On this day of Thanks-giving, giving God thanks for:

• His Son Jesus Christ
• His Holy Spirit
• His Word
• His grace
• His mercy
• Salvation
• Family and friends
• Life itself!

Enjoy the blessings!

Chyrisse

“The earnest, heartfelt, continued prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available; dynamic in its working” – James 5:16

“This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.” – Psalm 91:2, 3

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:10- 11

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”- Revelation 21:4

A future shift: toward Respect and Understanding and Peace and Love.

• Makes tremendous power available; While reading James 5:16 we find that the Power of Prayer is a powerful reality. Prayers of truth are both a cleansing of the mind and a centering of what is human.
• The LORD – Psalm 91:4: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety. Through our prayers we find both a mental and spiritual refuge and a place to listen to Jesus, our Prince of Peace and our Savior.
• In reading…Ephesians 6:10- 11; We discover that we, as a civilization, are not born on this planet to fight and kill and destroy one another. Our Prince of Peace and our Savior, died upon the wicked cross of man. He died to save us all, from murder on this world and to salvage what we leave behind. Believe in Jesus and we are saved…

And from – Revelation 21:4 we will find that God will bring peace along with no tears, no sorrow, no death and….In our Savior’s name…Amen

(I wrote these two short opinion pieces about a year ago. They seem really appropriate today, so here they are ~ enjoy and ponder, and ponder how you will answer the call for genuine faith in God through Christ)

Don’t Forget Why You Came

The Rise of the Evangelical Ecumenacult in America

There are many fine interfaith organizations in our nation. They have been formed for specific purposes, and to meet specific needs. From food banks to urban renewal, these groups have formed as a way to pool the available resources, which are often limited, to better serve the community in which they exist.

So, a coalition will form, for instance, to reclaim a park from gangs and violence to make it a safe place for the neighborhood to enjoy. So a voodoo priestess will work beside a Catholic nun, to paint out the graffiti. A Jewish rabbi will bring members of the Synagogue to work beside a group of Buddhists to pick up all the trash. And the Nazarenes, Lutherans, Shamans and Methodists will all work beside Baptists, astrologers and Mormons to repair the playground equipment.

The entire neighborhood comes together and works to accomplish a project that benefits the neighborhood. This coalition then takes on another project. And then another. The neighborhood begins to flourish. Everyone recognizes that they can get so much more done when they work together.

They meet for a common prayer time to pray a special blessing over the area. “After all,” they say, “we’re really a lot more alike than we are different.” So they come together to affirm the various ways of interacting with the Eternal, because it makes the neighborhood work better. “After all, we’re really not all that diverse, are we?”

As a coalition, they show no preference for one way over another ~ that’s not their purpose. They uphold and encourage the varied religious institutions in their neighborhood. They agree that everyone should have the freedom to follow his or her individual faith in our nation ~ and in our neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, we have a tendency to forget why we came together. We move from having days of working side by side, to days of common worship. We have ceremonies that place the God of the Bible on the same level as the Hindu pantheon of deities.

The Israelites followed this same pathway to destruction of the original Temple. They began with God. Other people worshiped gods who were not God, so they recognized the One, true God and the non-gods. Then they began to recognize that the non-gods were very important to these other people ~ so it became God and the lesser gods. This grew into the notion of God as a sort of Super-God over all the gods. This developed into a pantheon of deities who were all on pretty much even footing…

So they came together to affirm the various ways of interacting with the Eternal, because it made their neighborhoods work better. After all, they were really not all that diverse, were they?

Then God allowed the Babylonians to destroy the Temple and carry the Chosen People into captivity for a taste of what it is really like to be in a region run by a despot with too many gods.

I believe we are on the brink of seeing this same sort of object lesson play out in our own nation. There are many reasons for this, and one is ~ in my own opinion ~ the rise of the Evangelical Ecumenacult, which threatens to destroy the very reason we first called ourselves Evangelical. Does anyone remember back when we thought we had THE good news?

