12/13 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
16 Always be joyful. 17 Keep on praying. 18 No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Keep away from every kind of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this.
JOYFUL
Life can get us down but the Lord restores our joy. He gives us the right to live our life in victory. We belong to Him and He will never let us down.

12/12 Psalm 126:1-6
1 A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. When the LORD restored his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! 2 We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the LORD has done for them.” 3 Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy! 4 Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
AMAZING
Our Lord is amazing. He is active in our life helping us. He knows what we will face each day and He goes ahead of us so that when we meet that next challenge He has already been there and declared victory in our life. Sing for joy today for we have an amazing Lord.

12/11 Zephaniah 3:14-20 (Advent Week 3)
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will fear disaster no more. 16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! 17 For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.” 18 “I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more. 19 And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and renown to my former exiles, who have been mocked and shamed. 20 On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction among all the nations of the earth. They will praise you as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
READY
I am ready to see the Lord. I am willing to serve the Lord. My prayers are prayers of gratitude for what the Lord has done for me.

12/10 Psalm 71:13-24
13 Bring disgrace and destruction on those who accuse me. May humiliation and shame cover those who want to harm me. 14 But I will keep on hoping for you to help me; I will praise you more and more. 15 I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, for I am overwhelmed by how much you have done for me. 16 I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign LORD. I will tell everyone that you alone are just and good. 17 O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I have constantly told others about the wonderful things you do. 18 Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. 19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? 20 You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. 21 You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again. 22 Then I will praise you with music on the harp, because you are faithful to your promises, O God. I will sing for you with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have redeemed me. 24 I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.
HOPE
Hope leads to actions. We are to proclaim our faith. Celebrate His love for us. Express our confidence in Him. Jesus is alive and He is alive in us.

12/09 Psalm 71:1-12
1 O LORD, you are my refuge; never let me be disgraced. 2 Rescue me! Save me from my enemies, for you are just. Turn your ear to listen and set me free. 3 Be to me a protecting rock of safety, where I am always welcome. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors. 5 O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O LORD, from childhood. 6 Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! 7 My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. 8 That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long. 9 And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing. 10 For my enemies are whispering against me. They are plotting together to kill me. 11 They say, “God has abandoned him. Let’s go and get him, for there is no one to help him now.” 12 O God, don’t stay away. My God, please hurry to help me.
HOPE
Hope isn’t something that is just wished for. Hope knows that God is there and that He will do what He says. He is our strength. He is our protection. Praise the Lord Jesus is alive.

12/08 Psalm 39:1-13
1 For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David. I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will curb my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” 2 But as I stood there in silence — not even speaking of good things — the turmoil within me grew to the bursting point. 3 My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words: 4 “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. 5 My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.” Interlude 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend. 7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. 8 Rescue me from my rebellion, for even fools mock me when I rebel. 9 I am silent before you; I won’t say a word. For my punishment is from you. 10 Please, don’t punish me anymore! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand. 11 When you discipline people for their sins, their lives can be crushed like the life of a moth. Human existence is as frail as breath. Interlude 12 Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest — a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. 13 Spare me so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more.
TIME
Time is an illusion. It tells we have plenty. It whispers in our ear we have none. Have faith in Jesus. The Lord will guide you in what you are to do. Trust in the Lord and He will equip you to accomplish the things that will give honor and praise to Him.

12/07 Mark 1:1-8
1 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. 2 In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God said, “Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way. 3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare a pathway for the Lord’s coming! Make a straight road for him!’ ” 4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced: “Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am — so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
JESUS
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior we can live today with the sure knowledge that Jesus is coming back. Just as He came 2,000 years ago we can live with confidence that He hasn’t forgotten about our situation. We pray Lord that you will be with us and encourage us this day.

12/06 2 Peter 3:8-14
8 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 12 You should look forward to that day and hurry it along — the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God.
HOPE
Hope that the Lord will come back today. Hope that we will be faithful. We can live each day with confidence for we have great Hope in the Lord.

12/05 Psalm 85:1-13
1 For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land! You have restored the fortunes of Israel. 2 You have forgiven the guilt of your people — yes, you have covered all their sins. Interlude 3 You have withdrawn your fury. You have ended your blazing anger. 4 Now turn to us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us. 5 Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations? 6 Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. 8 I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones. But let them not return to their foolish ways. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him; our land will be filled with his glory. 10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! 11 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven. 12 Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful crops. 13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.
HOPE
Hope in Jesus for He is our salvation. Hope in Jesus for we are walking a straight line to be with Him. Hope in Jesus that we will submit our life to Him and live our life by His guidance. Hope in the Lord.

12/04 Isaiah 40:1-11 (Advent Week 2)
1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and that her sins are pardoned. Yes, the LORD has punished her in full for all her sins.” 3 Listen! I hear the voice of someone shouting, “Make a highway for the LORD through the wilderness. Make a straight, smooth road through the desert for our God. 4 Fill the valleys and level the hills. Straighten out the curves and smooth off the rough spots. 5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has spoken!” 6 A voice said, “Shout!”I asked, “What should I shout?””Shout that people are like the grass that dies away. Their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of flowers in a field. 7 The grass withers, and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. 8 The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” 9 Messenger of good news, shout to Zion from the mountaintops! Shout louder to Jerusalem — do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” 10 Yes, the Sovereign LORD is coming in all his glorious power. He will rule with awesome strength. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
JESUS
Jesus makes the difference. He was God in the flesh and He came that we might have life. He lived a perfect life and willingly died for you and me. Jesus is God’s everything.