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.

God is good and I am grateful.  Click on “Grateful” in the sidebar.

Pascal’s Wager. You know the one: you either choose to believe in God and may reach eternal salvation and have everything to gain, or you choose not to and take the risk of eternal damnation and have everything to lose. Really, are you going to take that risk?

Presented with this argument, I could see that it would be quite logical to point this out: at the time, the Catholics were probably trying to recruit, and what better way to do this than to present those good ol’ atheists with this bet. Since God’s existence is something nobody can know in this life (though evidence does fall a little flat to prove His existence), this arguments turns the ‘you-can’t-prove-he-exists’ defence on its head: the atheists cannot know that He doesn’t exist, and even though there may be more evidence for God not to exist, there is no way of proving that God doesn’t exist. So rest assured, there might just be a nagging ‘What if?’ voice at the back of their heads.

I personally believe that this is a pretty good argument. I mean, why would you want to risk losing eternal salvation and have eternal damnation for something that you cannot prove does not exist? OK, it’s not concluded that there is a God, but you’re going to be in deep shit if there is, right? You’d better get hold of a copy of the Bible, and fast.

So, even though this whole argument points to the fact that we should be in our Churches on Sundays ‘just in case’, there’s something that still doesn’t sit too easily with me: surely if God is all-knowing, he would be able to see right through us on that grand Judgement Day, and know that we didn’t truly believe, and that we were doing it for our own selfish ends? Yup, straight to Hell anyway, so what’s the point?

A lot of believers would also argue that there’s a difference between making a conscious choice to believe that God exists, and believing in God. I would say that they might argue that they’re ‘different’, and choosing to believe, is different to the belief just occurring: making a conscious choice is acknowledgement that God may not exist, and therefore it’s not real belief and therefore cannot count. To “follow the way by which they began; by acting as if they believed” cannot be seen as true faith in God to some believers, and therefore could be argued as a pointless exercise to them since if they were true believers, they wouldn’t believe for their gain, but simply believe.

However, John Hick presented the point that Pascal was saying that “it is possible to make ourselves believe in God, not instantaneously, but by a course of treatment.” Pascal was offering a way to God through a more reasoned opportunity, and through this beginning, they would develop a belief and see the ‘truth’ as they become more immersed in the teachings. No offence, but this sounds just a little like indoctrination. Further to this, this form of belief would stop you from seeing the evidence against His existence, surely? Through this method, you’d not want to bet against His existence, and therefore you learn to qualify each and every trial against God’s existence because of your reliance on the Church out of fear. Could I live with this ignorance?

But I have to remember, this argument was probably for just in case. God would be more likely to save you if you at least tried this, as opposed to doing nothing at all. It’s like the greatest religious insurance policy out there, except of course the one where you scream ‘I BELIEVE!’ on your death-bed and beg for forgiveness from God for you sin-filled life. Both in Pascal’s Wager and the latter situation, it is argued that there’s nothing to lose, and the latter sounds so much more appealing.

However, for those of us who are ‘card-carrying atheists’, as we may be known, we could argue that we lose quite in this life. If we choose to believe in God to ensure we get eternal salvation, we’re giving up our homoerotic tendencies, our love for rape, our Sunday mornings, a promiscuous life, and anything else that the Church deems inappropriate (which is arguably quite a lot of more subtle ‘evil’ things), all for something we don’t particularly believe in and are just hedging an iffy bet on. It would make it a heck of a lot worse if we were right, and that God doesn’t exist, right? We wouldn’t be able to live this life to the full, or how we’d choose to live it, we’d be living in a ‘maybe’, and that’s not how I want it, personally. Living the life I do, I don’t want to live in fear; I can’t make a conscious choice to follow something of which principles I do not believe in, and I cannot see how a God would want things to be this way. That for me is evidence enough not to be sucked into the wager.

(Admittedly I stole the title for this from the girl I sit next to in my Theology class, but I’m sure she won’t mind tremendously; it inspired a great long ramble in my head.)

This week’s design is a part of the Crossover blog. The design comes from Ha Ha’s Shirt Shop. It’s called Sinner. It may seem like a simple design. But there is a lot to it if you get to thinking about it.

The truth is that we all where this shirt whether we own it or not. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Some are proud of their sin and revel in it. Others realize that their sins will be what keeps them from entering heaven if they die without a payment for them. Being a sinner means that you rebel against God. It means that you transgress His Law and actively work against Him. This is hard to take for some because we all like to think that we’re good; or at least not as bad as the next guy. The truth is, even the most righteous thing that we could ever do would look like trash when compared to God.

It is only because of Jesus’ life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead that we can enter heaven. God has done it all for us. He made the way for us to be reconciled (before anything was ever created!), He came down to live perfectly, and He died on the cross in our place. He rose from the dead and now sits at God’s right hand. He even gives us the ability to repent and have faith in Him!

If you are living in your sins, please understand that while this may be enjoyable for a time (scripture says this), eventually, it will lead to your death. If you haven’t repented of your sins, please take some time over this long holiday weekend to give thanks to God for what He’s done and to repent of the sins that you’ve committed against Him.

This simple “Sinner” design may not seem like much but it does an amazing job of summing everything up…

I am thankful:

* that God loved me enough to give me a choice so I could put my trust/faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. See: Eternal Life For You

* for the United States of America wherein we live and our amazing Constitution.

* for God’s Grace that provided to me the love of my very special caring wife Shirley, without whom I would be in a heap ‘o trouble. Thank you Sweetie!!

* for the 49 great years spent with my first dear wife Fern, who is now resting happy and contented in Heaven in the presence of our Savior.

* for the love of  my wonderful family full of my kids, daughters and sons-in law — grand and great grand-kids. A very special bunch.

* for my wonderful friends all over the world.

* for the freedoms we have to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the pulpit, on the street corner, on the Internet and everywhere. Let us not take it for granted — as there are powerful forces trying to remove those freedoms as you read this.

* for our Patriotic Military who are sworn to protect and defend our Republic and its Constitution — who are giving their all yet are under fire by our own government!

* for the readers of my Blog and our web site. I pray the next 12 months will be the best ever for you and our country.

I pray for our country that it will return to the freedoms we once experienced.

I pray for President Obama, that he will trust Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift.

We pray you will have a woncderful season of thanks to God.

In Jesus Christ eternally,

ExP(Jack)

Eternal Life For You

From www.verseoftheday.com comes today’s bible verse:

The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid?

–Psalm 27:1 (New Internation Version)

What this verse represents to me at this point my journey:

To me, it means that as long as I place my trust in the Lord that there is nothing on this Earth that I should fear.  He is with me, and I know that when the Lord calls me home it will be in His time, not mine–so what should I fear?  When my time here is done, I’ll go, and there is nothing that can be done to avoid that.

Hebrews 10:22-23 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

The following video is a very good teaching by Paul Washer. I didn’t know who he was until a few days ago when I found this video. He presented this in 2002 and is a teaching for teenagers, but I find it to be quite valuable for all believers regardless of age. Apparently, this teaching is somewhat controversial, although I can’t quite figure out why. Unless of course it is considered controversial by those whose ears have tired from the truth and want only ear candy. Yes, it is long, nearly an hour. That concerned me too, until I was hit with the realization I think nothing of watching a movie twice that long…

Based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 7; the time you invest will be worth it.

One of my favorite accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry is that of the healing of the ten lepers, found in Luke 17:11-19. It is such a beautiful insight into the compassion and power of Jesus, but it is also a stirring lesson about what it means to truly thankful.

The similarities between the lepers and ourselves is striking. First, we have a common affliction. The lepers were outcasts because of the disease that affected their bodies.  The Jews saw leprosy as a curse from God, therefore it could only truly be healed by God. We, too, are outcasts because of the disease that affects our soul–sin. Ephesians 2:12 reminds us “that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”

Second, our only hope is the same hope that the lepers had–the mercy and grace of our Lord. In verse 13, the lepers cried, “Master, have pity on us!” and Jesus, the Gracious and Merciful One, healed their disease. We are reminded that our healing, our forgiveness of sin, is ours solely because of the grace and mercy of the Lord. It is undeserved, unmerited, and unattainable on our own.

Of course the climax of this account is the return of the one leper to offer thanks to his Healer. It is in this former leper’s humble return that we learn four key lessons about genuine thanksgiving:

We must praise and thank God despite our circumstances. (Vs. 15-16) Jesus healed the man—but there is no indication that everything was perfect in his life. He must have still had questions:  What about the job he had lost? Where were his wife and kids? Why did God allow him to contract leprosy to begin with? But the former leper had experienced God’s mercy in this situation, and his faith told him he could trust God in all situations.

We must thank God because He has a heart for all people. (Vs. 16b) Samaritans, which is what the thankful former leper was, were considered worthless half-breeds to the Jews—they even called them “dogs.” The other nine were apparently Jews—just like Jesus was. In a way, this story foreshadows the wonderful truth that Jesus came to seek and to save all kinds of people—rich, poor, educated, uneducated, those with good backgrounds, those with rough backgrounds.

We must thank God because ingratitude grieves the heart of God. (Vs. 17-18) As you read these verses, you can almost hear the disappointment and hurt in the voice of Jesus. Ingratitude grieves the heart of God.

We must thank God because there is a difference between being healed and being made whole. (Vs. 19) There is a difference between the word used for “cleansed” which all the lepers were and this word “made well” that describes the result of this returning leper’s gratitude and faith. One speaks of being made physically well; the other speaks of being made holistically and spiritually well. The point is that until you and I learn to live a lifestyle of thanksgiving and gratitude, we will never be made completely whole. We will never fully understand who God is. We will never be fully fulfilled as children of God.

Happy Thanksgiving–and may it truly be a time of thanksgiving for each of us.

“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

What has all this to do with Jesus, Christianity, or for that matter being a Jew?

The information disclosed in this writing has been offered to Jews only, for several reasons: to help Gentiles, Gentile Christians, Jewish Christians, and all Jews, to understand the truth about the Jewishness of original Christianity: to assist Jews who are haunted by their own confusion concerning their acceptance of the New Testament and their Messiah Jesus: to aid Christian Evangelists to understand that God has not called every Jew into the ranks of Christianity: to tell everyone about the church system used by Rome to deceive the nations into accepting a man as Christ, who is a false Christ: and to lighten the burden of misguided Jews, who have converted to become part of the Gentile form of Christianity: to reduce the pain they inflict upon their own families and friends.

In so much as, the converted Messianic Jews are the ones in error, and not their families for rejecting a false Jesus.  Which rejection, I might add, will not keep them from entering heaven after physical death, as the deluded converts have been brainwashed into believing.  In the immortal words of Jesus, they err because they do not know the Scriptures….

Yet I wouldn’t want either of you Jews, Christian convert or not, to go away thinking you are right and the other guy is wrong.  That is not the case I intended to present.  On the contrary, both are right, even though the converted Messianic Jew may be misguided and deceived.

My argument has been, Jews who reject Jesus will not go to hell for not accepting Jesus.  Since the Jesus presented to the world, as stated in 2 Corinthian 11:1-5, by all Christian Churches is a phony!  Therefore, you Jewish brothers and sisters who reject the present day nonsense about Jesus are right in doing so.

While on the other hand, the converted Jewish Christians, who do not believe or realize they’ve been deceived (even though the New Testament has more warnings against being deceived than any other subject).

They have actually been called by God to cross over into the Gentile world to do a special job for God: which job is to help the misguided Gentile Christians learn the truth about Jesus (the gospel).  These Messianic Jews were called by God to be the teachers of the Gentiles, but there is little hope of them allowing the Jews in their private club: as foretold by Jesus in the parable of the rented Vineyard in Matthew 21:33 to 41.

Christians who have fallen victim to lying Roman teachings and have also been deceived into believing lies about Jesus, will not be forgiven by God for having been deceived.  The Lord plainly warned Christians to study their Bibles not to be deceived.  There is a plan revealed in the Bible concerning a remnant of Jews who would be chosen by God for this very important work amongst the Gentile Christians; but the Gentiles are in control of the kingdom of God.  They took it by force and stole it from the Jews.

The Gentile Churches have learned to deceive people well.  They have learned how put a spin on the scriptures to use them to prove their teachings.  They have learned how to keep the remnant of Jews from becoming effective at their anointed jobs of teaching the Jewish scriptures.

Thus rendering the remnant of Jews, who were chosen by God to believe in Jesus, ineffective at helping the deceived Gentiles.  They keep these chosen Jews from following in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle; their Jewish predecessor who was destined to teach the Roman Gentiles.

The Messianic Jews are totally ineffectual and have no effect on the Gentiles in serious trouble by reason of deceit!  Therefore, both sides of the Jewish question are right.  The Jews who know Jesus is the Messiah are right; and the Jewish Old Testament of the Bible is right; and the Jews who reject the false Gentile Jesus are right; and know the Jewish New Testament of the Bible is right!

Now you will say, but Jews who do not believe in Jesus will go to hell because Jesus said, No one comes unto the Father but by Me…. Wrong again, oh misguided one!  In John Chapter 6, verses 43 to 45 Jesus said, No one could come to Jesus unless the Father draw him to Jesus, and everyone shall be taught by God.  Therefore, everyone that has heard, and has learned of the Father comes to Jesus.

Not knowing the Scriptures you always put the cart before the horse.  Besides isn’t the “Me” in verse 44, “No one comes unto the Father but by Me”, referring to Jesus; and isn’t Jesus’ name the Word of God?

Doesn’t the Bible teach the Word is able to save your soul and that the word is able to renew your mind.  The Word is the Holy Spirit. The Word is what a person has to do in order to enter heaven.

Perhaps the guy named Jesus that you purport to follow was just spinning His wheels when He told the rich young man, do the commandments and you shall receive eternal life.  Perhaps eternal life is something different than being saved?

God promised the Jews they would never be consumed, yet they die like other people.  Therefore, the consumption Jesus referred to was genocide in this lifetime and eternal death in the next life, which is hell!

God has a very definite plan for the Jews who reject the phony Jesus, and do so by God’s grace just as you Messianic Jews believe Jesus is the Messiah by the same grace… or perhaps you have set yourself up as the Judge of Israel!  Beware!  I don’t have to teach you what Jesus said about Judging.  Jews were chosen to bait the world into being jealous of them.  They were chosen by God to suck anyone into hell that would dare touch them!

It doesn’t sound like a great profession for an entire nation of people, but neither was being the High Priest of Israel.  If God didn’t accept the offering presented in the Holy of Holies by the High Priest, he was struck dead!

To be continued…

Luke 17:25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

Apparently, Donny Osmond won “Dancing with the Stars” last night on television. I never watch the show but millions of other people do, so I’m guessing that many of those who voted were lifelong fans of Donny.

I can remember his first single disc “Puppy Love” and how teenage girls all over the world screamed and swooned at the concerts where he was performing. After Elvis and the Beatles, Donny and his brothers were the biggest act in the music world during the 1970’s. His only rival was a young black kid called Michael Jackson. It’s funny how life turned out for both of them.

I admire Donny’s comeback and maybe his win on the show will rekindle his showbiz career. He’s not done a lot of international performing for the past two decades, because most of his fans outgrew his music and rejected his ‘soppy’ love songs. Perhaps a new wave of nostalgia among his original fans will help rebuild his career.

People are fickle, especially those who are obsessed with celebrities. As the years come and go, so does their enthusiasm for performers, artistes, and stars. Even leaders in both the political and religious worlds can be negatively affected by this group mentality. One day the people want to crown you as their king; the next day the mob wants to crucify you to a Cross.

When Jesus was talking to His disciples, He warned them several times about the suffering to come. Most of them were caught up in Christ’s popularity and enjoyed being connected to Him. Jesus frequently reminded them about the fickleness of the crowds. He knew that He was destined to suffer. He fully understood that the people would one day reject Him.

Several generations ago, Christianity was a popular faith. The Church had helped lead our people through two World Wars and the Great Depression. Faith was a key component that enabled our people to endure the worst and hope for better days to come. But then, decades later, the same communities who had embraced and increased the Church began to reject Christ’s teachings.

Sadly, we now live in a time where agnostics and atheists are using their belief system to undermine, diminish, and marginalize our faith in the public arena. However, the Church has faced this before in different places and times. At some point, revival occurs and the Church emerges in a stronger way. We only have to look at the flourishing churches in the former Soviet bloc countries to see that this actually occurs. The world may delightfully tell us that the Christian Church is dying, but it forgets that death only means resurrection for us.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You have stood the test of time and Your Church has endured persecution, devastation, and destruction throughout the centuries. Your Spirit never fails to inspire people every day to come to You. Thank You for the gift of the Church in the world and for the promises of hope and resurrection in the years to come. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Just a few things I am thankful for this year.

1) I am thankful for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord. That He chose me from my mother’s womb to lavishly pour out His grace and Mercy while I was yet a sinner.

2) I am thankful for a wonderful wife and great children. I am truly blessed to be married to my best friend and such a beautiful friend indeed! I am also thankful for children who constantly keep me grounded and remind me of what is most important in my life.

3) I am thankful for my church family who has in most cases been closer to me than my own blood. They are a constant source of encouragement and love in my life. I am so glad to be on this journey of life with them. I never laughed so much or felt so loved than I have with those that God has brought into my life.

4) I am thankful for my source group that has helped me draw closer to God than I have been in a very looooong time. I am always encouraged to see the growth in everyone’s lives and I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in and through them. I have seen those who needed encouragement turn into sources of encouragement and those who needed teaching and leadership become teachers and leaders. Just awesome!

5) I am thankful for the eldership candidacy process I have been in for almost a year now. It has been very tough and challenging for me. I appreciate the accountability and the covering that the eldership of Journey has been in my family’s life. I look forward to the day that I will join the eldership team of Journey.

6) I am thankful for my pastor. Pastor Michael has been incredible leader to serve under. I have learned so much about what  a leader is and what it is not. It is awesome to serve with someone who is passionate about the equipping of the saints and not in exalting himself. I am thankful for the time we have spent together on the trail just enjoying life and having fun.

7) I am thankful for my friends. I have a few guys that I can call my friends. I have gone a long time where I could not say that.  I am extremely thankful for having these guys in my life to talk to, watch UFC with, and just hang out and joke and have fun.

I am thankful for my job. Not everyone can say they have one of those today. I am thankful for favor with my employers. No job is perfect and we work with imperfect people, but I am glad to have them in my life to help me to grow in leadership, patience, knowledge, and wisdom.

9) I am thankful for each day I get to wake up with my wife and breath in another breath in my lungs and feel the beating of my heart in my chest.

10) I am thankful for the security of knowing one day I will see my God face to face and will never know another moment of sadness or stress and I will see my mother again.

Thank you God and thank you to all of you who are a blessing in my life. Way too many to list.

I am also thankful to you who read these posts. They come straight from my heart and you honor me by your readership.

Thankfully Yours Til He Returns

Kevin

Daily Read (Isaiah 52-54)

Scripture:
Isaiah 52:6 “Therefore my people will know my name…”

Observation:
Now in the book of Isaiah we begin to read of God’s love for Israel rather than His fierce anger and judgment. He speaks to her as a lover and as one who was scorned and rejected (Is. 54:6) but now redeemed with compassion and love (Is. 54:7). His plan for redeeming her, Israel, and the rest of the world is through His Servant, who would give His life as a sacrifice to bear the sins of the world (Is. 53:12).

Application:
Do you really know the name of God? Do you know Him as Yah, the Great I AM, or as El Shaddai or Elohim or Yahweh Yireh, your provider? When was the last time you called on the Ancient of Days, who knows the end from the beginning? Have you ever trusted in the Rock of Ages and rested on the tried and true cornerstone? Is the Stone that the builders rejected securely anchoring your life in Him? What name(s) do you know God by?

The list of names for God is really extensions or descriptions of His character rather than His name. When Moses stood on the mountain in front of the burning bush, he asked God, “who should I say has sent me?” God replied, “”Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation” (Ex. 3:15).

When we look at the original Hebrew for “The LORD,” we see that it translates as YHWH (yod-hay-vav-hay) or where we get our transliterated word JEHOVAH. The name JEHOVAH means the self-existent one or eternal one – the LORD – as we seen written in modern texts. For a better comparison of the names of God please see Lambert Dolphin’s web page “The Names of God“.

Regardless of which name of God you call on, know Him. There is only one way to know Him (which goes along with the words of an old song, “To know me is to love me”) is to love Him. Jesus said to His disciples, ” If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:20). Jesus also said, “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them” (John 17:25-26). Therefore, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:20) and get to know Him. You have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), so what is stopping you from getting to know Him personally? The only way to know Him is through study of His Word and prayer. He is the Word (John 1:1), and the Word of God is His name (Rev. 19:13). Praying is your way of talking to Him to find out what He wants of you. Get to know your Daddy. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

