Thursday, November 27, 2003

 

Dear family:

 

Today is one of the most significant days of the year. It is Thanksgiving. Today is a day when families gather to fellowship together and give thanks for the blessings of the year. Thanksgiving Day is also the beginning of the Christmas season.

 

Thanksgiving has tremendous political and religious significance. Today is in part the celebration of freedom to publicly express our Christian faith without interference from the State. However, too many of our politicians would like to have the right to worship and the expression of our faith in the only true God of the universe brought back under the control of the State. They would have all Christian principles and disciplines removed from society.

We must take a strong stand against those who, through their selfish and sadistic desires, would seek to eliminate our freedom to stand on the principles upon which this country was founded.

 

Before disembarking from the Mayflower, these words were exclaimed and recorded:

 

"We will be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world."

 

We must continue the pursuit of these founding fathers and uphold the status of "a city upon a hill" as an example to the world. We cannot permit ourselves to become less than God wants us to be. Thanksgiving has two words in one. Thanks and giving.

 

God has created each of us to be a priest to our place in society.  The priest is to lead the people in their worship of the true God. The priest is to serve as a conduit between God and man. Someone else could pen these words but God has chosen me and God has chosen you to live out His love to your sphere of influence. We say thanks to Him for what he has done for us and give to others the blessings He has given to us.

 

Ps 106:1-2 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise? (NKJ)

 

 

Our praise and thanksgiving is to Him and our service is to Him and His creatures.

 

 

Rom 12:1-21 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;    or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NKJ)

 

Have a happy thanksgiving, giving thanks and giving.

 

Love ya,

 

Dad

 

Please sign our guest book. You will be added to our mail list.