Baubles, Bangles and Beads?

Baubles, Bangles and Beads?

Are we walking with baubles, bangles and beads? Or are we walking in the hope of our faith? Today I looked at HOPE as this is the first week of Advent.

baubles, bangles and beads?

Our faith is built on hope. And during this Advent season I will light an internet candle each week to help me focus on the preparation of the true Christmas – the Incarnation – the coming of Jesus – man and God – to this earth!

As we do this we walk among those who celebrate the season with baubles, bangles and beads.

I love the book and the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas. How the crassness of the season started to steal the Grinch’s heart and how he found out that the real Christmas isn’t in the stuff but in the hearts of those who celebrate it.

As sojourners on this earth, we need to watch how we walk and talk among those who do not know the Lord. (tweet this)

We cannot get ourselves taken in with politics, commerce, and all the things that go on here. That doesn’t mean we can’t become involved but we need to do so in a Christ-like way.

What we need to show is HOPE.

We need to look to God instead of the world. Our walk, how will it look? Can it be different or will it be the same as those who don’t believe? Will our walk be counter-cultural? Or are we looking to:

Baubles, Bangles and Beads?

Let’s check God’s Word. Here are 10 ways I found that we can walk in hope:

Walk in Freedom

I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts (Psalm 119:45, NIV).

Walk in the Light

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7, NIV).

Walk in Love

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love (2 John 1:6, NIV).

Walk in all His ways

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 10:12, ESV).

Walk and not be faint

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31, NIV).

Walk humbly with God

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8, NIV).

Walk in the newness of life

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4, ESV)

Walk by faith and not by sight

For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV).

Walk in the truth

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (3 John 1:3, KJV).

Walk in wisdom

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time (Colossians 4:5, ESV).

Through this walk one of the most important things I think is to be HUMBLE. Oswald Chambers calls this shallow – those every day duties and living, and to do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Make a determination to take no one seriously except God ~ Oswald Chambers (tweet this)

Even the shallow things of life, such as eating and drinking, walking and talking, are ordained by God ~ Oswald Chambers (tweet this)

Walking counter-cultural, not thinking constantly about baubles, bangles and beads, must be done QUIETLY, not boastfully. (tweet this)

It must be done gently, not arrogantly. With joy and peace, patience and understanding.

This Hope, this being counter-cultural means acceptance of others. It does not mean hiding in a closet. It means following God wherever we are whatever we do.

I can see that God has taken me on a walk today.

How do we walk in hope? Being aware, open, gentle, kind, humble, filled with the Spirit. (tweet this)

And finally 1 Peter 4:7-11 – Let’s try to be:

self-controlled
sober-minded
keep loving
show hospitality
use gifts to serve others
speak God’s Word
be God-like

And we do all this so that:

He’ll get all the credit as the One might in everything (1 Peter 4:11, The Message).

Walking towards Christmas. How are you looking at Christmas this year?

Today is Word of God Speak.

If you have a post about God please link below and then visit someone else.

 

 


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5 comments

  1. Hi Janis, It’s interesting how many times the word “walk” is in the bible. We will be in good shape if we walk in all the ways we are supposed to!

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