HIS HAND
OF FAVOR 
"It was not by their sword
that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them
victory;
it was Your right hand,
Your arm, and
the light of Your face,
for You loved them."
(Psalm 44:2-3)
 

Trumpet & Torch Ministries

 Setting the World on Fire
for Christ -
One Heart at a Time!
 
77 DAYS OF PRAYER
"To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High."
(Psalm 77:10)

                                                                       December 9, 2012

 

*** The Festival of Lights journey began yesterday with the Introduction and lighting of the center Shamash candle.  Today we continue with Day One.  To participate in this journey go to www.trumpetandtorch.org and "Click Here" on the Festival of Lights graphic.

 

(Advent - Day 2 devotional is below)

 

Day 34

Lifting Hands of Praise

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Dear Praying Friend,

 

One of the most challenging things to do in the midst of difficulty and trial is to turn our attention to praise.  We can get so caught up focusing on the problem and feeling the pain that we are not free to allow our hearts to praise.  However, praise is the most freeing thing we can do when we are being weighed down by a heavy burden. 

 

We may not always understand the ways in which the Lord works, but we can be assured that He is at work.  With the Christmas season before us, let us begin to look past the difficulties and uncertainty looming in front of us, and look instead with joyful anticipation of our future hope:  "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men...while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..." (Titus 2:11, 13). 

  
As we meditate on Psalm 51:13-17 today, David longed to be restored to the joy of the Lord's salvation so he could, in turn, sing His praises. "...and my tongue will sing of your righteousness...and my mouth will declare your praise."  Once forgiven and restored, David could offer thanksgiving and praise.  So often we come to the Lord seeking answers to our problems instead of coming seeking the One who has all the answers and simply offering Him our praise.  He created us for His glory, and, yet, we spend most of our time grumbling and grasping at Him, instead of offering our gratitude and glorifying Him.  In the spirit of Christmas, remembering it is better to give than receive; it is time to offer Him our gift of praise!
  
As we are selecting gifts and wrapping packages, we might also remember that while the Lord loves to bless His children with "good gifts", there are no surprises with God - everything He chooses for us is perfectly planned and purposed.  May we have open hearts to receive what He offers and be willing to share His wonderful gift of salvation with our family and friends this year!
  
"Praise be to you, O LORD,
God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you;
you are ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name."
(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)
  
Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You with praise.  Praise for who You are; Praise for what You have done; Praise for all You are doing; and Praise for all that is to come.  We will praise You as long as we live, and in Your name we will lift up our hands. You, O Lord, are most worthy of praise. Let me live that I may praise You. 'I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise Your name for ever and ever.  Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever.  Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.' 'Praise the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness.  Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals.  Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD.'  'Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!' In Jesus' Name. Amen.
  
Waiting expectantly & praying fervently,
  
Traci Alexander
Trumpet and Torch Ministries
Psalm 27
  
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Prayer Scripture References: Psalm 63:9; 96:4; 119:175; 145:1-3; 150:1-6; Revelation 7:12.

  

LIGHTING THE WAY

Advent Part II

 

Luke 3:1-17

Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is Near

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Malachi prophesied that before the Lord's coming He would prepare His people.  "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before Me" (Malachi 3:1).  Our Heavenly Father is gracious, merciful, and patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  He warns us time and time again to be ready, watchful, and waiting, because He is returning...soon!

 

As we read the Scriptures, we realize that the times have not changed much in the past few thousands years.  The people had given up on God, they were living morally corrupt lives, and were as cynical and complacent as they are today.  The Lord's intervention was necessary, but with it would come judgment.  It is only by His great mercy that He sends His messengers to prepare His people and give them opportunity to repent and return to Him.  We are in need of His divine intervention today, but we must be prepared to accept that His judgment will begin with His people first:  "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God..." (1 Peter 4:17).

 

Last week as we began the season of Advent, we sat at the Lord's table for the Passover Feast; today, we return in time for the second cup - the cup of judgment.  When this cup was to be served the youngest family member would ask a series of four questions, to which the oldest member at the table would provide the answers.  There were four cups, four questions, and four answers, all pointing to the fulfillment of the Lord's four promises to the Israelites:  "I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.  I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.  I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God" (Exodus 6:6-7a).

 

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14, 16).  As we light the second candle of Advent, the Bethlehem candle - symbolizing the humble birth of our Savior, let us offer a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for sending messengers, who, with humble hearts, willingly and obediently responded to God's call to let their light shine in the darkness so that we all would have the opportunity of receiving His glorious gift of salvation.  May we now be willing to pick up the cup, cleaning out the inside first, and make ourselves ready and available to be poured out on a world in desperate need of His salvation.

 

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.

Not many of you were wise by human standards;

not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -

and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are,

so that no one may boast before Him.

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus,

Who has become for us the wisdom of God -

that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption."

(1 Corinthians 1:26-30)

 

May we find our hearts radiating the Light of Christ as brilliantly

as the candles we are lighting in our homes for Advent and the Festival of Lights.

 

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The Festival of Lights journey

(today click on Day One)

 

 Festival of Lights button 

 

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