Quote from Forum Archives on December 11, 2000, 9:35 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

As we begin a new work week, I would like to share with you the
words from one of the Gospel accounts leading up to the birth of
Jesus. Then I would like you to pray for someone who is in what
appears to be a life threatening condition. I think when we join
together in prayer, we begin to appreciate what God can do
throughout the world around us.

At our church, we have been reading each of the traditional
stories of the Advent season, leading up to the birth of Jesus
Christ. In the traditional Advent stories, we are taken along
the path of eager expectation. We hear of the hope, peace, and
joy we can experience. Each week, we light a candle, reminding
us of one of these attributes. Finally, at Christmas, we light a
candle acknowledging His coming.

On this third week of the Advent season, as we prepare our
hearts, the traditional story we read was about the Shepherds.
Our pastor spoke about them. What is interesting to me about the
shepherds is that they convey to me several important attitudes
that I try to follow in my own life.

First of all, shepherds were pretty ordinary people. There was
nothing attractive about them. If anything, in today's culture,
they would probably be considered repulsive, because they spent a
lot of time out in fields with equally smelly animals, the sheep.
They did not hang out in the local towns much, if at all.

But these particular shepherds had one particularly redeeming
quality that I think is crucial, and even though they were humble
men, God made His story available to them at a time when few
others even knew what was going on. Why was that? I think it
was because they had the time to listen, and the willingness to
obey what they heard. Then they responded to what they saw and
heard.

Dear Lord,

The stories of Your coming have been heard over and over again,
and read throughout the ages. Yet so few of us are aware of Your
coming. So few of us listen as You call out to us, day and
night. I confess that I struggle with being busy and occupied
with the events surrounding me. Help me not to allow those
things to ever drown out the voices of the angels, or of Your
Spirit as You speak to me.

I am touched by the great need we have all around us today, Lord.
The need for each of us to recognize Your Presence among us, the
physical and spiritual needs all around us. Individuals need
Your healing touch, our nation and our world needs Your guidance,
people need to find out who You are. Meanwhile, we are pressed
on every side with supposedly urgent things that threaten to
completely drown out Your voice and Your Spirit. Help us all, I
pray.

Please hear the cries from the people asking prayers for Steve
Talbott. I do not know this man, but I do have a friend in the
South who is concerned for this man. Therefore, I want to lift
them up to You, and ask for Your divine comfort in a situation
which is clearly out of our hands. You are the Great Physician,
and You also know the plans you have for Steve, his family, his
church, and his friends. Be especially near to each of them
today, and draw each one of us near to You as we unite our hearts
together in prayer. May it be Your Spirit of love and compassion
that brings us together. May it be our candle of hope, peace,
and joy today. Amen.

Brother Brian

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord
appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not
be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for
all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been
born to you; he is Christ [1] the Lord. 12 This will be a sign
to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a
manger."

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with
the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they
hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was
lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the
word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and
all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in
her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising
God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just
as they had been told. (Luke 2:8-20, NIV)
bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible

Subject: Re: plese pray for STEVE TALBOT... NOT GOOD AT ALL

** High Priority **

Jane,
I am so sorry to hear about Steve and I will ask for others to pray for
him and his family.

To my dear friends, Jane (my twin sister in Mobile, Alabama) has a
prayer request of one of the deacons at the University Blvd Church of
Christ. See her note below. From her note, appears to be quite
serious. thanks and God Bless,

Jeanne

>>> Jane Styers <jane2vicky@yahoo.com> 12/11/00 06:45AM >>>

HI... i'll talk later but now we all need to keep praying for steve
talbot. he is university blvd's church secretary's husband of around
48 yrs old.. he is also a deacon there .......This has come as a
total surprize............ had chest pains, went to emergency rm, had
an attack while on table, triple by pass surgery, had several seizures,
not really awake... not in coma, the neurlogist say no brain wave and no
hope at all. we need an outright MIRACLE here. i'm going back to
hospital. please keep praying. and thanks. jane

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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