"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
John 15:11
WELCOME TO THE THIRD SUNDAY OF CELEBRATING ADVENT
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
JOY…The beautiful season of Advent 2024 is a time to commemorate JESUS' arrival and to strengthen your patience and preparation for His return. The last two Sundays' Hope and Peace of CHRIST'S return have Blessed us in the Advent waiting room. If you have not been keeping up, join now. Go back and visit the post for 1st and 2nd Sunday of Advent 2024, then relax and read our third Sunday Advent post today.
Most of you think that Advent is a Catholic celebration. Not so. Advent is a Christian observance during CHRIST-mas for all Christians to prepare their hearts and minds for JESUS' second return. It's a time of remembrance and renewal. It's a time of anticipation. As we enter the third week of Advent, the reflection is on JESUS being the JOY in it. He reminded the people that His messages were filled with JOY because He was the vine-dresser. (John 15:11).
Then, before His first arrival, the angels brought the same message of "good tidings and great JOY" to the shepherds about His arrival and the way to go worship Him. The JOY in Advent is rejoicing that JESUS will soon return. It's a hallelujah. Thank you, JESUS time. CHRIST-mas should not be a catch twenty-two in all the commercialization of things like decorations, food, gifts, and lack of money or overspending of money. JESUS should be the Hope, Peace, and JOY of CHRIST-mas.
Our spiritual outlook should not be on personal happiness because personal happiness prevents you from focusing and preparing for JESUS' return. Advent is all about honoring with JOY the expectation that JESUS could return at any time. It recalibrates your mind to focus on the sacred and true meaning of the CHRIST-mas season. Perhaps you may be celebrating CHRIST-mas alone because a dear loved one passed away or not being with your extended family members. All of these things and probably more should hinder your JOY during the Advent CHRIST-mas season.
Let me encourage you from a point of experience. GOD is expecting us to joyfully move past all that He already knows that will hinder us from enjoying this CHRIST-mas with bright eyes filled with expectant JOY. GOD wants us to know that any day could be the day that JESUS will return. So, let expectant JOY fill you as you prepare and wait joyfully this CHRIST-mas.
Remember:
The spirit of Advent is a uniquely Hopeful, Peaceful, and Joyful season for the Body of Christ.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly FATHER,
Thank You for the season of joy in Advent. May the sweet Holy Spirit help us to bring all of our cares, heartaches, and worries to your feet so that our hope, peace, and joy will be enlarged this Advent season. -Amen, in the Peaceful name of JESUS.
O. M. Nugget:
"HOPE, PEACE, AND JOY ENLARGE ADVENT."
Expository Reading:
John 15:1- 11
Philippians 4: 4-7
Food For Thought:
"Let's approach Christmas with an expectant hush, rather than a last-minute rush."-Anonymous
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