Second Advent

Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Revelation 19:6

While Hallelujah occurs many times in the Old Testament, according to Bible scholars, "Hallelujah" is used only 4 times in the New Testament and all can be found in Revelation chapter 19. Over the many centuries, time and time again, God's love replenishes His people. References to God as "Almighty" appear 9 times in the book of Revelation. The Hebrew title for God, El Shaddai, God Almighty, reminds us that God is sovereign, all-sufficient and all powerful. To the Creator: Give thanks to the God of heaven; His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:26)

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast 

of rich foods for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - 

the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Isaiah 25:6

The words of the Great Hallel (Psalm 136), which the Jewish people traditionally sing at Passover, likely fill the Upper Room at the Last Supper. With Jesus' obedience to death in Crucifixion and power over death in Resurrection, Grace rebirths us, gives us new life in Christ. No longer does homelessness or injustice define our destiny; rather, our inheritance comes from God Almighty - the One who remembers us, who chooses us, who calls us by name. Christ, our Deliverer, invites each of us to the wedding supper, to His feast, to a future in Him. Give thanks to the God of heaven; His love endures forever.   

... Blessed are those who are invited to 

the wedding supper of the Lamb! 

Revelation 19:9

God Almighty reigns! This feast will begin the celebration of Christ's Promise to return for His people. Hallelujahs rise! Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! From prophecy to testimony, Jesus reveals God's plan of eternal redemption. Our Redeemer lives! Perhaps as Christians gather around the banquet table at the wedding supper of the Lamb, we, too, will sing the Great Hallel and in unison respond: His love endures forever. 

During this Advent season, let our celebrations sing Hallelujah! In one chapter of his book, Finding God in Unexpected Places, Philip Yancey contrasts Genesis with Revelation, the garden with the New Jerusalem, and he writes, "We live out our days between memory and foretaste." In our hallelujahs we linger in remembrance of God's indescribable gift and wait with joy for the wedding supper of the Lamb! RSVP @ Romans 10:9-12. Infinite Love never ends! ~ dho

Celebrate the Season of Giving... 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

As Christ is reborn in you and in me, let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to honor the Prince of Peace? 

Celebrate Every Day

When I discovered Your words, I devoured them.

They are my joy and my heart's delight,

for I bear Your name.

Jeremiah 15:16

The expectant waiting in Advent leads us to celebrate Christ as the Messiah, to seek Christ more every day, to know Jesus as our source of joy. In Philippians 4:4, Paul reminds, "Rejoice in The Lord always, again, I will say rejoice! The world continually bombards us with crisis and chaos, disappointment and doubt, fear and fatigue. The contrast between Paul's words and our realities appear to clash. How can we rejoice when difficult circumstances prevail, when constant hardship lingers? God's word provides His wisdom, reveals His promises, offers His hope. Reading and studying the Bible teach us how to love, when to pray, and where to serve. We can only find real joy in Jesus.

In the Nativity, hope comes quietly, love comes small, joy comes easily, but with the Crucifixion, hope faints, love chooses, and joy weeps. These two events cannot be separated, the sweet and the bittersweet. The emotions born with Jesus crash into the harsh realities of the cross; the Messiah comes because the world needs Grace. With His Resurrection, Hope shouts, Love lives, and Joy reigns! Through Grace, Christ brings us abundant life. God's word instructs us, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you." [Colossians 3:16] Discover and devour God's word. Then, and only then, can we celebrate God all day, every day. -dho

Celebrate the Season of Giving... 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

As Christ is reborn in you and in me, let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to honor the Prince of Peace? 

The Incarnation

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, 

and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, 

full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 

The season of Advent, meaning "to come," finds us waiting to celebrate - once again - the arrival of the baby Jesus on Christmas. This promise of the Messiah spans generations, but when He does arrive, the first Advent, it changes everything. Tender manger scenes contrast the glorious angels singing. From the moment Truth enters human history, the story celebrated becomes Jesus loving us with compassion and tenderness while all of heaven celebrates Perfect Love. We can celebrate with all of heaven that salvation for mankind comes into the world, comes for us. From before time until time to come, God envelops us with love.

Incarnation describes God's glory dwelling with His people. In the Old Testament, God's Glory, His shekinah, represents His presence in the tabernacle. John introduces Jesus as the Word that becomes flesh and dwells with the people. He is both holy and human, infinite and incarnate. Jesus manifests God's Glory on earth and desires an everlasting relationship with us. Grace comes through Jesus Christ who chooses us, calls us, completes us. 

