Advent 2010-#4

Candle of Peace

Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Luke 1:78b-79 ..by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Luke 2:27b-32 When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Peace is such a wonderful yet elusive thing for folks today. We tend to look at the chaos surrounding us and ask “Is this the best it will be?” Even our health sometimes fails us and we can’t even escape the turmoil living in our own bodies.

The Bible tells us that at the perfect place and time a baby was born in the midst of a situation that did not lend itself to calmness and security. Yet, this newborn was the one who was to be known as the “Prince of Peace.”

Today we know Him as Jesus. The one who is trustworthy and faithful. In a world of empty promises he stands by His word. It seems almost too easy to think peace is available in one person. Shouldn’t we have to work harder for it? The answer is a profound “No.”

All that is required is to follow. The gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus will “guide our feet into the way of peace.” Why follow anyone else?

This advent season let us follow not the hectic pace that people tell us to follow. Rather let us follow a Prince, the Prince of Peace.

Prayer:

Dearest Father,

Praying for peace is like asking to be fed when the food is right in front of us. You are the Prince of Peace. You are our Savior and Lord. In You we have nothing to fear. Help us to ignore the fear that creeps into our lives so that we may experience more of Your peace. Lead us to the place where we may listen, wait, and enjoy the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you Father for Your constant love and watch care over us.

In Your Precious name we pray,

Amen

Advent 2010-#3

Candle of Joy

Isaiah 35:10

Luke 19:37-38

Isaiah 35:10 “..and those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Luke 19:37-38 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Joy. In today’s world joy is one commodity that seems to be lacking. There is a plethora of depression, disease, and crisis all around us. People are craving relief from the busyness. Boring monotony has numbed society into thinking this is normal and there is no other way.

Then, like a holy cry of celebration, joy disrupts the monotony. Joy crashes through the headaches and stress. It cuts through the depressing thoughts to bring hope.

This is what the birth of Jesus brings us. Joy. We are so fortunate to live in the current time. We can look back and see the life-changing pattern Jesus has caused through this thing called joy. Jesus, the Savior of the world, does what no one else can. He can bring joy even when joy doesn’t make sense.

This advent season let us celebrate as never before. Let us spread joy as only His church can. Let us be exactly who Jesus tells us we are. People of Joy!

Prayer:

Dear Creator and Lover of My Soul,

Thank you for this precious season of the year. As Creator, You loved and gave us the greatest gift of all! Through the birth of Jesus, You gave us love, grace, mercy and peace! Through this gift of love, Jesus, the Savior, comes and gives us what we don’t deserve. And to top it off, He gives us joy even in this crazy world and our messed up lives – Thank You! Thank You! Your joy runs over in our lives as we see the love gift of Jesus. We love You and praise You. Amen.

this day

I will never forget this day. Rather, I will never forget this date. December 13, 2003 the most amazing woman in the world became my wife. There is so much about that day I will never forget. How I got choked up during the vows.

How beautiful she looked in her wedding dress.

How we got out of town on our way to the honeymoon just before an ice storm hit.

The last seven years have been more than worth it. We now have two kids. Two dogs. A mortgage. A minivan.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and I have to laugh and asked "when did you become an adult?"

I wouldn't trade the last seven years for anything. I can't wait to see what's next.

Today Allison had to go to work. Working for hospice provides many moments people will never forget. Today she told a family that their loved one would likely die within the next six months.

I'm sure they will never forget this day either. I'm sure they will never forget this Christmas.

Sometimes we remember because we want to.

Sometimes we remember because we can't forget.

Sometimes we remember because of the lessons we learn.

Sometimes we remember because we just can't help it.

Even though I can't remember every single day that I have lived I do remember people that God has used throughout my life to impact me in an empowering way.

My prayer today is that I may walk in a manner so that one day, maybe a day someone will never forget, they will remember me and think, "wow, he helped me walked a little closer to Jesus."

Advent 2010-#2

Here's the Advent devotion from yesterday's service...the prayer for this one was written by Troy Henderson.

Candle of The Way

Matthew 3:1-2

John 14:6

Matthew 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Everyone has been lost at some point. You don’t know where you are much less which direction to take. The hopelessness can lead to panic. Then panic can lead to decisions that are inappropriate at best.

There are lost and dying people around us all the time. People who not only know what it’s like to be lost but have convinced themselves that this is as good as it gets. “Surely if there is a God He’s too busy to bother with someone like me.” But that is exactly what Jesus did. He not only provided a way and direction out of a dark existence but allowed himself to be that “way.” To be “the” way. With Jesus there is always a way. With Jesus there is always a direction. With Jesus the lost can be found. Jesus is the way and that is a reason to celebrate.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for being our way. Thank you for taking us from the darkness. As we go throughout our days may we realize who you are and what you have done. May our eyes be set upon you and on the way you want us to travel. Thank you Lord for your love and grace. Thank you for opening our eyes to the way.

