Advent Blog (Page 3)

Friday- Questions to Ponder The definition for peace is not merely the absence of war. In the Old Testament “Shalom” the word we translate as “peace” is the idea of “comprehensive human flourishing”. This is peace that holds the idea of completeness, wholeness, harmony, security and well-being. Peace with God isn’t a knick-knack that you tuck away on a shelf and pull out and look at occasionally. It is something that transforms every part of your life. It transforms how you make business decisions, the way you respond to tense relationships, the choices you make for your physical and spiritual life. This peace allows youRead More →

Thursday- Peace on Earth As I ponder the phrase “Peace on Earth” all I can think of is all my Christmas To Do lists. You know, the list of people to purchase gifts for, the list of Christmas traditions that our family observes each year, the list of food and recipes for our Christmas morning brunch and Christmas family dinner, the lists of special events this time of year, and then there’s just the daily and weekly lists necessary to keep a family of 6 afloat. To top all that off, there is the hustle and bustle that fills every store, long lines at theRead More →

Wednesday “Released for Peace” (Thoughts on Sunday’s Sermon) Acts 16:16-18 “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ IRead More →

Tuesday- Deep Peace Have you ever waited and waited to receive something that you thought would make you happy? Have you ever saved your money for a special item, only to find the thrill of it doesn’t last? Have you ever thought, “When this happens, or when I’m in this stage of life I will be satisfied, I will finally have peace”? Have you found that the things, appreciation, happiness that you are seeking is never truly fulfilling? In John 14, Jesus looks at His disciples and tells them straight out that He is going to the Father. He warns them that he will leave.Read More →

Monday- The Presence of Peace Have you ever just needed someone to be there? You know, just listen to you, just sit near you, maybe hold your hand, maybe hold you. Have you ever felt the comfort and peace of someone’s presence when everything around you felt uncertain? There is such power in the presence of someone who loves you. On Sunday morning we read together Numbers 6:24-27, this beautiful blessing of the presence of God tucked in the middle of chapter after chapter of rules and regulations for purity and detailed descriptions of how to set up the tabernacle. Numbers 6:24-27 “The Lord blessRead More →