Tag: certain hope

by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach,
Keynote Speaker, CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries

Week 3 of Advent: Rejoice

A COVID Postponed Wedding

Last year, my nephew got married. We all rejoice at weddings (unless we don’t approve of the marriage for some reason). And as exciting as marriages are, Blake and Eileen had the added “excitement” of COVID that interrupted their plans. They did not rejoice over the delays, but they worked together to tackle the obstacles and they did rejoice on the day they finally exchanged their vows.

They were supposed to have been married in the spring. However, Blake is in the Air Force and stationed overseas. The military would not let Blake come back home due to COVID travel restrictions, so the wedding was postponed. And then it was postponed again…and again. Finally, Eileen just stop coming up with a new date and waited for the military to allow Blake to travel.

When he did finally get to come home in August, they wouldn’t allow him enter the state we live. So we took the wedding to the state just north of us and with a lot of pulling strings, getting a quick marriage license, and people working together to make it happen, Blake and Eileen were finally married…about five months after the original wedding date. It didn’t happen exactly as they planned and dreamed about but we did rejoice with them and then again when months later, Eileen was finally able to join Blake overseas.

Wedding Plans

Did you know that right now, Jesus is getting ready for the Marriage of the Lamb? He’s busy making the preparations. Just like Blake and Eileen didn’t know when their marriage would actually take place and once Blake was able to come home, we had about a week to scramble and put all their wedding plans (some altered) in place, we do not know the moment that Jesus will come again to collect His bride – the church who is all those who have placed their faith in Him as their Savior.

In fact, Jesus doesn’t even know the time. Jesus said in Matthew 24:26, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” But Jesus will not be unprepared. He is making His plans and getting everything ready. And when God the Father says, “Son, go get my children!” you can bet Jesus will be ready to welcome the church with open arms and all of heaven will rejoice.

Rejoice! Give Him glory! The Marriage of the Lamb has come and the bride is ready.

Today’s verse is found in Revelation 19:7.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

As I read this verse about the wife making herself ready, I thought about all the months of planning Blake and Eileen did to create their very special, magical moments for their wedding day. The bride chooses a dress, venue, flowers, cake, and caters. She chooses her maid of honor and bridesmaids. She chooses the music for the wedding service and the reception. On the day of her wedding she sits for hours to get her hair done, carefully puts on her make up or hires someone to do it for this special day. She puts on her dress and veil. Slips on her shoes.  She takes the arm of her father or maybe an older brother or someone who has been a father-figure in her life and starts down the aisle towards her waiting groom to join her life with his.

What is the Marriage of the Lamb?

GotQuestions.org answers this question this way:

The concept of the marriage supper is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the time of Christ. These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).

The second step in the process usually occurred a year later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride at midnight, creating a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would know in advance this was going to take place, and so she would be ready with her maidens, and they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13.

The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days, as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1–2.

https://www.gotquestions.org/marriage-supper-Lamb.html

The Implication of John’s vision

GotQuestions.org says the following:

What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church) in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. The first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid to the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the rapture).

The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

https://www.gotquestions.org/marriage-supper-Lamb.html

Jesus will rejoice for His Bride

One of my favorite parts of any wedding is watching the groom’s face light up the moment his bride starts down the aisle and he sees her in all her wedding glory. Blake was no different. His whole face shown with joy and he was grinning from ear to ear. I thought about the moment that Jesus sees His bride and the joy He will express in that moment. Can you imagine what it will be like to see the Savior’s love for us on his face? Oh, how we will rejoice to see Him!

The bride has made herself ready

Revelation 19:7 tells us the the bride has made herself ready. How do we make ourselves ready for Jesus? By admitting that we are sinner, lost and bound for hell, which is the penalty for sin. We must believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God who died in our place to pay the price for our sins. And we must confess our sins, ask Jesus to forgive us and then confess Him is our Lord and Savior.

1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In that moment, you become a child of God, a part of the church and you have made yourself ready for the Lamb and you can rejoice knowing that Jesus is getting ready for you to join Him at the marriage of the Lamb.

We can rejoice because Jesus is getting things ready

From the moment that Jesus ascended into heaven until the moment he returns for His bride, He is making preparations to receive His bride. In John 14:2, as Jesus was assuring His disciples and telling them that He would be leaving them to return to His father he said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He’s getting ready for His bride and we can rejoice in that.

