Dear Friends,

Thank you for joining my on this Advent journey. I am a day late in writing my final entry for Advent 2019. My excuse, if I may…I was up extremely late Christmas Eve, actually arriving home Christmas morning at about 1am after attending a beautiful Christmas Eve service. I had volunteered to work Christmas Day for a coworker, so he could enjoy the day with his family and son. I slept so peaceful, when I awoke I realized I had overslept!

I set my alarm the same as I always do but forgot it was my regular day off and the preset alarm is only for the days I work! I called in a panic and said I would be there as quickly as possible, I made it and was only 3 minutes late!

Thank you God for safe travels and living close to work. My day was relatively quiet except close to the end of my shift we had an incident that required attention and I ended up staying over for a couple of hours.

Christmas Day

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

John 1:1-14

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

Christ has been born, we celebrate his birth and with this knowledge we know life will never be the same. A great reminder that with each new day comes new opportunities to be the feet and hands of Jesus to those we meet. The manner in which God chose to have Jesus enter the world shows us the character and kingdom He has established. He could have chosen to enter the world as a mighty warrior king but instead, he chose to be born to loving and committed parents. The were not rich, rather quite poor in terms of wealth and society status. Mary and Joseph, believed and trusted God. They were faithful servants, not because it was easy but because it was the right thing to do to honor God.

No matter how or if you celebrated Christmas, I am here to tell you that you are loved, you are worthy and you matter. Start each new day knowing you will never be the person you were the day before, we are all changing each day and have the opportunity to do great things. The greatest thing we can do is be true to who we are, true to our creator and have a thankful heart for all that we have. Counting our blessings is far more rewarding than comparing ourselves to others and what they have.

I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing this season of Advent with each of you and do appreciate the “likes” and “comments.” Thank you ♥️🙏🏻🎄🌟

White Christmas is one of my favorite movies.

On this day after Christmas, step into the light, the light of Jesus and you will never be alone in the dark.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” ~1 Peter 2:9

“For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” ~2 Corinthians 4:6

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” ~John 8:12

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Emmanuel. May the light shining from the manger shine brightly in me. Let today be a new day in which I step out of the darkness of my own life and into the light of your grace. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy-Love-Christ~

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Count Your Blessings

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/From-Darkness-To-Light

Christmas Eve

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Luke 2:1-20

“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.   This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.   All went to their own towns to be registered.   Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.   He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.   While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.   And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.   In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.   Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.   But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.   This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”   And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”   When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”   So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.   When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.   The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them.

Oh Holy Night!  Tonight, I had the privilege of attending Christmas Eve services at my church, the service was designed for the children and it was beautiful.  Message was different individuals narrating from the book, “Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories” by Glenys Nellist and Illustrator Rachel Clowes.  As listeners of the readings, the congregation was encouraged to write their own love letter to God and during communion to drop it in the basket next to the manger scene.  Many people participated, myself included.  The service was filled with lots of Christmas songs and ended with everyone lighting a candle and standing in the circle, emulating the light of Jesus and Jesus being the light of the world.  It was a beautiful scene to behold. It is a reminder that the chases the darkness away. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” ~John 1:5

I learned something new tonight about a favorite Christmas song of mine, “Joy To The World.”  It was originally written about the Second Coming of Christ, not the first as a baby.  *See references below for the full story.

I am currently sitting in my church, it is quiet, not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. 

All I hear is the pecking of the keys on the laptop I am using. It is in the quiet spaces that God speaks to us, listen He is always there. I am sitting here in the somewhat silence preparing my blog and waiting for the 11pm Christmas Eve service.  This is truly a joyful season and I am thankful for so many things.  I am blessed to be a part of this Christian community of believers, I am blessed that through this mode of communications I have been able to reach people and places I have only dreamed about.  To say my life is perfect would be incorrect, but then again perfection is only a God thing, we are human and have a sinful nature and our goal should not be perfection but to be Christlike in all we do.  Love one another as Christ loved.

“…Just as I have loved you, you should love one another.” ~John 13:34b

May you rest in the knowledge and peace that you are loved beyond measure and that God is always with you.  I wish you the Merriest of Christmas’ and Happy Holiday’s no matter how you celebrate.  All I know is that you are all my brothers and sisters and this family of God thing is AWESOME!

