happy advent ...week 1 (or 3 )

this is the first sunday of traditional advent!    the first candle is lit today...it is known as the HOPE candle or the PROPHET candle.

hope that the light is coming into our darkness!
hope that God is in control and has the future in hand
hope of things already and not yet
hope that all things will be made new
hope in a babe born in a manger who is the ONE true king.

Isaiah 9

Hope in the Messiah

 1 [a]Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
 2 [b] The people who walk in darkness
      will see a great light.
   For those who live in a land of deep darkness,[c]
      a light will shine.
 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
      and its people will rejoice.
   They will rejoice before you
      as people rejoice at the harvest
      and like warriors dividing the plunder.
 4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
      and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
   You will break the oppressor’s rod,
      just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
 5 The boots of the warrior
      and the uniforms bloodstained by war
   will all be burned.
      They will be fuel for the fire.

 6 For a child is born to us,
      a son is given to us.
   The government will rest on his shoulders.
      And he will be called:
   Wonderful Counselor,[d] Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 7 His government and its peace
      will never end.
   He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
      for all eternity.
   The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
      will make this happen!

this week...consider the ways you can bring hope to your little piece of the world.
                  pray for areas and people in your/our  world that need the hope of jesus today.
 take some time to read through the words of the prophets that reveal the coming of king jesus!