STRENGTH in ADVENT - 3 JOY

According to some Advent plans, I am changing the order of the themes but because of this recent week and weeks leading up to this past week (maybe even this past year or so, for many of us), I really need(ed) some JOY! I also probably need STRENGTH (& maybe some comfort to!) For me, JOY seems to go better with comfort, yet there is no denying the truth of Nehemiah 8:10 that "the JOY of the Lord is my (your) STRENGTH!" Yes! I seemed to be so lacking that I even began a You Version Bible Reading plan "Joy and Strength..." I had it saved but decided now was the time, and I could not delay doing this any longer. I needed the Lord's STRENGTH and a bit of JOY certainly would help. I had done another one earlier in the year of Joy & Strength by Candace Cameron Bure but this one was more specific. Of course, Bible (dot) com has others available on this theme like the thirty day one by Oswald Chambers, who states the following

"Joy means the perfect fulfillment of that for which I was created and regenerated, not the successful doing of a thing. The joy our Lord had lay in doing what the Father sent Him to do. We all have to find our niche in life and spiritually we find it when we receive our ministry from the Lord."... Joy-Strength in the Lord

God’s strength is joyful strength

"Joy and strength go together like flame and heat. When we’re joyful we’re strong, but when we lose our joy we lose strength. I try to keep an enthusiastic spirit because, like an old book once said, “Enthusiasm makes the difference.” Robert J. Morgan

In Nehemiah 8:10, "the Bible describes divine JOY as a sort of internal generator activated by the Holy Spirit to produce all the energy and STRENGTH we need for a happy and holy life. The JOY of the Lord gives us vim, vigor, vitality, and endurance. When God pumps His endless supply of JOY into our systems, we find zest and zeal for whatever life brings." writes Robert J. Morgan, "There is an essential and undeniable relationship between JOY and STRENGTH." Nehemiah prayed fervently for God's STRENGTH. "God imparts His STRENGTH through JOY."

There are Bible verse on STRENGTH & then verses on JOY, but together like this one from Nehemiah is not easily found, as were my previous verses shared and you'll notice even in the list I've compiled. These following verses are from the Amplified Version.

 

Psalm 81:1 Sing aloud to God our strength; Shout for joy to the God of Jacob (Israel). 1 Chronicles 16:27 Splendor and majesty are [found] in His presence;   Strength and joy are [found] in His place (sanctuary). Ezekiel 24:25 ‘As for you, son of man, on the day when I take their strength and their stronghold from them, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes and their heart’s [chief] delight (the temple), and I also take their sons and their daughters, ... Romans 5:3 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; Romans 12:12 constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises. Philippians 2:13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Psalm21:1 O LORD the king will delight in Your strength, And in Your salvation how greatly will he rejoice! Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him. Psalms 59:16 But as for me, I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; Yes, I will sing joyfully of Your lovingkindness in the morning; For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress. 1 Samuel 2:1 Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices and triumphs in the Lord; My horn (strength) is lifted up in the Lord, My mouth has opened wide [to speak boldly] against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. Colossians 1:11  [we pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy;

Suggested Reading:Isaiah 35:1-6

So far in Advent, according to Robert J. Morgan's book, "The Strength You Need", we have seen: 

God’s Strength is Renewed Strength 

God’s Strength is Tranquil Strength

God’s Strength is Durable Strength

- and the one for this week: JOYFUL STRENGTH 

I saved this prayer from my emails of "Your Daily Prayer" (iBelieve/Crosswalk)

Father,

Praise You for these lessons on strength and joy, and for Paul’s faithful life witness left behind for us to learn from. Father, You command us to be joyful always, but You do not expect us to be able to figure out how to attain or retain that joy ourselves.

You gave Your Son Jesus to light the way a joy-filled life. Through His earthly footsteps, we study the example He left for us to follow. Thank You for Scripture. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

All of creation reminds us of You. The beauty of nature and marvel of the changing seasons. The uniqueness in all of us and the diversity in the daily horizon. Surround us with reminders of You often, through nature, the people you place in our lives, and the Bible. May the Holy Spirit help us to understand Your Word, and will for our lives. Bless our hearts with sustaining joy, and the strength to hold onto it no matter what.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Meg Bucher)

The tradition for the 3rd Sunday in Advent includes lighting a third sometimes pink candle that is a symbol of joy. This third Sunday of Advent we read, pray, and reflect on the joy that God’s plan gives us (foretold by the prophets and fulfilled by the life and death of Christ), and we meditate on the promise of Christ’s coming glory-filled return. Traditionally, the 3rd Sunday's called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for rejoice, and this Sunday is the time for us to rejoice because Jesus came and died so that we may live forever with Him! 

