Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the love you have shown us, in sending Jesus to be our Savior. May we accept him in our hearts and let his love shine forth.
“Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.”
“Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.”
My brothers and sisters in Christ, God knew how sinful we would be and that we would need deliverance; therefore, he sent us a deliverer in Jesus Christ our Lord. As we prepare to meet him, humble us, Lord, give us clean hearts and watchful spirits, so that when he appears we may be found ready. All this we ask in your precious name. Amen!
Today we begin the Advent Season when we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is a time of great reflection and repentance; and as the songwriter says, “And let each heart prepare a home, where such a mighty Guest may come”.
“On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry, announces that the Lord is nigh, awake and harken, for he brings, glad tidings of the King of kings! Then cleansed be every life from sin, make straight the way for God within, and let each heart prepare a home, where such a mighty Guest may come.”
As we prepare for the beginning of the Advent season, it is a time for us to celebrate light in the midst of darkness. It is a time for us to prepare a home in our hearts for God, and to put away from us all works of darkness and walk in his marvelous light.
I love this season! Inside and outside of my home is bathed in lights and it makes me so very happy. I give God thanks that I could live my life in the light. He has moved me from darkness to light and I am forever thankful.
“Where will you spend eternity? This question comes to you and me, tell me, what shall your answer be?”
“Many are choosing Christ today, turning from all their sins away, heaven shall their blessed portion be, but you, where will you spend eternity?”
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1
Lord, we give you thanks for all the many blessings that you bestow on us. Help us to remember that a blessing shared is a blessing multiplied. Lord, we open our hands and you fill them with good things, such things that we do not deserve but you know that we need. Let us always live our lives gratefully, thankfully, and prayerfully; rendering to you all honor and glory and praise because you are good, and your mercy endures forever.
Heavenly Father, give us lips to praise your name, and may we not only praise you with our lips, but by the way we live our lives.
“Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things have done, in whom his world rejoices; who from our mothers’ arms, has blessed us on our way, with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.”
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Psalm 86:5
If You, O Lord kept track of iniquities, then who O Lord, could stand. But with You, there is forgiveness, so that we may fear You. Psalm 130:3-4
The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. Psalm 93
“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old, thou art from everlasting.” To God be the glory!
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3
How happy are we when the Lord does something good for us? We should always be thankful, for all that the Lord has done and continue to do for us. We should not only be thankful for the good things, but also when things are not so good. I know it may be hard to be joyful when we are experiencing hardships, but we must learn to trust God and be thankful, that he has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Therefore, we must not allow the hardships that we may face to overwhelm us, to rob us of our joy, and realize, that what we go through did not come to stay, it came to pass, and believe, that weeping may endure for a night or two, but that joy will come in the morning.