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Living The Solution – Online Newsletter |
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November 30, 2005 ISSUE |
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Opening Thoughts:
Most of us live in a culture where waiting is uncomfortable.
We want what we want and right away. When the Holidays
come around we get busier instead of quiet and we don’t
pause and wait for inspiration.
You may be waiting for a number of things. Waiting for
news on a loved one, a health issue, a job offer or an
answer to your problems. It’s hard to wait. But the
alternative is to push ahead and we might end up doing
something we will later regret. If you know what you should
do then it may be best not to delay. But if you don’t
have your answer consider that God may not be saying no – He
may just be saying wait.
When Mary was given the news that she would have a son
by the power of the Almighty God you have to believe this
news was startling. Scripture tells us she accepted the
news with a submission to God’s will. No easy thing.
All the waiting during her pregnancy must have brought
some wondering about it all. As Christmas approaches we
can spend time waiting and preparing for God to enter into
our lives in a renewed way.
Peace and joy,
Tom Gilbert
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IN THIS ISSUE
Feature Article: Salvation Way
In The Spotlight: The Chronicles of Narnia
Daily Thoughts: Extravagant Love
Prayer & Sharing Requests
Quotable: Positive Mental Attitude |
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| FEATURED
ARTICLE |
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Salvation
Way
Article by Tom Gilbert — November,
2005
One of the great topics of discussion and
even debate in Christian circles is that of salvation. Christians
profess a belief in salvation from the fallen state of sin
that all of humanity suffers from. This salvation comes from
God through Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:8-10)
The God-Man
Jesus as God-man is a concept many
find difficult to accept. Of course it is difficult to
believe. If you believe in one God that is the Creator
of all and above all it is mind boggling that this God
would become one of us. We are marvelous creatures, no
doubt. But we are so imperfect. We cannot, even with
the best of intentions, live in harmony with others,
love and forgive those who hurt us, be completely humble
and selfless or create constant good. There are people
who’ve made valiant efforts – we call them
saints. When you study their lives you can become impressed
with how beautifully they lived, but they always recognized
that they are not complete and fully good apart from
God’s help.
The Christmas story tells us of a God that so loves mankind that He becomes one
of us. God’s only Son, the Word made flesh, comes into this fallen world
to show us the way of salvation. Jesus lived a life of love, no matter what.
Eventually he gave his life for this way. His death on the cross was the ultimate
sacrifice, because God died for us as a great act of love. Jesus hanging on a
cross in agony took all the hate thrown at him and returned only love.
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| IN THE SPOTLIGHT |
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The Chronicles of Narnia
 The
classic tale by C.S. Lewis, "The Chronicles
of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is
a new major motion picture from Walden Media
and Walt Disney Studios and is opening on December
9th.
C.S. Lewis is one of the most beloved Christian writers who also penned great
fantasy and children's literature and was a contemporary and colleague of J.R.R.
Tolkien (Lord of the Rings). This movie holds potential for rich discussion about
Christianity through it's allegorical tale.
More
here
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DAILY THOUGHTS & REFLECTIONS |
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Extravagant
Love
Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon
the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying
a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on
his head.
Some of the guests became furious among themselves. "That's criminal!
A sheer waste! This perfume could have been sold for well
over a year's wages and handed out to the poor." They swelled up in
anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her. But Jesus said, "Let
her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something
wonderfully
significant for me." (Mark 14:3-6 — The Message)
What’s with these guys, do they
not know who they are eating with? Here they have the Son
of God, the Messiah eating with them and what are they offering
to Him other than a meal? God has been extravagant with
us in His giving and care, even to the point of sending
Jesus, His only Son, to pay for our sins and make available
to us, once again, the relationship that He had in mind
when He created us. Shouldn’t we then be extravagant
in our giving to Him? Even today there are many who are
more focused and concerned about the "wrongs" of
the world and trying to "right" them than giving
God the proper place in the their life and worshiping and
honoring Him the way He deserves and desires to be worshiped
and honored. The truth is no matter how hard we work at
it, no matter how much money we spend on it, we will never
be able to "fix" the world's problems. Does this
mean we do not try and help those in need when we can? No,
we need to and should, but not at the expense of our worship
and devotion to God. We live in a fallen and sinful world,
a world heavily influenced by an enemy who wishes nothing
less than to hurt the heart of God by getting His children
to focus on the wrong things (anything other than God).
Jesus told us we were to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul
and strength. That means with everything we have; we’re to hold nothing
back. God has been extravagant with us. What have we done that demonstrates showing
our love to God that is also extravagant? Loving God the way Jesus described
is extravagant and I dare say there are few us, myself included, that have yet
to approach this kind of love and adoration. That is what this woman did in today’s
story and that is what we need to learn how to do as well.
Live it with Passion
Pete Reinbold
Get daily inspiration with a Scripture verse and commentary
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Daily Thought |
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PRAYER REQUESTS & RESULTS |
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requests and we will pray for them.
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Quotable: Positive Mental Attitude
“A strong positive mental
attitude will create more miracles than any wonder
drug."
— Patricia Neal
Copyright 2005 Living the Solution, all rights reserved.
Tom Gilbert
Editor/Web-servant
Living The Solution
www.livingthesolution.com
P O Box 25584
Albuquerque, NM 87125-5584
Toll free 1-800-399-2564 (US only) or 505-247-3232
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