Indeed we have a lot to be thankful for in this great land our Lord has given to us.  

Let us pray to be good servants and share this great wealth with others less fortunate around the world.

ONE OF THE MOST LOVED TIMES OF THE YEAR FOR WE CHRISTIANS

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew 1:23

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

     Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" and "Who do you say I am?"  So, who do you think he is?  Read and study the bible.  Then you can answer that question personally.  If you have faith, you will begin to truly understand and feel deeply what people mean when they say...Jesus is God come to earth in human form. I cannot nor will not force this upon you.  This is a personal decision.  No person comes to Christ that our Father has not sent them.  If you come to Jesus, God has sent you and you should feel very special indeed.  If you have faith, you are accepted.  You are always loved by God, but, the act of accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, gives you eternal life.  Do not be put off by not knowing scripture or understanding the technical jargon thrown out by some of our Christian brothers, for what reason I know not. Just accept him and have faith.  Begin to love all mankind not just your friends and family.  Being a Christian is about love and faith in a God that loves you unconditionally, no matter what you have done in the past.  Throw away the old self...put on your new self...you are forgiven and loved.  Put a smile on your face.  Put life in the hands of our Father through Jesus Christ.  Trust the Lord.  He will change your life and give it purpose.  Read the final verse up above, John 3:16.  Are you loved?  

     Such a wonderful time of year, the giving and caring.  As a Christian, it can be this time of year all year long.  Come and celebrate the true meaning of and the true reason for this time of year. 

The World is Shrinking

         The election for president of the United States has just ended.  Some people are happy, some sad, some indifferent, some cynical.  The country is divided between Republicans on the one side and Democrats on the other.  Such a sad thing to see and experience.  The tearing apart of this fine country that has stood for over 200 years as a beacon in the night to lost souls living in tyranny and living in class ridden societies.  A safe house for so many.  A land of opportunity for millions.   The land of milk and honey for countless of the world's religions.  It's citizens made up of various races, nationalities, religions, and interests as newcomers or with ancestors newly immigrated many years ago.  Even the native American peoples here immigrated at some point.  A country with such an eclectic composition of peoples living in relative peace and harmony would have been inconceivable little more than 200 years ago.  It's immigrant citizens being the core of armies that have gone throughout the world and, for the greatest part, spread good works and freedom to oppressed people of the world.  We went not to conquer so much as to make them free and lift them up.  We have made mistakes artificially holding up tyrants, but what other country's armies in history ever went forward with such benevolence as a whole.  God truly kept this country hidden from view for hundreds of centuries to most of the worlds population.  He kept it hidden for his purpose and his alone.  It is truly a land blessed by our Father.
     If the world thinks God will let his country fall apart and self destruct, they are sadly mistaken.  We are being taught a lesson showing what all the self-materialistic greed we exhibited for so many years can do to a land sacred in its mission to our Father's grand design.  He is reminding us of our original and true mission to be a beacon in the night to his suffering children throughout his world.  We must remember all this earth is his to do with as he pleases not as we please.  During his holy time upon this earth, our Lord Jesus told us the most important of all the commandments is to love God, your Father, with all your heart and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself.  He never commanded us to hate or build worldly wealth or to not be servants to one another. This land is not ours to guard its wealth greedily as we are doing. to deny access to God's suffering children. As he served us and gave us great wealth and love, let us serve and love him and, therefore, our Father of all.  Let us go forward with renewed love for all mankind and with a heart and soul for service to all mankind and to share this vast wealth he has laid before us.  That is the actin that will clear our vision and restore our direction in this country.  The world may complain about us, at times rightfully so, but they expect and demand that we be that beacon of hope for their hope rests on us and ours on God.  Let us go forward today a nation as one under God.  Let us today relight the beacon.  Let our churches go out into the world with this covenant from our Father to lift up his long suffering children to him.  Let us be a shining example of our Lord Jesus and his word.  Let us not be Republicans or Democrats.  Let us be servants of the one true God as our Lord commanded us.  Then we shall be healed.  In the name of our Lord Jesus, Amen.

CALL TO PRAYER

Oh, my loving Father and God of all,

Please, Father, bring to you in prayer this day all those who seek and need you and your divine and unending love.

Bring them in prayer through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, your son.

Let them know the sacrifice He made for all mankind to forgive them of their sins.

Let them know the commanding, overpowering love You have for them through your son.

Let them know the absolute and unconditional love you offer.

Let them know and undergo the totality of your forgiveness of their sins.

Father, they are calling for you, while they meander without direction in blindness and ignorance.

Point them, Father, to your son, Lord Jesus, so that they may begin to know the truth and have faith.

Light their way, Father, and lead them upon the path of righteousness for Your sake.

Place Your loving, comforting arms around them for they need rest from the tempestuous seas of life that surround them.

Oh, Father, who uses the earth as his footstool, help them to know that nothing is impossible for You and those who have faith in You through Your son, Jesus Christ.  

Hear us and bless us O' mighty Father, our God, through our prayers,

as we are commanded, in Jesus' name we pray these things.

Amen and Amen

 

1 Thessalonians 5

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. ² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Final Instructions and Benediction

¹² We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise prophecies, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil.
²³ Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
²⁵ Brothers, pray for us.
²⁶ Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
²⁷ I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.