Prayer:
Father, You have so many names that describe in essence who You are. They are useful to me as reminders of what Your Word says about You and what You do for me. Regardless of how many names there are, I need to know Your name, YHWH – the LORD, but more importantly, I need to know You. When my heart truly knows who You are, then Your name is but a reminder to whom I am speaking. The one name that stands out above the rest to me is “DADDY”! You are my Father. I know that my Father loves me and cares for me. So long as I put my trust in You, I have nothing to fear. I have no worries. I want to know not only Your name but also more of You. Teach me more about You each day. Allow the names of God to begin to resonate in my heart and reveal to me the beauty of who You are. I love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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SCANNERS
Salvation

London-based Scanners first popped on my radar when a lotta people thought they stole the show whilst touring with another Song of the Day featured band, The Horrors. I picked up their debut album, Violence Is Golden and was immediately taken by the tight production and powerful, angsty lyrics. Sarah Daly’s tough-girl vocals can bring Elastica to mind, but Scanners is a bit more polished…more refined…and now they’re set to release their second album, Submarine, in February. Check ‘em out on MySpace

Who is grace?   Grace is someone most of us know about, we have seen, yet sometimes takes years to get to know.  People view Grace differently.  They see her as first in command or second but not equal.  Some think she is highly important and others think she is a nice attribute to have around.

Now let me explain who Grace is.  Grace is someone who wants to live with us, walk with us daily and show us how to live in peace and holiness.  We know about Grace and we think we know her once we are introduced.  Grace doesn’t demand we perform or look a certain way to show others who we represent.  Who is grace?  I am not talking about a person but the unmerited favor of God.  I am talking about the undeserving mercy of God. We can play the part, look the part but we however cannot change ourselves inwardly by our works or looks.  We cannot change ourselves because we just want to.  Why do you think change is so hard?  You can change the way you look, your actions and change your lifestyle to fit into the Christian mode.  However, although we may look good to others but inside we cannot fool ourselves. Grace must be imparted into someone who has an open mind and heart.  Grace is imparted into us by knowing Him.

Why do we all come to know Grace at different times in our lives?  Grace sometimes comes when we have done something so totally wrong against our teaching and discipline trainings in which we feel as though we are lifted above all sinful nature, it is then we fail.  It is when we become so proud of what WE have accomplished, being prideful.  Once we fail the test of trying to prove our own spiritual hierarchy, Grace comes to our rescue but only when we ask.  People don’t really get to know Grace sometimes until they fail, they may have an idea who she is but not really know her valuable worth until they realize they cannot earn her love nor do enough works to obtain living above the world’s sinful acts.

Grace is the action of God bringing to pass the good things, which we neither deserve nor can accomplish on our own.  It is a tremendous dynamic of personal experience where the reality of God’s life enters what we are doing, feeling, and thinking.  It is being filled with the power of Jesus as our life moves in every aspect. It is when God initiates action and we respond with action.  Grace never means inaction or being totally passive.  The opposite of grace is works but not effort.  Works has to do with earning and there simply is nothing any of us can do to earn God’s love or acceptance.  God already loves us utterly and perfectly and our complete acceptance is the free gift of God through Jesus.

Action is not the same as works so let me explain.  The foundational structure for the growth or action of grace involves a training of body, mind and spirit by means of disciplines of spiritual life.  Through a process of time and experience, we become the kind of person whose life naturally and freely expresses love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  We cannot make ourselves have these fruits WITHOUT inclining our hearts toward Him.  Only He can reprogram the deeply ingrained habit patterns of sin that constantly hurl toward works of flesh.  We cannot become humble by trying to become humble.  Action on our own would make us all the more proud of our humility.  Instead we train with disciplines appropriate to our needs and then God see the effort and our offering of ourselves to him.  God often uses the various difficulties and trials we face in life to produce in us a kind of endurance.  These experiences shape us, form, us and make us different people to the extent we are willing participators in this work of grace.