While I’m not calling for some sort of Christian jihad, I do think that one of the destructive markers of the Christian faith is the willingness to go along with others in this very fallen world. If we are all going to reclaim the park from the gangs, I would expect the Christians to be in the midst of those who are not Christians… But I would also expect them to remember that they came together to reclaim the park.

Then, if someone wants to talk about matters of faith, I would also expect the Christians to be ready to give a reason for their hope…

We must never forget why we came in the first place. This will also make it easier to remember in Whose Name we showed up.

Don’t Forget Why They Came

The Fall of the Evangelical Church in America

There are many denominations in our nation. They were formed out of specific movements or to meet specific needs. Sometimes stepping away from another group in favor of a different interpretation and application of Scripture; sometimes stepping into an area to better serve a specific segment of society.

At the core, each is looking for a way to better know God, and a way to better make Him known. Some view the sanctuary as a place for the faithful to gather for worship, discipleship, exhortation and encouragement. In this pursuit, they have, over the years, tended to become very exclusive. So, not wanting to be in the position of restricting others from the Good News, they open themselves to allow others in ~ after all, “How will they hear except someone tell them?”

This means that all kinds of people come in. And we do all we can to make them feel welcome. We don’t look down on them for their piercings and tattoos. We look past their shameful lives and welcome them into our church building. We aren’t going to be the ones to tell them they’re sinners; they know they’re not perfect. Besides, they might not stay around long enough to hear the Good News.

As we do this, we come to view the sanctuary as the world in a microcosm ~ only with a Christian theme. We make our meetings “safe places” for people who are far from God. We avoid saying anything divisive. We avoid speaking in absolutes. We never speak of decisions as being in the realm of ultimate things.

With great love, and in the Name of Jesus, we welcome them into our lives. We invite them to become involved in the life of the Church. We hold them dear to ourselves. We see them thrive in the organization and we rejoice with them with each new accomplishment. Eventually, we ordain them and let them teach us from our own pulpits.

Sadly, though they are treasured members of the congregation, we never managed to get them into the family of Jesus. And because we gave up our moral absolutes in order to make them feel welcome, those absolutes are no longer in place as we make our decisions about how to run God’s Church.

Now, I’ve condensed decades, generations ~ even centuries ~ into a few short paragraphs. But, this is how we have come to a place where John and Charles Wesley would never recognize ~ indeed they would likely renounce ~ the churches bearing the Methodist name. And I’m not here to pick on only the Methodist brand name. Look at how liberal the other old-line Protestant denominations have become. If Martin Luther were alive today, he’d roll over in his grave!

I’m not calling for any hate crimes. I’m not calling for any stonings. I’m simply pointing out a very sad truth: In an effort to be more loving, we have neglected to tell people the truth.

In that process, a once vibrant congregation became a social club. The ordinances became choices in an array of ways to experience God. The sanctuary became a venue. Repentance became optional. Salvation became a buzzword. And the cross became merely decorative.

People once came to our churches with a certain respect for them. People knew that they were coming into the presence of God; they expected to be confronted with the Truth. And we, in turn, respectfully gave up our theological reasoning.

Now I’m not calling for Christian exclusivity, or a bunker mentality. One of the distinctive markers of Christ’s presence in our lives is our willingness to get along with others in this very fallen world… But I would also expect us to remember that they came to us because we are followers and teachers of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. They came to us because we have the Good News.

We must never forget why they came to our churches in the first place. This will also make it easier for us to remember Who they came looking for.

