Joy Unspeakable

It's been a long time.

Needless to say, December was filled with much-expected excitement and busyness.  Not to mention all the preparation for Christmas and dear friends, gift-making and gift-wrapping, days of chilly weather, surprises, wishes and dreams come true, fun and frolic, laughter and loudness, peace and prosperity, the coming and going of Advent, decorating the Christmas tree, opening presents, fellowship and scrumptious foods, endless chatter and conversation, amusement, sport, entertainment, Scripture readings, family devotions, baking, learning and education, songs and hymns and spiritual songs, Christmas gaiety, Christmas carols, joyful hellos, bittersweet goodbyes, tears and happiness, and boundless amounts of delight in every way.

 

Just to give you a taste...

 Amy and I

 Grin, Ben!

 Fun with the camera

 All girls

 Bestest of friends!

 Loveliness

 Now THAT is what I call a shield...

 Beautiful Mama

 Little Bit

 Friends for a lifetime

 Friends since birth =)

 The "chaperone" ;)

 Whee!

Joy unspeakable.  Joy is much greater than earthly and whimsical happiness.  While happiness is based upon emotions, and thus the fulfillment of temporal enjoyment, joy is eternal and unending.  Happiness fades when troubles and trials enter the picture, but joy is ever still hopeful of the future and will remain whatever the circumstance.  I want more than just happiness; I want joy.

Joy can only be found in Christ.

"Thou wilt show me the path of life:
In Thy presence is fulness of joy;
At Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
~Psalm 16:11

"For His anger endureth but a moment;
In His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night,
But joy cometh in the morning." ~Psalm 30:5

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them;
And Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:
For I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts."
~Jeremiah 15:16

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
But righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
~Romans 14:17

I don't know why this is the case, but many times we are inclined to be sort of pessimistic. Okay, full and in fact, very pessimistic.  Joy, even for Christians, is hard to attain.  Perhaps it is our human nature, perhaps it is our sin which so easily besets us, or maybe we don't think God will  keep His promises.

Now that one is a shocker.

It is easy to think that joy was possible for the martyrs who suffered starvation, persecution, torture, and even death for the cause of Christ, but joy, possible for mundane daily life? No way!  Joy, possible for waiting and preparing?  Joy, possible when things don't go our way?  Joy, possible to have during moments of gloominess and despair and sin?  Joy, possible to keep when our simple insignificant lives seem to be falling apart?  Joy, possible in the midst of a confusing, chaotic "love life"?  Joy, possible in chores and cleaning and studying and learning and tutoring and obeying?  Surely not.  Most emphatically not.  We see joy possible in the big things, but definitely not the little things that make up our own lives.

Nevertheless, the correct answer would be YES!  Most definitely yes.  Joy is possible in all the little things that seem to be so big.  Believe me, it is hard, but I would really love to know who ever said life was going to be easy?  In fact, it is even harder for the Christian striving to be more like Christ each day, fighting against the despicable sin nature that so wants to win. 

The most amazing thing is that victory is possible, though only through Christ (Phil. 4:13).  Our joy can be unspeakable, and very full of glory.

Only the glory of Christ.  As in everything, our joy is to bring Him glory, praise, and honor.  Our chief end ought to be our life's ultimate goal: to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.  New Year's resolutions usually end in laziness or lack of appeal (I'm sure you have found that out by now), but our number one aim should always be the same.  Have joy, and glorify God.  What else is there?

Gloria in Excelsis Deo

"O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength: Lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God.  Behold, the Lord God will come with power, and His arm shall rule for Him: Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.  He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall guide them with young."  -Isaiah 40:9-11

"For unto us a child is born, and unto us a Son is given:And the government is upon His shoulder, and He shall call His name, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The prince of peace.  The increase of His government and peace shall have none end: He shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to stablish it with judgment, and with justice, from henceforth, even forever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."  -Isaiah 9:6-7

Confessional Creed (Nicene Creed)

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.  I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

What Advent Is

Ok, here is the promised explanation of Advent.

First of all, what does Advent mean?  Simply defined it means "coming."  Celebrating Advent is celebrating the coming of Jesus Christ.  Yes, He already came one to this earth, the time when He was born as a baby, lived as a man, (but was still God) was crucified, buried, then rose the third day.  But one day He will come again - His second coming - when He will destroy all wickedness, judge the whole earth, and when "the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15)  No one knows when that day will come - only He does.

To make one thing very clear, Advent is not some religious ritual or ceremony that is supposed to find favor in God's sight or make Him look down upon us with praise.  No, it is counting down the days until Christmas. 

There are five candles:  Four are for the proceeding weeks, then the last one (the middle) is to be lighted on Christmas day.  Although, each candle does have a meaning.  As I have already posted, last week was Hope.

Of course, in all this there is a lot more than I can explain. (You could always Google Advent.  What are computers for?)  I just wanted to give a little bit of an explanation.

Advent is to be celebrated with joy.  It is not something to mourn or fast about. (Leave that to the Catholics.)   Instead, we are to rejoice in Christ's first coming, which has already happened, and look forward to His second coming that will come one day.  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men!" 

First Sunday of Advent: Hope

"Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God.  Speak ye comfortably to (to the heart) Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.  The Voice said, Cry.  And he said, What shall I cry?  All flesh is grass, and the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up,be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!  Behold,the LORD God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, his reward is with Him, and His work before Him.  He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."   - Isaiah 40:1-11