Category: Advent

Advent Day 6, The Way to Be Reconciled to God

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 85:1-13 is a journey of faith described by the psalmist. In verses 1-2, he recognizes the good fortune God has bestowed upon them and how He has forgiven their sins.

Lord, you poured out blessings on your land!
    You restored the fortunes of Israel.
2 You forgave the guilt of your people—
    yes, you covered all their sins.  How about you this holiday season? Can you reflect on your life and see God’s hand of mercy upon you, his restoration and forgiveness?

Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
    Put aside your anger against us once more.
5 Will you be angry with us always?
    Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?
6 Won’t you revive us again,
    so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation. The psalmist continues in his discussion with God. He asks for mercy and salvation, protection from God’s wrath over sin, and for joy to return to his life. Does this mirror your own pleadings with God? The salvation he asks for is found only in Jesus. Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” If you desire to be right with God, forgiven and restored, Jesus is the only answer. Turn to Him today.

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
    for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
    But let them not return to their foolish ways.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,u
    so our land will be filled with his glory. The psalmist promises to listen to God, seek His peace and forsake his foolish ways. This is a posture of repentance. He is vowing to turn towards God and seek him. Repentance is the first step towards God after acknowledging your own sin. God desires that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

10 Unfailing love and truth have met together.
    Righteousness and peace have kissed!
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
    and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
    Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
    preparing the way for his steps. The psalmist realizes what wealth is available in repentance as one turns to God. You will experience the unfailing love of God, His truth, be covered in His righteousness, and receive His peace! You will be bless and be able to yield righteousness in your life.

This psalm is a beautiful picture of what is available to us in Christ. Jesus came to free us from the sins which bind us. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 5:8 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” God wanted us so much that he sent Jesus to reconcile us to himself. I love the beauty of Colossians 1:22 “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

As you reflect today, take measure of where you are with God. Make sure you have followed the way the psalmist has laid out to become reconciled to God and then see His greatness in your life.

Linda

Advent Day 5, We Have it All in Jesus

nofearlindaLeave a comment

As we ponder Christ in the past, present and future, we can be mightily encouraged by today’s scripture from 1 Corinthians 1:3-9. I have read it in various translations and like the Message as it is the clearest to me. The Apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthian Christians to encourage them in their walk with Christ so that they could endure the trials of their faith in their present culture. Corinth was a very large pagan city with many temples and shrines to various pagan gods. Their faith in Christ was definitely counter-culture and there would have been many temptations to return to their pagan ways.

3 May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours. Paul begins by letting them know that all they have in faith comes from Jesus. The same is true for us today as without Jesus we would have nothing. I am so thankful Jesus came to set me free from the burden of sin so I can live in Him.

4-6 Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives. We are so rich in Christ. We have access to the Father, the indwelling Holy Spirit and God’s Word to guide and direct our lives. Whom do you pray for in the faith? Do you remember your Christian friends, like Paul is doing? Yes, we pray for our unsaved friends to come to know Jesus and be freed from sin’s power in their lives, but what about those who know Jesus? Praying for the strengthening of the faith of our fellow believers is part of our job as fellow Christians. Whom will you pray for this season?

7-9 Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

These are such encouraging words from Paul. He reminded them, and us too, that we are gifted by God in so many ways. We have salvation in Christ, the fruits of the Holy Spirit that will be evident in our lives as we mature in Christ and the Word of God to guide us. Romans 1:16-17 speaks of salvation, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Galatians 5:22-23 explains the fruits of the Holy Spirit that can be manifested in our lives as we mature in our faith “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Jesus also sent the Holy Spirit to guide us in His ways. John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. “ God’s Word provides guidance as we seek to walk with Jesus each day, Hebrews 4:12 “ For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

We do indeed have it all in Jesus! Because He came to die on the cross for my sins and be resurrected to life, I can know Him and be used by Him to reach others. I am so thankful that Jesus came to redeem me and a future with Him gives me hope as I live in today’s world.

May your hope abound as you consider what you have today in Jesus!

Linda

Advent Day 4, Bethlehem and Peace

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s scripture comes from Micah, a prophet in Israel during the reigns of King Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. The passage begins with a call to arms, probably when Sennacherib was coming to conquer Jerusalem during Hezekiah’s reign. You can read this great story in 2 Chronicles 32. Then the passage moves into prophecy about the coming Messiah. I love that these details were given hundreds of years before the birth of Christ and he fulfilled everyone! Micah 5:1-5

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
    on the cheek. Prophecy often has different layers right together. This call to arms was in Micah’s present time.


2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.

Verses 2-5 speak of a coming ruler. He would be born in Bethlehem, King David’s birthplace. He would be from of old. The phrase used here is from ancient of days, which was another name referring to God. The people would be subjected to rule by others until Messiah comes to reign. He would be a shepherd to his people, in God’s strength and those who dwell with him would be secure. In his reign there would be peace.

As prophecy often has the near and far placed right together, we can see that Jesus, Messiah came but his total rule with total peace is still in the future. However, Jesus’ rule was not a physical kingdom at the time he was on earth but a spiritual one. Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Jesus came proclaiming his spiritual kingdom and was the shepherd to those who believed. As the good shepherd, he laid down his life for this sheep. John 10:10 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” Jesus came to give peace, not the peace from the turmoil with Rome but inner peace. Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

This short passage tells us a lot about the coming Messiah. Where he was born and where he came from. What his kingdom would be like and who would be included. This holiday season what are you searching for? Jesus has what you need and can give you peace. He is the good shepherd and watches over, protects and defends those who come to him in faith. Come to him and be filled with true peace!

Linda

Advent Day 3, Need Restoration? See Jesus.

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s scripture is from Psalm 80:1-7 and 17-19. The Israelites are pleading with God, their great Shepherd, to come and rescue them.

Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph’s descendants like a flock.
O God, enthroned above the cherubim,
    display your radiant glory
2     to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Show us your mighty power.
    Come to rescue us!

Just as the Israelites called upon God, the Shepherd of Israel, to show himself and display his radiant glory, we too can call upon our good shepherd to rescue us. John 10:10 and 14 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.’ ““I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,”

3 Turn us again to yourself, O God.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved.
4 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,
    how long will you be angry with our prayers?
5 You have fed us with sorrow
    and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
6 You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations.
    Our enemies treat us as a joke. 7 Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved.

The Israelites were feeling desperate and despairing. They were enduring scorn from their neighbors and enemies. They were feeling sorry for themselves and called upon the only one, Almighty God, the God of Heaven’s Armies who is greater than all, to look with favor upon them and restore them. The phrase “make your face shine upon us” is used 3 times in this short psalm. It is a plea for God’s favor and needed restoration.

Strengthen the man you love,
    the son of your choice.
18 Then we will never abandon you again.
    Revive us so we can call on your name once more. 19 Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved.

The Israelites were seeking strengthening, revival, God’s favor and salvation. In return they are promising to not abandon their God again. After centuries of struggle with idolatry, upon retuning from their exile in Babylon they never again worshipped idols.

What are you seeking from God this holiday season? What type of rescue do you need? First and foremost, do you know Jesus as your savior? If you do then you are already rescued for eternity and forgiven. If not call upon Jesus and confess your sins to receive forgiveness and acceptance into His forever family. Life is complex and there are many struggles that we face that seem overwhelming. The Israelites knew this and pleaded with God to show them j His favor. Where do you need mercy and grace? Hebrews 4:16 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” God is accessible because of our faith in Jesus and He is willing and able to help. Pray that Jesus will restore you this season and fill you with the hope of His restoration.