Would you marry a stranger?

If you have ever watch the TV show, “Married at First Sight,” they put together a whole wedding in less than 2 weeks and then marry someone they have never met, allowing so-called “experts” to match them and create an arranged marriage. Referred to as an “experiment,” the couples are legally married and live together for eight weeks and then decision day comes and they have to decide if they will stay married or get a divorce (A testament to how little the marriage vows mean in today’s society and how common and acceptable divorce is.) Based on the number that stay married and the number that get divorced, it doesn’t look like that these marriages based on “scientific data” is any more successful than traditional marriages.

When the show first started, they married three couples. Over time, they began matching four couples. In each marriage, you can see the stress of the brides and grooms as the moment they are to meet their spouses at the altar to exchange vows arrives. They don’t even know each other’s names until they get to the altar. They don’t know what one another looks like or their likes and dislikes, bad habits – they know nothing about one another. (Side note: I don’t advocate for such a marriage, just pointing out the added stress of marrying a total stranger.)

We’re not marrying a stranger

Thankfully, Jesus is not a stranger to His bride. We have met Him in the scriptures and He tells us everything we need to know about Him. This is why reading your Bible everyday is so important. It is there that you meet your waiting Groom and Savior. It is in the pages of scripture that we learn to rejoice in the love of our Savior. In the Bible, we learn that He loved us so much that He left the glory and splendor of Heaven to be born as a human infant to a poor, virgin girl, grew up in poverty, was rejected and despised, nailed to a cross, died and then rose again – all because of His love for us.

True Love

Our version and understanding of love is mostly based on a Hollywood created version of love – or a Disney princess Happily ever after. My son loves the movie, “The Princess Bride,” which is known for the true love between Wesley and Buttercup. A “love” that can bring Wesley back from being “mostly dead.” Hollywood would have us understand love as riding off into the sunset and heading out to life without problems. Whenever we measure our marriage based on the conceived ideas of love that Hollywood has created, we will always find our marriages lacking and we’ll choose divorce trying to find that elusive idea that Hollywood has created.

We cannot truly understand love until we personally know and experience the sacrificial love of Christ. Any other love is cheap, lust, selfish, and leaves us unhappy and wanting something different. God created us to desire and to know and love Him. Until we experience His love, we don’t truly know what love is. True love is selfless and sacrifice and Jesus sacrificed his life for us. When we understand His love, we can rejoice!

Death cannot stop true love

In the “Princess Bride” movie, Wesley says, “Death cannot stop true love, it can only delay it for a little while.” Jesus’s death did not stop his love for us – in fact, it’s why He came to earth. But neither did his death delay His love. He expresses His love to us in so many ways, each and every day. He is right now lovingly getting everything ready for the Marriage of the Lamb. And even as we wait for His coming to get his bride, He is working every thing out for our good. Take a moment to pause and acknowledge the ways He has expressed His love to you this week. Rejoice and praise Him for his unconditional love that never ends.

We’re not promised “Happily Ever After”

As the bride of Christ prepares for her groom, it’s important to remember that Jesus never promised an easy life. In fact, Paul wrote in II Timothy 3:12, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” Jesus said in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation.” We can also expect times of chastisement (Hebrews 12:5-11). And sometimes, things happen in this world that we simply cannot understand. But we can trust in the promises of God that He will never leave us or forsake us or that when we walk through the fire, He is with us. Even when things happen that we don’t understand, we can know that God is working everything out for our best and He will carry us through to the other side.

Is the bride of Christ ready for his arrival?

What are we, the bride of Christ, doing to prepare for the marriage of the Lamb? Are we prepared to take our place beside Him? Have we yielded and surrendered to God so that we are ready when it is time? Are we walking by faith, obediently living for Him? Are we telling others about Him so that we bring them with us to the marriage feast? Do we know and understand His true love for us? Are we daily reading His Word so we can get to know Him and develop a relationship with Him? We don’t often hear of arranged marriages anymore. Could you imagine marrying someone that you met once at the altar of a church but never saw again? We get to know the groom as we study God’s Word, attend church, worship with other believers, and through prayer. How well do you know the groom?

What are you doing to prepare for the marriage of the Lamb? The groom is coming!

---

Visit our three retail experiences:

Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store

Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?

We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021. .

