Luke 1:46-47 ESV "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior"
November 30th Fawn Taylor on Hope & Promise
December 7th Bethany Moore on Preparation & Waiting
December 14th Cana Moore on Joy & Peace. 
December 21st Holly Hamby on Love & Adoration.

Isaiah 9:2 "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned."
John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' "

1. God planned Jesus' arrival at the beginning of our fall in the garden of Eden long before Jesus appeared.  What does this tell you about God? 
2. How does Jesus' light in our world give us hope?
3. In what ways can we allow Jesus' light to shine through us?

read Isaiah 9:2-7 & Matthew 1:21, John 11:25, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Matthew 2:2 & John 1:9

Preparation & Waiting

Isaiah 40:3 Prepare the way for the Lord.
John 1:4-5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

1. God sent prophets & John the Baptist to prepare our hearts for the coming Messiah.  What does this tell you about God?
2. Have you experienced a time of waiting or anticipation in which what followed was so much greater than you could have imagined?
   
3. How has God surprised you in the way your prayers have been answered?
   

read Isaiah 40-3-5,  John 14:6, Revelation 5:5, John 6:69 & 1 Timothy 6:15-16

King Jesus brings joy

in the midst.

Are you in the midst of uncertainty, unrest, upheaval, turmoil, trouble, sorrow or pain.
Whatever you are in the midst of, know that the coming of King Jesus brings joy.

Luke 2:10 I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Matthew 2:10-11a When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him"

Read Luke 2:1-7

1. When Jesus was born, God sent angels to announce HIS birth and also a star to celebrate. The wise men saw the star and traveled a great distance to find and worship Jesus.  What do these acts tell you about God?
   
2. How does the birth of Jesus bring you joy?
   
3. How will you share the joy of Christmas?  How will you bless others this season?
   

Luke 1:39-45 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

other scriptures you may want to read this week.
Hebrews 4:14
Hebrews 12:2
John 15:1-5
Galatians 5:22-25

Love & Adoration

Our final week of Advent.
Love & Adoration came down in a baby king of humble birth because our Lord loved us to much to abandon HIS creation.
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Scriptures you may want to look at this week.
Matthew 1:23, Mark 10:45, Philippians 2:5-11, John 1:29 & Isaiah 53

Quote from "Unwrapping the Names of Jesus" by Asheritah Ciuciu
"Jesus birth and life physcially manifest a spiritual reality: God wants to be with His people. He created humans with this relationship in mind, breathing His own life into us, creating us in His own image, and placing within us sould so we may commune with Him."

I pray that this Advent season and devotionals have been a blessing to you!

Merry Christmas.

May King Jesus richly bless you
and may you be a blessing to others to the glory of our Lord.

Darrin Ruddy Campus Minister