The wreath reminds us of God’s endless mercy and his eternal love for us, which has no beginning or end. The green is our reminder of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, renewal and eternal life, and the candles symbolize the light of God though the birth of Jesus. The candles also represent the period of our expectant wait for the coming again of Jesus, in which scripture reminds us to always have our lamps trimmed and ready, for we know not when the bridegroom will make his appearance. Let us continue to watch and pray.

Proverbs 26 reminds us, that, where there is no talebearer strife ceases, that without wood a fire goes out and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. But too many of us get ourselves entangled with gossip and lies and bitter wrangling, which robs us of our peace. My brothers and sisters in Christ, what is robbing you of your peace this morning? Lay aside all malice, hatred, jealousy, unforgiveness, gossip, lies, and vicious backbiting and reclaim your peace in Jesus name. Many times, we are not at peace because we are not satisfied with the things we have, we are covetous, we are jealous, we are envious, and we allow these feelings to overwhelm us, but I want to encourage you this morning, to lay them all aside and hold on to God’s peace, it will bring you joy unspeakable. Let us all pledge this morning to work for peace and build up one another.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus is the reason for this season. Someone said to me yesterday as I was joyful singing aloud, “We wish you a Merry Christmas”, and this man said to me, you are not politically correct in singing Merry Christmas, you should be singing Happy Holidays. I said to him that I don’t want to be politically correct, I want to be Christianly correct, and he said to me that I am looking for a lawsuit in the workplace, I said to him Jesus will be my defender. My friends, if you are celebrating Christmas you should be merry and if you are merry, wish everyone around you A Merry Christmas.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, do not turn away God’s messengers who come before you preaching repentance, those messengers were sent to by God to prepare the way for his coming. Many say they have heard from old that the Lord is coming, and therefore believe, that, since he has not yet made an appearance that he is not coming, but make no mistake, God’s promises are true. If you fail to turn to God willingly, he will be begin to work on you, to refine you as silver and gold, until you repent and present your body as a living sacrifice to him, until you are pleasing to him. Do not be deceived; we may not know the day or the hour in which he will make his appearance, but, he will come, and those who have prepared for his coming will greet him with joy. Praise the Lord!

My brothers and sisters in Christ, our houses are in ruins because we built them on foundations that are not pleasing to God, houses wherein God cannot be glorified. Tear them down! It’s time to rebuild, it’s time to prepare a home in our hearts, where God would be welcomed. We are God’s temple, let us work hard to build a temple that God may take pleasure in. Praise the Lord!

Heavenly Father, we hear your promise, we believe that you will come again to receive us. Come into our hearts Lord, and into our homes. Help us to prepare for your coming and let us not be found like the foolish virgins, but let us have our lamps trimmed and burning, that we will abide in you just as you abide in us. Oh come, Lord Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but when I lift God up in praise whether in prayer or in songs, it lifts my spirit. I cannot find words to express the joy I feel when I give God all the honor and glory due His name. I am humbled, I am refreshed, I am encouraged, and I am sustained, when I lift God up in praise. If you want to experience the joy I feel in giving God praise, just begin to sing this song and allow your praises to go up to God as incense. Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!

You may have been praying for a long time for God to change your situation, you may be ready to give up, you may have already doubted God’s abilities, but God maybe waiting on you like He is waiting on me to first get out of the situations that we are afraid or unable to let go of. God cannot birth something new in our lives if we refuse to let go and let God. Therefore, let us continue on in prayer and in faith believe that our prayers could and will move mountains, that our prayers are being heard, and in due time God will move in our favor. Amen! (PFEL)

We experience God’s presence in different ways and at different times in our lives. But, for those who have never felt His presence, for those who have never felt His touch, or heard His voice, I can only tell you, that, the moment God makes His presence known to you, you could never be the same again, and that is why I am shouting from the rooftops this morning, that my God is real, He has touched me in a mighty way and I know that I will never be the same again. Thank you, Lord!

Let us rejoice and be glad, let us sing for joy, because of God’s continuing goodness and mercy and lovingkindness towards us. Let us continually trust Him because His promises are sure, let our hope be in His unfailing love for us, for what He has done and continue to do for us, no one else is willing or is able to do. Thank you, Lord!