We’re thankful for the opportunity to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.

904.239.8937

---

Help support our ministry:

---

---

Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube

Ready for Christmas music?

We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.

Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.

You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel

---

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

---

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

---

Here’s some of our recent posts.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 

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by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach,
Keynote Speaker, CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries

Week 3 of Advent: Rejoice

The Wise Men Rejoice

Among traditional Nativity scenes are three Magi, or Wise Men. However, the Wise Men did not see Jesus until he was a toddler. They did not arrive on the night of His birth. We also don’t know exactly how many wise men there were, but we traditionally place three in the Nativity scene because there were three gifts. In reality the wise men would have had a whole caravan of people traveling with them, especially with carrying the expense gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

What does the Bible tell us about these wise men?

One little boy had a unique perspective on who the wise men were. After returning from Sunday school, he was excited to tell his friends about what he had learned. He told them: “I learned in Sunday school today all abut the very first Christmas. Ya see, there wasn’t a Santa way back then, so these three skinny guys on camels had to deliver all the toys!”

Thankfully, the Bible does give us some insight into who these men were and GotQuestions.org puts it together for us:

We know that the magi were wise men from “the East,” most likely Persia, or modern-day Iran. This means the wise men traveled 800 to 900 miles to see the Christ child. Most likely, the magi knew of the writings of the prophet Daniel, who in time past had been the chief of the court seers in Persia. Daniel 9:24-27 includes a prophecy which gives a timeline for the birth of the Messiah.

The wise men were guided to look for the King of the Jews by a miraculous stellar event, the “Star of Bethlehem,” which they called “His star” (Matthew 2:2). They came to Jerusalem and asked concerning the birth of Christ, and they were directed to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4–8). They followed God’s guidance joyfully (Matthew 2:10). When they arrived in Bethlehem, they gave costly gifts to Jesus and worshiped Him. God warned them in a dream against returning to Herod, so, in defiance of the king, they left Judea by another route (Matthew 2:12).

So, the magi were men who 1) read and believed God’s Word, 2) sought Jesus, 3) recognized the worth of Christ, 4) humbled themselves to worship Jesus, and 5) obeyed God rather than man. They were truly wise men!

https://www.gotquestions.org/three-wise-men.html

An Example from the Magi

More importantly than knowing about who the magi were, is that there response to being in the presence of Jesus. Matthew 2:10 says:

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced
exceedingly with great joy.”

Do we rejoice exceedingly with great joy in the presence of Jesus?

Can we say that we have the same response in presence of Christ as the wise men did? I don’t just mean when we are in church with our hands raised as they sing praise songs. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “ I am with you always, to the end of the age.” He is always with us. When we read then, about how the magi responded to the physical presence of Christ, we must keep in mind the reality that we are always in the presence of Christ. Perhaps this is why Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4, “rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!“

Rejoice in the Lord Always

This exhortation to “rejoice in the Lord always” should not only challenge us, but it should also excite us because the Christian life is intended to be a joyful life. We are not to live as if we’ve been defeated. Jesus is victorious and through Him we live in victory too.

Christmas isn’t always a joyful time.

Christmas is not a joyful time. It’s true that the holiday season often inspires feelings of warmth, joy, and belonging. But for some people, this time of year can evoke feelings of loneliness, stress and anxiety.

Holidays and Mental Health

One survey by the American Psychological Association uncovered some interesting data about the holiday blues:

First, while the majority of people in the survey reported feelings of happiness, love, and high spirits over the holidays, those emotions were often accompanied by feelings of fatigue, stress, irritability, bloating, and sadness.

Second, 38% of people surveyed said their stress level increased during the holiday season. Participants listed the top stressors: lack of time, lack of money, commercialism, the pressures of gift-giving, and family gatherings.

Third, 56 percent of respondents reported they experienced the most amount of stress at work. Only 29 percent experienced greater amounts of stress at home.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/201712/what-we-know-about-the-holiday-blues

Holidays can create financial stress

Psychology today also reported that another poll of more than 1,000 adults by the Principal Financial Group — a global investment company — found that 53 percent of people experience financial stress due to holiday spending, despite the fact more than half set budgets for their holiday spending.

Why we have Holiday Blues and don’t rejoice

It is during the Christmas season when we seem to most profoundly miss those people in our life who have passed on. During the Christmas season when we become more prone to anxiety and depression. It is during the Christmas season when we seem to worry most about finances. For these reasons, the Christmas season is not always a joy for every individual.

