[continued from previous message]   
      
   Read Luke 1:68-79.   
      
   68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,   
   for He has visited and redeemed His people,   
   69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us   
   in the house of His servant David,   
   70 as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,   
   71 that we should be saved from our enemies   
   and from the hand of all who hate us,   
   72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers   
   and to remember His holy covenant,   
   73 the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,   
   74 to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,   
   might serve Him without fear,   
   75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.   
   76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;   
   for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,   
   77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people   
   by the remission of their sins,   
   78 through the tender mercy of our God,   
   whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;   
   79 to give light to those who sit in darkness   
   and in the shadow of death,   
   to guide our feet into the way of peace."   
      
   From The Ah-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ACCEPTANCE!   
      
   the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying,   
   "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,"   
   MATTHEW 1:20   
      
   Joseph is often the "odd man out" in the Christmas story. We hear   
   so much about the Baby Jesus (and rightly so!), and about Mary,   
   the shepherds, the angels and even those smelly sheep .. - but not   
   a lot about Joseph   
      
   The Ah-Has of acceptance is all about Joseph. Today's lesson shows   
   good old Joe in a tough situation But, through the Holy Spirit, he accepted   
   the responsibilities that were given to him. And notice the phrase that   
   the angel brought to Joseph's dream: "Do not be afraid!" These are the   
   same Gospel words that we hear from the Lord as we go about accepting   
   the responsibilities that he gives to us each day.   
      
   The beauty and irony of Advent is that as we prepare for his coming.   
   the Lord has already prepared us for life in him! His acceptance of us   
   enables us to accept the many tasks and challenges he gives to us ...   
   with no exceptions! It's like the button that states, "God loves you ...   
   of course - he loves everyone!" And it's true, because of Emmanuel,   
   "God with us."   
      
   Lord, thanks for accepting us as your children, with no exceptions.   
   Because of your birth, death and resurrection: we are yours forever!   
   Forgive us when we do not accept that truth. Forgive us when we fail   
   to hear and see you in our lives . Keep whispering bands (and shouting) to us,   
   "Do not be afraid! " In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Matthew 1:18-25   
      
   18 (Ge 3:15) Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way:   
   After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together,   
   she was found with child by the Holy Spirit.   
   19 (Dt 22:21-24; 24:1-4 )Then Joseph her husband, being a just man   
   and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce   
   her privately.   
   20 (Mt 1:18; 2:13) But while he thought on these things, the angel   
   of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying,   
   "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,   
   for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.   
   21 (Lk 1:31; Ac 4:12) She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS,   
   for He will save His people from their sins."   
   22 (Mt 2:15; 2:23) Now all this occurred to fulfill what the Lord   
   had spoken through the prophet, saying,   
   23 (Isa 7:14; 9:6–7; Mt 28:20) "A virgin shall be with child,   
   and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"   
   [Isa 7:14.] which is interpreted, "God with us."   
   24 Then Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord   
   had commanded him, and remained with his wife,   
   25 (Mt 1:21; Lk 2:7) and did not know her until she had given birth   
   to her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.   
      
   From  On Eagle's wings   
      
   Pitched A Tent   
   9 (Ge 12:8; 18:9) By faith he dwelt in the promised land, as in a foreign   
   land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise,   
      
   [9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,   
   dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same   
   promise:   
      
   Hebrews 11:9 (MEV/KJV)   
      
   The week was special. It was the annual Tłı̨chǫ Assembly combined   
   with the Dene Assembly in Behchokǫ̀, Northwest Territories. These   
   gatherings are integral for decisions and resolutions across the   
   different First Nations tribes, and a cultural celebration.   
   Many people had traveled long distances by plane, truck, and   
   canoe to participate. There were tents throughout the community   
   that families had brought to share and live in with extended family   
   members. For thousands of years, the native peoples of northern   
   Canada lived in tents as they followed caribou herds for food and   
   skins.   
   Abraham was also a tent-dweller. He and his people moved with   
   their tents from place to place longing and reaching for the   
   Promised Land. Even the Ark of the Covenant was closely and   
   carefully housed in a tent during those journeys. To the Israelites,   
   beholding the glory of God, or even uttering the name of God, was   
   forbidden.   
   John writes that God "made his dwelling among us." The closest   
   translation for dwell is “to pitch a tent”. At just the right time,   
   Almighty God burst into our lives as a newborn baby! Jesus, Savior,   
   God incarnate lived among us, preached, taught, healed, fed, loved,   
   died, and is resurrected. Through Jesus we witness God's great love   
   for all people.   
      
   Lois Graff Peterson   
   On Eagle's Wings Board Member   
      
   Conclusion:   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to Him who can save your soul.   
      
   Pray to the Lord: "Dear Father, please help me see others as You see them.   
   Thank You for complete forgiveness of my sins"   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to be a total forgiver.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to honour his covenant.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to the Healer.   
      
   Pray for Muslims and believers in Whitehorse and the Yukon to come together,   
   and for Muslims to find faith in Jesus Christ.   
      
   Pray for Muslims and believers in Yellowknife to come together,   
   and for Muslims to find faith in Jesus Christ.   
      
   Pray that believers in Iqaluit take up Jesus' command to love and reach   
   their Muslim neighbours with the Gospel.   
      
   - Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you   
   - Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving   
   Christ among Muslim people -   
   Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."   
   - When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims   
   throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!   
      
   Pray for the Lord to convict all Canadians of His Righteous   
   standards of living   
      
   Jesus, Saviour, pilot me. And give me your Spirit to speak that   
   same word to others. Amen.   
      
   Prince of Peace, give us peace of heart and mind,   
   peace in the midst of busyness, and peace in the midst of quiet. Amen.   
      
   Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, propel us to communicate your peace. Amen.   
      
   Pray: Lord, thanks for accepting us as your children, with no exceptions.   
   Because of your birth, death and resurrection: we are yours forever!   
   Forgive us when we do not accept that truth. Forgive us when we fail   
   to hear and see you in our lives . Keep whispering bands (and shouting) to us,   
   "Do not be afraid! " In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)