In the Old Testament it teaches about obedience to truth, however the New Testament presents the message of grace, mercy and forgiveness through Jesus.  At first, truth and grace seem to be opposite but they are both at the core of God’s purpose and plan.  To be healthy, there must be balance between the two.  Grace only, leads to self-indulging and immature children.  Truth only, leads to rebellious attitudes.  Rules without relationships are first resented then resisted and ultimately rejected.  Many churches and religious people gravitate toward one extreme or the other.  Environments that become legalistic, rule oriented, and guilt-driven promote an impossible expectation.  This in turns leads to a never-ending works mentality of I will never be good enough.  I have seen many people fall into sin, fall away from God or live in depression or poverty who view grace as unimportant.  They push and convince people to live a certain way as to gain favor with God or to live above the world.  Although spiritually in tune, they themselves become judges or they may cast away people who don’t follow their truths.  Then there are those who focus on just grace.  The focus is on love and forgiveness not consequences of sinful behavior.  Many then will interpret this openness as license to live any lifestyle expecting forgiveness.  There is no common ground when you deal with truth.  Truth and Grace live together and must be balanced.  We cannot earn or deserve God’s grace and we cannot select what part of His truth we want to embrace and abide by.  Truth should magnify grace.  Truth without grace is legalism.  Grace, without truth leads to license to sin.  Truth proves the message grace provides the method.  Grace doesn’t provide the freedom to sin but forgiveness for sin.  Grace never supersedes or compromises truth.  Grace does not replace truth it reflects it.  Truth and grace lead to liberty.

God’s grace should not be viewed as independent of His truth.  Both grace and truth are essential elements in His gift of eternal life.  We show people Jesus only when we show them grace and truth.  It is living in balance and harmony with everyone we come in contact with.  It is not only the disciplines in lifestyle, the works that we do but allowing God to manifest His mercy in grace in our lives as we are transformed to be more like Him.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus help me to gain not only more of your truth but also know your grace and mercy.  I want to find balance in both.  I want to know you in the fullness to expound to others and to show others the true life of a Christian.  I do not want to demand certain things in people where they feel they can never live up too nor do I want to give them the freedom to continue to live in sin.  As a leader, Lord help me impart grace and mercy to those who fail and encourage them to go forward when they do fail and not cast them away.  Let your truth and grace be balanced in my life.  Let spiritual fruit be manifested in my life.  In Jesus Name. Amen.

John 1:14-17  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. New International Version

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

Like any good businessman, the Lord knows it takes money to operate a business, even His soul saving business. As I have written before, the Lord is in the business of saving souls from the fires of hell, and for every soul saved from that horrible place there is a battle that must be fought for the right to claim that soul. And as with any army involved in war, there must be a support system in place to supply those on the front lines of the fight. Every person that God has saved from the fires of hell has a job to do in His service. Either we are on the front lines of the fight, or we are a part of the support system. As we should understand; any army that goes into battle without a strong support system in place will soon find themselves at the mercy of the enemy when their ammunition and food runs out. And for any war to continue for very long there must be soldiers willing to fight, and there must be people who are willing to support the cause. People who support the war effort make sacrifices in whatever area necessary that will help ensure victory for their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers or friends that might be involved in the fight.

Because the Lord understands how important finances are to fight a war; He has put into place a reward system for those people who support Him and His cause. Luke 6:38 “Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

However, there are many people in the church who claim they support the cause of Christ, but never give anything to Him. There is a story in John chapter six where Jesus has just finished feeding the five thousand from two fish and seven small loaves of bread, He then sends His disciples across the sea, while He Himself remains behind to pray. Later, He walks on the sea and joins His disciples in the middle of  storm. The people who had been fed by Him, took notice that He had not joined His disciples in the boat when they departed. The next morning they went looking for Him, but could not find Him. They knew He had sent His disciples on to a certain place, so they got in their boats and went in search of Him. Upon reaching the other shore, they saw Jesus standing with His disciples, and one of the five thousand, asked Him, John 6:25 “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus replies, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

The reply Jesus gave to that man in this story is a very fitting description of people who fill our churches every meeting date. The majority of them come seeking what the Lord can do for them, and not for what they can do for the Lord. I have been just as guilty of self seeking as everyon else. This thought brought to mind a statement made by John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you; but what you can do for your country.” This is a very accurate paraphrase of what Jesus said to the man in the above story. If the church ever gets its priorities straight; the soul saving business of Jesus will prosper and grow, and the church will be abundantly blessed because of the support they lend to Him and His cause. If not, we will have to settle for what comes our way, like we have been doing for some time now. DThrash

One of the most beautiful sounds in all the world, to me, is the sound of either or both of my daughters saying “Thank you, Dad!”

They do it quite often, and they do it in a sweet and feminine way in which I can hear, feel, see in their expression, and experience the sincerity! I also experience the joy when I hear them say “Thank You” to others, too, especially their mom. Chances are high that you also like hearing it, especially when it is directed personally to you! Ha-Ha!

