Entering into this Christmas season with FAITH and TRUTH

As we enter this holiday season, we taken in all of the beautiful sights, smells and sounds and it is hard not to get lost in the feeling of it all, but we must remember that the story of this Christ child was not born of feelings but of faith and truth. We by faith and by truth know that this child, born in Bethlehem, is our Savior, the One who came to reconcile our debt of sin, in order that we might have eternal life after earthly death.

From my reading this morning: “A person is saved by trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross, and not by bodily sensations and religious ecstasy. But you will say, “What about feeling? Is there no place in saving faith for feeling?” Certainly, there is room for feeling in saving faith. But we are not saved by it. Whatever feeling there may be is the result of saving faith, but feeling never saved a single soul. Love is feeling. Joy is feeling. Inward peace is feeling. Love for others is a feeling. Concern for the lost is a feeling. But these feelings are not conversion. The one experience that you can look for and expect is the experience of believing in Christ.”-Billy Graham

🚂 Don’t let your feelings be your engine or they will derail you, run your track with faith and truth and you will see that when you “think you can’t”, you actually can!🚂

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Advent

Advent: the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

Yesterday we began Day 1 of Advent. We were given a beautiful advent book called Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp. The book begins with the stump of Jesus’ family, the Jesse family tree. As we begin to see a sprig of hope grow from this tangled mess of a family, our anticipation grows awaiting the birth of our Savior.

“Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot- yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root…In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.” Isaiah 11:1,10

I would encourage you to begin this journey with us as advent continues. Along with this beautiful book, Ann provides free downloads or purchases of the ornaments that correspond with the book at http://www.incourage.me or http://www.annvoskamp.com.

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp