Advent | Joy | Day 6

JoyJesus came so we could have the gift of His presence.Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.     They will enter Jerusalem singing,     crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear,     and they will be filled with joy and gladness. Isaiah 35:10 Much like the dark and bleak days when the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words, this year …

Advent | Joy | Day 5

JoyJesus came so we could have the gift of His presence.Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Philippians 4:4 Written from the dark corners of a damp prison cell, the apostle Paul cried out to the believer to continue rejoicing regardless of circumstances. When Paul penned these words there were no sparkling Christmas lights; the music …

Advent | Joy | Day 4

JoyJesus came so we could have the gift of His presence.That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news …

Advent | Joy | Day 3

JoyJesus came so we could have the gift of His presence.At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord …