For more on the teachings of Father Al Lauer see the
home page of Presentation Ministries? Please take a look.
http://presentationministries.com/home/home.asp
December 23rd, 2007 the fourth Sunday of Advent.
This week oh! Christ, let us be in awe.
Let us be in awe that You love us so much that You
became like us in everything but sin.
Let us be in awe that You wanted to give us the perfect
gift of forgivness of all sin forever.
Jesus, keep us from being so caught up in this season
that we forget to say happy birthday and give You that gift
of ours.
Lord, I know we all need this season to be led to give, but
we really need this season to become on fire for Your true
presence in our lives.
Jesus, thank You for You, and thank You for the gifts You
have already given us, and the call that each of us have to
love You with our whole heart, our whole mind, our whole
self and with all of our love.
Jesus, I'm sorry that this season has become so
commerical, but Lord open us up to see through that, and
get to the real core of Your birthday, the gift of You to give
us life.
Jesus, You are the answer to all the problems of the world,
yet so many don't even say "happy birthday to You".
Let us, Lord, have a party of love on christmas day that truly
honors You.
Jesus, we love You. Amen and Amen
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us totally.
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One Bread, One Body
This weeks readings and reflections
Sunday "THE BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN"
http://presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp?d=12/23/2007
"When Joseph awoke he did as the angel of the Lord had
directed him." —Matthew 1:24
Many of you have Christmas planned. You're going to go to
certain parties, see certain family members and friends, and
give specific presents. You expect to receive a few presents
yourself along with some Christmas goodies. The Christmas
you have planned is about the same as last year's Christmas,
with a few minor variations.
What if Jesus decided to change your Christmas plans
dramatically? Would you let Him be Lord of your Christmas?
Ahaz had plans about how to avoid destruction by the
Assyrians. Just when Ahaz had his plans all set, Isaiah told
Ahaz to forget his plans and trust in God alone. The Lord
even promised a dramatic sign to prove Isaiah's message
(Is 7:11). Ahaz refused to ask for the sign, would not even
consider changing his plans, and was destroyed by the Assyrians.
Joseph planned to quietly divorce Mary because she was
pregnant and the baby was not his (Mt 1:19). An angel
appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to change his
plans. He changed his plans and became the foster father
of Jesus, the husband of Mary, and head of the Holy Family.
The best Christmases are not when we get our way,
but when we change our plans so that Jesus gets His way.
Monday CHRISTMAS (ADAM AND) EVE?
http://presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp?d=12/24/2007
"Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God
dwells in a tent!" —2 Samuel 7:2
Tuesday UNPREDICTABLE
http://presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp?d=12/25/2007
"In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's
presence, and the Word was God." —John 1:1
For more readings and inspiration from Presentation
Ministries, check us out at
http://presentationministries.com/home/home.asp
Share an OBOB e-mail with a friend today! It's easy and
quick and it will make Jesus smile!
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obobDriveEmail.asp
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Brochures
" Over 90 Biblically based brochures. Many on topics you
don't usually hear addressed."
This Week's Featured Brochures
· Your Christmas Present: The Psalms
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/ChristmasPsalms.asp
"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among
us." John 1:14
The Christmas season is a celebration of God's word.
Christmas is the perfect time to intensify our reading of the
Scriptures. In this Christmas season, I invite you to ask for
and accept the grace to read the Psalms in the following
15-day format. In the Catholic community, 15 days is the
briefest possible Christmas season. As you read and pray
the Psalms, you will have the Christmas the Lord wants
you to have and begin this new year with your eyes fixed
on Jesus.
Day 1 Psalms 1 — 10
Day 2 Psalms 11 — 21
Day 3 Psalms 22 — 31
Day 4 Psalms 32 — 41
Day 5 Psalms 42 — 51
· How to Get Your Kids to go to Church and go to Heaven
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/KidsChurch.asp
· An Isaiah Advent
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/AnIsaiahAdvent.asp
· Fr. Al's Plan for Reading the Bible Each Year
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/FrAlPlanReadingBible.asp
· 14 Questions on Forgiveness
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/14Quest.asp
· Hearing God
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/HearingGod.asp
http://www.presentationministries.com/brochures/brochures.asp
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PM Internet Prayer Requests
http://www.presentationministries.com/prayer/prayer.asp
Please pray for my mother Grace who is 81 and had a heart
attack last week and is not doing very well.
(M.B., Lakewood, CA, United States, 12/22/2007 8:15:48 PM)
Father God, I beg of you to keep the hedge of protection
around James, Ethan and me. Please show yourself in a
mighty positive way. Make a way where there is no way,
Lord. Draw Ethan close to you through the power of your
Holy Spirit and help him see the need for repentance. Bring
brokenness to him so he will see his need for You. I pray
that every enemy in Ethan's life be stopped and rendered
to no effect. Send believers to him who will proclaim the
gospel to him in the power of your Holy Spirit so his eyes
will be opened and he will turn from darkness to light. Lord,
I believe you are at work at reconciliation between me and
Ethan. Please bring him home a changed man, better than
ever, believing in you and ready to commit to me through
marriage and to James through adoption. Thank you.
(T.T., Los Angeles, CA, United States, 12/22/2007 6:48:14 PM)
Pray for a dear friend, Penny B. She has cancer and starts
Chemotharapy on Monday the 24th. Pray for the wisdom of
the doctors and her complete healing.