On this 3rd Sunday we light the Candle of JOY

at least I am hoping for more JOY in this season for you & me

(and some very special people, who are dealing with loss of a loved one)

HOPE & JOY

for our future as believers when we are reunited

COMFORT & JOY

Philemon 1:7 (AMP)

For I have had great joy and comfort and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints (God’s people) have been refreshed through you

STRENGTH in JOY!

in

Christ Jesus

STRENGTH in ADVENT - 2 PEACE

The images above from Robert J. Morgan are two more of the 12 strategies of STRENGTH
andalthough they do not speak directly on PEACE, I have chosen themplus the unrelated verse image below fromPsalm 4:8

as we light the 2nd candle of Advent PEACE(some of you may be doing a different theme this week){I am staying with the sequence of the one I linked the 1st week}
STRENGTH in PEACE
PEACE in STRENGTH
I believe in these days we need both strongly more & more each day

"Verses about Peace and Strength"  1. Judges 5:31 “So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years. NIV 2. 2 Chronicles 16:9 The LORD is constantly watching everyone, and He gives strength to those who faithfully obey Him. But you have done a foolish thing, and your kingdom will never be at peace again. 3. Daniel 10:19 He said, “O man, highly regarded greatly beloved, do not be afraid. Peace be to you; take courage and be strong.” Now when he had spoken to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for You have strengthened me.” AMP 4. Psalms 29:11 The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses His people with peace. NIV 5. Psalms 26:7 The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. 6.  Isaiah 27:5 “Or let him (Israel) cling to My strength and rely on My protection [My stronghold], Let him make peace with Me, Let him make peace with Me.” 7.  Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. NIV 8. Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 9. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! NLT 10. Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, Nor will My covenant of peace be shaken,” Says the LORD who has compassion on you. 11. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 12. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” NKJV 13. Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Lord, would You bring Your strength and peace to Your people! Would Your presence be felt by all who seek You in a powerful way in this Advent season. Turn the hearts of mankind towards You. We pray that the lost turn to You and find an unshakable peace that nothing else in this world can offer. Amen.

Here are 47 VERSES about Peace & Strength (some are above)

AND THE ABOVE IMAGES ALSO
Isaiah 30:15
Habakkuk 3:19
Psalm 4:8


I chose Habakkuk 3:19 because I know first hand that seeing the deer outside my home brings me much PEACE as I watch the STRENGTH that their feet have and their use. In Robert J. Morgan's book, he calls the STRENGTH in this verse: DURABLE STRENGTH. Strength that is durable is the kind that keeps us going, it is what Jesus gives us and that He has shown us time and time again in His life until His last breath as well as what He makes available to us every day to get beyond what we face until the next day or situation. Jesus' STRENGTH helps us endure and last from moment to moment, crisis to crisis, strength to strength, even when we're fortunate to be blessed with good days, He sees us to the next.

When there is stress or distress, it is hard to find the STRENGTH or the PEACE (which is definitely needed in times like this) so that is why we must turn to our Lord & seek His, because often we are too weak at these times, overwhelmed & unable to gather what we need on our own, to carry on or navigate our way through the situation causing this. When we are weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). I have seen this throughout my life but very much aware of this as I age and seemingly become weaker, I sense His STRENGTH daily.

As I watch in quietness the deer outside, I've learned how to quietly approach them at times, so as not to disturb them or frighten them away, noting that their trust is a STRENGTH that I treasure as I come close. It's very similar to when I come near or sense the Lord's Presence close to me in time of need. Isaiah 30:15 is noted to be TRANQUIL STRENGTH as a strategy that we, as believers need. The more I trust the Lord, the more at PEACE I am and feel, knowing that His STRENGTH has never failed me. I know that when I'm at PEACE it's TRANQUIL , I can be calm as I am quiet & free from disturbance as with the deer, & that His STRENGTH is DURABLE so that with His STRENGTH I am able to withstand. I may crumble for a moment but am reassured that He will pick me up - that I can trust the Lord to restore the PEACE and see me through because He has and He will again. Meanwhile I need to find His STRENGTH to trust confidently and be at PEACE. When I walk in PEACE, I sense His STRENGTH ... when I walk confidently in STRENGTH, I sense His PEACE. Inseparable.

Here's a great link to Robert J. Morgan's 12 Bible Verses to Help You Find Strength as given in his book "The Strength You Need".   

This 2nd Week of Advent, we light the Candle of PEACE!

PEACE

be with you

May the PEACE of Jesus 

be yours now & always!

As I ended this week, I came across an older but perfect Peace blog post by Julie K.Gillies with a beautiful prayer to walk in peace this Christmas