Rejoice
in

the Lord:

Bishop T.D. Jakes - Give Thanks

Grace and peace to you!

Advent is a season to reflect, remember and anticipate. During this time, we remember the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We anticipate the time when He will come again. And, we reflect on the meaning of His coming, past and future, in our lives.

The Advent Calendar begins four Sundays before Christmas, which falls on November 30 this year. Each week, we explore a different aspect of our Messiah's character-Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I pray that you will use this devotional guide to help you reflect and to draw nearer to God during this season when so many distractions vie for our attention. Each day is divided into seven segments. You will be given a song, a Scripture passage, and a reflective thought within each devotion. The rest comes from your own prayerful reflection and the Holy Spirit.

You may complete this time in 10 minutes or an hour-it's up to you! On the next page, you will find a summary of what each segment means and intends to accomplish. If you have further questions, feel free to contact me directly.

In Christ,

Min. Cheryl

Reach for the goal to win the prize:

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Remove the garbage:

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Reflect:

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Renew your Spirit: Ephesians 1:16-23

Respond:

Take a moment to note what God has now revealed to you.

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Rest in God's love: My eyes have light.

Rejoice in the Lord:

Begin your devotional time in prayer and worship. Say a prayer to ask the Holy Spirit to enter your heart and mind with insight and revelation. You will be given a song, but if God puts another song on your heart, feel free to move in the Spirit!

Reach for the goal to win the prize:

Before moving on, note what you want or need God to do in your life. This might be to deepen your relationship with God, a new job, restored relationships or to develop more generosity or patience. Whatever you're looking for from God or with God, record it here. We know, of course, that the Lord is the ultimate prize!

Remove the garbage:

We can be so distracted in our busy lives that it's important to remember that God should be our priority every day. Setting aside time to do this devotional is a step in the right direction, but we also need to confess what keeps us from reaching that goal we just named above. List that here. It may be as short as one word or as long as a paragraph.

Reflect:

Take a moment to note what God has already revealed to you.

Renew your Spirit:

You will be given a Scripture passage for further reflection.

Respond:

Take a moment to note what God has now revealed to you.

Rest in God's love:

You will be given a reflective thought to end your devotional time. There is also space available to record a reassurance of God's Love that you have heard in your devotional time.

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