TODAY’S VERSE
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
Psalms 100:4 (ESV)

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It would seem, from our human viewpoint, that it is easier to give thanks to God when everything is going well, than it is when we have conflict and trouble in our life. When there is sickness, discouragement, failure, misunderstandings; when all seems to be lost, how can we give thanks? But thankfully, we have so much more that a human viewpoint. We have a Heavenly vantage. We see through the filter of God’s power, grace, mercy, peace and love. The privilege of knowing God transcends our circumstances. Who are we to enter His gates? What have we ever done to be invited into His courts? And yet we are. Our most precious and mighty God has invited us to know Him and to love Him and with that, we give thanks. And so, even when there are things to worry about, even when we have great needs, we can pray to our Heavenly Father. And with our prayers, we can give thanks. Oh that today, God would receive from our lips an offering of thanks.    

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I give You thanks for who You are. I give You thanks for Your grace, mercy, peace and love in my life. I give You thanks for making me Your child and promising to never leave me or forsake me. I praise You and thank You in Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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SPAO is giving away free calendar of SNSD for those who spend more than 70,000 won at the shop. This is how the calendar looks like:

The girls look awesome as always, if not even hotter than usual. But what interesting is, fans have speculated that the pictures used in this calendar were for the failed-to-release song before Gee. As you can see, the girls’ hairstyle and hair color indicated that it was an old, most likely taken before >>Gee teaser<<, photoshoot.

Back then SNSD was supposed to comeback from their long 9-months-hiatus on November 2008, but was delayed in last minute due to copyright problem of the title song. According to Isak the song was a remake of Duffy’s Mercy (I wonder how the SNSD’s version sounds like…). You may recall that there was a rumor about how the MV had back dancers, and one of the back dancers revealed that they’re wearing plaid clothing for the video. Hmm… I guess it’s safe enough that those pictures were indeed taken for the song that SM failed to release before Gee.

Here’s the rest of the calendar scans.

I’m not sure whether I really like this concept or not. Some pictures turned out great, but the some others are just… a bit off. I guess things might have been very different if the girls made a comeback with this concept + ‘Mercy’ remake instead of the glorious colorful skinny jeans + ‘Gee’ combo. Well, things might have been very different if the girls if they made a comeback from their long hiatus with anything but ‘Gee’. 

November 26 2009 Thursday Thanksgiving Day
Saint of the Day – St. Catherine of Alexandria

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/112609.shtml

Sirach 50:22-26
Douay-Rheims Challoner

Then coming down, he lifted up his hands over all the congregation of the children of Israel, to give glory to God with his lips, and to glory in his name: And he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God. And now pray ye to the God of all, who hath done great things in all the earth, who hath increased our days from our mother’s womb, and hath done with us according to his mercy. May he grant us joyfulness of heart, and that there be peace in our days in Israel for ever: That Israel may believe that the mercy of God is with us, to deliver us in his days.

Responsorial Psalm 137:1-5 (Ps 138 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart:
for thou hast heard the words of my mouth.
I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:
I will worship towards thy holy temple,
and I will give glory to thy name.
For thy mercy, and for thy truth:
for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.
In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:
thou shalt multiply strength in my soul.
May all the kings of the earth give glory to thee:
for they have heard all the words of thy mouth.
And let them sing in the ways of the Lord:
for great is the glory of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Haydock New Testament

Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God, that is given you in Christ Jesus: That in all things you are made rich in him, in all speaking, and in all knowledge: As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 17:11-19
Haydock New Testament

And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men, that were lepers, who stood afar off: And they lifted up their voice, saying:

Jesus, master, have mercy on us.

And when he saw, he said:

Go, shew yourselves to the priests.

And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was cleansed, went back, with a loud voice, glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this man was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said,

Were there not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger.

And he said to him:

Arise, go thy way: for thy faith hath made thee whole.

