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Is Christmas time the time of least peace in your life? Would you like to talk to someone about that?
The Candle of HOPE – preparing our heart for Christmas
Christmas is coming! Loved ones to see, gifts to give, baking to share. We prepare our homes for the celebration. Yet even more important than this outward preparation is the preparation of our heart. The Advent season is a beautiful reminder to prepare our hearts, as we prepare our homes, to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus! This week we light the first of the four candles in the Advent Wreath, the candle of HOPE.
Is your heart filled with hope? Do you have a confident expectation of your tomorrow? What happens when the road ahead is filled with loss and stress weighs your shoulders down? When confident expectation in life’s tomorrow dwindles, what can you do? How can you walk in hope when you feel hopeless inside? The God of Hope is your answer.
“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
• Hope for H elp.
We are invited to come to Him and confidently ask for help. Hebrews 4:16 tells us “to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need”.
• Hope to O vercome
Things that leave one feeling powerless and hopeless come in many forms. With Christ’s strength you can overcome great obstacles. 1John 5:4 says “ and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith”. Faith in Jesus gives hope and help to overcome.
• Hope for P ower
Sometimes in life we find ourselves with a task that simply looks too big for us. We do not just need a cup of God’s strength added to our own; rather we need His strength in us to do what we need to do. He will give it! 2Cor. 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness”. Seeing our weakness as the entry point of God’s strength gives access to His power!
• Hope for E ternity
When we put our faith and hope in Jesus, it not only gives us help, strength and power where we walk today but it also gives us hope for life after death. It is a confident expectation of the ultimate “tomorrow’.
The God of Hope sent His son to be our Savior. He is only one prayer away. If you want the confident expectation of His strength and wisdom in your today and His help and hope for your tomorrow, you need only ask. Just tell Him…
Dear God,
I have gone my own way and have put my hope in so many things that have disappointed me. Thank you that You sent Jesus, that first Christmas long ago, to be my Savior. I believe He came for me. Forgive me and come into my life today. Show me how to live in the confident expectation of how You can impact my life, my character and my circumstances. I place my hope in You right now and ask You to make Yourself known to me in my life right where I walk. I thank you. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Questions: Is you heart filled with hope or do you have a heart filled with anxious thoughts? How can you walk with peace this Christmas season?
About Gail Rogers
Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Making Use of God’s Kindness, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog
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Gail..thank you for the excellent words of wisdom. I have been reading and looking about so called emerging churches. The word P, for power ..not of our own is of the Holy Spirit. The inward breathing and exhaling is his breath of life to us who are born again. The liquid sermon…either hot or cold..Jesus..his blood is the only way, truth and life. We cannot do it..he did it. I have been struggling and reaizing my faith is waivering because we try to take things in our own hands and not to mention leaving his scripture and blood that gave us sinners…Eternal Life.
Thank you and may we in hale and exhale his frosty days in the snow…the reminder it is he who lives and empowers us within.
In Jesus name..I stand firm in his word from yesterday, today and tomorrow. Things change even church doctrine but not..The Word..Jesus himself. We love you Jesus as you loved us first..ToniG
First of all I have to say “Welcome Back” Toni!!! We have Really missed you!!! I am so Thankful that I have Jesus as my Hope for tomorrow,that He is my strength, wisdom and help each and everyday. I have to be honest though I am human and do have times when I do become anxious but I always think of the Scripture in Pslams 94:19 In the multitude of my anxious thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul! I am so thankful for that verse and it is extra special to me as my 15 1/2 yr old daughter wrote it on the bottom of a letter she had written to my mom which my mom gave to me the day Lee-Anna was killed in a car accident. I have always felt that verse was for me and for me to share with others. I pray it will bring encouragement to someone today. Hugs Linda !!!
I’m so thankful for God’s hope, even though I dont have much anymore. i pray every single day for God to send me a job since I lost mine. and still nothing. everytime i pray i lay this issue down at his feet but i still somehow always pick it right back up and it drives me to misery. I just pray fod God’s will in my life, but wish it was sooner for the sake of my bills and finacial situation
Dear Heavenly Father I bring Kristen before you today, You see her need of a job and I just pray that You would provide that need. Let the job that she gets have great hours, have wonderful people to work with and the pay be Great!!! I also pray that she would be encouraged and know that You are with her, wrap Your Arms of love so very tightly around her so she feels your presence and fill her full of Your love, joy and peace. Just Bless her I pray in Your Wonderful Name, Amen! Hugs, Linda!!!