Linda

The Prince of Peace makes Peace Possible

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s passage presents a future picture of how God’s people will worship and live. They will be taught by God to walk in His truths and wars will be no more. The people will trade their guns and spears for farming tools. All will be at peace as each man will sit under his own tree and each woman will be able to tend their garden. God himself will bring this about. Micah 4:1-5

1-4 But when all is said and done,
    God’s Temple on the mountain,
Firmly fixed, will dominate all mountains,
    towering above surrounding hills.
People will stream to it
    and many nations set out for it,
Saying, “Come, let’s climb God’s mountain.
    Let’s go to the Temple of Jacob’s God.
He will teach us how to live.
    We’ll know how to live God’s way.”
True teaching will issue from Zion,
    God’s revelation from Jerusalem.
He’ll establish justice in the rabble of nations
    and settle disputes in faraway places.
They’ll trade in their swords for shovels,
    their spears for rakes and hoes.
Nations will quit fighting each other,
    quit learning how to kill one another.
Each man will sit under his own shade tree,
    each woman in safety will tend her own garden.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so,
    and he means what he says. Message translation

The prophet Micah then reminds us that this is not the case right now. People seem to be living like they wish and worshipping their own gods. He encourages us to stay the course and live lives honoring to God.

5 Meanwhile, all the other people live however they wish,
    picking and choosing their gods.
But we live honoring God,
    and we’re loyal to our God forever and ever.

This passage is a reminder to us that God intends for us to live in peace. However, without Jesus, peace can never be achieved. Why is that? God and man are irreconcilable because of sin. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, God put them out of the garden. They could not walk with God side by side and fellowship with Him andy longer because of their sin. Sin had to be dealt with so that man and God could be reconciled. God’s plan to redeem us was to send Jesus to take the penalty for our sins. With our sins covered by Jesus’ blood, God could then look upon us. Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Through faith in Jesus, we can be redeemed by His work on the cross making us forgiven of our sins and able to spend eternity with Him. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

I am so very grateful for Jesus who brings peace into our lives through forgiveness and hope for a future with Him. He is indeed the Prince of Peace for all eternity.

Linda

Advent 2024, Jesus is our Hope

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Our first scripture comes from Isaiah 64 as the prophet reminds us of how sinful and undeserving we are of God’s mercy and goodness. Here are verses 1-7 in the Message translation.1-7 Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and descend,
make the mountains shudder at your presence— You are a mighty and fearsome God.
As when a forest catches fire,
    as when fire makes a pot to boil—
To shock your enemies into facing you,
    make the nations shake in their boots!
You did terrible things we never expected,
    descended and made the mountains shudder at your presence.
Since before time began
    no one has ever imagined,
No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you No God is like him!
    who works for those who wait for him. He cares for those who do what is right.
You meet those who happily do what is right,
    who keep a good memory of the way you work.
But how angry you’ve been with us! Sin causes God to be angry.
    We’ve sinned and kept at it so long!
    Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved?
We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. How can sinful man be saved???
    Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. Our best efforts are worthless.
We dry up like autumn leaves—
    sin-dried, we’re blown off by the wind.
No one prays to you
    or makes the effort to reach out to you The world seems to have ignored you,God.
Because you’ve turned away from us,
    left us to stew in our sins. Have you left us in our own sins?

Isaiah 64: 8-9 bring us hope. “But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
    and remember not iniquity forever.
    Behold, please look, we are all your people.” Isaiah reminds us that God formed us and is our Father. He pleads with God to not remember our sins forever but be assured that we are His people.

God indeed did remember us and sent us Hope, into this dire situation. We were lost in sin with no way to redeem ourselves and get right with God, our Father and maker. He sent us Jesus to bring hope into our world, love into our lives and redemption from sin. Now that is something to rejoice about and focus upon in our ever changing world. 1 Peter 1:2-4 explains the hope we now have in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” Our hope is now living in Jesus and was made possible because of the cross. He died for us so that we may be alive in hope through faith in Him. Paul confirms for us this miracle of faith in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Praise God today for the living hope of Jesus and His plan to redeem us. Jesus is our only hope.

Linda

In Anticipation…of Advent 2024

nofearlindaLeave a comment

What is it you hope for during this Advent season? It is easy to break it down into hope materially, spiritually, or in family. Sometimes we get stuck in the material and lose sight of the purpose of this season. This year as we walk the days to Christmas I am going to be using a daily Advent calendar to bring us from December 1 to 25. I pray that each of us will think seriously about each day and ponder the scriptures in a new way that will lead you to discover who Jesus is and what his arrival on earth really means. I anticipate learning as I delve into God’s Word and speak with you from my heart.

