looking…

I know I do not have very many readers of this blog yet.  It didn’t help matters that I did not update it for 3 months either.  In this crazy season of stress, shopping, and searching for the perfect gift… if you have been reading the Celtic Advent scripture and come to rely on it, I have moved it to our website… homepage:  www.impactlanco.com

Enjoy the first day of December and wish for snow; snow will lift your spirits and cleanse your soul!

give thanks for the Spirit…

Celtic Advent… 11/29

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 45:1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

Leviticus 26:2-4 Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD. 3 If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit.

Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

give thanks for God’s power…

Celtic Advent… 11/28

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 104:19-23 The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. 20 You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. 21 The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. 22 The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. 23 Then man goes out to his work, to his labour until evening.

Isaiah 45:3-7 I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

Mark 1:21-32 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” 25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.

give thanks for the “dark” moments…

The holidays bring sadness and pain for lots of people; grieving the loss of loved ones, reflecting on broken relationships, attempting to manufacture joy when life seems so depressing, and unresolved conflict that lingers like a scented candle.  We all face “dark” moments in our lives… we all face the challenges that life throws at us.  We are all broken in some way, big or small.  Yet, these passages of scripture remind us today that God is in our companion, even-in-our darkest-moments; He never leaves our side, and we need to remember to give thanks for His presence.  Whether we are in the pit, angry and wanting to blame Him for our stuff, or when our expectations do not get met.  God is with you today, no matter where you are or where you find yourself.  God is there… with you… ready to heal.  Ask BOLDLY for a rescue!

Celtic Advent… 11/27

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 30:1-5 I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Job 2:7-13 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. 11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

John 11:32-40 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

give thanks for a way out…

I hope today was a day for you to gather with family and friends around a table, eating and talking and sharing memories of redemption, mountain-top events, low-lying valley adventures, and the real life moments that make up our lives.  Give thanks to God because He always provides a way out and a place of refuge and rescue.  Give thanks because the Lord is good, and He saves with His mighty strength and power; He saves because of His great love for you and I.  Happy Thanksgiving… may the blessings of our Savior flow down like a gentle, refreshing rain; washing you with peace and joy!

Celtic Advent… 11/26

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 116:3-4 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!”

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Luke 21:21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.

give thanks for the boundaries…

It’s time to give thanks… in all circumstances, in every relationship, at every time of day!  Creation cries out with thanksgiving and humanity must do the same.  Spend some time in the next day or two giving thanks and saying thanks to those who have walked with you on the journey of life.  Remember to give thanks to God for giving you life and giving you a purpose and a plan that will be and must be good!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Celtic Advent… Day 10

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 19:1-6 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

Judges 21:16-25 And the elders of the assembly said, “With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left? 17 The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out. 18 We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath: `Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to a Benjamite.’ 19 But look, there is the annual festival of the LORD in Shiloh, to the north of Bethel, and east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of Lebonah.” 20 So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards 21 and watch. When the girls of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, then rush from the vineyards and each of you seize a wife from the girls of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin. 22 When their fathers or brothers complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Do us a kindness by helping them, because we did not get wives for them during the war, and you are innocent, since you did not give your daughters to them.’ ” 23 So that is what the Benjamites did. While the girls were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the towns and settled in them. 24 At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance. 25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

1 Corinthians 7:9-12 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her

give thanks for being on the outside…

Celtic Advent… Day 9

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 126:1-6… When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

Ruth 3:18; 4:13-16… Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.” 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” 16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him.

John 10:16… I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

rest

Celtic Advent… Day 7

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

Psalm 121:3, 5-8… He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.  The Lord himself watches over you!  The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.  The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.  The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.  The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Genesis 24:34-58… ³⁴ “I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained. ³⁵ “And the Lord has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys. ³⁶ “When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns. ³⁷ And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. ³⁸ Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’ ³⁹ “But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me?’ ⁴⁰ He responded, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. ⁴¹ Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you will be free from my oath.’ ⁴² “So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission. ⁴³ See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” ⁴⁴ If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’ ⁴⁵ “Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ ⁴⁶ She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels. ⁴⁷ “Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists. ⁴⁸ “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. ⁴⁹ So tell me—will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.” ⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. ⁵¹ Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.” ⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. ⁵³ Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. ⁵⁴ Then they ate their meal, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight.  But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back to my master.” ⁵⁵ “But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then she can go.” ⁵⁶ But he said, “Don’t delay me. The Lord has made my mission successful; now send me back so I can return to my master.” ⁵⁷ “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.” ⁵⁸ So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her. And she replied, “Yes, I will go.”

Hebrews 11:5-16… ⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. ⁷ It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. ⁸ It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. ⁹ And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. ¹⁰ Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. ¹¹ It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. ¹² And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. ¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

part of the ground

It might be depressing to think about, but you and are are made from dirt… we are part of the earth.  We will one day return to the earth when God calls us home to be with Him in heaven.  None of us can predict or know the time or day when we will die; it is the way God designed the plan.  And here we are, wrestling with the idea that we are mortal, despite what we have convinced ourselves in our own minds about us!  We put ourselves on pedestals; we think too highly of ourselves; we spend way too much money on ourselves… and yet, we are probably the most depressed people on the planet with very low self-esteems.  We have all that we could ever want and yet we are not happy!  Today, remind yourself that you are part of the ground and will one day return to the ground… and God in heaven loves you and calls you His child and wants to use you to advance His Kingdom for the well-being and health of mankind.

Celtic Advent… Day 6

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way!  You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage…

From the Message by Eugene H. Peterson…

Psalm 80:7-19… God-of-the-Angel-Armies, come back!  Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.  Remember how you brought a young vine from Egypt, cleared out the brambles and briers and planted your very own vineyard?  You prepared the good earth, you planted her roots deep; the vineyard filled the land.  Your vine soared high and shaded the mountains, even dwarfing the giant cedars.  Your vine ranged west to the Sea, east to the River.  So why do you no longer protect your vine?  Trespassers pick its grapes at will; Wild pigs crash through and crush it, and the mice nibble away at what’s left.  God-of-the-Angel-Armies, turn our way!  Take a good look at what’s happened and attend to this vine.  Care for what you once tenderly planted— the vine you raised from a shoot.  And those who dared to set it on fire— give them a look that will kill!  Then take the hand of your once-favorite child, the child you raised to adulthood.  We will never turn our back on you; breathe life into our lungs so we can shout your name!  God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, come back!  Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.

Genesis 4:10… God said, “What have you done! The voice of your brother’s blood is calling to me from the ground.

2 Timothy 2:2-7… So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!— to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.

Taken care of…

There are some days when it feels like I am doing all the work; I am forced to be the responsible one, and I end up taking care of more than my fair share… and then I hit the wall; a moment like this one when I just want to be taken care of, by someone else.  I am reminded in this season of looking forward to the birth of Christ that I am “taken care of” by our Father in heaven who loves His job and loves His people; He takes care of us no matter what!  My job is to love and serve Him with all my strength and being.

Celtic Advent… Day 5

Follow the path of truth to the manger to see for your self… seeing is believing!  It is the kingdom way…

You can find these words of truth and challenge in the Bible, God’s Holy word to us!  Find the connecting points from each passage.

From the Message by Eugene Peterson… Psalm 147:14… He keeps the peace at your borders, he puts the best bread on your tables.

Leviticus 23:9-11… God spoke to Moses: “Tell the People of Israel, When you arrive at the land that I am giving you and reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain that you harvest. He will wave the sheaf before God for acceptance on your behalf; on the morning after Sabbath, the priest will wave it.

James 1:17, 18… Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.