Looking for the Second Coming

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 12: Hebrews 9:28
"So Christ also,
 having been offered once
to bear the sins of many,
 will appear a second time
 for salvation without reference to sin,
to those who eagerly await Him."

To Serve Rather Than Be Served

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 11: Matthew 20:28

"Even the Son of Man came not to be served

but to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom

for the many."

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I had another verse picked out, but as I was catching up with one of my favorite bloggers, her verse of focus caught my attention a little bit more than what I had originally picked.

I've got about 26 more hours of "work" before I am officially off for Christmas Break. A blessed week that LeaderTreks has given me that I am able to relax and spend with my family. I had purchased plane tickets all the way back at the beginning of November to make sure that I got this time with my family in CO. I also had plans to make a special trip from Vail to Colorado Springs to witness some college friends tie the knot and party the night away with old friends. I had planned to get at least 3 great days on the slopes enjoying the snow (which has not made any spectacular appearance in Chicago yet)

But guess what each of these things do... they serve ME!
And just last night God ran that little train off the tracks. My mom has been battling a second bout of skin cancer and has had two surgery this month, thus making her unable to travel. So all my pretty little plans that I've been making that have been serving my desires were chucked out the window.

And Becky's post reminded me how selfish I have been lately. As the plans are still up in the air, the question I'll be asking myself is what plans serve others more?
What plans will serve my mom best? Give her the most rest? Show her I love her the most?
What plans serve my dad best? Encourage him the most as he walks with my mom through this?
What plans serve my brothers the most? Are most beneficial to their traveling time? Are uplifting for their families?
What plans concerning my friend's wedding will bless them the most? Who else (besides the bride and groom) can I serve if God allows me to attend this wedding?


In the next 72 hours, plans will be made.
My goal, to see who I can serve.
To truly set myself aside
To follow my Savior's example that celebrates Him 
in a season that is supposed to be focused on Him.

Our Offerings

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 10: Matthew 2:11

"After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother;
and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.
Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."




Often in the Christmas Season we get so caught up with the giving of gifts.
I mean it's Biblical right - the Wise Men brought three gifts and presented them to baby Jesus.
And they spent a lot of money on them, gifts worthy of a KING.

That is great and all, but please don't be in such a rush to miss the first part of this verse.
"After coming into the house they saw the Child... and they
fell to the ground and worshiped Him."


This was before they presented gifts.
As the big day comes closer,
are you remembering to fall before the King
and WORSHIP Him?


In fact, this is the best offering we can make to God.
Our worship
Ourselves as a living sacrifice.


What are you offering to God today?

God with Us

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 9: Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:
Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son,
and she will call His name
Immanuel."

God is with you today.
That is a promise.
Live in it.

God's Favor

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 8: Luke 1:30

"The angel said to her,
'Do not be afraid, Mary;
 for you have found favor with God.' "

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Wow! Can you imagine an angel appearing in your room and saying.
"Hey, you don't have to be afraid because God favors you?"
CRAZY!

The Greek word used here is χάρις (charis)it means 

grace, good will, loving-kindness, favour

~of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues~

Again, WOW!

God exerted his holy influence upon Mary. Turning her to Himself.
Keeping her,
Strengthening her,
And increasing her faith.

You want to know something?
We are given this same grace and favour. 

So live today with the knowledge that
God will keep you
God will strengthen you.
God will increase your faith.

God our Righteousness

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 7: Jeremiah 23:5-6

"'Behold, the days are coming,' declares the LORD,
'When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
"In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,

' The Lord our righteousness.' "

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The advent season is about looking for what is to come.
Jesus's birth (the 1st coming) was what the Israelites were looking for.
During this advent season as we remember the 1st coming
what promises like this can we look for in the second coming of Jesus?

Joy Unending

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 40

Charis

- to rejoice.
- Grace, particularly that which causes joy.
- when received by faith, transforms man and causes him to love and to seek after the righteousness of God.

- Grace may also refer to the external form or manner, particularly of persons meaning gracefulness, elegance.
- Grace also means disposition, attitude, toward another.
- Of the grace, favor and goodwill of God and Christ as exercised toward men.
 - Specifically of the divine grace and favor as exercised in conferring gifts, graces and benefits on man.

- Grace, in act and deed, favor conferred, a kindness.

- gratitude, thanks.

Hebrews 12:28-29

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us [fn]show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;for our God is a consuming fire.

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Well Ladies and Gents,
The final day of my Joy Challenge.
But I am leaving you with a 

Joy that is Unending

This experience over the past 40 days
(okay, okay... it's been way more than 40 days)
has been so eye opening.

I love that I ended on the word Charis, which as you can tell by the definition (and that is just a fraction of the info that is offered in my handy-dandy Greek dictionary) covers a wide range of meaning.

But at it's most basic definition it means
GRACE.

How graceful God is to pursue me each and every day.

That He wants to make each day new in my life and wipe out the previous days sins that I may be a testimony not to my own strength and doing, but to the work that He has done in my life. 

That is my true source of
JOY
God's grace that renews me each day.

In times of happiness and sadness
In times of community and loneliness
In times of old and new
God offers me His grace

And with joyful thanksgiving I will show my gratitude to God by offering acceptable service to God with reverence and awe.

How will you thank God for your source of JOY today?

The Great Shepherd

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 6: Matthew 2:6

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel."

The Savior of his People

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 5:  Matthew 1:21

" She will give birth to a son,
 and you are to give him the name Jesus,
 because he will save his people from their sins."

What a promise to receive. The son your fiance will bear will save the people from their sins.
Praise the Good Shepherd!

Blessed are the Believers

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 4 - Luke 1:45

"Blessed is she who has believed

that what the Lord has said to her

will be accomplished."

During our morning Bible Study as a staff we are studying prayer. Prayer is our conversation with God. Yes, we request things, but there is also an aspect of waiting and watching for God. In that time of waiting we may hear the Lord speaking to us. Mary and Elizabeth are great examples of how God will bless those who believe the word of the Lord.

What have you heard God promise in this season of advent?

Worship the Lord

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Day 3: Psalm 29:1-2

"Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness."

What's in a Name

From now until Christmas I'm memorizing 12 scriptures that point to the glory of the season. Jesus Christ. To start from the beginning click here.

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

Verse 2: Isaiah 9:6

"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."

12 Days of Christmas

Do not fret my dear readers, my final day of Joy will be coming VERY shortly.
However, while reading over one of my favorite blogs about how her boys were planning to memorize 12 verses from Luke to recite for their father on Christmas Day God gave me an idea.

What if I were to do 

"12 Days of Christmas Scripture Memory"

I'll post every other day

(2 days to memorize and meditate on each verse)
And by December 25th, with God's help, I'll have 12 new verses memorized

and a new understanding of Christmas.

Verse 1: Luke 2:20

"The shepherds returned, 

glorifying and praising God for all the things they and heard and seen, 

which were just as they had been told."

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What  have you seen and heard today that you want to glorify and praise God for?