Advent 2010-#1

I know this is a little late but here is the Advent Devotion that I wrote for the first Sunday of Advent this year.

Candle of Prophecy & Hope

Isaiah 60:1-3

Matthew 24:44

Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Matthew 24:44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Darkness. No one likes it. Darkness denotes separation, aloneness, hopelessness. Darkness doesn’t mean no one else is present. It just means you can’t see them. You are not aware of who is around you.

How many days have we stumbled through completely unaware of who is around us? How many times have we conducted ourselves as if we are the only ones who exist or at least the only ones who matter? Fumbling through a darkness that is self imposed succeeds only at making us look clumsy.

Jesus is the light that was prophesied about, fulfilled that prophesy, and made everyone acutely aware of who is around. Jesus is the antithesis of darkness. In Christ we not only have his everlasting presence but access to a community, a family that we could not make happen on our own. As a part of this community we have the privilege of letting our light shine like a beacon of hope making everyone in darkness intensely aware. You are not alone.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

You display Your existence to us every day. Even when we do not pay attention You continue to surround us. You show us Your love. Help us to not take You for granted. Open our minds so we can have the pure faith of children. Keep us from being skeptical and cynical. Your love is before us. We are Your children, Lord. Thank you for being our hope.

In Your gracious name we pray,

AMEN

Advent-Christmas Eve

The final Advent devotion this year was not one that I wrote out but is one we talked about at our Christmas Eve service.

Luke 2:41-52
41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.
43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
44but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." 49And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?"
50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

At a very early age Jesus showed that His life was all about ministry. To Him ministry was listening to the Father and doing what He said. Jesus gives us some simple commands. Love God and others. Make disciples. Sometimes we try to make life waaaaay too complicated. Everything boils down to those simple things. Life is ministry. You may not be in a paid position somewhere but as a believer in Jesus Christ you are a minister. Listen to Him and do what He says.

The Promise-Advent #4

The Promise

Luke 2:25-33 (English Standard Version)
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;30for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."
33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.

Devotion
God is the keeper of His promises. If God says it then it must be true. It may be hard for some people to wrap their minds around those statements. After many disappointments in life it becomes easy to not trust anyone. Broken promises can harden our hearts towards people and even toward God.
Simeon lived a long time with only a promise to hang on to. The promise was he would one day see with his own eyes the salvation of the Lord. We don’t know how long he waited but we do know that eventually God fulfilled His promise.
No matter what anyone else says, we serve a perfect, all-knowing, faithful God. He always keeps His promises. He always has and He always will. He is not like anyone else.
Jesus said, “I am with you always.”
Jesus said, “Yes, I am coming quickly.”
This advent season we celebrate a God who refuses to leave us by ourselves and who promises that one day we will see Him face to face. We can believe these promises and because of this we can celebrate with hope, joy, peace, and love.
Let us listen to the promises of Jesus this season and know they are true.

Prayer:
Dear Father, Help me to be like Simeon, a person who is so excited about seeing you that no matter how long it takes for You to return, I can wait with a sense of eager anticipation. I pray that You will help me to wait in such a way that I don't ever become ho-hum, callused, or just give lip service to Your return. I also pray that You will use me as you did Simeon, to be an example to others. I ask that You give me the desire to be a "righteous" and "devout" person, and that others will recognize those qualities, benefit by my actions, and as a result come to a saving knowledge of Your Son, Jesus. Father, I thank You for Your faithfulness, Your promises, for loving me unconditionally, and always being with me. Help me to be a "light" for You as I eagerly wait for Your return.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.
(prayer written by Rev. Jim Crouse)

Tiger Woods

Everywhere you turn lately everyone seems to be reporting on Tiger Woods and his family. You hear more about them than what's going on in the Middle East with Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc...

I have to admit that I am becoming more and more frustrated. I don't really want to hear any more about it but every time I check the news there seems to be a new development that they can not wait to tell me about.

Then today I found the following two posts on one of my favorite blogs.
Here's the first one that brought back some memories of several years ago.

Now read the followup to that. I think we all need to read this one from time to time.

Wow! We all need a savior! This Christmas we celebrate His birth! Thank you, LORD!!!!!

The Community-Advent #3

Luke 2:8-20 (English Standard Version)
The Shepherds and the Angels

"8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."

Devotion
One angel’s announcement made way for a host of angels praising God together. The news they shared that night was given to a group of individuals. Shepherds knew what it meant to be together. They worked together and ate together. They lived life, one day at a time, together. So when they received the good news that a Savior was born they immediately went to find Him and worship Him…together.

The Bible calls the church “the Body of Christ.” We can only be a body if we have many, multi-varied members. Raising our different voices together is to follow the example of the angels in a Holy Activity.