Prayer:

Lord, you have come in dramatic fashion and invite each of us to meet you at the manger. Tonight, we come to kneel, worship, and celebrate.  As we gather tonight singing carols by candlelight, reveal your grace to us. Through the greatest story ever told, weave our stories into yours. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy-Love-Christ~

References:

https://www.crossway.org/articles/a-brief-history-of-joy-to-the-world/ferences:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Monday, December 23, 2019

Micah 5:2-6

“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace. If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight installed as rulers. They shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword; they shall rescue us from the Assyrians if they come into our land or tread within our border.”

Jesus is the great Shepherd! He seeks the lost to bring them home.

“Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” ~Hebrews 13:20-21

As we approach Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, let us remember the love and sacrifices Jesus made to seek us and redeem us. The picture above remind me of cards with Bible stories printed on them that I received when I was very young and attending Sunday school. I had a wonderful teacher by the name of Roberta “Birdie” Smith. I’m so grateful for her faith and love for Jesus. She taught me so many value lessons, many I didn’t not fully understand until I was well into my adult years. She planted seeds that she was unable to see grow, produce and come full circle. If you are reading this and you know “Birdie” I’m confident that you too, were blessed by her. Christmas is a time of sharing with family and friends, gift exchanges and sharing meals and giving thanks for all these things. Most important of all is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, Jesus reunites is with God the Father. My hope is to remind everyone to keep “Christ” in Christmas and that Jesus, is the reason for the season. Gifts from the heart no matter the size, quantity or price tag are the most value, in fact they are priceless. I simple hug can made all the difference in the world to someone who feels like they don’t exist. Diamonds may be a girls best friend but having Jesus in your heart is out of this world spectacular!

Friends, we are never too far gone that Jesus can’t bring us back home.

Prayer:

Lord Almighty, you search after the lost because we belong to you. We try to extend ourselves beyond your reach, not realizing you will stop at nothing to find us. As we try to run, bring us back and remind us of your grace and mercy. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy-Love~

References:

http://www.biblegateway.com/

https://biblehub.com/library/newton/messiah_vol_1/sermon_xiii_the_great_shepherd.htm

Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love Candle

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Matthew 1:18-25

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.”

Today at church our congregation lit the candle of love and shared in a moving and encouraging sermon. We all have gifts to present to God, we are all created as unique individual and therefore our gifts will vary as well. Some have a gift of singing and they share that talent by singing in the choir. It is through this act of living into their gift others are fed the gospel of Christ. Others have the gift of great speaking voices, individuals who can grasp our attention and ignite our imaginations and prepare the rest of us to carry the message of Christ to others. Some have gifts of organization, they work tirelessly to ensure the candles are ready for every service, make sure refreshments are available during fellowship time and bulletins are printed for each service. And there’s a group of individuals who ensure all the lights are working, the heat and air are functioning properly…this list is endless and everyone has a part. If you are struggling with finding your place, look at the things you enjoy doing or things that you get excited about, find your passion and that is where you will find your gifts.

The writer today goes into great detail about God and His plans for all mankind. The word, “particular and particularly” are used many times. God had a plan, His plan was told through the prophets, His plans come to fruition. The birth and genealogy of Jesus was not an accident, each person had particular roles and responsibilities and the character of each person was specifically chosen and used by God. God knows you by name, He has a purpose and plan for you. He wants you to prosper!

“…Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” ~Isaiah 43:1b

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” ~John 10:3

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” ~Jeremiah 29:11

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” ~Proverbs 16:3-4

“Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” ~3 John 1:2 (ASV)

“Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.” ~Deuteronomy 29:9 (ASV)

Prayer:

Lord, you call each of us to a particular task within the building of your kingdom. Some are called to be prophetic, while others are called to serve the lowly. Some are called to sing, and others are called to organizing. Whatever you call me to, Lord, I am here. In calling each of us, may you reveal the grace of Christ to the world. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy-Love~

References:

https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/jesus/events-up-to-jesus-ministry/joseph-learns-mary-pregnant/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

I’m so very thankful to everyone who reads and has subscribed to my blog. God is doing great things, His message is being shared throughout the world. I’m thankful to be a part of this unique way of sharing the gospel. Below is a window into some of the stats of my site as of today. ♥️🙏🏻

~Peace~

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Winter Solstice 2019: The First Day of Winter

2 Samuel 7:23-29

“Who is like your people, like Israel? Is there another nation on earth whose God went to redeem it as a people, and to make a name for himself, doing great and awesome things for them, by driving out before his people nations and their gods? And you established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever; and you, O Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised. Thus your name will be magnified forever in the saying, “The Lord of hosts is God over Israel’; and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, “I will build you a house’; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you; for you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

