[continued from previous message]   
      
   8 (Ps 90:4) But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing,   
   that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years   
   as one day.   
   9 (1Ti 2:4; Hab 2:3; Heb 10:37) The Lord is not slow concerning His promise,   
   as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want   
   any to perish, but all to come to repentance.   
      
   2 Peter 3:8-9   
      
   From Follow The Story by Marva J. Dawn   
      
   SATURDAY, THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT   
      
   The Lord God   
      
   68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,...   
      
   -Luke 1:68a   
      
   I have taken the liberty of capitalizing the entire name LORD   
   (here and in earlier meditations) because it seems most likely   
      
   that the speakers utilized the Aramaic version of the original   
   Hebrew word we translate "Jehovah" or "Yahweh." In English we employ   
   the all-capitalized word rather than Lord, which renders the Hebrew   
   name Adonai or "Sovereign One." LORD means the "Covenant One,"   
   so you might want to watch for its occurrences in the First Testament   
   and note each time the choice of that assuring/fulfilling name.   
      
      
   Here Zechariah blesses Israel's Promising God because he had scrutinised   
   his people positively and reclaimed them after all the times in their   
   history they had gone astray.   
   Zechariah's son John would have a great part in a future restoration   
   (Luke 1:15b-16).   
      
   Do we need a more favourable view of the First   
   (rather than "Old" or, as some think, "Outdated") Testament?   
   To see all the grace that is implied by LORD might   
   be an excellent starting point.   
      
   Prayer   
      
   The immensity of your grace, LORD, dazzles us! Amen.   
      
   Read Luke 1:67-68.   
      
   67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit   
   and prophesied, saying,   
   68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,   
   for He has visited and redeemed His people,   
      
   From the Ah-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   THIRD SATURDAY   
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ATTRIBUTES!   
      
   How beautiful upon the mountains   
   are the feet of him who brings good news,   
   who proclaims peace,   
   who brings good news of happiness,   
   who proclaims salvation,   
   who says to Zion,   
   "Your God reigns!"ISAIAH 52:7   
      
   Today's Scripture outlines some of the Advent AH-HAs of attributes   
   of those who share the good news of Christmas . .. and beyond. How   
   beautiful are the feet of the messengers who bring peace and hope to   
   a troubled world! And then we are even encouraged to "break forth in   
   singing," another great attribute given to us to use to glorify the Lords   
   Think of some of the AH-HA attributes that you are sharing with others. Go   
   ahead. no need to be a "shucks, I don't have much" kind of person. We   
   all have been blessed with so many gifts, and I do not mean those lying   
   under your tree.   
   As an experiment, try this; Write down or think of six words you would use   
   to describe your Advent journey of faith. This idea evolved from a book   
   entitled Not Quite What I was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers   
   Famous card Obscure in which people summed up their lives in six   
   words. One comic wrote, "Well,l thought it was funny." Ernest Hemingway   
   wrote, "For sale, baby shoes, never worn." Folks from Chicago might write,   
   'Cubbies--just wait until next year!" A former math teacher of mine would   
   have said. "l never could count well!'   
   Some quick attributes of Advent for me an: "He came to give us life."o r   
   Everything in the name of Jesus." or "The Word Made Flesh among us.'   
   Share your attributes as gifts to others.   
      
   Lord. thanks for giving us gifts to announce your birth, death   
   and resurrection to others. Keep us creative, constant, consistent   
   and Christ-like. In Jesus' name, Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Isaiah 52:7-10.   
      
   7 (Isa 40:9; Na 1:15; Ps 93:1) How beautiful upon the mountains   
   are the feet of him who brings good news,   
   who proclaims peace,   
   who brings good news of happiness,   
   who proclaims salvation,   
   who says to Zion,   
   "Your God reigns!"   
   8 (Isa 62:6; 1Co 13:12) Your watchmen lift up their voices;   
   they sing joyfully together;   
   for they shall see with their own eyes   
   when the Lord brings Zion back.   
   9 (Isa 51:3; 48:20) Break forth into joy, sing together,   
   you waste places of Jerusalem.   
   For the Lord has comforted His people;   
   He has redeemed Jerusalem.   
   10 (Isa 51:9; Lk 3:6) The Lord has bared His holy arm   
   in the eyes of all the nations,   
   and all the ends of the earth shall see   
   the salvation of our God.   
      
   From  On Eagle's wings Day 14   
      
   Part Of The Family   
      
   14 and we saw His glory,   
   the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.   
      
   [14] (and we beheld his   
   glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace   
   and truth. John 1:14b   
      
   When I joined the Diocese of The Arctic in 1960 the term of service   
   was five years without any vacation and it was made clear that the   
   missionary’s first task was to learn the language of the community in   
   which they were serving. This was so that the people knew you came   
   not just as a transient visitor, but like Jesus, as one who was coming to   
   "dwell among" them. In this way you eventually were seen as a   
   member of the community not as an outsider, who would be there for   
   a time, short or longer, but eventually leave again. You became one of   
   the family sharing in its joys and its sorrows, the joyful times and the   
   tragedies.   
   Advent is the season in which we look forward to the annual   
   celebration of the coming of Jesus who came that we might have life,   
   not just earthly life, but eternal life as one of God the Father’s family.   
   During Advent we have a twofold task. We need to prepare ourselves   
   to fully celebrate the Nativity, and remember that Jesus still dwells   
   among us today. Then to share with those around us that we can all be   
   members of the heavenly family through belief and trust in Jesus, the   
   only Lord and Saviour.   
   Let us reach out to those amongst whom we dwell and share with   
   them the Gospel of salvation.   
      
   Bishop Chris Williams (retired)   
   Northern Partner & Former Board Member   
      
   Conclusion:   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to thank Him for being the Supreme Spiritual Leader.   
      
   Pray to the Lord: "Holy God, when my circumstances seem bleak,   
   please remind me to focus on You to find joy and strength."   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to Sow to yourselves in righteousness,   
   reap in mercy.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to be neither lender nor follower.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to know The Lord prepares a place for you in Heaven.   
      
   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 that, with God's help, children and young people will be able to journey   
   with hope towards the destiny God has for each of them.   
      
   Thank you, Lord, for choosing us before the creation of the world   
   to be your sons and daughters. Amen.   
      
   God, give us the patience to trust your promises. Amen.   
      
   Pray: The immensity of your grace, LORD, dazzles us! Amen.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)