Overcoming Holiday Blues

We can overcome the sadness and anxiety that bring on the Holiday Blues. As Christians we can win back our joy when we stop to rejoice in the presence of Christ. But, in order to do this, we must first recognize where our difficulties begin. Our difficulties begin when we focus on our circumstances rather than our status as a child who is loved by the Creator of the Universe.

Did Mary rejoice in her circumstances?

We must remember that Mary and Joseph were not overjoyed with their circumstances either. It is true, neither Mary or Joseph rejoiced at the news of Mary’s pregnancy. Mary, who was a virgin, was pregnant out of wedlock. “How can this be?” she asked the angel (Luke. 1:34). Matthew tells us that Joseph initially wanted “to put Mary away quietly” (Matthew. 1:19). In other words, he was going to give her a bill of divorce from their engagement. Mary was confused, Joseph wanted to break up–neither were happy with their circumstances. However, Mary was obedient and after the angel visited Joseph, he too was obedient.

Obedience leads to a change of heart

When we choose to obey God, even when we don’t understand we can experience a change of heart. We see this in Mary and Joseph. An angel convinced Joseph that he should not leave Mary and Luke chapter one records Mary’s new perspective on things, “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior” (Luke. 1:46, 47).

A Lesson to learn from the Magi and Mary

The lesson to be learned here is clear: the Christmas season will be most joyful and life will be most joyful when we take our attention off our circumstances and learn to “rejoice in the Lord“.

To Rejoice in the Lord requires faith

Rejoicing in the Lord requires faith. We are told to rejoice without ceasing. That means whether life is good or bad, we are to rejoice in the Lord. We are instructed to rejoice without ceasing in something that we cannot see or touch. We can be encouraged by the faith of the magi. Matthew 2:10 tells us that they rejoiced with exceeding joy when they saw the star. They had not even left for their journey to see Jesus. They saw the star and had faith in the prophecies they had studied and set out by faith that at the end of 800-900 miles they would see the promised Messiah. The star was all the assurance the magi needed to be convinced of the presence of Christ.

We must stop asking God to rearrange the stars to spell out a sign for us and recognize that the Bible gives us reason to have assurance in the presence of Christ. And this presence should generate in us tremendous joy.

To Rejoice in the Lord requires genuine worship

The second response the magi had to the presence of Christ, we read about in verse 11, “And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh“.

The first response the magi had to the presence of Christ was that they “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” and the second response they had to the presence of Christ was that they “worshipped Him” by giving Him “gifts.” Do we bring hearts of genuine worship that lead us to give Him gifts? The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12, that the gift we bring to Jesus is “to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Every part of our lives should be a form of worship to God. That means your marriage, your parenting, your career, your hobbies, your speech, your conduct, and your interaction with other people. The way you live your life each day should be an act of worship.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh might have been acceptable to the infant Christ, but to the resurrected Christ Paul tells us we must “present (our) bodies” as our manner of worship and in our worship we are to rejoice exceedingly with great joy because we are in the presence of Christ.

---

Visit our three retail experiences:

Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store

Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?

We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021. .

We’re thankful for the opportunity to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.

904.239.8937

---

Help support our ministry:

---

---

Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube

Ready for Christmas music?

We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.

Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.

You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel

---

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

---

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

---

Here’s some of our recent posts.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 

Follow us on:

by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach,
Keynote Speaker, CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries

Week 3 of Advent: Rejoice

Let’s Go See!

As soon as the angels left, the shepherds didn’t sit around debating about what had happened. They looked at each other and excitedly said, “Let go see this thing that’s happened!” It wasn’t enough to just hear the good news – they wanted to see it with their own eyes. The wanted to experience the reason the angels rejoiced. In fact, they were so excited to see the baby that the Bible says they “made haste.” They didn’t dawdle – they took off running because if what the angels said were true, the Messiah had come. If the Messiah had come, then they too had reason to rejoice.

We find their reaction to the angels’ news in Luke 2:15-17:

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

The Shepherds found Mary, Joseph and the Baby

Sure enough! Just as the angels had said, there was the sleeping baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Everything the angels had said was true. The excitement of the angels was contagious and now the shepherds are as excited as the angels were. The shepherds now had reason to rejoice. However, they didn’t rejoice by breaking out in song – they did what everyone of us ought to do.

