Saturday, December 4th, 2021

Verse of the Day

“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 15:13 — (NIV)

HOPE IN ACTION

The author of the book I’m reading through Advent gives the following suggestions to put our HOPE into action.

🔅 Decorate a Christmas tree. This can be done alone, with family. 🔅

🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲•🌲

Reflect on how the evergreen trees symbolize life in the middle of winter as Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

🎄🌟🎄🌟🎄🌟🎄🌟🎄🌟🎄🌟🎄🌟🎄

When you see twinkling lights, remember that Jesus is the Light of the World and He calls us to be shining lights in the darkness.

⭐️ • 🎄 • 🔔 • ✝️ • 🎁 • ✝️ • 🔔 • 🎄 • ⭐️

You might want to consider making ornaments to remind you of Jesus’ names we have learned so far on our journey through Advent. Also, color printable ornaments are available at unwrappingthenames.com now known as https://onethingalone.com/advent/

🍪 • 🥠 • 🍪 • 🥠 • 🍪 • 🥠 • 🍪 • 🥠 • 🍪

Bake cookies, write the names of Jesus on them and share them with people who regularly care for your needs with little thanks. These could be your mail carrier, garbage collector, land/leasing offices. You can also extend to include family, neighbors, coworkers, or deliver persons. Celebrate the birth of the King of Kings, who was born for the high and the low.

✂️• 📝 • 📫 • 🖍 • 👩‍🍼 • 👨‍🍼 • 🙏🏻 • 🛐

Make Christmas cards for families with small children in the hospital, the holidays can feel very lonely. Share hope with them. Pray that Jesus, the One who saves, may fill their hearts with hope.

🎄 • ✨ • 😇 • 🎄 • ✨ • 🎄 • ✨ • 😇 • 🎄

Participate in an Angel Tree buying gifts for children in need. You can also find links and more information at unwrappingthenames.com now known as https://onethingalone.com/advent/

🛐 • ⛪️ • 🎄 • ✝️ • 🌟 • 🎄 • ⛪️ • 🛐

Help decorate your church or you workplace if allowed. While decorating listen to Jesus-centered music or sing Christmas carols. A playlist is available at unwrappingthenames.com now known as https://onethingalone.com/advent/

BONUS CONTENT

Go to unwrappingthenames.com to download a free printable activity sheet and other fun resources to celebrate Advent.

Thank you for joining me during this first week of Advent, I look forward to spending each day of Advent with you.

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Friday, December 3rd, 2021

Verse of the Day • Matthew 2:4

Jesus came not as an anointed one, but as the Anointed One. In the Old Testament “anointed” meant [being set aside for service] specifically as a king or priest. Jesus came as the Anointed One, both King and Priest, set apart not by man but by God Himself.

God also sent John the Baptist as a forerunner to Christ. John the Baptist was an interesting individual in the New Testament, “John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” (Matthew 3:4). John was preaching to the people and baptizing them, calling people to repent and making preparations for the Messiah. Many of the people who gathered believed that John was the Messiah and he repeatedly told them he was not, he was the forerunner, the messenger sent from God. The story of a Messiah is foretold in prophecies throughout the Old Testament. Upon the arrival of the Anointed One, many were in disbelief. Jesus was not at all what the people had expected. He was not a warrior with a large army that would defeat the Roman rule and oppression placed on the Jews. Nope, Jesus was a man with a quiet spirit and a meek disposition. He was born under suspicious circumstances, and He had no possessions. He was welcoming, He spent time with outcasts, sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. He was not their idea of a great Jewish leader. Many were just plain disappointed in Jesus. After all, this Jesus is the focal point of their belief system, the hinge of all their history. God had answered the prayers of the Israelites, Jesus is the Messiah and they rejected Him.

Today, all people who are believers in Jesus as the Christ, as the Anointed One can celebrate Him. The season of Advent is a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
— John 1:11-12 —

https://www.etymonline.com/

🔺 🔻 CHALLENGE 🔻 🔺

♦️ Have you ever tried to fit Jesus into your idea of who He should be or how he should act?

I have no doubt that I had tried to fit Jesus into what is convenient in my life on more than one occasion. It is interesting to me as I look at my life and the different stages it has gone through to include the straying away from God and failure to do what is right [sin]; I have found it’s always best to return to the foundation of my faith. Specifically, I have a focal point that takes me back to the night I ask God to forgive me and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am immediately taken back in time and I’m asking my mom about salvation and she drives me to our pastor’s home where we talked and prayed.

🔷 🤔 🔷 🧐 🔷 🤔 🔷 🧐 🔷 🤔 🔷 🧐 🔷

💬 Take time this season to read through the Gospels.

💬💬 Reacquaint yourself with Jesus.

💬💬💬 Marvel at His miracles.

💬💬💬💬 Chuckle at His witty responses to the Pharisees’ snide remarks.

💬💬💬💬💬 Weep as His people reject Him and as He walks towards Golgotha.

Go beyond surface familiarity with the stories and engage with the Anointed One as He is revealed in the pages of Scripture.

Prayer ~

God of Heaven and earth, thank you for sending your son Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Forgive us for assuming we have all the right answers, for trying to fit Jesus into “into a box” our idea of who we want Him to be instead of who He actually is. Thank you for the privilege of being called your children, your sons and daughters. Continue to feed us with your word, you are our Hope. Please bless the person reading this prayer, I ask all these things in Jesus the Anointed One, the Messiah. Amen.

