"Ideas cannot be fought except by means of better ideas. The battle consists, not of opposing, but of exposing; not of denouncing, but of disproving; not of evading, but of boldly proclaiming a full, consistent, and radical alternative.”

"Our world today so desperately hungers for hope, yet uncounted people have almost given up. There is despair and hopelessness on every hand. Let us be faithful in proclaiming the hope that is in Jesus.” -  Billy Graham: (born November 7, 1918: is an American evangelical Christian evangelist)

Gospel Text: (MT 9:35B-10:1, 5A, 6-8)

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,

teaching in their synagogues,

proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,

and curing every disease and illness.

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them

because they were troubled and abandoned,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples,

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Then he summoned his Twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out

and to cure every disease and every illness.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,

“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Cure the sick, raise the dead,

cleanse lepers, drive out demons.

Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Advent, 2016. Here we go! How can we make this proclamation with our lives this Advent? How can we share the good news in a world that is so frantic and busy and started selling Christmas in October? Sadly, many families really don’t know the true meaning of Christmas.

I encourage you to take some extra time this Advent to be still in the Lord’s awesome presence. Let Him fill you with His peace so that you can then share it with those around you.