(concerned, Oceanside, calif., 12/22/2007 1:50:18 PM)
Dear brethren, pray for me that the Lord God will forgive
me all my sins and that i will be able to come out of this
evil habit of hurting almost every person around me
emotionally and psychologically. May He touch the hearts
of all those people i have hurt emotionally, physically and
psychologically that they will also forgive me. Amen.
(N., wenzhou, zhejiang, China, 12/22/2007 12:39:55 PM)
That our bravest men and women of the U.S. military
achieve victory in all their battles and win all wars in which
they fight. That they return home to family, friends and
loved ones soon.
(L.V.T., Jr., San Antonio, Texas, United States, 12/22/2007 11:03:07 AM)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus' name, Thanks very
much that we got a housemaid now. Pray that this
Christmas will bring us the best time to rejoice Your love
and kindness. Pray also for our beloved daughter Petrina
who is still with Grandma in Surabaya that she's always in
God's bless.. We will celebrate Petrina's first birthday next
January 18th in Sby, hoping that it will be all right. Thank
you very much for all who have been praying for us. God Bless....
(Y. & L., Malang, East Java, Indonesia, 12/22/2007 7:26:22 AM)
Please follow link to additional prayer intentions.
http://www.presentationministries.com/prayer/prayer.asp
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MP3 4 You
The internet ministry for PM is highlighting our downloadable
tapes online. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
are featured . Take a moment and check the link below
http://presentationministries.com/tapes/tape.asp?pubID=269
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Small Christian Communities
We believe the Lord is calling us to build hundreds of more
communities by raising up leaders who will form communities
PM's Small Christian Community Network
Learn about the Communities in our Network
http://presentationministries.com/community/hbcNetwork.asp
Small Christian Community Resources
Introduction to Small Christian Community
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/IntroCommunity.asp
"Unless the Lord Build the House..." — Psalm 127:
http://presentationministries.com/brochures/UnlessTheLordBuild.asp
For more information contact: community@presentationministries.com
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Bible Telephone Line
Atlanta 770 521-8570
Cleveland 440 572-4366
Cincinnati 859 291-7000
Columbus 614 470-0020
Dayton 937 640-2740
Indianapolis 317 767-5413
Long Island 631 574-2413
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Listen Online!
Inspired teaching on the daily Scripture readings of the
Catholic Church by Fr. Al Lauer
Best of Daily Bread Radio Program
http://www.presentationministries.com/dbread/dbread.asp
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Pope Benedict XVI
World must know about the life-changing impact of Christmas,
maintains Benedict XVI
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11311
Vatican City, Dec 19, 2007 / 10:25 am (CNA).- As Christmas
draws nearer, Pope Benedict departed from his tradition of
reflecting on an Early Church Father on Wednesdays so that
he could point to the impact of Jesus' birth upon the world.
That God's son became a man means that mankind is able to
become truly human, that this message of salvation must be
shared and that peace will come to the world, Benedict XVI
explained.
Christmas and Justice
"If, on the one hand, Christmas is a commemoration of
the incredible prodigy of the birth of the only-begotten Son
of .............
Catholic News Agency, December 19th, 2007
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com
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Pope Benedict XVI, Shepherd of Truth
Notable quotations from Pope Benedict XVI and official
teachings of the Roman Catholic Church
CHRISTIAN HOPE
HOPE AND SALVATION
In hope we were saved, says St. Paul to the Romans ,
and likewise to us (Rom 8:24) (1)
"NEW LIFE"
The one who has hope lives differently; the one who
hopes has been granted the gift of a new life. (2)
KNOW GOD, RECEIVE HOPE
To come to know God — the true God — means to
receive hope. We who have always lived with the Christian
concept of God, and have grown accustomed to it, have
almost ceased to notice that we possess the hope that
comes from a real encounter with this God. (3)
(Source: Encyclical Spe Salvi, 11/30/07)
http://presentationministries.com/BST/bst2007-12.asp?navlink=latest
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PM Ministry List
" The Lord works through PM in many different ways. Below
you can find information about some of our ministries.
Bible Institute http://presentationministries.com/bibleinst/bi2005Home.asp
Word Gifts Ministry
http://presentationministries.com/general/prophecies.asp
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2007 RETREATS
Online Registration
2008 RETREATS
Jan 25 - 26
Co-Workers Retreat (held in Cincinnati Area)
Calling all Co-workers ~ and those thinking about becoming
a co-worker for PM ~ Come and be inspired, refreshed,
rejuvenated, and re-energized in your ministry work!
Feb 22 - 23
Living In Reality (held in Cincinnati Area)
Many people, even Christians, are not in touch with reality
because of sin and our secular humanistic culture. During
this retreat, we will focus on four basic timeless realities
revealed by Christ, then center on repentance and total
commitment to Jesus. The retreat will conclude with how
to build a lifestyle in the Spirit through family relationships.
http://presentationministries.com/pjdc/retreatSchedule.asp
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" Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."
Matthew 10:-8
Do you have an inspirational story to share with our brothers
and sisters regarding walking with Christ?
Could I tell your story or someone's you know next week?
Pray on it.
Until then, "May God Bless you and all you care for."
Email to: eNewsEditor@presentationministries.com
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