Episode 16 :: Simply Advent :: Gift of Love
Today, I bring you a Christmas gift in the form of this conversation with my friend and my women’s pastor at the church where I attend, Miriam Walsh. While this is the final episode of our Simply Advent series, it is a message that is timeless because it is saturated with the Good News of the love of God and the gift of His Son for all people everywhere. Miriam’s love for the Lord and for the Word flows from her heart and will wash over you with the truth of who God is and who you are in Him in such a powerful way. This conversation runs so deep and wide, but is birthed from the unrelenting that love heals us, redeems us, and binds us into a family, and from the gift of God grafting us into His family, and He then invites us to be a part of the family business of sharing this very love.
As Miriam says “love demands a response.” Every person in the Christmas narrative that we know responded somehow: wonder, fear, anger, admiration, and much, much more. What will we do with the love of God brought near to us in Immanuel? I pray this word, as one season ends and another one begins ,reminds you where you begin and end, that God wants your offering and your response, no matter what it looks like, and that His love is truly enough to carry you, heal you, and strengthen you until the work is complete. Merry Christmas, friends. “Oh come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”
Scripture References:
1 John 2:3 - If you love Me keep my commands
Isaiah 60 Light is deliverance
Hosea 2:14- Speaking tenderly to you
Genesis 1:2 The Earth without form and void and He hovered
Luke 2- The birth of Jesus
Romans 3:23 -All fall short of the glory of God
Lamentations 3:22-23- His mercies are new, and His faithfulness never ends
Mark 6:31, Luke 5:16- Jesus rested and was alone
Matthew 8:23-27 - Slept on the boat in the storm
Psalm 16:6-The boundary lines have fallen
Matthew 11:28- Come to Me all who are weary
Exodus 31:14-Observing sabbath
Proverbs 3:11, Proverbs 12:1- His correction is loving
Colossians 3:23-24- Working for Him so that He is glorified
Mark 10:37- Disciples arguing about who sits next to Jesus
Matthew 9:38- Lord of the harvest
Matthew 9:35-38-The harvest is plentiful the workers are few
1 John 1:15- The light of the world has come and there is no darkness in Him at all
John 16:33- In this world you will have trouble
2 Timothy 4:18 - God will guide me safely home
Titus 2:3- The glorious appearing
1 Peter 5:7- He cares for you
Psalm 56:8- He captures our tears in a bottle
Matthew 28:20-Surely I will be with you until the end of the age
2 Timothy 1:9-He had a plan from the beginning
Ephesians 1:11-23 - In Him we have hope (and more!)
Revelation 12:7-12- By the blood of the lamp and word of His testimony
Hebrews 1:3- the Son is the radiance of God’s glory
1 John 4:7-21- God is love
Isaiah 9:6- prophecy of Jesus wonderful counselor
John 11- Jesus raising Lazarus and wept with Him
Luke 10:1-23- Sending of the 72
Ephesians 3:16- strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit
2 Timothy 4:17- but the Lord stood by me and strengthened me so I could declare
Luke 15:11-32-Parable of the Prodigal son and his Father
If you don’t know where to start, start with the Gospel of John
Psalm 119:18- Behold the wondrous works of His word
Psalm 107:2-Let the redeemed of the Lord tell my story
Acts 2- Pentecost, given a new language to speak
References:
Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul - Hannah Anderson
Shabbat Laws (Jewish Sabbath Laws)
Discovery and Discipleship Focus (shout out to the Fullers!)
Simply Stories Episode with Ashley Abercrombie (where we talk Sabbath!)
My blog on Palm Sunday before my friend Amanda passed.
“Death Was Arrested” by North Point Inside Out
“Glorious Day” by Passion (Ironically, I am present in this video. I attended the conference the year this song premeried, just months before Amanda passed. As my friend Katie says “aint that like the Lord”)
“Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
If you are looking for a church to attend in the Nashville/Murfreesboro area for Christmas or otherwise, we would LOVE to have you at Fellowship Bible Church! I attend the Murfreesboro campus, but there is one in Brentwood as well. If you read this in time for Christmas Eve 2019, we have services at 3:00pm and 4:15pm (CST). You can always connect with us online via Facebook and hear sermons over the site/Podcast as well. I just pray you know how loved you are this Christmas season, and don’t choose to be alone.
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Any time there are books listed in the show notes, they are amazon affiliate links. I do not think the prices are marked up in any way, but we do receive a small percentage from your purchase which supports this podcast. Thank you for your support in this way!
Thank you, again, to ZonderKidz, Sally Lloyd Jones and The Jesus Storybook BIble for allowing us to read portions of their telling of the Christmas story for this Advent series.
Connect with me over on Instagram and on my blog for more Advent resources and general Podcast and other Simply Shenanigans.
The intro and outro music is by audionautix.com
Thank you again, Miriam, for sharing your heart for the Lord and His unrelenting love with us! xo, Em