000 years ago.

PRAISE BE TO THE ONE WHO TAKES THE LOWLY AND RAISES THEM HIGH!!!

 

[Wirl]

4th Sunday of Advent

BEHOLD THE KING IS IN THE THRESHOLD, AND HE IS ABOUT TO ENTER

John 1:23 (MsgB)
"I'm thunder in the desert: 'Make the road straight for God!' I'm doing what the prophet Isaiah preached."

We all need to continue the prophets words...

MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF OUR GOD!!!

We are on the verge of celebrating the GREATEST BIRTHDAY that anyone will ever have. For Christmas Day is almost upon us.

We need to get ready and celebrate! We are all promised by the one who was born that day, who died to save, and
STILL LIVES TODAY & FOREVER!

If ANYONE places their faith in Him, and asks Him to forgive them of their sins, and asks Him to be the Lord of their life, then confesses Him with their mouths, He will save them.

CONFESS HIM!!! PRAISE HIM!!!

GLORIFY HIM!!!

We've only a short time, so spread the word, on Christmas day the KING was born, and today He is waiting for all to come and know Him.

Long live the KING!!!

 

[Wirl]

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Happy Birthday Lord Jesus, and Thank you for what you did, are doing, and will do for us.