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   believe that it is coming. Amen.   
      
   My kingdom is not of this world.   
   John 18:36   
      
   From Follow the Story by Marva J. Dawn   
      
   TUESDAY, SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT   
      
   The Sign   
      
   For nothing will be impossible with God.   
      
   -Luke 1:37   
      
   Perhaps Mary still had confusions and fears.   
   Absolutely the angel's message quite overwhelmed her.   
   Knowingly, Gabriel   
   gave her a sign to reassure her that his message was trustworthy. Her   
   relative Elizabeth, in spite of her old age, was also expecting a child   
   and was six months along. Indeed, this sign was as much a miracle   
   as Mary would soon sustain.   
      
   The motif of this story is true for all of us:   
   "Nothing will be impossible with God." This statement is true for   
   so many of the biblical stories; we can read about God doing   
   all kinds of astounding things in the Scriptures. Martin Luther   
   said that Mary's acceptance of God's arrangement for her   
   was as much a miracle as for God to produce a child in a virgin.   
      
   How have we seen that nothing is impossible with God?   
   What miracles have happened in our lives or in the life of someone we know?   
   Are we bothered by the word miracles? Or shall we name them God's wonders?   
      
   prayer   
      
   Thank you, God, for your radiant creations! Amen.   
      
   Read Luke 1:30-37.   
      
   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."   
   34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"   
   35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,   
   and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.   
   Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God.   
      
   From The AH-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   SECOND TUESDAY   
      
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and AFFIRMATION!   
      
      
   May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.   
   so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ROMANS 15:13   
      
   Did you know that it takes at least nine words of affirmation and   
   encouragement to overcome one word of criticism and hatred? How often   
   do you or your family or your congregation share encouraging words with   
   each other? when was the last time you said "Way to go!" to someone, or   
   gave a "You Done Good" award? Why is it that the deer and the antelope   
   seldom hear a discouraging word ... yet we hear them all the time?   
      
   Advent is a time for affirmation of other because we know gow life will   
   turn out- in the Lord! We can praise and thank and hug others because   
   the Lord is doing that each day to us - through his Word and sacraments,   
   and through others who hug and care for us. Hope in the Lord Jesus is to   
   know that even when there is no hope... there is hope in Chirst.   
      
   We Advent ambassadors abound in hope and affirmation because, as   
   St . Paul states, the Lord fills us "with all joy and peace in believing".   
   What a Christmas gift the Lord gives to us each day! And we do not even have   
   to wrap it before we give it to others!   
      
   Affirmation (aka, hope) means Hooray Opportunities Proclaiming Easter!   
   And why wait until Easter, or even Christmas for that matter?   
   Let us see how we can bring hope and affirmation to the people around us, right   
   now! The AH-HA of affirmation is contagious. Let's pray for an epidemic!   
      
   Lord, bring hope to us today so that we can bring hope to others in this   
   often hopeless world. We are firm in our faith in you. Help us   
   to be firm as we share love and hope with others, right now.   
      
   In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Romans 15:7-13   
      
   The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike   
      
   7 Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed us, for the   
    glory of God.   
   8 (Mt 15:24; 2Co 1:20) Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to   
    the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God, to confirm the promises made   
    to the patriarchs,   
   9 (2Sa 22:50; Ps 18:49) and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His   
    mercy, as it is written:   
   “For this reason I will acknowledge You among the Gentiles,   
   and I will sing praises to Your name."(Ps 18:49.)   
   10 (Dt 32:43) He also says:   
   "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!"(Dt 32:43.)   
   11 (Ps 117:1) And again:   
   "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;   
   let all the peoples praise Him." (Ps 117:1.)   
   12 (Isa 11:10; Mt 12:21) And again Isaiah says:   
   "There shall be a root of Jesse;   
   He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,   
   in Him shall the Gentiles hope." (Isa 11:10.)   
   13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace   
    in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy   
    Spirit.   
      
   From  On Eagle's wings Day 3   
      
   Taste and See   
   Taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34:9 (NIV)   
      
   In July, I returned to Behchokǫ̀, a First Nations community where   
   we had held a Bible Camp two summers ago. The town, northwest   
   of Yellowknife, had to evacuate ahead of the forest fire just as our   
   children’s program was ending.   
   This past summer, new trees were being planted. New houses were   
   being built. The community is looking forward to a bright future for   
   their young people.   
   As the boys and girls approached us the first day, a little girl raced   
   towards me, calling out to me by name! As she welcomed me back, I   
   felt surprised, humbled, encouraged.   
   A following day, this girl gave me a slice of bread. Not real bread,   
   but a craft made from paper, and part of our TASTE curriculum.   
   "This is for you!" she said. Printed on the bread slice were the   
   words: TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD. Words which I   
   remember hearing when I was her age. A wonderful reminder that   
   Creator wills goodness for his people.   
   In this Advent season, we look forward to the Christmas celebration   
   of our loving Creator coming among us in the birth of Jesus. As we   
   read through the Scriptures, we also look toward God’s coming to   
   us in the risen Jesus Christ at the close of history. We go forward in   
   our daily living in the confidence that our Lord Jesus, the Bread of   
   Life, wills good for us.   
   Let us reflect upon that little girl's slice of bread. Let us "Taste and   
   see that the Lord is good."   
      
   Rev. Dr. Gary Watts   
   Bible Camp Volunteer   
      
   Conclusion:   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to be a minister of reconciliation and a joyful   
   giver in His will.   
      
   Pray to the Lord: "Dear Father, how prone I am to answer   
   quickly and in anger. Please guide me by Your Spirit   
   and help me weigh my responses wisely."   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to Jesus who delivers your from Darkness.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to know the bleesings of the Lord.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to know about the Upcomping Rapture   
   and the Resurrection of the Dead.   
      
   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."   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)