"For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall
not perish but have everlasting life.
God sent not His Son into the world to condemn
the world BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM
MIGHT BE SAVED."  (John 3:16,17)

What more can be said? 

A Spirit filled Christmas to you and your family.

God Bless you and keep you

Kim

God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas, which is Love;
the radiance of Christmas, which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
the belief of Christmas, which is truth;
the all of Christmas, which is Christ.
 

In infancy He startled a king; in boyhood He puzzled
the doctors; in manhood He walked upon the billows
and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes
without medicine and made no charge for His services.
He never wrote a book, yet not all the libraries of the
world could hold the books that could be written about
Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has finished the
theme of more songs than all songs combined. He
never founded a college, yet all the schools together
cannot boast of as many students as He has. Great
men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Death
could not destroy Him, the grave could not hold Him.
 

    The angel Gabriel said to Mary,
"Do not fear, Mary, you shall conceive
and bear a son and give him the name
Jesus. Great will be his dignity and
he will be called Son of the Most High...
" Lk. 1 Fourth Sunday of Advent


O Jesus, I believe you were born of
Mary and are God's Son.

Your mysterious coming is beyond
understanding. Yet like your holy
mother, Mary, I wish that you come
to me, for you promised you will. Let
me serve you in any way I can and
know that you are with me day by
day as my life goes by.

Like Mary, your mother, though I
know you only by faith, may my
whole being proclaim your greatness
and my spirit rejoice in your favor to me.

O Wisdom, holy Word of God,
Jesus Christ, holding all things
in your strong yet tender hands,
come and show us the way
to salvation.

"The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise to return,
as some people think.  No, He is being patient for your sake.
He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time
for everyone to repent.  But the day of the Lord will come as
unexpectedly as a thief.  Then the heavens will pass away with
a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire,
and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to
judgment.
Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy,
godly lives you should be living!  You should look forward to
that day and hurry it along--the day when God will set the
heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames.
But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new
earth He promised, a world where everyone is right with
God. 
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these
things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and
blameless. life.  And be at peace with God.
And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have
time to be saved. (2 Peter 3:9-15a) NLT

Reflection:

You know there has always been a lot of speculation
about the coming of Jesus Christ.  I don't know, but
there is one thing I do know for a fact, I'm closer to that
great day right now than I was yesterday.  I'm going
to ask myself a question and maybe you can ask
the same question of yourself.  What will Jesus
fine me doing when He returns?  I really believe I
have to be faithful when Christ returns, because for
one thing, I know I won't be perfect.  Since I don't
know when my Savior will return, I need to really
dedicate living every moment for Jesus Christ.
If I can do this one thing, then I don't have worry
about when Jesus is coming.  Just that one thing and
I'm alright.  I do take comfort in 2 Peter, where it says,
"He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time
for everyone to repent."  So, even though I'm anxious for Christ's
return, I can wait because I have family and friends who need
to be prepared and you know, along with the Holy Spirit, I'm
just the person that can help in that preparation!  He's
coming are YOU ready!!!!!!!

Prayer:

Oh Lord I know that you can come at any time, please
help me in my walk with You, that I be always faithful,
so that when you return I will be ready.  THANK YOU
GOD FOR BEING GOD, IN JESUS NAME AMEN

John's disciples said to Jesus,
"Are you 'He who is to come' or
do we look for another?" In reply,
Jesus said: "Tell John what you
hear and see: the blind recover
their sight, cripples walk, lepers
are cured, and the poor have
good news preached to them...
" Lk. 3:10 Third Week of Advent

O Jesus, I rejoice at the signs
that say you are near. Your
power is everywhere if I could see it.

Yet my eyes often see only
darkness and what has yet to
be done. I believe in you, yet
when I look around evil seems
so strong and goodness so weak.
If you have come, why is there still
so much suffering and why do the
poor still despair? Where are your
miracles today?

Your grace, O Lord, is more fruitful
in my world than I imagine. I know
your power is everywhere around
me, if I could only see it. Show me
today where the blind see and cripples walk.

Make my vision sharper than it is.

Scripture:

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son.
and he will be called Immanuel*
(meaning, God is with us) Isaiah 7:14  (NLT)

Reflection:

This verse really should be burned in our
mine and our soul.   The prophet Isaiah gave
us a prediction on how the world would change
when Jesus Christ was born. He will be called
Immanuel* which means God is with us. I want
you to promise me something.  Learn this verse
will you!!!! remember it every day, every hour, every
minute, every second of your life.  GOD IS WITH
YOU!!!!!!  That's right I don't care what you do,
whether it's right or wrong, God loves you, God
is with you.Thats what we are celebrating this
Advent Season.  The coming of God, through
Jesus Christ, and He is with us.  There is one
more thing I would like you to remember.
Simply this:  Good-by is short for "God be
with you".  Jesus Christ is God's
"good-bye" gift to you, that you might greet
each new day with the words, "Hello Lord!"