Hello again….Linda..I missed everyone that writes on here! No matter what the love and sharing of Jesus..The Word..is Divine!!! Lee-anna, is so alive in Jesus Christ and we await her hugs with Jesus!! Kristen, my prayers and thoughts are with you, as many of us are facing situations that the only hope we have is in The Comforter and Counselor..the Holy Spirit!!! Gail…the circumstances, certainly, do measure and test my faith at times. Lord, thank you so much that you have provided every word shared on this site and penned, that, can only be found in the breath of life we experience by your Holy Spirit. Anxiety, has a a clock called misery and depression…..Patience and waiting on God’s will is timeless. May, our flesh, and inner man, continue to run the race… without the worry or fear of what remains behind, but hopes in what is ahead!!! Lord, come quickly and our strength in the joy of your unending LOVE and GRACE for us… this Christmas and throughout life itself. In his perfect time and peace….Hugs as per Linda …Heavenly Hugs at that!!!…ToniG……..Rejoice!! and again, I say..REJOICE!!
thank you so much!! i appreciate the wonderful prayer.
Hi, Toni! Glad you are here today. Have missed you and the wisdom of the Lord you share.
Oh! Linda, that is the scripture you told me about. What a precious scripture it must be to you. I knowLee_Anna’s death is a deep loss for you. As Toni wrote, Lee-Anna is alive with Jesus. I was just reading the scripture about a thousand years is like one day to the Lord. (2 Peter 3:8 8 “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” ) The time must be going so quickly for her and from her physical separation from her family. She is rejoicing now with her Lord and King.
Kristen, I too lift you up in prayer for the job opportunity to come your way and that you will be able to be your bills. Let us know when the prayer is answered. Blessings, JudyD
Hi Judy!!! I, am so happy you are on. Praise the Lord you ladies have certainly been prayer warriors. I miss all of you and and SO Happy to be back with my sisters. Kristen, you are in my thoughts and I will pray the Lord help you rest and count sheep just for you. I am up and reading the words of his Divine intervention and his plans and purpose as we just sit still and know he is God. Linda, Kristen and Judy….not to forget Gail…may the Lord increase our faith and courage for what is ahead…In his time ToniG
Thank you Gail for allowing our Father in Heaven to use you & for being patient with me to join with other saints on this site. Your message today-“Hope, preparing our heart for Xmas is right where I am. “When confident expections in life’s tomorrw dwindles>”
God always sends something or someone Just for me when I sincerely ask Him and put action into my seeking some peace & sanity. Thank God for people like you and others I’m reading about today. Sometimes I forget about “the willingness to try” God willing, I will become a part of your group as I seek for solutions on findubg the God spot in my heart again. My soul says to me at this moment ‘Why not try God again?
Hi Eunice, welcome to the site! I know you will love it here and feel very welcome as everyone is so friendly and we are like one big family. Eunice I agree with your soul and Yes Do Try God Again! He is with you all the time, even when you might feel he is not there He still is as He said in His Word He would Never leave us or forsake us and that was NEVER!!!
Dear Heavenly Father I just come before You today asking that You would minister to Eunice. Jesus You see her where she is at, You see her every need and her hearts desire to love and serve You and get to know You better. I pray that You would bring Christians into her life that would encourage her and help her to grow in You and be a support system for her. Help her to feel your loving arms around her right now I pray these things in Your Name In Faith Believing Amen & Amen!
Yes Judy and Toni you both are so right that Lee-Anna is rejoicing with her Lord & King and thank you for that gentle reminder once again. Hugs, Linda!!!
Yes, Try God again!! let me tell you how many times i have went back and forth. But finally I decided its all or nothing & praise God I loveeeee to tell people about him, and go to church, and do devotionals and bible studies. God gives us so much, Life may take us from trial to trial but because we walk and serve such an awesome God we can be sure he is taking us from strength to strength. :) Praying for you sister.
gail, thank you for the devotional.
my heart this Christmas is filled but with anticipation and very slight anxious thoughts. with those anxious thoughts I delve fervently into scripture as I know I will find the strength and comfort I need to remind myself of what Christmas is truly all about. I no longer stress myself out, there is no panic that say, I forgot ‘cousin susie moved this year and the Christmas card I sent came back with ‘wrong address’.(there’s no cousin susie but just making a point that Jesus is the reason for the season and the celebration in my heart(not my home, although I must admit I try to avoid the commercialism that I once thought was what Christmas was all about–Imagine?) I found a scripture yesterday that I am going to post on the fridge where everybody will see it. it reads:
And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.-Mark 4:19
even when my dining table is only set for 6, I say, ”bring on the multitudes”.
[…] Is your heart filled with hope? Do you have a confident expectation of your tomorrow? What happens when the road ahead is filled with loss and stress weighs your shoulders down? When confident expectation in life’s tomorrow dwindles, what can you do? How can you walk in hope when you feel hopeless inside? The God of Hope is your answer. (Read the full Devotional) […]
i just wish everyone could know the real meaning of Christmas is