The Advent season always begins on Advent Sunday, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas day. In 2021 Advent began on Sunday, November 28, and ends on Friday, December 24.
Advent is a reminder today of how Christians wait for the second coming of Christ. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “arrival” or “coming”.
Advent marks the start of a season of preparation — with feelings of expectation and hope—that looks forward to the celebration of Christmas (Christ’s birth) and the second coming of Christ (in the future).
It is a time of reflection in preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ—we remember how our Savior humbled Himself to be born as a baby, lived the perfect life on earth, and then sacrificially died on the cross and paid the penalty in order to save all who would believe. He was raised from the dead three days later, and promised to return again one day and restore everything fully.
Jesus is the fulfillment of Scripture. He is the Word. He is the Light. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And the whole message of Christmas is wrapped up in Him, God’s greatest gift, who came as a tiny baby, with one powerful purpose—to save a lost world.
The themes for the Four Advent Sundays fall into these categories:
Week 1: Hope (or promise)
Week 2: Preparation (or waiting or prophecy)
Week 3: Joy (or peace)
Week 4: Love (or adoration)
The themes do not have to follow this order; they can be mixed and matched to observe the Advent reasons that are the most meaningful for you and your family. Their main purpose is to unite Christians in their hearts as they go through the season and worship Jesus. There is no right or wrong way to observe Advent…just come to God with a sincere and open heart.
Below are some prayer requests to pray for during Advent (and throughout the year)…
Pray to be aware of what truly matters, without being distracted by trivial things.
Pray and ask for opportunities to learn something new and helpful on a regular basis.
Pray and ask for God’s discernment on how to set your priorities in life and how to consistently focus on them to fulfill His purposes for your life.
Pray for grace to be able to rest and become aware of God’s presence, and enjoy it!
Pray for strong ties with others that support one another in a bond of love.
Pray for the ability fo contribute to the world in creative ways.
Pray for peace and the passion to purse justice.
8. Ask for freedom from past mistakes, fears, bad habits, hurts you have caused, and more.
9. Pray for joy and a sense of humor.
10. Thank God for His love for you, and trust in Him to guide you in the way you should go.
11. Thank God for giving His grace in your life and the humility to extend it to others.
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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, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 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! Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:1-4 ESV
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises. Tell everyone about His wonderful deeds. Exult in His holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.” Psalm 105:1-4 NLT
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I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.
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