The Shepherds rejoice and share the Good News

When you have good news of great joy, you don’t keep it to yourself. You want to tell everyone you see and that’s just what the shepherds did. The Bible says, “they made known.” In other words, they told others about Jesus. And that is what we should do – tell others about Jesus so they can experience Him for themselves. As a result, every person the shepherds told wondered about their news. The shepherds introduced the people to the Savior of the world, but each person must decide for themselves what they will do – will they just wonder about Him or will they go with haste to see for themselves this Jesus who is Christ the Lord? However, they will not know, if we do not tell.

The reality of having an encounter with Jesus should be the same as the Shepherds. Being the Jesus’ presence should cause us to rejoice and want everyone to know about Him. We should rejoice with so much joy, that we just can’t contain it. It should spill over into everything we do and splash onto everyone we meet.

This Christmas, we will tell someone about Jesus and why He came to earth? Will you rejoice exceedingly with great joy so that it can’t be contained?

Rejoice! The Messiah, Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of the world, the Lord has come. Joy to the world!

---

Visit our three retail experiences:

Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store

Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?

We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021. .

We’re thankful for the opportunity to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.

904.239.8937

---

Help support our ministry:

---

---

Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube

Ready for Christmas music?

We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.

Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.

You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel

---

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

---

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

---

Here’s some of our recent posts.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 

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by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach,
Keynote Speaker, CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries

Week 3 of Advent: Rejoice

Rejoice! Good News of Great Joy

From the moment of the first sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind waited for the promised Messiah. But we were not the only ones that waited. The angels in heaven had waited as well. And when Jesus was born, they could not contain their joy. They just had to tell someone! They broke through the darkness to appear in the night sky to rejoice that the Savior had been born.

Shepherd receive the first birth announcement

We find in Luke 2 that some shepherds were watching their flock through the night when all of a sudden an angel appeared to them with the good news of great joy. In verses 10-12, the angel says, ” “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

Sometimes I think we can become guilty of reading the Christmas story in a way that we’ve lost the excitement of the story. We’ve read it so many times, or heard the story over and over and the impact that Jesus’ birth has on the human race is lost. It’s like singing the old, well-known hymns. You can sing all the popular verses without even opening a hymnal, but the words have lost their impact and meaning because we don’t pause and think about what the song is saying. The same is true with the angel’s announcement of Jesus’ birth.

If we stopped to think about what His birth truly means for us, the only possible reaction is to rejoice with exuberant song, just as the angels did.

What we learn from the birth announcement

Rejoice! Fear not!

If you’ve never noticed it, when men encounter God or an angel in the Bible, their first words are, “Fear not.” I don’t know about you, but yes, I would be afraid if an angel just appeared out of nowhere and started talking to me. By the time they appeared to the shepherds, they were probably used to this human reaction. Perhaps that is why their first words were, “Fear not.” I think they could say that to me and I’d still be afraid – just saying! But at the same time, how cool would it be for an angel to come and give you a message from God?

Why would they be afraid? Well, besides the fact they just appeared in the sky out of nowhere, they shown very brightly with the glory of God. So we have floating angels in the sky that shine bright enough to light up the night. And then these shining creatures start speaking. What’s not to be afraid of?

Rejoice! Good News!

Ever since Adam and Eve’s sin, the human race have been sinners. The Old Testament sacrificial system was instituted by God because the price for sin is death. When the animal was sacrificed, it paid the price for the people’s sins. But it had to be done over and over again. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of the end for the old sacrifice system, because Jesus would eventually be the eternal sacrifice and pay the sin debt for every single person ever born. The angel had good news that would bring great joy because the promised Messiah had arrived.

Rejoice! The Good News is for all people

The Old Testament sacrificial system was between Israel and God. Israel was God’s chosen people and He made a covenant with them (which they broke!). It would be through this nation, specifically through the lineage of King David, that the Messiah would be born. But Jesus didn’t come as Savior just for the nation of Israel – He came for all people everywhere throughout the world.