Haydock Commentary Sirach 50:22-26 (Ecclesiasticus)
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 23. Prayer. Gr. “adoration, that they might receive a blessing from the Most High.”  H. — Power. In keeping Philopator out of the temple.  God granted his request, (C.  litaneiaV) “and scourged him who was so insolent and bold…throwing him like a reed, unable to move, and speechless on the pavement.”  2 Mac. ii. 26.  After Philopator’s guards had removed him, the high priest congratulated the people, (v. 26.) expressing his abhorrence of their enemies in general, though the only mentions three neighbouring nations which had shewn a particular enmity to the Jews, when a contrary behaviour might have been expected.  v. 28.  H.
• Ver. 24. Now. A the sight of these wonders, the author exhorts the people to be grateful, and full of hope.  C.
• Ver. 26. His, Simon’s, (M.) or God’s days. When he may judge it convenient.  H.

Haydock Commentary 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

• Ver. 4. That is given you in, or by Christ Jesus.[1]  Where we may take notice with S. Chrys. for the understanding of other places, that in, is many times put for by or through.
• Ver. 5. Rich in him in all knowledge. The apostles never addressed any epistle, except to persons who had been previously converted to the faith.  Nor is it reasonable to expect, that infidel and pagan nations, merely by reading the inspired writings, will be able, by the light that is in them, to elicit from the said book the truths of religion.  Would they not be tempted to worship the wily serpent, that succeeded in deceiving Eve? and how will they know that this serpent is the devil?  A.
• Ver. 6. As the testimony of Christ, what Christ testified and taught was confirmed in you, that is, your faith in Christ hath been confirmed by those graces and gifts which you received from the Holy Ghost at your baptism, and when by imposition of hands you were confirmed by me, or some other bishop.  Wi.

Haydock Commentary Luke 17:11-19

• Ver. 14. To the priests. Jesus sends them to the priests, to convince the latter of the reality of the cures which he wrought, and oblige them by that to acknowledge him for their Messias; 2ndly, that the lepers might enjoy the fruit of their cure, by returning to the society of their fellow men, after they had been declared clean, and satisfied all the demands of the law; for there were may ceremonies previous to be gone through.  Calmet. — And lastly, to shew that in the new law, such as are defiled with the leprosy of sin, should apply to the priests.  Hence, says S. Austin, let no one despise God’s ordinance, saying that it is sufficient to confess to God alone.  Lib. de visit. infirm.
• Ver. 19. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Were not the others also made whole?  They were cleansed indeed from their leprosy, but it no where appears that they were justified in their souls like this Samaritan, of whom it said, thy faith hath made thee whole; whereas it was said of the others, that they were made clean, viz. of their leprosy in their body, though not justified in their soul: this the Samaritan alone seems to have obtained.  Maldonatus.

Akathist:  “Glory to God for all Things”   

by Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Tryphon (+1934)

See Ode 8

ODE 9

Why is it that on a feast-day the whole of nature mysteriously smiles?

Why is it that then a heavenly gladness fills our hearts, a gladness far beyond that of earth,

and the very air in church and in the altar becomes luminous?

It is the breath of Your gracious love; it is the reflection of the glory of Mount Tabor.

Baptism of St. Paul

Then do heaven and earth sing Your praise: Alleluia!

IKOS 9

When You called me to serve my brothers

and filed my soul with humility,

one of Your deep-piercing rays shone into my heart;

 it became luminous, full of light,

like iron glowing in the furnace.

I have seen Your face, face of mystery and of unapproachable glory.

Glory to You, transfiguring our lives with deeds of love.

Glory to You, making wonderfully sweet the keeping of Your commandments.

Glory to You, making Yourself known where man shows mercy on his neighbor.

Glory to You, sending us failure and misfortune, that we may understand the sorrows of others.

Glory to You, rewarding us so well for the good we do.

Glory to You, welcoming the impulse of our heart’s love.

Glory to You, raising to the heights of heaven every act of love in earth and sky.

Glory to You, O God, from age to age.

Next Ode 10

The Pharisees and many people had turned to religion to save them, they had forgotten who God really is. They thought  His grace and mercy is given to those who are “good enough”. They were no longer seeking God.

Jesus came to show people who God truly is. Jesus taught people who God is and about His grace and mercy.

