Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-2

Message:
Advent has begun! It is the season of the liturgical year when we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of the Christ child. We wait with anticipation of a coming Messiah, which will bring hope, peace, joy, and love to a hurting and broken world. Too often, society rushes us to the celebration of Christmas before we have time to prepare. The month of November barely begins before Christmas items blanket store shelves, and advertisement switches from Summer fun to Christmas cheer.

The Prophet Isaiah predicted the Messiah to come from the line of Jesse. The Messiah for which the people were waiting was not the Messiah that arrived. They expected a King but received a Baby. They wanted a ruler but needed a changed perspective of strength. They wanted relief from oppression but received a gift of love. They waited for a Messiah but were not prepared to receive him.

What will you do this year to prepare for Jesus while you wait for his birth? Open your hearts and minds to receive what God is sending you this Advent season, not what you think you want or need. Heaven is coming to earth. Are you ready? Before heading to Bethlehem, spend some time preparing yourself for the journey. Listen to God as you pause to hear God’s voice in the scriptures that are read and the songs that are sung. Be ready! Jesus is on the way!

Prayer:
Holy God, as we await your coming, prepare our hearts and minds to receive you. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Pastor Regina

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“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about

itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 

     Caregivers are often the silent forgotten sufferers of illness. They strive daily to care for loved ones but all the focus is on the sick or failing person. Often they juggle jobs, total care, all of the household and the only thing they sacrifice is themselves and their care. Everyone asks about the sick person; everyone prays for the sick person; some even visit the sick person but the caregiver stands in the shadows without recognition. It is painful and lonely there in the shadows but out of love for the other person they stay silent. A recent study showed that about 40% suffer from depression; they are 25% more likely to develop serious illnesses; and they are 20% more likely to suffer financial stresses than the general population in their age groups. A Canadian study showed that caregivers are 20% more likely to commit suicide because of the stress and depression. They need not only our prayers but our support and love and also recognition of their trials. When you are asked to pray for the sick pray for the caregiver as well and if you can let them know that they too are included in your prayers. Knowing that someone cares enough to pray for you reinforces your own sense of worth more than you can imagine. 

Anchored

Clara M. Brooks, pub.1907

Long my restless soul had sought

Refuge from the troubled sea;

Struggling vainly till I thought

There was no repose for me;

Jesus whispered ’mid the storm,

“Trust Mine everlasting arm.”

Safely by the rock-bound coast,

And the treach’rous breakers past,

Guide me, lest my way be lost,

Into heaven’s port at last;

Stormy seas no more I’ll sail—

Safe at last within the veil.
Prayer: Healer of souls and comforter of the weary and heavy-laden. Lighten the burden of those caring for ailing loved ones.  Accompany them on their journey and ease their anxiety and fears. Surround them with the love and strength of others, so they may experience the healing presence of the communion of saints. And receive sustaining love and comfort. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit I pray. Amen

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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

    These are some of the last words Jesus spoke to the disciples. All he asks of us is that we spread the Word of God and his love to everyone we can. We do that by believing in him and living a life that show the world who he truly is. It is making “what would Jesus do” a mantra for everything we say and do. It is about showing the world his love and telling the world of his grace and love. He never meant those words of his to stop with the remaining 11 disciples. He means them to apply to us today. Etch his words in your hearts today, and go out and be Jesus.

Prayer:

Lead me Good Shepherd to do your will, save your sheep and walk in your ways. Amen.

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The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.

      So, how does the Spirit of the Lord, speak through us? Well first we have to let him in and then we have to recognize that it will give us the words to speak. God, through the Spirit, can help us communicate what He needs us to. In Acts 4:8-9 we hear “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,” It wasn’t Peter’s words. it was the Spirt talking through him. He can do that for us today as well, all we have to do is believe it is possible and ask God for the help.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, be in me and help me to speak the words of the Lord so that others may know about him. Amen.

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All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

     God gave us the scriptures because he loves us and he wants us to know what to do. Jesus himself gave us the basics of the rules “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:31) and “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) if we can live just by those 3 principles then we are following the way of Christ the Lord. If we love God and love others like God loves them, then, without even speaking we are telling the world of his greatness and love. Go out today and try to love God and all others and in doing so, spread the word of Christ.

Prayer:

Christ my Savior, lead me today to be like you. Amen.

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This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

  The “you shall meditate on it day and night” sounds a lot like Paul’s “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) both send the same message; that believing in God is a full-time job, not a temporary part time thing. God has got to be a part of our lives every minute of every day. We cannot just act like Christians on Sunday and let it slide the rest of the week. It has to be an all the time thing. God loves us all the time, so shouldn’t we love him all the time and do his will all the time? We should be thinking about God in everything we do, not just because like Joshua says it “you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” But because the God who loves us and has given us all we have deserves it. 

Prayer:

Lord, let me always be thinking of you and your way so that I can follow the right paths and do what you need me to do. Amen.

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 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

     The words that we speak and the actions that we make are all affected by what lives in our hearts and minds. 

We have to start there if we are going to live the life that God wants us to. We do that by reading his Word, following his teachings, sharing his love and showing all the world his glory.  We need to look into our hearts and see if our thoughts are pure. We need to look at the things we do and ask ourselves if they are acceptable to God. Then, we know that when we speak and act that our words and our hearts are acceptable to the Lord. He loves us and wants us to do the right things. Let’s not disappoint him.

Prayer:

Oh Lord my God, may my words be used in love and my heart be set on you alone. Amen.

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How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

    It is the Word of God that keeps us on the right paths. We need to ask our selves if all of our deeds and words are in line with the scriptures. Now I know that following the rules isn’t always easy, but God gave us the rules because he loves us. Like any good parent he know that rules are necessary to teach us the right way to go, the way to act, and the things to say. We must study his Word, and try to live our lives in accordance with them. 

We must reflect on our actions and ask “What would Jesus do?” “Is this in line with what God wants?” If we can do that then we can walk the “paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake” and isn’t that what we want?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, lead me to know your Word and to live my life accordingly so that the world can see how awesome you are. Amen.

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 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

     We read in John 1 that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Jesus is the Word. So, if we keep the teachings of Jesus in our hearts and minds and we tell others about him then we are sending out God’s heart with our words. That is how we fulfill our mission as Christians; by spreading his Word and his love to all. We are saved because we believe in Jesus, the word of God. Others need that salvation to and we all need to be spreading the Good News where ever and how ever we can.

Prayer:

Blessed Savior, thank you for my salvations and may my actions and words speak to the world of your love. Amen.

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