Together God uses us to bring glory to Himself. It may be in song, in corporate prayer, or even through lending a helping hand. Together we can celebrate this advent season by encouraging each other towards our Lord and Savior just as the shepherds did that starry night long ago.

Prayer-

Father God,

During this Christmas season may you instill in us a spirit of oneness that speaks to our love for you and bring glory to your name. As the body of Christ may you give us the vision to look beyond our personal needs, problems and opinions in order to see into the hearts and lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Show us how to encourage one another on towards love and good deeds, and may we do it as long as it's called today. Help us to remember that how we love and encourage one another is our greatest testimony to an unbelieving world.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.
(prayer by Rev. Ken Latimore)

Florida Christmas

Do these pics really need a description? It's Christmas in Florida!!!

The Message-Advent #2

The Message
Luke 1:26-38 (English Standard Version)

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
35And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. 36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Have you ever felt honored and humbled all at the same time? From the first words of Gabriel’s message to the end Mary was informed that an impossible event was about to fall on her. She had been chosen to carry the Holy Son of God. How overwhelming, especially for such a young girl!

Every parent knows how huge the task is. How do I make sure this child is healthy? Am I feeding him enough? Is she getting enough tummy time? Is he sleeping too much? Is he sleeping too little? I’m sure Mary had all of these questions and more.

But Gabriel also offered words of assurance.
“The Lord is with you.”
“He will be great.”
“Nothing will be impossible with God.”

The message Gabriel poured into Mary was one of an overwhelming task surrounded by an almighty God.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 to “go and make disciples.” Our task is overwhelming. Our minds and hearts fill with questions. Where? How? When? But Jesus goes on to say “I am with you always.” This is not a task we figure out on our own. It is a lifestyle that happens while walking with our Lord and Savior.

What is the message you hear God telling you this Christmas Season? Whatever God is calling you to this season do not forget the Almighty God is with you.

Prayer-
Our Father,
Our lesson today is a link in the chain of promise. It assures us that we, too, have a job to do. While our task may seem overwhelming we are reminded that You are with us. Just as You prepared Mary for her task, You have prepared us for ours. Thank you for the tasks. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your assurance that you will “never leave us or forsake us.” Thank you for your promise to return for us soon, maybe today.

We humbly pray,
AMEN

(prayer written by Rev. Orville Harvey)

The Silence

This year I'm once again writing out our Advent devotions for the lighting of the Advent candles at church. I will be posting each devotion here on the site. If you need some ideas for Advent in the future or you want to just copy and use these feel free. I have the previous years available also. Just look under the "Christmas" tag. Merry Christmas.

THE SILENCE

Isaiah 7:14 (New International Version)
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (New International Version)
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

Micah 5:2 (New International Version)
2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times."

For years the people of God had heard the prophecies. A child will be born. He will be called Wonderful, Mighty, Everlasting. They knew He was coming. The prophets of God had spoken truth for years. The people believed these things. They taught their kids about the one who was coming. They taught their grandchildren to believe the prophecies. Year after year they waited.

After a time the prophecies ended. The silence was almost deafening. The old prophecies didn’t seem to hold the same punch as they used to. Are they still valid? Surely this “special one” would have come by now. The silence lead to questioning. The questioning lead to doubt. The doubt lead to complacency in their worship, their relationships, and their lives.
We have an advantage today. We know that He came and His name was and is Jesus. We know that He lived a perfect life. We know he died on a cross and rose again. Because we know these things we also know that He is coming again one day. It may not be as quickly as we’d like but it IS going to happen.

This is a great way to begin the season of advent. We remember the first coming. We look forward to the second coming. We celebrate in the in between time!

Prayer

Father God, I know that you are from everlasting to everlasting. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. But as I enter this Advent season, it seems but yesterday that we celebrated the same things last year, and the year before. One Advent season seems to flow into another.

Lord, as we enter this Advent may I see beyond the busyness, the glitz and the glitter to a renewed awareness of your message of Advent. May I see Jesus, Immanuel - God with us. May I once again celebrate the birth of Christ with the expectancy of a new believer and the hope of one who believes that this same Jesus is coming again to establish peace, justice, and righteousness upon this earth made new. In the name of Jesus, The Prince of peace, AMEN.
(prayer written by Rev. Frank Hall)

best of all

This Sunday I am preaching on our identity in Christ. I'm kick starting the message by reading Max Lucado's children's book titled "Best of All". As I was reading this book it struck me that there were two types of people in this world.

1-People who need to know who they are.
2-People who need to know who others are.

One of the best ways to enter the Thanksgiving/Advent season is to realize that the ground at the cross is level. What I mean is, we all have the same access to a holy, almighty God that was provided by our gracious, merciful, savior Jesus. So I have no reason to look down on anyone else because we are all walking through this life together and need each other to continually point to our never ending need for that Savior.

