We were shown Dec 3 how God came to live among us in our homes and then how we meet Him and let Him abide in our manger or home December 10th now today Dec. 17^th we are going to see the Joy He bought with Him for us, as His followers 1 Thessalonians 5   ¹² And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Paul is describing what is going on in the last days before He comes to take us home. But thank the Lord He came as a babe, to live among us, showing us the way, truth and life that’s ours, as we abide in the vine; Jesus. He came to live among us as Father, or Daddy in our homes where we live move and have our being since He lives within us giving us the opportunity to have goodwill and peace, which give unspeakable joy of the Lord. We see this in many home where God rules and reigns for the joy of the Lord is their strength. When we look at the sacrifice of those that are preaching, teaching evangelizing and doing missionary work we should rejoice in the fact God Choose them. Thank the Lord for people that know more than I do, for they encourage, helping to enable us to achieve our potential, everyone is born with a talents or gifts God wants to us. Thank the Lord for people that are over us that want to teach us to do what is right. ¹⁴ Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. This is seeing the need for good solid wise coaching for people need to be exhorted to practice what is right. And people need to be warned of the consequences of sin, so they can become accountable for their behavior and attitude. I am so thankful for every warning I received that prevented me from getting into trouble. It was my parents at home that help me the most, then when I went to school it was the teachers, principals and counselors that became my friends, for I wanted to do what is right. Yes, I received many spanking at home and at school that made me realize, there was joy in doing right over wrong. It is our Father, God that is always challenging us to stay connected and work at becoming more and more like Him, so the joy of the Lord is always present. When joy is not present, I am not happy, or pleased with anyone or anybody. It is when I see my need and how the Lord is able to lead me and guide me I am the most satisfied. We are living in a day that no one seems to like to be corrected for everybody has been taught to do their thing and do not bother me, for I will not bother you. This is the new age and people are lawless and restless without direction which takes a lot of patience from all today to deal with. That is one reason the world is looking for a savior and ready to accept an Anti- Christ for we need help.  ¹⁵ See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. What a blessing to know our Father who lives in our homes wants the best for all His children for He never honors evil, but wants the best for all, so we become better as a society, race or tribe. We need to look for ways to be good to ourselves and to others all the time, for that is the way of our Father God and His Holy Spirit that enables us to be more and more like Him. Today we have the Smart Phones, that are connected to computes so one can keep contact with others around the world. Satan wants you to know it is your phone and you can do with it whatever you want. What a lie, for the smart phone does not know the difference from right, or wrong. To know what is right demands being taught at home from the right manual, that being the Bible. When right is not taught, wrong becomes ok, lawlessness then becomes ok and everyone gets hurt and suffers. So, we do not have to teach wrong behavior, we are born to accept wrong until proven the consequences of its evil fruit is going to hurt, until we repent and accept the truth, still needs to be taught.
¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Rejoice always happens when we are abiding in the vine; for God does not give us something we can’t handle, remember we are Gods children and He wants to have control and nothing is impossible with God. It is because of prayer that we can give thanks for all God is doing around the world that we do not like, but able to commit everything into the hands of the Lord, that are outstretched still against all evil. God is not sleeping, or getting tired, He is well aware of what is going on and Satan is causing, as we give way to him. Thank the Lord greater is He that lives in us, then he that lives in the world.

As we consider Advent Gods Coming to our world let’s take a closer look at the home for that is where we meet as a family of Gods.

Ps 85:1-2 8-13 Dec 10

Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. “Worthy News reported Dec 6, it will be 100 years (2 Jubilee cycles) nearly to the day when Jerusalem was liberated from the Ottoman Empire by the British in 1917. And in 1917, when the British entered into Jerusalem, it was 400 years (8 Jubilee cycles) to the day of when the Turks initially entered Jerusalem in 1517. So this month will mark 500 years (10 Jubilee Cycles) since the Ottomans first captured the holy city. Historically, it will also mark 50 years (1 Jubilee Cycle) since Jerusalem was liberated in the Six Days War in 1967. Worthy News wants to share a brief history lesson about the liberation of Jerusalem. Early in 1917, John Hilton, a mechanic in the British Royal Flying Corps, attended church one Sunday morning. Noticing Hilton's uniform, a clergyman approached and told him, having read Isaiah 31, he believed that airplanes would be used by the English air force to deliver Jerusalem into British hands. He was right...but only partly...Months later, General Allenby was seeking advice from London as he prepared to liberate Jerusalem from 400 years of Turkish rule. He received a wire from London. The wire quoted Isaiah 31:4-5, "For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem, defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. After receiving the wire, Allenby called for planes to fly low over Jerusalem, dropping leaflets warning the Turks of his coming. When the Turks picked up the leaflets and read the name Allenby, they heard, "Allah en Nebi", which, in Arabic, means “Prophet of Allah”, so they surrendered Jerusalem without firing a shot! A tenth century Islamic poet with which they were familiar, had written, “The man who will conquer Jerusalem and redeem it from the infidel for all time to come will enter the Holy City humbly on foot, and his name is God's prophet.” In respect for the city of his savior's death and resurrection, Allenby dismounted his horse and walked into Jerusalem on foot. The liberation of Jerusalem took place the first day of Chanukah, the feast of dedication, in 1917". 

We are seeing the creative providence of our God is astounding in its details, and sometimes even reveals His sense of humor. He is not asleep, and His resources are far beyond our ability to comprehend. Who could have imagined that the name of an English general and the verse of an Islamic poet, would be the combination for a bloodless victory which would also fulfill an ancient Hebrew scripture? So, we believe, in our present situation, again, God's deliverance will come in the most unexpected ways. How He will do it this time? Watch for the unexpected ways He will work...even in your own situation!”

Thank the Lord He has bought Israel back to the promised land after much suffering and we as Gentiles have been drafted in to this family of Gods, so what David is saying here is He has always been interested in the home of Israel and the Church. No longer in bondage, but free at last and then when Jesus came as a babe and lived among us many became disciples of His and followed Him as they abide in the vine; Jesus.

We're living in a unique time in history, as once again Israel finds herself surrounded by enemies with few friends willing to stand with her. So often we are asked, and we wonder, how things will turn out ... we've found it's usually foolish to try and predict; but one thing is absolutely certain; the God of Israel is watching over this tiny nation!