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   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   
      
   FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT   
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ANXIETIES!   
      
   Lift up your heads, O you gates;   
   and be lifted up, you everlasting doors,   
   that the King of glory may enter. PSALM 24:7   
      
   Today's Scripture reminds me again that Advent is an ongoing journey   
   of UH-OHs and AH-HAs in our lives. Someone once quipped that   
   'If you like bungee-jumping, you'll love Advent!" How true. how true!   
      
   Psalm 24 brings out the anxieties of life. but only if we read it as   
   something that we got to do rather than something that we get to do.   
   We are asked, 'Who will the Lord come to lift up, to save ?" And we are told.   
   "Those who have clear hands and pure hearts." Well, that leaves me out.   
   Wow. what an UH-OH moment!   
   But there's more ... lots more. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said. 'A prison   
   cell, in which one waits, hopes and is completely depended on the fact   
   that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad   
   picture of Advent!" And that's what the psalmist is talking about!   
      
   Lift up our heads, we are told, because the King of Glory. Jesus Christ   
   himself, is coming! The door to life has been opened . .. from the outside   
   And so we do lift up our heads, as we also lift up other people.   
   Once again, today. the UH-OH anxieties of life have been overcome   
   by the AH-HAs of Advent! The prison door is open . . . come and see   
   the Empty Tomb!   
   Lord, continue to lift us up in the midst of our own anxieties   
   Send your Spirit to calm us, cleanse us and cuddle us in your Word.   
   And as you do, empower us to lift others up as well.   
   In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Psalm 24   
      
   Psalms 24   
   A Psalm of David.   
   1 The earth belongs to the Lord, and its fullness,   
   the world, and those who dwell in it.   
   2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) For He has founded it on the seas,   
   and established it on the floods.   
   3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?   
   Who may stand in His holy place?   
   4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) He who has clean hands and a pure heart;   
   who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity,   
   nor sworn deceitfully.   
   5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) He will receive the blessing from the Lord,   
   and righteousness from the God of his salvation.   
   6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,   
   who seek Your face. Selah   
   7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) Lift up your heads, O you gates;   
   and be lifted up, you everlasting doors,   
   that the King of glory may enter.   
   8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) Who is this King of glory?   
   The Lord strong and mighty,   
   the Lord mighty in battle.   
   9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) Lift up your heads, O you gates;   
   lift up, you everlasting doors,   
   that the King of glory may enter.   
   10) Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Who is He-this King of glory?   
   The Lord of Hosts,   
   He is the King of glory. Selah   
      
   From  On Eagle's wings   
      
   16 (Lk 2:32; Job 3:5) The people who sat in darkness   
   saw great light.   
   And on those who sat in the land of the shadow of death,   
   light has dawned."   
      
   [16] The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat   
   in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.   
   Matthew 4:16 (MEV/KJV)   
   The summer of 2023 we traveled to Tuktoyaktuk and Ft. McPherson.   
   We were hosting two Bible Camps on behalf of On Eagles Wings.   
   Daylight in June is twenty-four hours a day. Despite the full-time   
   sunlight however, we saw darkness. The day after we arrived a   
   young man took his life.   
   Darkness lives in our minds, it takes our hope and joy. As we   
   gathered in a baseball field, the community shared their   
   understanding of the sorrow. Too many had lost their children to   
   suicide. Darkness is not only on the outside, it grows inside.   
   We need the light of Christ in our hearts and minds showing us the   
   truth that we are never alone, and always unconditionally loved.   
   My seat partner on the flight home was going to Edmonton to meet   
   Pope Francis. Five of her friends were invited, but she alone had the   
   courage to get on the plane. As she shared her past struggles and   
   heartbreak, she gave thanks for her daughters. She was grateful   
   that they had a good life with their father.   
   Light can, and does, fill our lives as we draw close to the never   
   ending love of God. The joy of opening to receive that light   
   becomes the miracle. This lady had no bitterness, just a grateful   
   heart that her loved ones were happy. I could feel the light shining   
   in her and gave thanks that I was blessed to share with her.   
      
   Beverly Kazoleas   
   Bible Camp Volunteer   
      
   Conclusion:   
      
   Pry to Get on the same page with God to agree on the values   
   that you intend to live out as a family - reflecting the Person   
   and character of JEsus Christ. And inflence those around you.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to Him to have spiritual meat and not milk   
   and to Him who can save your soul.   
      
   Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, thank You for dwelling in me by   
   Your Spirit. May I continually draw from the living springs You provide."   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord to protect you from your enemies.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray that theWord of the Lord will not depart from you.   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to give you burdens to the Lord.   
      
   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 for God's kingdom to come in your home, neighbourhood, city or community,   
   and in our nation   
      
   Pray for those who serve with denominations and Christian organisations   
   in Canada - that God will bless their ministry   
   and anoint them for effective service.   
      
   - 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 God will convict the hearts of Canadians of the false   
   idea that all moral choices are equal and without consequences   
      
   Pray that people's hearts would be opened to see the folly   
   of denying God's supremacy   
      
   God, give us the patience to trust your promises. Amen.   
      
   Jesus, Saviour, pilot me. And give me your Spirit to speak that   
   same word to others. Amen.   
      
   Pray: Thank you, God, that the coming of the Promised One enables   
   us to serve you in holiness. Amen.   
      
   Pray: Lord, continue to lift us up in the midst of our own anxieties   
   Send your Spirit to calm us, cleanse us and cuddle us in your Word.   
   And as you do, empower us to lift others up as well.   
   In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
      
   Christ is the reason for the season    
      
   Gracious, loving and merciful Creator, may we remain steadfast in   
   your love. May we be strong and courageous embracing the light of   
   Christ, letting go of the fear that becomes our darkness. Fill us with   
   the light and faith to do the impossible.   
      
   Pray that Christian converts from Islam in Burundi will be   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)