Of course, after years of living, we kind of take it for granted that we should hear it, especially after doing something good for someone, and often get offended when we don’t hear it. “Do you mean to tell me that after all that I’ve just done for her, I can’t get so much as a Thank You?! Well I’ll be…..!”, (we’ll often say silently to ourselves!), as some of us even add in the expletives! Am I being real enough??? Ha-Ha!

But Thanksgiving, like love, is not “built in at the factory”, is it?

I mean love can only be love when there is another to share it with. Thanksgiving can only be Thanks-giving when it is shared, and it must be learned from and shared with others. There is a good chance that had you not been taught to say “Thank You” (even indirectly by the example of others), you probably would not have made those words up! You might have experienced good thoughts and feelings but you would not have known what Words to say.

That brings us to the significance of Thanksgiving!

How do you know a good thought when you hear it? How do you know a genuinely good feeling when you feel it? How is it that you participate in Thanksgiving and gratitude?

The reason we all like, and participate in, the words and feelings of Thanksgiving, especially when they are sincere, is because of The Word – Jesus, and His becoming human to share with us His relationship with His Father and Their Holy Spirit! Think about it! When the 2nd Person of the Trinity made human, Jesus, walked among us as God in the flesh, he said “THANK YOU!” to His Father! John 11:41! We know that this communion between the Father and the Son is the communion of the Holy Spirit! 2 Cor 13:14!

So think about this fantastic Thanksgiving Reality:

• Seeing Jesus the God/Man give Thanks to His Father, in the Spirit, tells us that God has to be a Relationship of Distinct Persons Who do not take each other for granted but express gratitude to each other! After all, believers in Jesus believe that he was the embodiment of the fullness of God in flesh, Col 1:19, 2:9, and was doing in flesh Who God actually is, Heb 1:3!! (Way Cool!!! God does what we do! Ha-Ha!)
• If humanity participates in Thanksgiving (and we do!), it is a sign to us that humanity belongs to that Relational God and is included in that relationship because, like love, we had to learn and receive Thanksgiving from Someone in order for it to truly be thanks giving. The word “Thanksgiving” even educates us in this fact with “Thanks” – “GIVING”! (Way Cool!!! We do what God does!)

Can you believe it??? Thanksgiving isn’t just some polite thing you do because it is written in a book of ethics!

Thanksgiving is not something that all of humanity does because it is written in a moral code! I’ve even seen, heard and experienced immoral, irreligious, atheistic pagan people give genuine thanks to others (and so have you!!!), meaning our Adoption into God the Trinity’s relationship is wholly apart from works and is not a transaction of any kind! It is solely by God’s grace that anyone and everyone is included in it!

Thanksgiving is an expression of the way Life really is, and Jesus revealed as The Word, and through His words of Thanksgiving, that the Father, Son and Spirit really do have gratitude going on in His Relationship before anything or anyone else existed!

So, even Thanksgiving helps us see that the Gospel is not “Make Jesus your Lord and Savior!”, or, “Believe in order to get saved!” Yikes! If you could do those things YOU would be a very powerful Lord & Savior (but you are NOT a powerful Lord & Savior my friend!) Ha-Ha! The Gospel IS “With certainty…God has made Him both Lord and Savior, this Jesus whom you crucified.” – Acts 2:36! You don’t have to DO anything to get adopted or saved or earn your share in God’s gratitude; You are, and have those things, freely in Jesus Christ! Now that’s something to BE thankful for!!!

~ by Timothy Brassell

Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher to a better place. 

Go up higher to a better place,

Go up higher to a new place of blessings,

Go up higher to a new place of victory,

Go up higher to a new place of abundance,

Go up higher to a new place of glory,

Go up higher to new realms of faith,

Go up higher to soar to new heights,

Go up higher to be closer to Jesus. 

Listen to the words from the one who calls you his friend, ‘go up higher to a better place.’ His invitation for you is to move on up to a better place. There are realms of great faith, victory, and glory, of power, fire and passion in the Holy Spirit yet to be discovered, listen to His invitation to you today for our text in Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher a better place. 

His desire is to bless you and lift you up to better places than you have ever known before. His desire is for you to soar like the Eagle, with wind of the Holy Spirit beneath your wings lifting you higher, higher, and higher to a better place than where you are just now. 

My friend, oh may we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us today from Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher to a better place. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.