The Fourth Week of Advent-The Greatest Love!

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The Love of Jesus

Is The Greatest Love!

“Oh Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ The King!”  This final week of Advent is saturated with love.  It is the love that Jesus has for you every moment of your life. It is the love that brought Him to this earth in a lowly manger.  It is the love that took Him to the cross to die for you. It is the love that will bring Him back to earth again.

It is the love that has prepared many mansions in heaven for those who love Him.  This is the love of profound width and length and depth and height.  This is the love that is yours if you choose to follow Him. This is the love that will give your heart wings to rise above the turmoil of life events.

The Love of Advent is

Jesus Christ!

 This final week of Advent is represented by love.  The most unconditional, never failing, always present love of Jesus Christ for you blankets not only this week but each and every day of the year. His is such an all-encompassing love that you cannot even understand the height, depth or width of the Savior’s love for you.  It goes beyond the ends of the earth.  It is eternal.

Think about that for a minute.  Let it sink deep into your heart.  It does not matter what is going on around you at this moment or what challenges you face.  Take this moment in time to allow His love to wash over you.  Feel His peace and grace.  It is always there for you. Do not let the trials of life dull your awareness of His ever-present love.

 Where Do You Seek Love?

Often in life the search for love takes you to all the wrong places and connects you with all the wrong people.  Many of us are challenged with issues of rejection, abandonment, betrayal and abuse.  When such heart issues (and it is always a heart issue) are not dealt with at the root cause, they continue to affect every relationship you have in your life.

What part of your life are you holding onto so tightly?  What carnal desires are you choosing not to turn over completely to Him?  He wants all of you, not just what you want to share.  After all, He died for all of you.  Reread that a few times.  He died for all of you.

What are you withholding from the One who gave His life so you could live?  It cannot be said enough that we live in treacherous times.  Are you willing to dilute your relationship with the One who loves you unconditionally?  Is some human desire you have worth tarnishing the most important relationship you will ever have?

How Conditional is Your Love?

As a follower of Jesus take His love to those around you.  His assignment to all who call themselves Christian is to love one another as He has loved us.  He loves you unconditionally.  How many conditions do you place on the love you show to others in your life? 

Do you only choose to love when all is going your way or at least the way you think things should be?  Do you only choose to love when another is doing and saying just what you find acceptable?

What are the conditions you place on relationships?  How might these conditions be limiting all God’s best for you through relationship with those in your life?  Think about that for a little while.

We are called to relationship with the Lord and with one another.  Love is the firm foundation on which to build a solid relationship to stand the test of time. Think about, pray about and meditate on love this week.  Humbly acknowledge the unfathomable love of the Savior for you.

Purpose to love without condition those He has placed in your life. 

It is not always easy to love but it is our calling.  As you release fear and your attempts to control, you open the way for His love to be the balm of Gilead in your own heart and in the heart of those around you.

Is There Room in Your Heart?

This week we celebrate the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  For a moment the world seems a little nicer.  There is a hush unlike any other time of the year for those who believe.  Jesus came to earth in a lowly stable to make a way for those called by His name to be set free and have eternal salvation.  His humble birth opens the way for you to let Him into your heart (for it is always a heart issue). 

When you make room for Him He will make the way clear for you.  When you choose to put Him first in your heart and in your life your foundation will be solid.  You will no longer live on ever shaky ground that shifts as sand beneath your feet.

Truly walking with the Lord is an all or nothing venture.  You cannot have one foot in the world and one in the Kingdom.  To claim the promises of God’s Word you must commit to walk in His ways.

Just remember, Jesus Christ came to this earth and took on a human life.  He walked out His Father’s will all the way to the cross to set you free and provide eternal salvation and life in Him.  Such love!

During this Christmas season take time to seek Him.  If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do it now.  If you are a Christian yet you are living beneath your Kingdom heritage, fully relinquish your heart to Him this week.  His love for you is real.  It will fill every broken and empty place in your heart.

Is There Room In the Inn of Your Heart?

It is hard to imagine that the King of kings and Lord of lords began His earthly journey in a manger because there was not room for Him at the Inn.  Is there room for Him in your heart?  Just as He came to earth in humble beginnings so today He seeks a humble heart in which to reside.  

All the trappings of this earthly world mean nothing to Him.  He seeks only a broken and contrite heart.  Will you let Him into your heart today?

A Fresh Start!

 It Is Never Too Late!

If you have not yet made the decision to accept Jesus Christ into your heart, do it now.  Do not wait another minute.  Speak to Him from your heart (for it is always a heart issue).  Tell Him you have fallen short in your life.  Sincerely apologize for your sins.  Ask Him to cleanse you and come into your heart and be Lord over your life.   From this moment forward, let His Spirit guide you along the narrow road that leads to everlasting life!

Whether you have accepted Him as Lord before or whether this is the beginning of your journey with Him directing your way, make this Christmas a new beginning.

Just as the birth of Jesus Christ signaled a new order so Christmas signals the opportunity for a fresh start. 

The newness of birth is filled with such expectancy and hope.

Let this Christmas be one of immense faith and anticipation for the year ahead.  Jesus came to give you life in abundance.  Open your heart this Christmas and let Him reside there forever.

Let Jesus be your Christmas miracle!

A Christmas Blessing

I wish you and your family and friends a week filled with His love and grace.  Whatever your circumstances thank Him for the blessings you do enjoy.

God bless you and keep you under the shadow of His wings this week and always!

My wish for you is for a most blessed Christmas and for a 2019 filled with His love and peace!

 Quotes to Ponder This Week

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. “~Jesus, Matthew 22:37-40 

 “”Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.””  ~Matthew 1:23

“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” ~Luke 2:9-11

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  ~John 1:1, 14

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  ~Jesus, John 10:10

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.”  ~Jesus, John 15:9

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  ~Jesus, John 15:12

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” ~Jesus, John 15:13-14

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  ~1 Corinthians 12:13

“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps not record or wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  ~1Corinthians 13:4-8

“Finally, brethren, farewell.  Become complete.  Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”  ~2 Corinthians 13:11

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is not law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”  ~Galatians 5:22-26

“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”  ~Ephesians 3:17-19

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”   ~1 John 4:18

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” ~Isaiah 7:14

“Lose all your identity in the Son of God.  Let Him become all in all.  Seek only the Lord, and let Him be glorified.”  ~Smith Wigglesworth, Devotional, page 534

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For it is written:

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Esther 4:14

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