[EZMONEY]

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,
so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.

Romans 15:4



God is Faithful



Well, here we go again – Christmas is just around the corner!
We have gifts to buy, friends and family get together’s to plan, projects to finish, cookies to bake,
houses and trees to decorate, whew….have we forgotten anything?



Before we get too caught up in our preparations for the season, let us take a moment to remember that in the midst of seeming chaos – God is Faithful and has a plan.



We celebrated the first Sunday in Advent this weekend, the beginning of the new Church Year,
it is a time to reflect, a time when we remember that:



Christ became human to take our sins upon Himself and save us.



Christ continues to come to us daily in Word and sacrament strengthening us for life and service



Christ will come again at the end of time to take us home.






While our lives may at times seem like Ziggy's, full of unexpected twists and turns, we can remember that God is Faithful and keeps His promises.

See cartoon below........

We read the Old Testament and see God’s promise to His people, and how He, in the New Testament fulfilled it in Christ, and we know with certainty that He will keep His promise to us today.



Christ became human to take our sins upon Himself for our salvation. And we stay in that salvation through His Word and Sacrament. How much easier can it be...He provides for our salvation, and He provides a way to keep us steadfast in the faith. He does it all!



In the scripture we have a clear example of how God keeps us steadfast in the faith through His Word, which gives us hope. Once again, hope is not something we have to muster ourselves, He gives it to us.




God is God of hope – our certainty of salvation in Christ. It is not just optimism, but is based on history:



Hope is certain assurance of salvation because of what God did for us in Christ.



Live life this Christmas season in the certainty of salvation!
Be accepting and forgiving of others, bring praises to God, and enjoy God’s peace and security in the midst of turmoil, as we remember that God has indeed kept His promises!
We have forgiveness, life and salvation!



We pray: Lord – we praise You for fulfilling the words of the prophets of old, coming to our world, and bringing us to salvation. Since you have kept your holy word, help us to always trust it. Strengthen, guide, and comfort us through that Word, as we face a multitude of distractions during this season.



Amen

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

HAHA ~ I think that cartoon is my life story; my mother would so laugh at that ... she called me 'Calamity Jane' and I said, 'Gee, I used to think that trouble followed me around; but now I think it is there just waiting for me to arrive!' Yes, 'tis truth ... Expect the Unexpected -- all the time, and life won't seem to side-swipe us so much, in the future!

I was just trying to comfort a lady on another site tonight who has had multiple cancers, tumors, surgeries, and so on; she was distraught, but I told her the same thing as this message says. That GOD's Word is sound; He loves us, He cares about us, He's with us and helping us through all these trials and pain (and turmoils). Plus advised her to TRUST HIM, and He will carry her through it all!

We praise Him for what He has created for us, done for us, endured for us, and given us, in this life and for the next one: HE IS OUR ETERNAL HOPE ... now and forever! And, the Christmas Season should remind us of that every year: that JESUS CHRIST came to give us Peace, and Hope, and Joy again! Hallelujah!