Prayer:

Thank you God for loving me and always
being with me.  THANK YOU GOD FOR
BEING GOD

Loving God,
there are times in each life
when there is no one.
No one with whom to share
a word,
a laugh,
a sad remembrance,
a gentle touch,
a fond embrace,
a kiss of love.
Bless each one who suffers
from such loneliness.
Enrich life with a friend
or gentle stranger
who will spend a moment
noticing
and loving.
In those times
your love shines through,
the world is reborn,
and Christ is known.
So be it!
Amen.
- Vienna Cobb Anderson
source: Adapted from "Prayers of Our Hearts" © 1991 Vienna Cobb Anderson.
 

When John the Baptizer made his
appearance as a preacher in the desert
of Judea, this was his them: Reform your
lives. The reign of God is at hand!"
Mt. 3:1 Second Sunday of Advent

O Jesus, in an empty desert your
prophet John proclaimed: God is
here, at your side. God has come
to bring about a kingdom where
injustice and suffering will be no
more, where tears will be wiped
away, and where those who turn
to God will feast at a banquet.

"Turn now, your God is standing at
your side. Reform your lives, God's
kingdom is at hand." In an empty
desert John said these things.

Give me faith like John's, O Lord,
strong enough to believe even in
a desert that you and your kingdom
are no farther from me than my hand.
Make my heart strong like his, not
swayed by trials or snared by false
pleasures. Give me courage to be faithful
until your promises are fulfilled.

O King of all nations, Jesus Christ,
only joy of every heart,
come and save your people.
 

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Be constantly
on the watch! Stay awake!...You do not know
when the Master of the house is coming.'"
Mark. 13:33 First Sunday of Advent

O Jesus, your voice sounds through the
house of my world: Be on your guard!
Stay awake!

Yet I hardly hear you. Busy with so much,
I go about the things I do like a servant
trapped in household routine, hardly giving
a thought to what my life is about. My
spirit within has grown tired and you, my
God, seem far away. How can I hear your
voice today?

Speak to my heart during this season of
grace, as you spoke to your prophets and
saints. Remind me again of the journey
you call me to make and the work you
would have me do. I am your servant, O
Lord. Speak to me in this holy season
and turn my eyes to watch for your coming.

O Emmanuel, Jesus Christ,
desire of every nation, Savior of all peoples,
come and dwell among us.

(When the Christmas Season gets to be
to much feel free to read this Reflection)

Scripture:

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the
coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before
the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered
the ark; and they knew nothing about what would
happen until the flood came and took them all away.
That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the
other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill;
one will be taken and the other left.
 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know
on what day your Lord will come. But understand this:
If the owner of the house had known at what time of
night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch
and would not have let his house be broken into. So
you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will
come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
(Matthew 24:36-44,) NIV

Advent
The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival."
The focus of the entire season is the celebration
of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent,
and the anticipation of the return of Christ the
King in his Second Advent.
Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most
churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the
fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the
Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas
Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is
counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with
Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.
The Spirit of Advent
Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of
anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is
a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the
 world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in
Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression.
It is the cry of those who have experienced the
tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse
of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by
a God who has heard the cries of oppressed
slaves and brought deliverance!
(The Season of Advent Anticipation and Hope
by Dennis Bratcher)

Reflection:

You know to be perfectly honest with you, for me
the celebration of Advent is almost as exciting as
the celebration of the the birth of Christ (Christmas).
For me the anticipation of a great event, such as
Christmas, is really exciting. Ask yourself this,
"Are you excited about the birth of Christ, are you
excited about the Second Advent, the coming again
of Jesus Christ?  Thats what these four weeks before
Christmas is all about.  It is not about rushing around,
being stressed out, being angry, being frustrated, and
worrying about how we are going to get enough money
to buy those Christmas presents.  The Christmas season
is about preparation, and anticipation of the birth and
second coming of Jesus Christ.  Thats it! Nothing else.
During Advent we are celebrating the fact, as Christians,
we are no longer bound by the chains of the evilness of
the world, we have been delivered from sin and posess
eternal life, we are free in Christ Jesus. And with that
freedom we serve others, with that freedom we love all,
and with that freedom we experience the love of Jesus
Christ.  Sit down now, relax and enjoy the Christmas
Season, experience the freedom and joy of serving
others because of your love of Jesus Christ.  When you
can do this you are truly celebrating Christmas!  Why
don't you start now.

Prayer:

God Bless Us One and All (Tiny Tim)