Should Advent be more about the 2nd coming than the 1st?

I had an interesting thought this morning as I read an article about advent on the Relevant Magazine website http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/19167-the-final-countdown. 

 

Should Christians get more excited during Advent and Christmas about the second coming of Christ than the First?  I mean, I love to think about the first coming of Christ, the Creator of the world becoming a baby, the messiah's birth, the first worship services, etc, but that is history.  As a follower of Christ, shouldn't my hope and life be more tied to the future than the past? I can learn from the past, but I'm living for the future.  So maybe I should focus more on the second coming than the first during Christmas.  I wonder how things would change if we started that shift?  I mean do we even have a time in the year that we really celebrate or think about the return of the Messiah?  Maybe that is something we should do all the time or the rest of the time, other than Christmas and Easter, but it doesn't seem like many Christians think or talk about it much.

In a society that is scheduled by the next holiday, I think it interesting that we Christians join in on so many pagan or national holidays so much more than the important events of the Church.  The biggest event of all is yet to come, maybe that is why we don't celebrate it, but is certainly something to get excited about (and ready for).

Every year I ask God to show me something new about Christmas, so this year I'm focusing on the Second Advent - waiting in expectation for the return of the Messiah and the start of a whole new time and society.  Of course this quickly reminds me that I need to share this hope and expectation with those who don't know or have it yet so that they will experience it too.    This Christmas may we share the love of our God, that came as a baby, died as our Savior, and will Return again as the King of the ages.

On a side note, my kids are really enjoying a lego advent calendar this year where one kids gets to open a little door each morning and gets a little lego person or thing.  It really helps count down the days till Christmas, just wish we could count down the days till the second coming.  I guess thats the beauty of it.  We don't know when so we need to think like it is today and/or in 100's of years.

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Oswald's Wisdom

Q:? What is the difference b/t "interfering in other people's lives" and being the hand and feet of Christ? After reading the following devo. from Oswald Chambers, i would love to hear your comments on the balance you find b/t interfering and serving others.

"Lord, what shall this man do? . . What is that to thee(you)? Follow thou Me." John 21:21,2

One of our severest lessons comes from the stubborn refusal to see that we must not interfere in other people's lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God's order for others.

You see a certain person suffering, and you say - He shall not suffer, and I will see that he does not. You put your hand straight in front of God's permissive will to prevent it, and God says - "What is that to thee(you)?" If there is stagnation(for you) spiritually, never allow it to go on, but get into God's presence and find out the reason for it. Possibly you will find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another; proposing things you had no right to propose; advising when you had no right to advise. When you do have to give advice to another, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit; your part is to be so rightly related to God that His discernment comes through you all the time for the blessing of another soul.

Most of us live on the borders of consciousness - consciously serving, consciously devoted to God. All this is immature, it is not the real life yet. The mature stage is the life of a child which is never conscious; we become so abandoned to God that the consciousness of being used never enters in. When we are consciously being used as broken bread and poured-out wine, there is another stage to be reached, where all consciousness of ourselves and of what God is doing through us is eliminated. A saint is never consciously a saint; a saint is consciously dependent on God.

What are your thoughts?

Cooperation

November! The Holidays Begin! I love this time of year. The weather is still warm enough to enjoy outdoor time while the wind blows in the anticipation of Winter.

For our virtue study this month November is the month of Cooperation. We will have ample opportunity to study and put this virtue into practice as we rake and move leaves, continue the various house projects and prepare and welcome friends and family for the Thanksgiving Holidays.

We are also pleased to announce that Matt has accepted a position at Liberty Cumberland Presbyterian Church, here in McMinnville, Tn. as Christian Education Associate.

How do You Celebrate Halloween?

B.B.4.B. is Barrel Burnings For Bibles

Recently in the news, a pastor and church advertised it was having an event on Halloween Night and Burning Bibles and other important Christian Lit. just b/c they didn't think it was "of God".
We here at MMerge Ministries were "inspired by God" to counteract this event by holding an alternative Halloween burning of all your extra, unneeded and unnecessary stuff, that is a hindrance to you and your walk with God. This could be anything and everything depending on how you look, read and interpret this....a magazine, movie, music, clothes, or simply some things that bother, hurt or haunt you that you want to write down and throw in the fire and put in the past...could even be character issues or habits you struggle with.

Who: YOU, Come to burn or to fellowship :)
Where: 138 Club Dr. Mc Minnville
When: Meal starts at 6pm
What: We'll burn all night if we have to!
Pinata for the kids! Costumes welcome or come as you are. This is a FREE event, no cost, no donations required. Donations or proceeds(if given) will go to translating and distributing bibles to those in lands/places that may have never received the Word of God in their language. This probably won't be in KJV so if you have an issue with that, buy a KJV and ship it!

We have personally attended these type of events a couple of times in our lives. It was an opportunity for us as we were growing spiritually to rid our lives of some junk that didn't need to be there. At one time i remember doing away with certain cds, books, movies, magazines, immodest or inappropriate clothing. At other times it was an opportunity to write down issues that were holding us back. Emotional, physical, mental or spiritual issues that we knew we were struggling with and needed victory over. We would write those down, anonymously, pray and claim victory over those and put the papers into the fire. Symbolic yet memorable ways to show and remember a time or commitment of getting rid of unhealthiness and growing toward a more Christ-like life.

However, we also want to take the time to celebrate, fellowship and have fun together on Sat. night. There will be Chili and dogs, drinks and goodies. Fun and games for the kids.

How Low Can You Go? Did you hear about the VMA's?

Every year MTV makes the news for something at the VMA's.  There is a great Youth Ministry site that reviews them and gives some good thoughts as it applies to Family, Youth, and society.  If you have kids they have heard about it already.  If you don't know what is going on, you need to.  Read the article and be willing and ready to engage with the upcoming generation.

http://www.thesource4ym.com/youthculturewindow/article.asp?id=93

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NASA - Hubble ERO Images

NASA - Hubble ERO Images

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Amazing pictures from Hubble

September: WISDOM, who doesn't need a little more of that!?!

A new month and that means a new virtue for us here at the Jackson house.

WISDOM: Finding out what YOU should do and DOING it.

"wisdom is learned and growing when you find out what you should do (with help from God others) AND act wisely too!" -J.J.

Our verse to memorize, copy, live, breath, succeed, fail at and discuss the month is:
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowlege him, and he will make your paths straight." Prov. 3:5-6
.....the memorization of this vs. for us will be easy, it's the rest that complicates things :)

Our prayer is that we are and you will be WISER and more FULL of WISDOM at the end of the month. The only way to try and succeed is PRACTICE, the keys: CONSISTENT PRACTICE and getting back up when we fail.

less wise than i wish i was,
Myra