Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the unofficial beginning of the Holiday season and it has different meanings to each of us. For most it is being with family and friends, having too much delicious food and watching some football. Let’s not forget the huge sale papers advertising the bargains to be had by the early shoppers on “black Friday.” Most everyone is familiar with the story of the “first” Thanksgiving with the pilgrims and the Indians but I wonder how many know about the Proclamation issued by George Washington in 1789 which called for a national day of thanksgiving? It is a historical document that would be considered so “politically incorrect” by the misguided judges of today that it cannot even be studied by our children in school. Imagine that, a proclamation by the first President of the United States that can’t be studied by our children. Here is the text of that Proclamation:
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.


And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
Copied from Rep. Joey Hensley Newsleter

Thanks to Preachers

History has shown that the only thing that will give hope to this pessimistic world is preaching. God has alwaysused someone to stand up and preach in times of trouble.
Where there is trouble, God always has a spokesman -someone who wjll stand in the gap and preach love, or judgement if that is what is needed, who will direct our hearts and minds to the truth.

Jude 14 records how God used Enoch as his spokesperson to preach to men who were causing difficulties in the world. He had to deal with the same problems and issues we encounter today. Enoch proclaimed judgement to the people.

What would have happened to Noah two generations later If it were not for Enoch? Would he and his family remained faithful? Or would he have followed the same direction as everyone else?

2 Pet 2:5 states that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He needed 120 years to build the ark because his full-time job was preaching. Building the ark was only done in his spare time.

What David did with Bathsheba and to her husband was wrong but he felt no remorse or guilt until Nathan came and made him aware of what he had done. Would we have known anything about David today if there had not been a Nathan? If God had not had a spokesman to go to David it's likely that we would not see him in eternity one day.

God speaks to us today through the author of Ecclesiastes, where His name is mentioned 37 times. The author of the book writes about God, the difficulties in the world and his attempts to find peace and happiness in a world gone crazy.

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by "the preacher" (Eccl1 :1 ). Solomon did not want his name or his kingly title associated with the book. He wanted readers to know that he was a preacher who had come to understand life as such, not because he was a king.

After identifying himself as a preacher Solomon declares that life is like "vanity of vanities". He found no value in his life, even as a highly respected king. At the end of the day this accomplished nothing for Solomon.

He set out on a search for meaning and truth (Eccl1 :12), which is what an effective preacher does.

Solomon used everything at his disposal to try to find meaning to life. He concluded that life under the sun did not provide the answers, but faith in God. After reaching this conclusion he taught the knowledge he had acquired to the people.

The world today needs people to acquire knowledge and share it with others.

The Church in particular needs men like the preacher who wrote Ecclesiastes. Because without preachers the same thing could happen to us that might have happened to Noah and David.

Imagine what would have hap- pened if there had not been an Isaiah, Jerimiah or Daniel?

How beautiful are those men who stand up and bring Good News to the world today.

There is no time to wait.
We need men and families who are willing to pay the cost and preach, whose faith in God is strong enough, who sense that God needs them and respond.
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