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   Holy Designer, thank you for fulfilling your prophecy in John.   
      
   Amen.   
      
   Read Luke 1:59-64.   
      
   59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.   
   And they were calling him Zechariah, after the name of his father.   
   60 But his mother answered, “Not so! He shall be called John.”   
   61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives   
   who is called by this name."   
   62 They made signs to his father, asking what he would have him called.   
   63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John."   
   And they all were amazed.   
   64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed,   
   and he spoke and praised God.   
      
   From The Ah-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   THIRD THURSDAY   
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ABSOLUTES!   
      
   3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according   
   to His abundant mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope   
   through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,   
   4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that   
   does not fade away, kept in heaven for you, 1 PETER 1:3-4   
      
   Joy to the World is a hymn that should be sung all year long!   
   We boldly proclaim that there is joy in this world because the Lord HAS   
   come! Have you ever sung a stanza that goes. "Joy to the world, the Lord   
   might come," or "the Lord is thinking of coming." or "shape up and he will   
   come"? Me neither!   
   Absolutes is a big AH-HA of Advent. It affirms that Advent is not a time   
   to pretend that the Lord is coming, but that he has indeed come to   
   us already! And with this absolute truth of the Gospel we also receive   
   absolution of our sins--again because (he Lord has come to live, suffer,   
   die and rise for us! We are forgiven . . . absolutely!   
   Think of other absolutes in your life. l think of love for family although   
   mess that up at times; and of life being a gift from God,. although   
   sometimes do not live like it is; and, of course, it is an absolute that   
   the Chicago Cubs will never win another World Series   
   but that's another story!   
   1 Peter 1 affirms in us that the absolute of Advent is that the Lord has given   
   us   
   "a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"!   
      
   So enjoy the day, absolutely, in the Lord. Sit back. relax. enjoy--there is   
   nothing left for us to do. Soren Kierkegaard once said, "Laughter is a type   
   of prayer." Perhaps he meant that laughter, like prayer, allows us to give up   
   our need to control or manage. Just receive the Christ of Christmas!   
      
   Lord, thanks for your absolute love for us always . . . and that's a long, long   
   time! Help us to enjoy doing nothing today, because your joy has come   
   to the world! In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read 1 Peter 1:3-9   
      
   3 (1Co 15:20; 2Co 1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,   
   who according to His abundant mercy has given us a new birth into a living   
   hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,   
   4 (Col 1:5; 2Ti 4:8) to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that   
   does not fade away, kept in heaven for you,   
   5 (Eph 2:8) who are protected by the power of God through faith for   
   a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.   
   6 (Jas 1:2; Isa 61:3; Ro 5:2) In this you greatly rejoice, even though now,   
   if for a little while, you have had to suffer various trials,   
   7 (Job 23:10; Pr 17:3; Isa 48:10) in order that the genuineness of your faith,   
   which is more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tried by fire,   
   may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation   
   of Jesus Christ,   
   8 (Jn 20:29; Heb 11:27) whom, having not seen, you love; and in whom,   
   though you do not see Him now, you believe and you rejoice with joy   
   unspeakable and full of glory,   
   9 (Ro 6:22) receiving as the result of your faith the salvation of your souls.   
      
   From  On Eagle's wings   
      
   A Willing Heart   
   3 And everyone went to his own city to be taxed. Luke 2:3 (MEV)   
   [3] And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. Luke 2:3 (KJV)   
      
   Undertaking a journey requires advanced planning and preparation.   
   Imagine planning a journey involving walking 113 km (70 miles),   
   navigating hilly terrain while caring for a heavily pregnant woman.   
   Today it would be considered high risk to embark on such an   
   arduous journey in the third trimester of pregnancy. I imagine the   
   Roman census coinciding with Mary's due date was a major inconvenience.   
   The decision to journey to the Arctic community of Tuktoyaktuk   
   was not easy. I was deeply fatigued from a busy season in life and   
   still in the process of recovering from the flu. There was a part of   
   me that didn't want to be inconvenienced by the trip and another   
   part that really wanted to reconnect with the people in Tuk. I was   
   genuinely concerned about my health, but as I began to pray about   
   the opportunity I recognized a gentle nudging in my spirit to   
   surrender my fears.   
   I often wonder about the inner conflict Mary might have   
   experienced as she prepared to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem.   
   Perhaps she was concerned about her health and the health of   
   her newborn. Mary's act of compliance and surrender to the things   
   outside of her control continues to be a source of inspiration to me.   
   As I sat around a craft table sharing my faith with the children in   
   Tuk, I recognized the value of surrender, and the impact acceptance   
   can make.   
      
   Emma Abrol   
   On Eagle's Wings Curriculum Writer & Bible Camp Volunteer   
      
   Conclusion:   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to understand the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.   
      
   Pray to the Lord: "Loving Father, please help me be attuned   
   to opportunities to spread Your love through   
   kind words and actions. I want to be more like You!"   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to know the Lord who redeems you.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to honour his covenant.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray that integrity and uprightness preserve you.   
      
   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 God's name to be glorified in your life, home, neighbourhood,   
   city or community, and in Canada.   
      
   Thank you, Lord Jesus, for making it possible for us to become your sons   
   and daughters. Amen.   
      
   Pray: Holy Designer, thank you for fulfilling your prophecy in John.   
      
   Pray: Lord, thanks for your absolute love for us always . . . and that's a   
   long, long   
   time! Help us to enjoy doing nothing today, because your joy has come   
   to the world! In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Father in heaven, this Advent let us discover again that we are   
   your children created in your own image and, because of our   
   baptism, that Christ is in us. Let us rediscover that there is   
   peace and joy in Jesus Christ. In his name, Amen.   
      
   Father, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot   
   change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom   
   to know the difference. Amen.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)