I love Advent and the opportunity that it provides for us to prepare our hearts well so that we can be entirely available to receive all that God has planned for us.

The coming of Christ was prophetically revealed and all that was spoken to the prophets was perfectly fulfilled. God executed His plan with utter perfection and thus the fulness of His promise was entirely kept.

It is the focus of Advent that assures us that we can fully redeem all that is to be ours.

Advent is always a “visitation moment”, when we allow Christ to come near, to make Him the center, and to openly ask Him to take His place on the throne of our hearts.

Every participant that engaged in the process of the coming of Christ into their world was profoundly impacted by their participation.

So it was for them and so shall it be for us.

There is a price to be paid and a prize to be gained!

Here is the core of the current Advent message that we want to confirm in our hearts …

The Coming Of Christ Gave Birth To Joy … A Miraculous Joy That Is Always Within Our Reach

Here is what the scriptures say to us, ” And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:8-11)

During the middle of the night, at the darkest time, the shepherds encountered angels who carried to them a message of comfort and joy.

Though startled by the sudden heavenly interruption, these shepherds were instantly told to have no fear but to open their hearts to a message of joy … and to the divine declaration that a Savior was about to be born.

Fear was being quickly addressed and joy was being proclaimed! Supernaturally, we see that it is the birth of joy that cancels out the bondage of fear.

This is a reality that will need to be born anew in our hearts!

Fear is a crippling experience and one that is often driven by things that we can not control or issues that we can not resolve.

Clearly, God does not intend that fear dominate, so He chooses to fill us with faith and a sense of mission.

Once we are convinced that Christ is near and that He seeks to engage us then we, like the shepherds, will be filled with joy … our souls comforted and our hearts filled with worship and praise!

What we can clearly see is that …

The Coming Of Christ Gave Birth To Joy … A Miraculous Joy That Is Always Within Our Reach

What was true for these shepherds is true for us.

We know that they continued their journey to Bethlehem, where they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby. Then, without hesitation, they told all who would hear exactly what they had been told.

All who heard pondered these words … but Mary treasured every word and carried them in her heart.

The coming of Christ gives birth to joy …

▪ An overwhelming joy … that can not be overtaken
▪ An enduring joy … that is without end
▪ A heavenly joy … that has no equal
▪ A Christmas joy … that comes alive whenever we celebrate Christ

These are the things our hearts long for … and they become the greater gifts of the Advent.

This is the message that we want to share during these days of Advent… so let’s say yes to Him.

The Coming Of Christ Gave Birth To Joy … A Miraculous Joy That Is Always Within Our Reach

I am in … and you?

-Terry & Ruthanne-

2020 THEME