Luke 18:9-14 “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The cult Johnny Robertson runs is not seeking God but have turned to religion.

Jesus taught that performing acts do not make us qualified. Jesus is our atoning sacrifice for sins. Salvation is through the work Jesus accomplished on the cross.

24 is a symbolic number.

It’s an age. My age this year. But it’s also the number of hours in a day. It’s Kobe Bryant’s jersey number. And the former one for Willie Mays. It’s the number of carats in pure gold and the number of points on a backgammon board. It’s Keifer Sutherland’s TV show and an interstate that runs through my home state. In Cantonese, it’s unlucky (like the number 13 here). And in Christian literature, it’s the ‘complete’ number, a number of faith.

24 is a lot of things. In the same way, I feel like this year has been a lot of things for me as well, and Thanksgiving offers some reflection time for me. Here’s what I am thankful for in my 24th year.

I am thankful for those fighting to end homelessness. But I am just as thankful for the homeless and their will to fight circumstance.

I am thankful for my inability to sing or hear any type of melody. And I’m more thankful for those that make feel the melody when they sing it.

I am thankful to be able to travel to new places often. I am thankful to have a hometown in Nashville.

I am thankful for new friends and new connections with the old.

I am thankful for the perishables which I often forget will soon perish.

I am thankful for my paycut that makes me realize that it’s not really about the money.

I am thankful to be rejected so that I can appreciate others that have been rejected.

Most of all, I am thankful for this journey and for each person by my side along the way. It’s really them that my life belongs to.

“The Lord said, ‘I will hasten my work in its time’ (D&C 88:73). Surely anyone observing the recent growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is keenly aware of that hastening process. This should make us humbly grateful for the Lord’s omnipotent hand. Obstacles that seemed insurmountable have proven to be merely challenges for the faithful, for ‘with God nothing shall be impossible’ (Luke 1:37). “Inspiration has prepared the way from the beginning, when the Lord impressed the Prophet Joseph Smith to compose the twelfth article of faith: ‘We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.’ This inspired statement was surely written for our day. The Prophet knew that the gospel was ultimately to be taken to all nations regardless of their governmental differences. He knew that the ordinances of salvation and exaltation could bless the lives of people regardless of their politics. And he knew that people who were taught correct principles and who were loyal to their civil leaders and observing of their local laws would be most able to enjoy the blessings of the gospel.”

Elder Russell M. Nelson

In light of Thanksgiving, I decided to make a list of 30 things/people/whatever I am thankful for – one for every day of the month of November (in random order).  Some are serious; some are…not so serious.

I am thankful for…

• Matthew – my best friend and incredible boyfriend – for always being there for me, for always laughing at my jokes (no matter how lame they are)and being silly with me, for always getting excited about the things I find exciting (even the seemingly unexciting things), and for countless other reasons.
• Sweet, selfless prayers from a 9-year-old.
• New friends and opportunities for fellowship.
• Good health.
• Central Baptist Church Hillsboro – for being such an integral part of my spiritual formation throughout jr. high, high school, and college.
• Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection – because of him I am saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8).
• Naps.
• My dog, Tex – because he is the best dog in the world.
• April 19, 1993 – the day my sweet Jesus saved me from myself.
• Pastor Jamie – for tending to his little flock at FBCPO and for not being afraid to step on some toes, including mine.
• Sheila & Steve Cochran – my “adopted WA parents,” who love me and take care of me here in WA.
• Music - especially The Beatles, Coldplay, and Hanson.
• Hannah – my roommate and friend – for “blessing” me (please excuse the inside joke).
• 22 years and 9 months of life. (Geez, I’m getting old!)
• My car (as old and clunky as it is) – for getting me all the way to WA from TX with no problems.
• My family – for loving and supporting me every step of the way, even when I move 2000 miles away from them.
• ETBU – for my education and the life lessons it taught me throughout (and even after) the four years I was there.
• God’s mercy and grace – that they are renewed daily.
• Ice cream.
  