The Angels led the shepherds to Jesus

What if the angels had told the shepherds that Jesus had been born, but didn’t bother to tell them where they could find him? Jesus came for the human race, so the humans needed to know he was here. The angels didn’t appear to everyone – just the shepherds. It would be the shepherds who would then tell everyone else. So the angels told them where Jesus was and how they would know when they found the right baby. That sign was that the baby would be in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Remember the reason Mary and Joseph was in Bethlehem? Because the king ordered that everyone had to return to their town of birth to be counted for a census and pay taxes. The town was probably over crowded with people because there was no room in the inn. Mary had her baby in the stables where the animals were kept and Jesus’ crib was a feeding trough. While there were lots of babies around, there was probably one one that had just been born and was resting in a manger. So the shepherds would know when they found the right baby.

The Heavenly Angel Choir

After sharing the exciting news, the angel was joined by a whole host an angels (like one wasn’t reason enough to be afraid!) who was ready to rejoice and they burst out in song, singing:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)

When we truly understand the reason that Jesus came to earth, each one of us should take time to rejoice this Christmas season and sing with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

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Visit our three retail experiences:

Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store

Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?

We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021. .

We’re thankful for the opportunity to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.

904.239.8937

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Help support our ministry:

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Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube

Ready for Christmas music?

We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.

Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.

You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel

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God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

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Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

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by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach,
Keynote Speaker, CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries

Week 3 of Advent: Rejoice

We can rejoice when we obey God’s unconventional and extraordinary plan

The Christmas story is certain one we can rejoice and praise God for His unconditional love that was displayed in His unconventional and extraordinary plan. But it was a plan that came with costs. How often do we read or think about the Christmas story but don’t really stop to think about what Mary’s obedience would cost her. But we find in Luke 1, that Mary chooses obedience over costs. But she doesn’t obey in reluctance. Instead we find her obedient heart sings praise to God. Because of her obedience, we today are able to rejoice with the steadfast hope of eternal life.

Mary’s cost of Obedience

In our world, we don’t think twice about an unwed teen girl getting pregnant outside of marriage. But in Mary’s day, girls could have been stoned to death. There could have been a legal cost to her obedience.

Mary also was betrothed (engaged) to Joseph. So imagine having to tell Joseph that an angel showed up and said you would conceive and become pregnant without losing your virginity. Joseph’s first reaction is one that we would expect. He wanted to break of the engagement. However, he cared about Mary, and so he wanted to do it quietly. Perhaps to cause the least amount of embarrassment to her, or maybe to keep her from getting stoned to death. Either way, he demonstrated his loved and protection in choosing to do it quietly. But Joseph has his own angel experience who tells him to take Mary as his wife and that the child she carried was indeed from God. Joseph obeys and becomes the husband of Mary, but does not know her intimately until after the birth of Jesus.

Mary also faced social stigma as others realized she was pregnant. The Bible doesn’t tell us how others reacted, but she could have faced being called names and shunned. She could have been the talk of all the local gossip. Even if she told others about her conversation with an angel, who would have believed her?

Because Mary was not married at the time the angel came to see her, she would have still had to have been living at home with her parents. So she would have had the cost of having to tell her parents she was pregnant.

The costs certainly were not something to rejoice about. But yet, Mary was willing to humbly submit and obey God’s plan.

How can this be?

Now, Mary had some questions about all the angel was telling her. She asked the angel, “How can this be since I have not known a man?” Sometimes we’re afraid to ask God questions, but here Mary asks, and the angel explains. He tells her that the child she conceives will be conceived of God and that nothing is impossible for Him. I’m sure all the costs went through Mary’s mind as the angel told her what was about to happen. But despite the costs, we find Mary’s surrender and obedience to God’s plan in Luke 1:38. She says to the angel, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Here, she is simply acknowledging her willingness to be obedient. But she is also confused and does not yet rejoice about her circumstances.

What was Mary thinking?

Maybe she was thinking that no one would believe her when she told her of this experience. Maybe she was excited and humbled to be chosen by God to bare the Son of God. Or maybe she wondered if this child would be the long-awaited, promised Messiah. Did she understand the Messiah would become the sacrifice for our sins, or did she think like most people of her day that he would be a king that would overthrow the Roman government and restore the Davidic kingship.

We don’t really know what went through her head in those moments. All we can do is try to put ourselves in her shoes and imagine what she was thinking. What we do know is that God asked her to do something unconventional and extraordinary and Mary said, “Let it me to me according to your word.” In other words, she said, “Yes. I am willing. Let it happen exactly as you said.”

