Quote from Forum Archives on December 19, 2001, 2:26 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I'd like to share two messages with you today. The first one is
directed toward our personal meditations as we continue through
the final week of preparation before celebrating the coming of
Jesus Christ into our midst - humbly born as a child, into the
midst of chaos, during a time of census, where everyone had to
register their citizenship. Imagine, there was no handy hospital
anywhere for Mary to give birth. Worse yet, there was not even a
normal place to stay. Finally, out of desperation, Mary and
Joseph rested in a stable, where Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Living God! He came to earth deliberately in this
position, for He has all power. He came to identify with us, and
to suffer for our sake. Yes, Emmanuel, "God With Us" is a
fitting description of who Jesus Christ is - though there is much
more about Him.

The second message takes quite a turn and talks about the
importance of the way we prepare our children for the struggles
of this life. It is believable that life is a struggle, isn't
it? After all, scripture shows that Christ's entire life was a
struggle, our own experiences bear that out.

Let's tie both of these messages together and acknowledge that
there is NO WAY that we can handle the struggles of life on our
own. I freely acknowledge my own shortcomings, and I desperately
need a Savior, whom I have personally found in Jesus Christ. How
about you?

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Quiet Walk 12/19/2001

Crosswalk.com Spiritual Life Channel -
Quiet Walk
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December 19

Bible reading:
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His
shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
(Isaiah 9:6).

* Pause to praise the Lord for His many blessings. Now pray this
confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in
fellowship with God:

He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon
Him,
And by His stripes we are healed
(Isaiah 53:5).

* Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your
attention. Now, as you agree with God's will, voice your
affirmation of His Word:

I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes
(Psalm 119:59-60, 64).

* Make your requests known to the Lord. Pray for:
* joy in difficult times,
* strength to be patient,
* missionaries serving in Paraguay.

* Close your devotional time by meditating on God's righteousness:

"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
(Luke 2:14).

=================================================

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Moments Together for Couuples
by Dennis and Barbara Rainey
December 19

The Battle Before Us

2 Timothy 2:3
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of
Christ Jesus.

Parents, you are desperately needed in a major battle before
us. The need was illustrated when I was asked to speak to junior
high kids about sexual abstinence.

First I spoke to the girls. I introduced three senior high girls
who were all taking a stand for virginity and purity. Two hundred
junior high girls responded by breaking into spontaneous
applause. They seemed hungry for a model other than Madonna.

The boys were different. When I introduced two high school
students as young men who were committed to moral purity and to
being virgins when they married, a group began laughing. They
mocked the young men from the high school. It made me mad. I
bristled and walked directly toward the hecklers and told them,
"That attitude is exactly what is wrong with our nation-there's
little or no respect for those who have standards."

As I thought about these kids getting married I was sobered for
the next generation. What kind of homes will they create? What
will their children be like? I couldn't help but wonder if law
and order as we now know it would be considered the "good old
days."

Private Dad and Private Mom, put on your battle fatigues and
expect hardship and anguish in raising a kid who doesn't always
do it right. Suffer hardship as a good parent-soldier who has to
give up everyday pleasures to win the war. Lay aside those golf
clubs, those civic activities.

Get involved in your children's battles. Be there for them. Know
their battlefields. Carefully screen those with whom they go into
battle-their peers. Prepare them for the war zone of their own
adolescent sex drive. Talk about it even when you are both
embarrassed.

Above all, don't stick your head in a foxhole and pretend the
battle doesn't exist.

Prayer: That you and your family will be wise in battle and that
God will grant you victory in the battle for moral purity.

Discuss: What are you doing to help your children win in the
battle for absolutes and values?

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

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