Buckle up for a ride that is sure to bring us into the realm of peace, hope, joy, love and caring for others. See you tomorrow for our first day of Advent, which also happens to be the first Sunday of Advent. Dust off your Advent calendar and get ready to begin.

Linda

P.S. After Advent i will return to my study in Acts.

Christmas Blessings for You!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Merry Christmas! I found this Christmas Blessing while blogging year and really loved the sentiments it contained. May you know the blessings of Peace that Jesus brings, John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” May you see your Hope in Him, 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” May you feel the Sprit of His Love, 1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” May you have the Comfort of Faith in Jesus, 2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”

All of these gifts complete the circle of our Advent Wreath as we light the Christ candle on Christmas Eve or morning proclaiming His birth. May you find His Love, Comfort, Hope and Peace in Jesus. May you rejoice in the arrival of Jesus and claim the JOY God has for you.

Linda

4th Sunday of Advent-2023 It’s Christmas eve

nofearlindaLeave a comment

On this 4th Sunday before Christmas, we light the peace candle. The candle we lit on the First Sunday of Advent was the prophecy candle which symbolized the hope the coming Messiah brings to mankind. The second was the Bethlehem candle which reminded us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. The third candle symbolized the Shepherd’s joy at the birth of the Messiah. Today we light the Angel candle symbolizing the message given to the angels which was one of “Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men.” Because today is Christmas Eve we will also light the final white center candle which speaks of the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ child.

Rejoice today as you worship and sing carols. Ponder the blessings of hope, joy and peace that come to us because of God’s mercy and grace in sending Jesus as our Savior. Here is Psalm 130 which speaks of our cries to God for mercy as we realize our own sin. The answer rests with the Lord and His mercy towards us in sending Jesus.

From the depths of despair, O Lord,
    I call for your help.
2 Hear my cry, O Lord.
    Pay attention to my prayer.

3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
    who, O Lord, could ever survive?
4 But you offer forgiveness,
    that we might learn to fear you.

5 I am counting on the Lord;
    yes, I am counting on him.
    I have put my hope in his word.
6 I long for the Lord
    more than sentries long for the dawn,
    yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;
    for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
    His redemption overflows.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
    from every kind of sin.

Thank you Lord for your unfailing mercy and love. Thank you for sending Jesus to redeem me from every kind of sin. Thank you Lord that You have everything under your control. I will trust in You.

Merry Christmas!

Linda

An Encounter with the Living God

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today we see the shepherds actions following the appearance of the angels and their announcement of Messiah’s birth. Luke 2:15-20

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

How do you react to having a story, message or expectation confirmed? The shepherds were forever changed as they had seen God incarnate. They were praising and glorifying God, telling everyone they could find. Having your faith confirmed or bolstered is an exhilarating experience that continues in your heart and mind as your life goes on. You are forever changed as faith takes hold of your very being. Knowing and encountering Jesus does that to a person. He changes your very being and comes to dwell within you. That is an additional meaning to “God with us.” Paul describes this phenomena in Romans 8:9 “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” and he continues in verse 11 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

Where do you see God in this scene? God appeared through the angels and drew the shepherds to Bethlehem to encounter His son. God draws us too as He wants us to see and meet Jesus for ourselves. God confirmed His words as they saw exactly what God said they would. God keeps His promises. An encounter with Jesus will change a person! Mary was changed as she soaked in all the events. I’m sure the shepherds told others continually of their own encounter with God’s messengers and His message to them. This would have confirmed her faith and what she herself had been told by the angel. God’s effect on the shepherds shows His power and might. His transforming power and sovereignty. 

Will you be open to God’s transformation this Christmas? Look with faith upon the manger this year and seek a personal encounter with Jesus. He will transform you, guarenteed!

Linda