Wow, we are 4 days away from Christmas! Things are busy and bright, trees and packages all wrapped with pretty bows! People rushing to and fro, grabbing the last perfect gifts. It really is a wonderful time of the year. Christmas is especially merry and bright for believers, we look forward to the birth of Jesus, the manger scene with Mary, Joseph, the animals, the shepherds, the kings, the angels and the bright star…so many people and things that just reading the words ignites a vision in our minds. Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving that each of these individuals heard the call from God and responded. In all the hustle and bustle of the season let us not forget to say “THANK YOU!” Thank you to God for sending Jesus, thanking Jesus for His sacrifice of being born in human form and to live among us, and to save us, the shepherds who listened and followed the star, the kings who travel far guided by the star and the gifts they brought, the Angels delivering messages/proclamations; Joseph who listened and followed the angels instructions, and Mary, who faithfully listened to the angels and humbly accepted the honor of carry the Christ child and enduring the ridicule of unbelievers, only trusting in God’s promises.

We also need to be mindful of the gifts we receive and of the gifts we give. May thankfulness and humility walk hand in hand through our responses this Christmas season. We may not receive the gifts we are most excited about, do not be dishearten remember the thoughtfulness of the person giving it to you. It’s gifts from the heart that truly mean the most, and trust me over time you will see that come to fruition. Celebrate the friendships, the caring, the respect and the love for one another, these are the most precious and priceless gifts we can give and receive.

I am sincerely appreciative of everyone who takes the time to read my blog posts. My intent is to share the love of God and hopefully some insight and humor from time to time. My life has been forever changed by this experience of sharing my thoughts with the world. I wish you all much happiness and love this Advent season, may the love of God ignite a flame 🔥 within your soul! I am thankful for each of you! ♥️

Prayer:

Lord, in the coming days there will be many distractions to draw us away from your majesty. We will be distracted by shiny objects and forget the promise you made to David, which is now being fulfilled through your Son. May your Spirit be made known to us so that we can magnify you and say thank you for the gift of your Son. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-may2-2228991?e=128ba1455f

Friday, December 20, 2019

2 Samuel 7:18-22

“Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God; you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come. May this be instruction for the people, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness, so that your servant may know it. Therefore you are great, O Lord God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

Indeed, there is none like God! Today’s reading reminded me and hopefully you that we are not replicas of God and we are not mere clones of God, we are individually created by God and made in His likeness! We are His children! Just as some of you who have children with your DNA, they are created in God’s image and in the likeness of you and your partner. That’s not to exclude adopted children or IVF children or any other means of parenting children, we are all made in God’s image with a plan and a purpose and we are loved, so very loved. In this season of Advent, we recognize the divine and the human connection we have with God through the birth of Jesus. We have a renewed connection with God, the Father through the birth of Christ Jesus! God remains divine and unique and set apart from humanity because of our sinfulness and at the same time revealed to us through the birth of Jesus, who became human so that we could be redeemed. We now have a closeness to God, the distance that once was is now more intimate through Jesus. God is Holy! God is the one! God is always with us just as He promised, trust in Him. All praise and honor and glory are His alone! ~Amen.

Here are seven scriptures that assure us that God is with us always.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Prayer:

Lord, you revealed yourself through prophets and promise to reveal yourself to us through Christ. You are unique. You are holy. You are being revealed to me through the Incarnation and power of you Spirit. Continue to reveal your grace to me so that I may see your uniqueness even more. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

https://www.christianpost.com/trends/7-bible-verses-reminds-god-with-us-always.html

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” “But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.”

The end of the year is rapidly approaching and the new year will be here quickly. We will be bombarded with new products promising to make us better, smarter, thinner, happier, healthier…promises that rarely come to fruition. This conditional life has little to no guarantees, we are born and we die. I’m not trying to lessen the idea of life and living it to its fullest, only cautioning that as Christians we must also invest in our spiritual life and trust God. God’s promises are true and can be seen time and again throughout the Bible. The children of Israel, the chosen people of God shows us God’s faithfulness to the promises He made to them. God’s love goes beyond the children of Israel, He loves and created all living things, the Bible tells us in the book of John 1:3-4, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.”