As a spiritual celebration, retrace the Incarnation. When Jesus becomes human and makes His home among us, remember the Bethlehem crowds leave no room for Jesus. After all those years of waiting for the Messiah, into the hurried, overflowing, populous Bethlehem, Grace simply comes. Today's world is no less hectic, occupied or crammed with busy. Do our lives leave room for Jesus? Have we found Jesus in our Bethlehem? Know the unmeasured Grace and faithfulness of Perfect Love when you invite Jesus to dwell in your tabernacle. It changes everything! ~dho

Celebrate the Season of Giving... 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

As Christ is reborn in you and in me, let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to honor the Prince of Peace? 

Possibilities of God

For to us a Child is born,

to us a Son is given;

and the government shall be upon His shoulder,

and His name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Advent offers us time to refocus on the promise, birth, redemption, and return of Christ. The Christmas season brings lights and gifts, love and joy; it retells the stories of prophets and angels, shepherds and magi, Mary and Jesus. All the wonders of Christmas open our imaginations to promises and possibilities. From before time until time to come, God embraces us with hope.

During Advent, we light four candles, one each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Some say they symbolize the four centuries of waiting, of silence between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. Some name them hope, love, joy, and peace, while others remember prophets, Bethlehem, shepherds, and angels. What we call them is not so important. How we spend these four weeks IS! This journey of spiritual celebration begins with understanding God's infinite love and His desire for each one to experience everlasting life.

Contemplate God's magnificent plan to bring reconciliation to His people. After God creates mankind, the history of rebellion begins. From the beginning, God recognizes the spiritual needs of people and promises Jesus. Prophets foretell of His coming throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament, John the Baptist fulfills OT prophecy and introduces Jesus. Remember the thousands of years of endings and new beginnings, the thousands of years of waiting, the thousands of years of hope. Begin today, to seek the possibilities of God, to see endings as opportunities for God to bring new beginnings! ~ dho

Celebrate the Season of Giving... 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

As Christ is reborn in you and in me, let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to honor the Prince of Peace? 

4th Sunday in Advent 2016 - Real LOVE!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Each year I read the Holy Scriptures that describe the promises of a Faithful God and consider the trusting heart of a young girl, a sign to announce the birth of the Messiah. Each year I ponder the glory that the angels proclaimed, contemplate the wonder of the shepherds, and reflect on the gifts of worship from the magi. Each year I listen to these ancient words that tell the story of Perfect Love.

With these familiar words, God weaves a beautiful tapestry with divine threads of faithful promises and a trusting heart, proclamations of angels and the wonder of shepherds, worshiping magi and Holy Love. He binds these together to reveal His Plan for us, the plans formed long ago. While the Scriptures reveal Perfect Love, we begin to experience Perfect Love and the fullness of God's Glory - at the cross. It is through Christ, the Living Hope, that we experience this most amazing grace!

And me? I know the ancient words but desire to experience the words. Now as then, God's wonders and promises continue, as do my traditional celebrations of Christmas, but unlike me, He is perfect faithfulness and never changes. Beyond the familiar readings and recitations, I experience Grace in a promised fulfilled. As the angels and shepherds did, I experience telling the Good News. Like the magi, I experience the joy of worshiping Christ the King! These ancient words become living words when I experience Christ, when I experience Real LOVE! ~dho

Celebrate the Season of Giving... 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

As Christ is reborn in you and in me, let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to honor the Prince of Peace? 

Peace of Christ

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . . and be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 ESV

'Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,

from Heaven's all-gracious King':

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing.*

"Peace of God" is often challenged by a world full of anxieties and chaos, doubts and uncertainties, but there is an inner peace the soul knows when faith in Christ leads one to "peace with God." Perfect peace is a gift God gives to the faithful ones who trust in Him.

When peace shall over all the earth

It's ancient splendor fling,

And the whole world send back the song

Which now the angels sing.*

"Peace on earth" is the promise of His everlasting peace which is still to come. For now, each of us is called to embrace peace offered by the Author of peace, measured by the Prince of peace, and revealed by the Spirit. During this Holy season, let the Prince of Peace be born again in us. May Christ's peace be the ornament that decorates our hearts at Christmas and throughout the coming year. ~dho

* lyrics to "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" written by Edmund Sears, 1849

Celebrate the Season of Giving... 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

As Christ is reborn in you and in me, let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to honor the Prince of Peace?