• Youth Missions International – for giving me the opportunity to follow my calling and serve in the Northwest.
• The library – for providing me with hours upon hours of free entertainment.
• Weekends.
• The Jarretts and The Cooks – Hannah’s family – for being awesome and for being great friends to me these last couple of years.
• God’s faithful and unending provision.
• First Baptist Church Port Orchard – for lovingly taking me in and making me a part of their family.
• Kasie, Kenneth, and Kristen – for being the coolest siblings of all time.  OF ALL TIME.
• Mentors.
• Babies – for their sweet innocence and fresh life.
• The Venturas – Matthew’s family – for being my second family.
• The Greening Family – for being my Texas buddies here in the Northwest.

I hope all of you have just as many reasons (and more) to be thankful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

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Hello again, brothers and sisters!!!

Before we get into today’s discussion, I just want to briefly say “thank you” to those of you who have been regularly taking part in these discussions, as well as those of you who visit whenever you are able.  I would also like to thank all of our first-time visitors.  It is a blessing and a genuine pleasure to have you all here:-)

For today’s discussion, we will review the parables of the treasure and the goodly pearl.  While these two parables were a couple of the shorter parables that Jesus shared, they are certainly just as important as all of the other parables.  Jesus was speaking with His disciples when He shared these parables.  The parables are as follows:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field;  the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” – Matthew 13:44-46 (KJV)

Both of these parables are making the same point, right?  Let’s break them down, shall we?

The man seeking treasure, and the merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, are played in real life by sinners seeking the truth, redemption, and salvation.  The treasure hiding in the field and the goodly pearl, represent the kingdom of God found through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is also the Living Word of God.  So with that being the case, why would we have to sell all that we have in order to buy our way into the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ?  Doesn’t that run contrary to salvation being a gift given freely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior?  It sure does.  however, the point of these parables is not that we are “buying” our way into the kingdom of God. 

The point is that once we have discovered the kingdom of heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we should value nothing else as much as this “treasure/goodly pearl”.  Beloved, when we find the kingdom of heaven through Jesus Christ and His word, we should value the Lord, His word, and His kingdom above anything else in our lives.  As obedient and faithful servants, there should be no price we are unwilling to pay in order to serve Him completely.  If we live in complete submission to the Lord’s will, then there is no room for competing interests.  Just as with the Apostle Paul, all former things we held dear we must be willing to count as lost once we are saved.  Why?  Well, once we are saved, serving the Lord is to be the focal point of our lives, and our vision is to be focused like a laser on doing so.

Interestingly, in these two parables that Jesus Christ shared with us we can also Him as the man/merchant-man seeking the treasure/goodly pearls.  Think about it.  Jesus gave up all that He had and suffered death on the cross in order to pay our sin debt.  In so doing, beloved, we were saved and purchased by His blood.  The treasure being “hid” in the field refers to those who live in Christ being granted access to the kingdom of heaven, which is a place that someone who serves sin cannot find or gain access to.  Once we belong to Christ, He protects us from the enemy.  We are effectively “hidden” in His protection, as once we belong to Christ Jesus, we cannot be snatched away from Him.  As Jesus said:

“I told you, and ye believed not:  the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.  But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:  And I give unto them eternal life;  and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.  My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all;  and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one.” – John 10:25-30 (KJV)

Brothers and sisters, let us rejoice that the Lord considers us His “treasure/goodly pearl” and was willing to pay everything in order to save us!!!  Praise God!!!  Thank you, Jesus!!!  Furthermore, let’s praise the Lord God Almighty for His lovingkindness and longsuffering, and let’s show Him that He is the only real treasure that matters to us, as well!!!  Beloved, do you know what the word of God, the truth, salvation, entrance to the kingdom of heaven, light, love, peace, life, faith, wisdom, and understanding all have in common?  I’ll tell you what.  We find and receive all these things when we find Christ and turn our lives over to Him.  Jesus is the Truth.  Jesus is the Living Word of God.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  Jesus is the Author and Finisher/Perfector of our faith.  He is the Way to the Father and the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus Christ is the Life.  The Lord is the Light of the world.  You get the point, yes?

