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   Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.   
   10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.   
   11 Give us this day our daily bread.   
   12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.   
   13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:   
   For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.   
      
   )   
      
   b) Pray that in kindness God will lead many to repentance in your city   
   or community, and across our nation. (   
      
   Rom 2:4   
      
   4 (Ex 34:6; Isa 30:18) Do you despise the riches of His goodness,   
   tolerance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God   
   leads you to repentance?   
      
   4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance   
   and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth   
   thee to repentance?   
      
   )   
      
   Advent Day 8   
      
   From C. S. Lewis A Grand Miracle Joel Heck   
      
   "When the year dies in preparation for the birth/Of other seasons, not the   
   same,   
    on the same earth,   
      
   Then saving and calamity together make/The Advent gospel,   
   telling how the heart will break....   
      
   Therefore it was in Advent that the Quest began; in wail of wind   
   the flower of the Britons all/Went out, and desolation was   
   in Arthur's hall." - C. S. Lewis   
      
   (From C. S. Lewis' "Launcelot," in Narrative Poems, p. 95.)   
      
   The Quest   
      
   The quest for the Holy Grail in the King Arthur story has capti­vated   
   millions of people   
   over the centuries. Launcelot, the Christ­ figure of the Arthurian legend, is   
   the noble   
   knight who begins a search for the cup that Christ used at the Last Supper.   
   This cup has appeared in many places in literature, theater, and the movies.   
   In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, for example, Indiana Jones finds his way   
   down a passageway and comes into a room full of chalices. He must select one   
   and drink from it. If he selects the wrong cup, he dies.   
   An ancient figure in the room tells him, "Choose wisely."   
      
   Legend has it that the cup was carried by Joseph of Arimathea to a castle   
   in Great Britain. The court of King Arthur believed that the Grail would be   
    rediscovered by a descendant of Joseph. Of the Knights of the Round Table,   
   only Galahad, Lancelot's son, was able to find and enter the castle with   
   the Grail. When he finally gazed upon the cup, the story goes, grail   
   and man were lifted up to heaven together.   
      
   What's the point of this story for us? Lancelot's quest began in Advent,   
   and our quest, our preparation for Christmas, likewise begins in Advent.   
   And like the Wise Men preparing for their quest, we need to set out to find   
   our King, the Christ Child. When we begin our Advent season with Scripture   
    and seek the Holy Christ rather than the Holy Grail, we are choosing wisely.   
      
   God, grant us wisdom to choose thoughtfully our preparation   
   for your coming in Jesus. Amen.   
      
   Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?   
      
   Matthew 2:2   
      
   From Follow the Story Marva J. Dawn   
      
   SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT   
      
   He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest.   
      
   -Luke 1:32a   
      
   It is fitting that on this second Sunday of Advent we have before us   
   the actual words of annunciation for Mary. I was going to entitle this   
   meditation "The Annunciation to Mary," but was prevented by the actual   
   content of the angel's message. Conspicuously, Gabriel's words are much   
   more about Jesus than about practical matters for Mary. She is a servant,   
   absolutely, but the child that will be born of her is so great that all   
   consideration should be placed upon him.   
      
      
   Not only will he be great, but he will be called the Son of the Most High.   
   The LORD God (which uses the two most prominent names in the Hebrew   
   Scriptures, Yahweh and Elohim) will give him the throne over all of lsrael,   
   which his ancestor David once ruled, and of his kingdom there will be no end.   
   Unquestionably, this is the child for which all lsrael has been waiting.   
      
      
   prayer   
      
   LORD God, how can we ever thank you for sending us, Jesus,   
   the Son of the Most High? Amen.   
      
   Read Luke 1:25-33.   
      
   25 "Thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked on me,   
   to take away my reproach among men."   
      
   The Birth of Jesus Foretold   
      
   26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God   
   to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,   
   27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph,   
   of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.   
   28 The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured.   
   The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women."   
   29 When she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and considered   
   in her mind what kind of greeting this might be.   
   30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found   
   favour with God.   
   31 Listen, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son   
   and shall call His name JESUS.   
   32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest.   
   And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,   
   33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.   
   And of His kingdom there will be no end."   
      
   From the AH-HAs of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT   
      
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ACTION!   
      
   Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,   
   who alone does wondrous deeds.   
      
   PSALM 72:18   
      
      
   The AH-HAs of Advent provides us a time to reflect, refocus   
   and remember who we are in Jesus Christ So, enjoy refreshing   
   yourself through his Word and hrs people. And as we find time   
   to enjoy the "power of pause" we can also recall that the Lord   
    provide us opportunities to not only be his people but also   
   the chance to do a his people   
      
   Psalm 72 helps us to focus on being both be-ers and do-ers   
   in the world The good news in Christ is that we are motivated   
   to be active in serving others, not because we "gotta do it"   
   but because we ·get to do it"! Today's Psalm is an affirmatiion   
   of God at work in the world-our world. Right here and now-through us!   
      
   Isn't it great that one of the books of the Bible is titled the Acts of the   
    Apostles instead of the Resolutions of the Apostles'   
   There must be a message there somewhere!   
      
   So, what are you going to do today to show the glory, might and   
    love of the Lord? For starters pause to remember the promise   
   of your Baptism. Then look around you at your needs and your   
   gifts, take a deep breath. and announce your action plan at   
   least to yourself). Do not worry about getting everything correct   
   today or doing everything you want to do.   
      
   Just "Get ready! Fire!"... and then aim later when   
    you rethink all of the possibilities for a ministry of action!   
      
   Look out world, here I come!   
      
   Lord thanks for being active in the world both in little   
   and big ways. Help me today to be active   
   in big ways and little ways as well,   
      
   not because I "gotta do it" but because I" want to do it."   
      
   In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Psalm 72·1-7. 18-19   
      
   1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,   
   and Your righteousness to the king’s son.   
   2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) May he judge Your people with righteousness,   
   and Your poor with justice.   
   3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) May the mountains bring well-being to the people,   
   and the hills, in righteousness.   
   4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) May he judge the poor of the people,   
   may he save the children of the needy,   
   and crush the oppressor.   
   5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) May they fear You as long as the sun endures,   
   and the moon, throughout all generations.   
   6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) May he descend like rain on the mown grass,   
   as showers dripping on the earth.   
   7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) In his days may the righteous flourish,   
   and abundance of peace until the moon is no more.   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)