Quote from Forum Archives on December 12, 2001, 10:15 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

The word "Gospel" means "Good News". During the Advent Season
(this time of year, when we prepare our hearts for Christ's
coming), we often review the various stories in each of the four
Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which, in different ways,
explain the background and events (including prophesy) leading
to the birth of Jesus the Christ.

Today, I've selected a message from Guideposts - it seems we
always had one of those small booklets around my house when I was
growing up. Guideposts has always contained stories of how God
has moved in the lives of people, sometimes in very unexpected
ways. Well, Guideposts has changed, too, maybe in some
unexpected ways - a daily message can be read, not only in a
booklet/magazine, but also online. You can find them any time at
www.dailyguideposts.com.

The message today is a simple one, but don't let its simplicity
deter you, particularly if you are the type that looks for some
"meaty" scripture passage. This one is simple, very easy to
understand, yet equally profound. It might also be easy to miss,
if your heart is not prepared to receive it.

My prayer is that each of us will be prepared for His coming, and
we rejoice to know the Good News - which shall be for ALL
people. This good news is available to ANYONE. It may not mean
that everyone will accept it, but it DOES mean that it is here,
and the good news has no bias.

With all of the unsettled things going on internationally right
now, isn't this good news in the midst of it all? There is hope,
and that hope is available to all who seek Him. I don't know
about you, but I seeking Him today!

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Guideposts Daily Devotional

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke
2:10

<www.dailyguideposts.com/images/orangeline.gif>

<www.dailyguideposts.com/images/Authors/fellman.jpg>

Last Christmas my wife Joy and I wanted to plan a family
trip. Our boys were twenty-three, twenty-one and nineteen, and we
figured we might not have many more Christmases when we were all
together. I assumed the boys would want to go skiing, as we had
often done before. But when we asked them, they said in unison,
"Let's go to the beach!"

"The beach? How could you have Christmas at the beach?" I
grumbled. But my objections were drowned out by a trio that soon
became a quartet as Joy reverted to her Southern California
upbringing. So I asked some well-traveled friends where we should
go for sun, sand and adventure.

We finally hit on Ambergris Cay, an island off the coast of
Belize in Central America. Warm sun, beautiful reefs for
snorkeling, trips to the mainland to see Mayan ruins, crocodiles
and monkeys. . . it sounded like fun, but not like Christmas, so
on the plane trip down, I read the Christmas story in all four
gospels, trying to find a way to connect beaches with Bethlehem.

Ambergris Cay was a paradise. On our first night we walked to
town to find dinner, and Nathan pointed to a big sign by a
restaurant door: no shirt, no shoes? no problem! "See, Dad," he
said, "they'll take anybody here, even wackos who wish they were
skiing!"

Nathan's words brought to mind a phrase from Luke's Gospel: "Good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Like the
restaurant, Jesus takes anybody. A bunch of guys smelling like
sheep at the door? Great, send them in. A grumpy Minnesotan
pining for snow? That's okay, Jesus will give him six days of
love and laughter with the most precious people in his world and
hope he gets the message that Christmas is about people and not
places.

Lord, thank You for coming into the world in a way all of us can
take into our hearts and make our own.

By Eric Fellman

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

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