Beloved, besides the praise we offer to the Lord in the form of prayer, song, and worship, we need to commit ourselves to praise Him through our lives and actions.  That we belong to Christ Jesus should be obvious to all not just by the words we speak, but also by the things we do.  It should not appear to others that we live for money, or for the approval of man;  rather it should be clear to all that we live to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Just as Jesus paid for us by giving up all that He had for our sakes, we ought to esteem our treasure, found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, above any passing “treasure” that this world has to offer.  Remember, beloved, the treasure of this world lasts for a limited amount of time and diminishes.  The treasure of the Lord is forever.  Suffer any necessary hardships, persecutions, or trials in this world in order to serve the Lord obediently and faithfully.  By so doing, your treasure in heaven will be waiting for you, and increasing, and will be with you forever:-)

Beloved, the Lord will always provide for, and take care of, those entrusted to Him.  It is, however, up to each one of us to make the decision to seek the Lord and His kingdom.  If we are willing to walk through the thorns, rats, mice, and bugs, and other treacheries of the field in order to find Him, then we will find that our “treasure” is more than worth the jouney.  Remember, beloved, hidden treasure only has value to us once we find it.  In order to find it, we must seek it.  As Jesus said:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;  and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

Precious one, we cannot claim hidden treasure that is never discovered, because we have no idea where it is.  Once we seek and find our treasure in Christ Jesus, however, we have the greatest treasure of all.  This is real treasure.  Everything other treasure pursued yields only fools gold.  So often we allow the cares of this world to distract us from searching for our hidden treasure.  Jesus was telling us not to get consumed/wrapped up in the concerns of this world.  He was telling us that we should put our whole focus on seeking the Lord and His will.  We can do so while not being overwhelmed with thoughts of what we will eat, where we will live, or what we will clothe ourselves with, because God will see to our needs just as He does with the birds of the air and the grass of the field.

Please pray for all those who have no idea of the hidden treasure available to them.  Let’s pray that they go searching for it, willing to brave the trials of the journey, in order to find the only treasure that really counts.  Furthermore, let’s pray that once they find that treasure, they see Him for who He really is and turn their lives over to Him as their Lord and Savior.  Jesus Christ is our treasure.

If you are ready to discover your hidden treasure, and claim your eternal inheritance from the Lord God Almighty, you can do so by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior today.  If you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today, and be saved, please pray the following prayer with me:

“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you conquered death and provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You. Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray.  Amen.”

Beloved, if you just prayed that prayer sincerely, then you just found your hidden treasure.  I would encourage you to find out what’s all in the treasure chest by exploring it through God’s word, through prayer with supplication and thanksgiving to the Lord, and by asking Him to reveal the fullness of the treasure to you.  The treasure you have, precious one, is priceless.  God set aside this treasure just for you through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  Welcome to the family:-)  The angels in heaven are rejoicing this very moment at your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Find out about this and much more by exploring God’s word that He had written just for you:-)  This relationship with Christ is the most precious and important relationship you will ever have.  Invest yourself in growing the relationship as much as possible.  Seek the Lord’s will in all things, and let your will be completely surrendered to Him.

Thank you for joining our discussion today.   I hope you are able to join us on Friday to pray over this week’s prayer requests. 

Remember, if you would like to order the new book “Strapping On the Whole Armor of God – Suiting Up For Spiritual Warfare), please visit my website at http://www.yourbrotherinchrist.com .  If you prefer to order by mail, you will also find the mailing address on that website.  This book is very valuable in helping people understand how to go about securely and effectively putting on the whole armor of God that the apostle Paul refers to in Chapter 6 of Ephesians.  We are praying that many people will receive this book and be blessed in their walk with the Lord by reading it.

