Merry Christmas Friend!
As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries.
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Hope ~~ "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'" Lamentations 3:21-24
"Have you ever said, "I hope we win our game tonight," or "I hope the teacher doesn't give us homework over the weekend"? When we use the word HOPE, we are usually talking about something we really want to happen, but are not sure will happen. The Bible uses the word hope in a different way. In the Bible, our hope is in something that has not happened but that we know for sure will happen because God says so. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, God promises that he will never stop loving us and being kind to us. We can share our hope with others by showing God's love and kindness in the things we do and say.
[This] verse comes from the book of Lamentations. Jeremiah wrote this very sad book after he saw his city, Jerusalem, destroyed because the people who lived there did not obey God. In fact, the word Lamentations means "tears." But even in his sadness, Jeremiah found hope in God's promises to send a redeemer to restore Jeremiah's city and to save his people from their sins. We can trust in God's promises too! We know he always loves us and is kind to us and that he sent his son, Jesus--the redeemer Jeremiah was waiting for--to save us from our sins and offer us eternal life. This is our great hope!
[As we celebrate Christmas], we can share this hope with our families, friends, and classmates by showing them God's love and kindness. Let them know that no matter how bad their troubles are, God loves them... and so do you. Think of someone this week who is sad or in need. Find a way that you can show them God's hope this week.
Can you think of a time when someone showed you God's love and kindness? How did that remind you of the hope we have in the Lord?"
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Much love,
Merry Christmas Friend!
As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries.
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Peace ~~ "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7
"Have you ever heard somebody say "Be part of the solution, not part of the problem"? What they meant was that you should find a way to make things better for people, by being a peacemaker. When someone has peace, it means they don't have anything to worry about or be afraid of. As followers of Jesus, we should always look for ways to help people be at peace, just as Jesus did for us. But how exactly did Jesus bring peace into the world?
When Adam and Eve were created by God in the Garden of Eden, they were friends with God. But then they disobeyed and their sin separated them from God. It made them--and us, because we are related to them--God's enemies. There is nothing we can do on our own to be at peace with God. But there was something God could do, and he did it. He sent his Son, Jesus, so we could one again be at peace with god. In the verse above, Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would come to earth as a baby, grew up, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again to give us life and peace forever.
Christmas is the celebration of when Jesus came to earth as a baby. But not everyone feels peaceful during the holidays. Life can be busy and stressful, families can fight, and people can be lonely. Look for ways you can be a peacemaker this Advent season. If you have any friends or family members who haven't trusted Jesus, tell them about how he came to earth to bring peace between us and God. You can also find ways to make things easier, less worrisome, or less lonely for people in need.
What is the one thing that you are worried about or afraid of? How can other members of the family help you be at peace?"
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Much love,
Merry Christmas Friend!
As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries.
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Joy ~~ "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is not law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit," Galatians 5:22-25
"During the Christmas season, we often hear "Joy to the World, the Lord has come..." But what exactly is the joy of Christmas all about? Many people confuse joy and happiness. Happiness is often based on your circumstances--like whether you win your game, get an A on your test, or finally get that present you've been wanting. But joy is a deeper emotion, one that lasts through good times and bad. It comes from seeing God at work in the world.
Sometimes joy makes your heart feel like it wants to explode with hope and excitement about something to come. Other times it's a strong sense of peace, like everything is just as it should be. During Christmas, we remember with joy the gift of Jesus, we enjoy his blessings now, and we delight in the promise of his coming again.
Galatians 5:22-25 tells us that joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. This means that God is the source of the joy, but the Holy Spirit helps us to see it, practice it, and give it away. The Spirit draws our attention to beautiful things and helps us remember God's faithfulness in the stories of the Bible and in our lives. When we are "in step with the Spirit," we can be joyful in all circumstances.
The Spirit also helps us see people who are in need of god's joy, so that we can share it with them. When we are filled with joy, we know how to give it away. Christmas is a perfect time to remind others of good times and stories of God's faithfulness. We can show them examples of God's goodness and beauty all around us. We can share God's promises from the Bible and we can also bring joy to others doing simple acts of kindness and service. What a joy to share God's good gifts!
Have you ever made a special gift for someone? How does this experience remind you of the gifts God has already given you? How can you share this joy with others?"
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Much love,
Merry Christmas Friend!
As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries.
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Love ~~ "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Isaiah 9:6-7
"Please usually think of love as a feeling. Did you ever think of love as an action? Well, God's love is active!
In John 13, Jesus told his disciples that he would soon be going into heaven and that they would have to wait for him to return. But Jesus gave his followers something to practice while they waited: loving one another with the same love that he had shown them. Jesus' love is self-sacrificing love that puts others' needs first. It's not just a feeling; it's a love that acts! It touches people, heals them, feeds them, comforts them, cries with them, washes their feet, and even dies for them. That is a difficult kind of love! The Holy Spirit gives you this kind of active love as one of the "Fruits of the Spirit." Sharing that gift shows people that you are followers of Jesus.
Advent has been a time of waiting. But while you waited, you loved others by sharing your gifts of kindness. You practiced the job Jesus gave to his disciples: to love one another!
Jesus loved people that were outcasts in his society. He touched those that others forgot or looked down on. Who does our society forget or ignore? How can you show them the active love of God?"
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Much love,
Happy Writing!