As we look forward to Christmas Day, the celebration of the birth of Jesus, let us pause and remember that God is our deliverer! It is God who restores us! The psalmist, who is recognized as King David reminds us that through all of life’s situations where hope seems lost or change is direly needed, the Lord our God is the one to perform those mighty acts! He did and continues to use people to restore, guide and direct but let us not ever forgot our that our help comes from the Lord!

Prayer:

Lord, you have cared for the generations. Restore us, restore me. O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. ~Amen.

~-Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

http://www.biblegateway.com/

“And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.” – Maya Angelou excerpt from “When Great Trees Fall”.

We recognize that the Holidays are a time to celebrate great love and also can be a time of reflection on loss. We are grateful you have experienced love and trust the people that have passed knew that they were greatly loved by you throughout their lives. During this season give the gift of being there for one another with love, support, and a listening ear. ~Maya Angelou

A friend from FB posted this and it seemed as if it had been directed at me…

Thank you April for sharing!

I’m remembering my mom, her strength, her love and her commitment to family. I strive to be all these things too. Yesterday was a tough day and I held onto that strength when tears wanted to fall but I fought them back. Don’t get me wrong, tears are good, good for the soul; however, in this case they were more of a hindrance. I struggle with my actions being seen differently than I intended. Our actions do have consequences on others whether directly or indirectly. I think I’m helping, others see as controlling. What I think is helping the cause is seen as taking over. It’s important to consider others; however, what is the breaking point (?) what will it take for action to be taken my someone. It used to be called teamwork, the greater good, all for one…I feel like I’ve gone from well liked to most hated in 0.01 seconds. I see integrity while others see conspiracy. At the end of the day, I can’t make others believe what they can’t see but I can try and be less for the sake of others and hold to my beliefs and work ethic and pray that’s enough. ~Tired and Discouraged

When Great Trees Fall
by Maya Angelou

When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even elephants
lumber after safety.

When great trees fall
in forests,
small things recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.
Our memory, suddenly sharpened,
examines,
gnaws on kind words
unsaid,
promised walks
never taken.

Great souls die and
our reality, bound to
them, takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependent upon their
nurture,
now shrink, wizened.
Our minds, formed
and informed by their
radiance,fall away.
We are not so much maddened
as reduced to the unutterable ignoranceof
dark, cold
caves.

And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.

― Maya Angelou

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” ~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

~Peace~

References:

When Great Trees Fall

by Maya Angelou

http://www.biblegateway.com/

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

“The word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts shall be called the holy mountain. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the Lord of hosts? Thus says the Lord of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong—you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of hosts. For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one another. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.”

Life is filled with rules, the do’s and don’t and in most cases they are for our protection. The life of a Christian is similar in that the do’s and don’t not only protect our human life but more importantly our spiritual life too. From the very beginning God laid the very first do/don’t to Adam and Eve in the garden. God continued His guidance through Moses and Noah; and continued through Jesus and the Disciples.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” ~Genesis 2:16-17

At first glance one might think God has a lot of rules:

How many laws are there in the Old Testament? Many Bible scholars are in agreement that there are 613 Commandments in the Old Testament; 248 Positive Commandments and 365 Negative Commandments. *Google search

The Seven Laws of Noah include prohibitions against worshipping idols, cursing God, murder, adultery and sexual immorality, theft, eating flesh torn from a living animal, as well as the obligation to establish courts of justice. *Google search

The biggest DO, the the Bible is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  This verse is found in both the Old and New Testament.  *See verses below. 

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” ~Deuteronomy 6:4-5

“So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only 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,” ~Deuteronomy 10:12

“Moreover, the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live.” ~Deuteronomy 30:6

“He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” ~Matthew 22:37-40

“Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ~Mark 12:29-31

“He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” ~Luke 10:27

The second greatest DO is to love one another.

“He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ~Matthew 22:37-39

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~John 13:34-35

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” ~Romans 12:9-10

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” ~1 John 4:7-8

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” ~Matthew 5:44-45

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” ~John 15:12-13

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” ~Romans 13:8

Prayer:

Lord, you are love. As your star charts a course for the manger, let me show the same love and mercy you have shown to me to those around the world, my community, my neighbors, and those I hold dearest. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

https://www.bellenglish.com/news/world-your-oyster-phrase-week

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.google.com/search?q=where+in+the+bible+would+i+find+the+613+rules&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

http://gods-word-first.org/bible-study/613commandments.html

Top 7 Bible Verses About Loving One Another

https://thelearningcounsel.com/do-educators

https://smejoinup.com/marketing-dos-donts-email-campaigns/