Can you think of a time that God wanted you to do something extraordinary? As you counted the costs did you say no to God, or did you say, “let it be to me according to your word”?

Mary was able to rejoice even when it was confusing

The angel also gave Mary the news that her cousin, Elizabeth, was pregnant. Elizabeth was older, in fact, too old to have children. And up until now, she had not had any children. But God gave her a miracle son who would be the “forerunner” to Jesus to prepare the people for the coming Messiah. For a barren woman of that day to become pregnant, was certainly something to rejoice about. So Mary decides to go visit Elizabeth and when she arrives, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy. The Holy Spirit reveals to Elizabeth and Mary is also pregnant and carrying the Son of God.

Elizabeth says to Mary: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary then breaks forth in song and says the words that have become apart of just about every Christmas script:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47)

The cost to Mary hadn’t changed. She may still not have fully understood all that God was doing in her life. She may not have realized that this first born child of hers would one day be beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a cross, die, and then rise again. But her confusion changed and she was able to rejoice and praise God for what she was going through even though the costs were still there.

What made the difference?

Mary had learned to trust God so she could rejoice even in difficult times

Mary was the daughter of poor parents, but it was a godly home. For her, life was hard, but God is good. She was just as human as you or I and we must be careful not to exalt her to a position that she is not. She might not have had any idea how things would turn out, but she trusted God to do what He said and to do the impossible. Because she trusted God, she was fully read to surrender in obedience to His plan.

When we trust God we can rejoice in His unconventional and extraordinary plans regardless of the costs.

Mary had already made the choices that prepared her for God’s plan

In verses 27 and 34, the Bible tells us that Mary was a virgin. She was engaged to Joseph, but they had made the decision to maintain moral purity until married. Despite there being laws in place that could have resulted in her being stoned to death, there were still prostitutes and people struggled just as much to wait until marriage as they do today. But Mary chose to stay pure and chaste. In doing so, she not only honored herself and Joseph, but she also honored God.

Mary’s choice of purity put her in just the right position for God to select her for His plan that was both unconventional and extraordinary. 2 Timothy 2:21 says, “So if anyone purifies himself from these things, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” Mary chose to remain chaste and pure and a chaste and pure girl is exactly what God needed to fulfill His plan to send His own Son into the world to save us from our sins.

For Jesus to be both 100% God and 100% human he had to have been born to a virgin and conceived by God, it is the only way for him to be both. Had Mary not have been a virgin, there would have always been the question of who was Jesus’ father. Because she was a virgin, the only answer is God did the impossible in an unconventional and extraordinary way.

When we live pure lives according to God’s commandments, we can rejoice when God asks us to do the unconventional and extraordinary plans for our lives.

Mary could rejoice because she knew the true identity of her Son

Sometimes when God asks us to do the unconventional and extraordinary He gives us very little information, such as when He told Abraham to pack up his family and move. But God didn’t tell Abraham where. Abraham just had to trust God to get him there. Other times, God let’s us in on his plans and provides more information. Listen to the angel telling Mary God’s plan:

“Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name JESUS. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Mary heard those titles: Jesus (“Jehovah is salvation”), Son of the Most High, Messiah. Before anyone else on earth knew who He was or why He came, Mary knew. She understood the purpose of her pregnancy and all the scandal in the world could not change that. When she weighed the costs, she knew that there was a grater cost to every man woman and child throughout all of history if she did not surrender to God’s plan.

Whether God let’s in on the details of his plan like Mary, or keeps us in uncertainty like Abraham, we can step out in faith to obey God and rejoice in what He is doing in our lives.

Rejoice in God my Savior

John the Baptist is often thought of as the first evangelist, but Mary, a poor, plain, teenaged girl was the first evangelist of all. And she told the Gospel first in song as her awe that God would choose her for the Messiah broke into a song of praise. Her song is recorded for all eternity in Luke 1:46-55:

⁴⁶ “My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Because of Mary’s surrender and obedience to God’ unconventional and extraordinary plan, we all can rejoice.

---

Visit our three retail experiences:

Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store

Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?

We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021. .

We’re thankful for the opportunity to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.

904.239.8937

---

Help support our ministry:

---

---

Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube

Ready for Christmas music?

We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.

Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.

You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel

---

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

---

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

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Here’s some of our recent posts.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 

Follow us on: