Bill

Advent

December 7, 2024 by Bill Leave a Comment

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” (Micah 5:2)

The word Advent originates from a Latin word “Adventus” which means “coming” or “arrival.” Advent Season is focused on preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ in all ways, from His birth in the past to His Second Coming in the future as the Messiah.

There are four weeks and themes of Advent. I missed the first week but I will cover the first two weeks here. The first theme is HOPE. “Hope is an ACTIVE anticipation in the ability to reach desired goals,” – Dr. Steven Sandage. Hope may not be necessary when we are faced with an easy task. It comes when we’re faced with something that feels impossible. Hope requires belief. Hope requires action. What are we actively hoping for? We don’t hope for something we already have, we hope for something in the future. Jesus came into our world to give us the hope of His return and our going to Heaven.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

The second theme of Advent is PEACE. The dictionary defines peace as, “A state of tranquility or quiet: such as freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.” Peace is not the absence of pain; peace is the presence of God. Inner peace is the feeling that, even though things may look bad around you, you have a peace from within that comes from God and that He will take care of you. If you’ve ever had a major decision to make, you probably had two choices. You pray about it and one choice makes you uneasy but he other choice, “gives you peace”. That is God letting you know which way to go and that He’ll go with you.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

During this Christmas season, we have HOPE because Jesus came and, if we accept Him as Savior and Lord, we can look forward to our eternal life. And because of that HOPE, we can have PEACE as we travel this earthly path knowing that He is with us.

Ways To Be Thankful

November 30, 2024 by Bill 13 Comments

As we have passed the Thanksgiving holiday, let us not stop being thankful. Here are three things to think about and practice every day.

Be Thankful in Actions. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17). This verse encourages us to live out our faith through our actions and reactions. When we wake up in the morning, give thanks to God for the day, be a courteous and safe driver on the roadways and be kind to everyone we meet. Our actions speak loudly.

Be Thankful By Remembering. “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” (Psalm 77:11). Remember the deeds of the Lord, which can be as simple as thanking God for His comfort, presence, and peace in daily challenges, remembering that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. Make a list of how God has been good to you. I am very thankful to God for my being healed of cancer this year. And it’s good to tell others about the goodness of God. Reminding ourselves of His faithfulness stirs our heart towards thankfulness.

Be Thankful in Everything. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Giving thanks in everything can seem like a hard task to accomplish at times, especially in difficult circumstances. Notice this verse says, “Give thanks IN all things, not FOR all things. God has a plan for us and, sometimes, we have to go through some difficult times. But those times can build us up just like getting in physical shape is hard but it’s for a purpose. Thank You Jesus!

Giving Thanks

November 23, 2024 by Bill 7 Comments

As we come into the season of Thanksgiving, we must remember what we are thankful for. Yes, Thanksgiving Day is usually a time for family gatherings and giving thanks but let’s not forget the One who has given us all things, (2 Peter 1:3). Here are some verses that we can declare over ourselves and our families reminding us to be thankful in ALL things.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” – Psalm 28:7

“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High.” – Psalm 50:14

“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” – Psalm 69:3

“We give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.” – Psalm 75:1

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” – Psalm 95:1

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” – Psalm 118:1

“Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.” – Psalm 107:1

This week, it would be a good thing for us to make a list of the things we are thankful for. Maybe do this with your kids or grandkids. It will help us focus on the good things God has done for us. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Promise

November 16, 2024 by Bill Leave a Comment

“God keeps every promise he makes. He is like a shield for all who seek his protection” (Proverbs 30:5 GNT).

We have God’s promises to us. The Bible contains over 7,000 promises that we can rely on. If we will read and trust God’s promises for us, we will be in a better position to discard the lies of the devil. God gave me a poem last December relating to God’s promises that will encourage us.

God told Abraham, “By faith, you must go.”
To a land as of now, you do not know.
I will then make your nation and name very great.
Yes, you’re old, but it’s not too late.
I will bless you and give you all of My best.
And in you, all families of earth will be blessed.
The Promise.

The angel said to Mary, “With you, God found favor.”
Soon you’ll give birth to a Son, Jesus, the Savior.
Fear not, God wants to make all things new.
You’ve been chosen, God’s blessing, Mary, is on you.
He will reign forever, His kingdom never ends.
This is the Word to you that God sends.
The Promise.

Jesus entered this world from His home up above,
To show us the Father and all of His love.
He preached God’s Word, never once did He sin.
He knew all along how this life would end.
But He said “Follow Me.” I’ll prepare you a place.
All your sin and mistakes, I’ll surely erase.
The Promise.

So as we look to the coming holiday season
Let’s not forget the most important reason.
Jesus died and taught us an eternal lesson,
Believe in Me and join Me in Heaven.
The Promise.

Fear Not

November 3, 2024 by Bill Leave a Comment

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

The phrase, “fear not’, is in the Bible 365 times. What does that tell us? There’s not a day that goes by that we should fear. As we know, the enemy will present us with numerous things that can produce fear but we have been told to “fear not”. As with Eve in the Garden, he will tempt us with something that seems good but is really evil. It’s not something to fear but, if we give in, it will eventually cause fear. We must remember that God is with us…IF we have given our heart to Jesus, and He will be there to direct us in the right Path.

We are in a time right now that can cause fear. The direction in which our country could possible go is frightening. But God has a plan and we’ll be OK…IF we follow His plan. “Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.” (Isaiah 41:11). We must trust the promises of God.

As we travel the Path of Life, the Bible says God will be with us. He leads us, (Psalm 23:3), He directs us from behind, (Isaiah 30:21), He is on our left, (Isaiah 41:10b), He is on our right, (Isaiah 41:13), He is below us, (Psalm 18:2), He is above us, (Psalm 139:5), AND He is IN us, (1Corinthians 10:19). What have we to fear? Here’s a plan: Submit to God, resist the devil, put on the full Armor of God, declare “Greater is He that is in me, I am an over comer and more than a conqueror”, take the authority of Heaven and stand! I pray that the peace of God that passes understanding will be with us all in the coming times. Pray with me.