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Living The Solution – Online Newsletter |
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November 22, 2004 ISSUE |
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Opening Thoughts:
Thanksgiving is almost here. It is a time to be grateful,
to “break bread” and share good times with friends and family.
God has a great feast prepared for us. The only catch
is that we be willing to attend with all those invited,
including the people we may not be
too happy to see there. The featured article has more
on this.
Remember, gratitude is not just a feeling…it’s an action!
Peace and joy,
Tom Gilbert
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IN THIS ISSUE
Feature Article: Welcome to the Feast
In The Spotlight: Veteran Service and Stories
Daily Thoughts: Your Best Invitation
Prayer & Sharing Requests
Quotable: Wishful Seeking
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| FEATURED
ARTICLE |
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Welcome
to the Feast
Article by Tom Gilbert – November
2004
Holiday meal times can be a wonderful
time to gather with friends and family. Abundant food and
memorable fellowship are highlights of many Thanksgiving
meals. At the same time, there can also be strained interaction.
Sometimes it is hardest to get along with those closest
to us.
This year when your brother, sister, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandparents or cousins
rub you the wrong way take a moment to pause and reflect on the many who won’t
enjoy a hot meal or a seat at the family table.
During the holiday season, and particularly around Thanksgiving, many social
organizations, charities and religious groups host meals for the less fortunate.
You’ll see it written up in the newspaper and publicized on radio and TV.
Maybe you’ll feel some compassion and even get involved in contributing
to the cause or helping serve the meals. This is all well and good. Of course,
after the holidays the homeless and hungry are still around and the challenge
to find the daily meal and a place to sleep is still with them.
One of the more intriguing themes in the gospels is the great banquet feast (; ). It’s a feast of plenty, a gathering of joy and celebration.
The odd twist is that those invited either don’t show or are in someway
ungrateful. Each time the host is angered and disappointed and decides to find
others to invite, regardless of worthiness or acquaintance. The servants are
directed to go out into the towns, the villages, the fields and the roads and
invite everyone!
How many of us are truly comfortable with the inclusiveness of God? Our Father
in heaven is inviting everyone – everyone! Here comes everybody and, let’s
face it, we’re just not that excited about this. I mean, there will be
all those people we don’t like and prefer not to associate with.
Ah, but whatever we do to the least of others we do to Jesus. And Jesus is the
visible image of the invisible God. The only way I can even begin to accept this
wholehearted welcoming of everyone is to look at my own attitudes, get humble
and realize that all of us bring something to the table. I can bring my baggage
or I can bring love and forgiveness.
Jesus had so many incredible stories, examples and parables to make this point.
We can always learn more from them. Not only is the Father interested in all
of His children having a place at the table (and all of us are God’s kids),
he wants to wait on us. Those of us who really get this message will also be
willing to serve and do it with a smile on our face!
I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving meal. It’s a time to be grateful
and to share that attitude with others. It’s also a reminder that the Great
Banquet table is set for all. If I show up but I’m not appreciating the
point of God’s love being for all then I’m going to be asked to leave.
I feel truly blessed that this message has been given to us. Ultimately, if we
are not grateful for what we already have we won’t be grateful for what
we want.
Read the entire article here
Discover more thought provoking articles
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| IN THE SPOTLIGHT |
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Veteran Service and Stories
Veteran's Day was November 11. This time of
year often brings up stories of service and sacrifice made by veterans
in various wars. While war is a horror and something we hope can be avoided,
the love expressed in action by many brave men and women should be remembered
and honored.
Here's some notable sites to visit:
The Veterans
History Project -
dedicated to preserving the stories of American Veterans
Immortal Chaplains -
The story of the Immortal Chaplains from WWII and the
ongoing work of the Immortal Chaplains Foundation.
Adopt Our
Troops -
Pray regularly for a member of the Armed Forces
See more at our Spotlight Specials page
Do your holiday shopping at our Living
the Solution online store. It’s secure,
extensive with many great gift ideas! Visit our online
store. There's something for everyone.
When you shop with us, you support our ministry – thank you!
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DAILY THOUGHTS & REFLECTIONS |
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Your
Best Invitation
Everything that goes into a life of
pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally
and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever
received! (2 Peter 1:3 — The Message)
We have all heard the Gospel Story related in many ways:
as a payment of our debt for our sins, as a rescue of our hearts and lives,
as God showing his love for us, a bridging of the gap between man and God,
and as a re-establishment of the relationship God created us for. But have
you ever thought of it as an invitation into a new life, a life with the
God who created you, a life with God that would be a great adventure?
That’s what Christ did. Yes, those other things were/are important — they
needed to happen — for without them we would not be able to accept the invitation,
but they were not the ends for which Christ died. They were the required means
to give us the ability to accept the invitation to get to know God on an intimate
and personal level. Not just as some all powerful supreme being out there somewhere,
but as our Friend, Father, Lover, and confidant.
God's greatest desire is that you come to truly love and trust Him, that you
totally connect your heart with His. He says, come and get to know me, let me
love you, let me help you become the person I created you to be. You see, this
life, a life with God, is not about doing good things or not doing bad things.
It is about, all about, an intimate personal relationship with God. The rest,
the good deeds, will come as a result of that loving relationship, for all the
good deeds in the world mean nothing without love.
This invitation is not just to those who are not “saved” for many “Christians” have
taken only the first step. They have accepted Christ’s payment for their
sins, but they stopped there and have missed the whole point of Jesus’ life
and death. He extends to us the invitation to a personal and intimate relationship
with the God of the Universe. This invitation is to all who have yet to move
into that relationship and become passionately in love with God.
You may have accepted Christ’s payment for your sins but have you accepted
His invitation for an intimate and personal relationship with His Father? What
will you do with the invitation?
Live it with Passion
Pete Reinbold
Get daily inspiration with a Scripture verse and commentary
at
Daily Thought
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PRAYER REQUESTS & RESULTS |
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Prayer works. It really does.Submit your prayer
requests and we will pray for them.
Of course, we keep your information confidential.
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My thoughts are shared regularly on the pages of
our web site, especially on
the Journal pages.
We welcome and appreciate your feedback. If you would
like to submit an article please see our writer's
guidelines.
It is our hope that the content of Living The Solution will
stimulate you to deepen your faith. That is certainly a result for us in both
our writing and reading. If you would like to see articles on a particular topic
or you have comments please let us know.
Send an email
Quotable: Wishful Seeking
We never become truly spiritual
by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must
undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish
it unaided.
— Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)
Copyright 2004 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 ext 105 (US only) or 505-247-3232
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