➡️ • ➡️ • ➡️ • FOR FURTHER STUDY

• Job 19:25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Job%2019:25&version=NIV

• Daniel 9:25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Daniel%209:25&version=NIV

• Matthew 2:4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%202:4&version=NIV

• Matthew 16:16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2016:16&version=NIV

• Luke 9:20 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Luke%209:20&version=NIV

• John 1:41 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John%201:41&version=NIV

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog space today. I hope you will consider joining me as I continue to journey through Advent. 🤍

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References :

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/?amp

https://www.etymonline.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

An Advent Devotional — Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu

Thursday, December 2nd, 2021

“Everything becomes more and more itself. Here is joy that cannot be shaken. Our light can swallow up your darkness; but your darkness cannot now infect our light.” C.S.Lewis, The Great Divorce

The Bible gives us so many examples of “light.” Jesus is described as the light of the world in today’s verse. As the sun in our solar system gives light, Jesus is the light source of our spiritual lives. Our faith and devotion to God allows the light of Jesus to shine not only in us but also through us. In being faithful servants of God, we have the ability to spread the light of God’s goodness and grace to our hurting world. In the surrendering of our own selfish desires and asking God to use us for what He created us to do, we are furthering the kingdom of God.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” —Martin Luther King, Jr./Strength to Love, 1963

Personally, I have never been a fan of the dark, I don’t like being scared and I don’t liking watching scary things, it’s a choice and I am completely okay with it. Jesus illuminates everything, nothing can be hid from Him, sin has no hiding place though we try nonetheless. Sin cast a gloomy darkness over our lives, it is the absence of illumination, this illumination is the absolute presence of God. It is through our repentance and God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness we can shine for Him. Jesus will light our way, he will turn our dark crimson sin into a shining reflection of His light, He will cleanses us from our transgressions.

Will you allow Jesus to light up your life? David, in Psalm 36:9 wrote this, “In your light we see light.”

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”
— Philippians 2:14-16 —

🔺 🔻 CHALLENGE 🔻 🔺

During the Christmas season we can see lights of every color adorning pine and evergreen trees. We see stars hanging with garland and bows announcing the Christmas holiday. I encourage you to take time to see the lights and to ponder the one true light. One can become easily distracted with all of fun, festive and sometime short tempered events caused during this season. Be intentional with you words and actions, be a beacon of light to others and show them the purest light of all, Jesus Christ.

Prayer ~

Dear Jesus, thank you for your guiding light in our lives. Please open our hearts so that we may see your light and to share it with all those around us. This is the season and celebration of your birth, help us to be ever so mindful to look up at you light and to follow where it leads, just as the wise men did centuries ago. Amen. 🌟💫⭐️✨

➡️ • ➡️ • ➡️ • FOR FURTHER STUDY

• John 1:4-9 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John%201:4-9&version=NIV

• John 12:35-36 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John%2012:35-36&version=NIV

• 1 John 1:5-7 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20John%201:5-7&version=NIV

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Wednesday, December 1st, 2021

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
— Matthew 2:2 —

The wise men who followed the star in the East were the first non-Jews to search for and to worship Jesus. The wise men believed that the manner in which His birth was announced by the cosmos, meant that He must be royalty. Indeed, Jesus is the King of Kings. Jesus was at the very beginning of creation and came to rule what is rightfully His kingdom. Matthew dedicated almost entire chapter showing to the lineage of Jesus, including His birth.

Matthew 1:1-17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%201:1-17&version=NIV

In the Gospel of Luke, perhaps one of the most beautiful and triumphant stories of Jesus, King of the Kings is when Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey and the crowd praising God and shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ~Luke 19:38

Many did not understand that Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world. Jesus did not act like the kings of the region, Jesus did not come to attack the current government or to over-take the government rule. Jesus entered this world a humble king, he loved the unloveable, cared for the forgotten, welcomed sinners and the outcasts. Jesus came to give love, offer a new way of life, to offer HOPE! Jesus will return someday to reclaim the kingdom He created and is rightfully His. In the book of Revelation, John writes this, “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.“ ~Revelation 19:16

Jesus deserves all the honor and glory as our Lord and the King of Kings, not just on holidays but all year long. We will someday join in a chorus with all the angels and with all of creation singing praises to our King!

Who is the King of Glory?

👑 His name is Jesus! 👑

🔺🔻 CHALLENGE 🔻🔺

Being human we so often do not give praise where it’s due. Whenever I think about my own humanness, my sinful nature I think of characters from C.S.Lewis’ works “The Screwtape Letters” and “The Great Divorce.”

“Whatever their bodies do affects their souls. It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out…”

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape LettersTags: human-nature, temptation

“You weren’t a decent man and you didn’t do your best. We none of us were and none of us did.”

C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

🔺🔻 Today, let’s look and think less of ourselves and fix our eyes on the King of Glory. Worship Him today with our words and our actions. 🔻🔺

Prayer ~

Heaven Father, King of Kings…please forgive me for the times when I am self-centered and I fail to recognize your kingship. You are my HOPE, without you I am nothing. Jesus, thank you for all of creation and for your sacrifice, defeating death at the cross so I can be made new in you. All praise and glory to you Lord Jesus. Amen.

➡️ • ➡️ • ➡️ • FOR FURTHER STUDY

• Zechariah 9:9 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Zechariah%209:9&version=NIV

• Matthew 2:2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%202:2&version=NIV

• Luke 19:37-42,44 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Luke%2019:37-42,44&version=NIV

• John 19:15-19 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John%2019:15-19&version=NIV

• 1 Timothy 1:17 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Timothy%201:17&version=NIV

• 1 Timothy 6:16 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Timothy%206:16&version=NIV

• Revelation 15:3 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Revelation%2015:3&version=NIV

• Revelation 19:16 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Revelation%2019:16&version=NIV

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/