Let's enter this season with an attitude of celebration. Celebrating the fact that God can and does use any or all of us to bring glory to Himself. Now that's a reason to be thankful.

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (5)

The Tree (Christmas Eve)

Scripture
Luke 2:25-32; John 10:10

25And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
28then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; 30For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel."

10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Devotion
There is no more familiar shape during the Christmas season than the Christmas Tree. The decorated symbol of Christmas quickly transforms a normal living room into a joyful atmosphere of celebration. The most outstanding characteristic of the Christmas tree is the use of an evergreen tree. These trees are full of life. The fir tree can stand tall even under the most outrageous conditions...and in the end still be flowing with the life is was given. Jesus said that He came so that we may have life and have it to the full. This life of faith can stand the most outrageous conditions of life and in the end we are allowed to stand tall because Jesus has brought us through it. This Christmas season we celebrate the birth of our Lord, our Savior, and our Life-Giver. Don't wait another year or even another day before trusting Him for your life. Let Jesus be the king, your friend, and your way to the Father. He came for you so that you might live.

Prayer-
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for putting on flesh and walking the earth so that we may have a close personal relationship with Almighty God. You are the source of all life and we confess our need for you. Please forgive us when we act as if we are fine without You. Take us and use us to reach others with Your light of grace and love. We love you Jesus...but only because You showed us what real love is. We pray all of this in Your name.
Amen

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (4)

The Crown
Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7

When you see the shape of a crown what other images come to mind? It probably is not one of a manger or of shepherds or even of a tiny little baby boy. However, this is exactly how the King of kings and the Lord of lords introduced Himself to a lost world. The fallen world needed someone with ultimate authority. The kind of authority that leads people in the ways they should go. Jesus held that kind of authority and still does today. Christmas is a time when we celebrate and have fun together. However, it is also a time when we can find direction again. We can find meaning in the midst of chaos. We can see the light through the darkness. Jesus is everything we need and this season we celebrate not only our Savior but our Lord as well. Let Jesus be your King this Christmas.

Dear Lord,

Teach us today how to submit to You. Your ways are perfect. We need your perfect guidance to obey You and walk in Your commands. Thank you for your perfect birth and
your life today that allows us to find direction and purpose. We love you. Amen.

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (3)

The Circle - John 1:1-4;14

It is difficult to make it through a Christmas season without coming face to face with circles. They decorate homes, stores & even churches in the form of evergreen wreaths. Circles have no beginning and no end. Every time we see a Christmas wreath we are reminded of the never ending cycle of God’s love. God’s word, the expression of His never ending love, became flesh and dwelt among us. God’s unstoppable love walked the face of earth so that we may know what real life is.
Let us take advantage of this season to celebrate God’s love which did not even see flesh as a barrier to loving the world.

Prayer –

Lord, We are so grateful for your love. Thank you for loving us in spite of our selfish desires. Help us today to believe your love can accomplish anything and help us to be instr5uments of your love this Christmas. We love you, Lord. Amen

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion (2)

Star – Matthew 2:8-11

Christmas trees are topped with them. The sky is full of them. But that night there was one. This one was brighter than the others. This one would not be overlooked. It had a purpose and that was to lead. That night it guided some very intelligent individuals to their salvation wrapped in a package of flesh.
Today people are led by all types of light. Selfishness, lust, pride, addictions and others can seem overwhelmingly bright. However, the little star of Bethlehem led the wise men over hundreds of challenging miles and is still guiding paths today.
This Advent season, what light are you following? Also, what kind of light are you being for others?

Prayer –

Father,
Thank you for the star light that first led us to you. Help us to also be lights guiding others to your love and salvation this season. We love you. Amen

Shapes of Christmas-advent devotion

Shepherd Staff – Luke 2:8-20

One of the first signs of Christmas we begin to see are candy canes. For years this sweet peppermint treat has been freshening breath all over the world. Kids collect them. Families decorate their trees with them. We are all familiar with candy canes. But, how often do we think about a candy cane being shaped like a shepherd’s staff?
God revealed the good news of the birth of Jesus to a group of shepherds. Even in their common existence they had a sense of responsibility and obedience that would not let them stay silent.
As we light the first candle of advent let us remember the shape of the shepherd’s staff and the fresh, exciting news that was brought that night long ago, let us be obedient in sharing the hope that is Jesus Christ this season.

Prayer –
Lord,
Thank you for the birth of Jesus Christ. This week, help us to share this good news as we walk through each day. May someone this year have their hearts opened by your love and help us to celebrate with your angels when that happens. We love you, Amen

advent and such

OK...I know I haven't updated the blog in a while and now with the Christmas season over and the new year beginning business should be picking up here at "thoughts and things". I want to give you a taste of what I've been up to lately. I am about to post all of the advent devotions I wrote for church. I know advent is over but they are all still relevant...I hope :-)

Happy Reading!