What the World Needs Now

 

What the World Needs Now is Love 💗 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/what-the-world-needs-now-is-love/714828894?i=714829034

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone

Lord, we don't need another mountain
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross
Enough to last till the end of time

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone

Lord, we don't need another meadow
There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow
There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine
Oh listen, Lord, if you want to know

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone

No, not just for some, oh, but just for everyone

~ Lyrics by Hal David and music composed by Burt Bacharach 

Christ Candle

We light this candle with great joy and celebration, because Christ is born in Bethlehem.  God's Son has come into the world to be our Savior! 

When the apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthians about the joy and blessing of giving, he got so overwhelmed at the thought of all that God has given us in His Son, Jesus, that instead of trying to put it all in words, he just ended with, “Thank God for his Son—a Gift too wonderful for words!” Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift, the most wonderful gift that has ever been given—“God loved us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, so that we can have eternal life.” Jesus, the babe in the manger. Jesus, the Savior of the world, who brought the promise of unconditional love, unending hope, and eternal life to every person who believes in Him.

And the amazing thing is that not only are we able to receive this gift into our hearts, we are able to share Him with others every day of the year! This is what Christmas is all about.

 

Candle of Love

 God’s Love is seen everywhere!!!❤️

“We love because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19

“The Candle of Love is knowing that Jesus is the ultimate expression of the love of God.  We know what love is because Jesus shows it to us.”

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us 

and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, 

God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:10-12

Enjoying God

 

“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

where morning dawns, where evening fades,

you call forth songs of joy.”

Psalm 65:8

Our lives aren't always meant to be busy, productive, and fast-paced. Learn to slow down and enjoy the little things. God's beauty surrounds us everyday we just have to take the time to see it. What is it that gets you to slow down and enjoy the works of The Lord? Maybe you have a favorite place or spot you like to go, maybe it's the sound of the river or birds chirping, the smell of a fresh pot of coffee staring out your window at a gorgeous view, sitting on the porch swing with someone you love, seeing the progress of your flowers or crops as they grow, the still of the morning as you sit in your deer stand, or the the feeling you get sitting in church Sunday morning worshiping with a whole community of believers..whatever it is, take time from your busy life to fully enjoy all of the amazing things God has created and provided for you. God's purpose is not for us to live a hectic life where we are constantly busy and in a rush, sometimes He forces us do less, disconnect ourselves from the world, be in the present, slow down, focus on our inner-selves, and find pleasure in the little things.  He has designed a life for us to make time for Him and to relish in all that He has created. He delights in us slowing down to praise Him and all of the glorious wonders of His work. 

~ shadowraeshares.weebly.com

Candle of Joy

 “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This third week of Advent, let us remember that the good news of Jesus’ birth has the power to bring us great joy this Christmas season. Our joy isn’t dependent on what is going on in our life, in our world, or the people that we are with. It doesn’t depend on the gifts we give or the gifts we find under the tree. No earthly thing can ever give us complete joy. Our joy comes from you. That joy that flooded the hearts of the shepherds, the angels, the wise men, the hosts of heaven, and Mary and Joseph is the joy that still has the power to overwhelm our hearts with rejoicing. 

~ Christianity.com

God Is Always There

 

Psalm 46

It seems as if the world today is constantly changing. This might cause us to be filled with anxiety unless we remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Disturbing times should remind us we are only pilgrims on this earth. Our citizenship is in a heavenly kingdom that can never be shaken. 

The commotion of this current world is nothing unprecedented. I remember 1944 being a year of tremendous turmoil in our country because of World War II. Many people anxiously listened to the evening news, fearing the death of loved ones as battles in various locations were reported. 

When times are frightening and uncertain—whether personally, nationally, or globally—the place to find comfort and assurance is the Bible, especially the book of Psalms. Scripture helps us look at circumstances from God’s perspective. That reassures us of His love and care for us and lifts our eyes to a higher hope than anything this world can offer. 

We all want to find peace, and the first step is to cease striving (Psalm 46:10). Remember that the Lord is always with you, and know that His kingdom is coming.

~ intouch.org

Candle of Peace

The angels proclaimed “Peace on Earth” when the Baby Jesus was born. Today we wonder as we listen to the evening news, is peace possible? We all need two kinds of peace in our lives. We need inner peace, but we also need peace with others. God addresses both. He tells us what to do to find that peace.

INNER PEACE

Inner peace begins with a relationship with God, and it continues as we focus on His strength and allow Him to fill us. We can exchange our weakness for His strength in any area of life. God’s Word says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is focused on You because He trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

Personalize that verse with your own name in it: “God will keep me in perfect peace as my mind focuses on Him and trusts Him.” Inner peace hinges on your trust in God.

If inner peace is eluding you these days and anxiety is spilling over in your life, choose to trust God. You can choose to put your hand in His and draw from His patience and wisdom as you take each step. He will guide you through the maze of life if you ask Him. Choosing to trust God with those blind corners in your life will take you down the road to inner peace. Choosing not to trust Him will take you down the road to stress and worry. Inner peace is there for the choosing.

PEACE WITH OTHERS

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Peace with others begins as we understand that God has called us to be peacemakers in our world. Is there somewhere in your own world where you can be a peacemaker this Christmas? Is there an invitation that needs to be extended to smooth over a fractured family relationship? Is there an apology to be made or a silence to be broken that has stood as a barrier for too long? Don’t miss the blessing God promises in your life as you respond to His call to be a peacemaker in your own circle.

We can help bring peace to our world one heart at a time.

By Cheryl Rodgers

Candle of Hope

“May the God of Hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

The Advent season is a beautiful reminder to prepare our hearts as we prepare our homes — to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus! At the start of this week, we light the first of the four candles in the Advent wreath: the candle of Hope.

Is your heart filled with hope? Do you have a confident expectation of your tomorrow? What happens when the road ahead is filled with loss and stress weighs your shoulders down? When confident expectation for tomorrow dwindles, what can you do? How can you walk in hope when you feel hopeless inside?

In one word, the answer to confident expectation is “JESUS" — the Jesus of Christmas.

Hope in Jesus comes from more than just a belief that He was once a baby in a manger. This hope in Him has been called “an anchor for the soul.” It is something deep within that secures you through the storms of life.

~ thelife.com