Have a wonderful and blessed rest of the day!!!  Walk in faith, knowing that you are loved by the Creator of the heavens, earth, and all life, and knowing that the treasure that you now carry in your heart and soul is priceless:-)

Have a happy, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving Day tomorrow!  Give a special thanks to the Lord for all that He has done for you and your loved ones.  Without Him, we’d be in a very bad place:-)

May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev Jason Thurwanger

The lyrics to “Mighty to Save” are playing in my head. “Everyone needs compassion. The kindness of a Savior. Let mercy fall on me.” This is my prayer this moment. I am so grateful that I have a Savior whom loves me unconditionally no matter what. May mercy fall down on me in times of hurt, sorrow, and grief. May I make an active choice to love out of the same love I have been given freely and not act on my desire to hurt another because I am hurting from their words, actions and etc.

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living^©

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
(1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NIV))

What is your attitude when you partake of communion? Are you thankful for the blessings that you have been freely given through the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross? Do you stop and reflect upon just what that moment in time two thousands years ago means to you at this very moment?

If you stop to think about what we have been given through this event and the symbolic ritual, you would come to the realization that every day should be one of gratitude and thanksgiving. We have been granted the opportunity to escape the consequences of our sinful nature simply by accepting Jesus as sour personal Lord and Savior.

Just as our traditional Thanksgiving meals are designed to fill our stomachs, we should look upon the meal of Christ’s body and blood as one that is designed to fill our spirits. We should be overjoyed with the bounty of grace and mercy that we partake of through the atoning sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

I challenge everyone to stop and reflect upon your life. What are you most thankful for? I earnestly pray that your priorities place God’s grace and mercy where it should be. When you sit down with family and friends this Thanksgiving, stop to think about what Jesus went through so that you can be shown grace and mercy.

Lift your thanks up to the Lord this Thanksgiving and every single day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Copyright 1998 – 2009 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Source: Red Mountain Music      Words: Depth of Mercy

Written by: Charles Wesley, 1740

This is what the elder brother in the parable should have done; this is what a true elder brother should have done. He would have said, “Father, my younger brother has been a fool, and now his life is in ruins. But I will go and look for him and bring him home. And if the inheritance is gone – as I suspect – I’ll bring him back into the family at my expense.”

……Mercy and forgiveness must be free and unmerited to the wrongdoer. If the wrongdoer has to do something to merit it, then it isn’t mercy, but forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting forgiveness.

Tim Keller, The Prodigal God (pg.82-83)

Quran/Islam/Muhammad- open minded, nonracial and unbiased
http://forum09.faithfreedom.org/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4920&p=82054#p82054

Manfred wrote:

The Quran is quite clear that Islamic paradise is a Muslim only “place” (for lack of a better description).

Paarsurrey wrote:

Hi friend Manfred

I don’t agree with you.

You have certainly misunderstood Quran/Islam/Muhammad.

[2:63] Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.
[2:64] And remember the time when We took a covenant from you and raised high above you the Mount, saying: ‘Hold fast that which We have given you and bear in mind what is therein, that you may be saved.’
[2:65] Then you turned back thereafter; and had it not been for Allah’s grace towards you and His mercy, you would surely have been of the losers.

http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/sh … 2&verse=56

The above verse very clearly mentions that those persons who have the truthful beliefs and those who do good deeds suited to the situation and time would go to heaven. One who is a Muslim in name only and does not have good beliefs and or good deeds has no claim to heaven, it is purely the grace and the mercy of the Creator-God Allah YHWH, nobody else has any monopoly on the heaven; no intercession, nothing of this sort.

Please amend your concept accordingly. Yours is a very narrow and stringent concept; nothing to do with Quran/Islam/Muhammad, who are very open minded, nonracial and unbiased.

I love Jesus and Mary as mentioned in Quran.

Thanks

I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim