A National Thanksgiving

A National Thanksgiving

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
tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;

For the peaceable and rational manner in which we have enabled do
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 the
great and various favors which He has been please 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

The Beauty of Dreams

The Beauty of Dreams


A little boy named Johnny used to hang out at the local corner market.
The other boys teased him constantly, saying that Johnny was two
bricks shy of a load or two pickles short of a barrel. Puzzled about
their behavior, the store owner eavesdropped on their conversation one
day. Johnny stood silently as the boys offered him a choice between a
nickel or a dime. Johnny took the nickel. The boys immediately
laughed, saying he was too dumb to know that the bigger coin was
worthless. The store owner took him aside and said, "Johnny, those
boys are making fun of you. They think you don't know a dime is worth
more than a nickel. Are you really grabbing the nickel because it's
bigger?" Johnny turned to the store owner and with a big grin on his
face, he said, "Well, if I took the dime, they'd stop playing the
game. And so far, I've saved twenty dollars!" The other boys in the
neighborhood may not have had any faith in Johnny, but Johnny
certainly had faith in his own abilities!

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Even if no one else around you trusts God as you do, don't stop
trusting Him. In the end, your wisdom will prevail. Anything is
possible if you have faith. Mark 9:23 TLB

God’s Mercy Will Never Dry Up

God's Mercy Will Never Dry Up

Sometime back I heard of this interesting example. A small fish lived
in a stream in which water was exceedingly decreasing. The fish felt
worried that as the water was steadily going down if the stream would
dry up altogether all of a sudden. So it complained to God out of
anxiety. God asked the fish whether it had enough water to swim. The
fish answered that it had; God asked whether there was enough water
for the fish to drink. It said there was; Again God asked whether it
had enough water to breather and the fish answered that it had. Then
God asked the fish, why it was so anxious when it had everything it
needed? Many of us are worried in this way. If you set your faith on
God, you can live in joy. His mercy will never dry up. It will be
poured on us continuously. If you have lost faith in prayer, resume
praying. For God's mercy endures forever!! "For I know the plans I
have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Learning from Slaves

Learning from Slaves

I was reading some modern slave stories when I came across the story
of a boy named Rakesh who lived in a village in India. He was sold
into slavery by his own parents to pay off a debt, Rakesh and many
other children worked in a place where yarn was woven into rugs that
were exported to wealthier countries like the United States. The kids
were forced to weave rugs all day, squatting down with their backs
against the wall. The slave masters wanted children because they have
little fingers that can weave the intricate patterns that bring a lot
of money in rugs stores. If Rakesh didn't show up to work on time, he
was beaten with the iron claw used to separate threads. The claw was a
heavy metal device with teeth (like a comb's) on one end and a curved
handle on the other end.

Rakesh worked in this situation for a long time until an organization
called Free the Slaves [www.freetheslaves.net] joined with local
rescuers to free Rakesh and the other children. The rescuers built
little thatched schools for the freed children where they could learn
to read and write and begin to build a brighter future. Rakesh is now
head of the disciplinary committee at his school. If students get in a
fight, he calls them to the front of the classroom and makes them
apologize. He says, "You were beaten before by your slave master. Take
advantage of this opportunity to make something of yourselves." Kind
of ironic, isn't it? God took this young slave boy and gave him a
leadership position. It reminds me of the Bible story of Joseph, whose
brothers sold him into slavery, but God honored him by putting him in
leadership. God has a way of using unlikely people to do great things,
and he can take a bad situation and turn it into good.

God of Breakthrough

God of Breakthrough

God wants to give you a breakthrough — a sudden burst of His favor; an
explosion of His goodness. He wants to release His power in such a way
that it overwhelms you and drives out your enemies! Maybe you've been
praying about a relationship for years; and suddenly, things get into
place. That's a breakthrough. Or, you were trying to get a certain
job. They said there were no openings; but suddenly, they call you
back and you get the job. That's another breakthrough. Perhaps you've
struggled with an addiction for a long time; but then something
happens, and it's not a struggle anymore. Those are all breakthroughs.
No matter what you've been facing, no matter how impossible things
look, know this: the God of the breakthrough wants to visit your
house. Get ready! Look for His favor and goodness. Remember, God
rewards the people who seek after Him. So keep expecting, keep
believing because the God of the breakthrough is ready to overwhelm
you with His goodness today! "...the Lord has broken through my
enemies before me, like the bursting out of great waters..." (2 Samuel
5:20). Father in heaven, today I am expecting Your goodness. I am
looking for Your favor. I'm trusting that You, the God of the
breakthrough, are working mightily on my behalf. Help me to live a
life pleasing to You as I wait for Your hand to move mightily in my
life. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Story of Marble Statue and Marble Tile

Story of Marble Statue and Marble Tile

There was this museum laid with beautiful marble tiles, with a huge
marble statue displayed in the middle of the lobby. Many people came
from all over the world just to admire this beautiful marble statue.
One night, the marble tiles started talking to the marble statue.

Marble tile: "Marble statue, it's just not fair, it's just not fair!
Why does everybody from all over the world come all the way here just
to step on me while admiring you? Not fair!"

Marble statue: "My dear friend, marble tile. Do you still remember
that we were actually from the same cave?"

Marble tile: "Yeah! That's why I feel it is even more unfair. We were
born from the same cave and yet we receive different treatment now.
Not fair!" he cried again.

Marble statue: "Then, do you still remember the day when the designer
tried to work on you, but you resisted the tools?"

Marble tile: "Yes, of course I remember. I hate that guy! How could he
use those tools on me, it hurt so badly?"

Marble statue: "That's right! He couldn't work on you at all as you
resisted being worked on."

Marble tile: "So???"

Marble statue: "When he decided to give up on you and start working on
me instead, I knew at once that I would be something different after
his efforts. I did not resist his tools; instead I bore all the
painful tools he used on me."

Marble tile: "Mmmmmm......."

Marble statue: "My friend, there is a price to everything in life.
Since you decided to give up half way, you can't blame anybody who
steps on you now." Isaiah 64:8; And yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your
hand.

Seek God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness

Seek God's Kingdom and His Righteousness

There's a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking
for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, "O
great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge." Socrates recognized a
pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the
streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, "What
do you want?" "Knowledge, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a
smile. Socrates put his strong hands on the man's shoulders and pushed
him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. "What do you
want?" he asked again.

"Wisdom," the young man sputtered, "O great and wise Socrates."
Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five.
Forty, Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. "What do you want,
young man?" Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed,
"Knowledge, O wise and wonderful..." Socrates jammed him under again
Forty seconds passed. Fifty. "What do you want?" "Air!" he screeched.
"I need air!" "When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air,
then you will have knowledge."

Look at the promises of God – He promises everything to us. Some
struggle with the idea that God's will could be man-focused. Some go
so far to say that we are irrelevant and that God's pleasure is the
only thing that matters. This is not what God has shown us in the
scriptures. God is very man focused – in fact; we are the primary
focus of God. The Bible calls us the apple of God's eye. Set your
heart on asking God to accomplish His plan in your life and rest in
the confidence that God already has provided for your satisfaction.
Seek God's kingdom and His righteousness and He will prove His
promises to you.

A HEALTHY HEART

A HEALTHY HEART
You may be reading this tonight, worried about some health problem.
Maybe you are overweight, or your blood pressure is too high, or the
doctor is warning you that you are a likely candidate for a heart
attack. Well, as serious as those matters might be, God is leading me
to share with you now an important question... a question that could
be the very root cause of your physical illness. Ask yourself tonight,
"How's my heart?" I'm referring not to your physical heart, but your
spiritual one...the one that determines how you respond to the world
around you. If this heart is ailing, then often other problems, such
as high blood pressure, lack of energy, etc.
Manifest themselves. Here is God's prescription for a healthy heart:
"As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (Colossians
3:12, NIV). Let that Word speak to your spirit tonight. Take your mind
off your physical problems as you start to sleep tonight, and instead
prayerfully ask God to give you the healthy heart mentioned in
Colossians 3:12. You will have sweet dreams tonight, and a much
healthier day...tomorrow.

For we walk by faith, not by sight

For we walk by faith, not by sight

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm.  The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, a Great Spirit (God!) is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. MORAL: Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2Corinthians 5:7.

Don't Rush - Just Trust

Don't Rush - Just Trust

When our day is filled with plans...we must remember to stay in His hands. We must remember that only He can know...how our day will really go. We must not yield to our own way...but abandon our will to Him and pray. He alone is who we must trust when we feel the urge to rush. When we're tired and feel alone...we must take refuge at His throne. So often things tell us to rush...while there's a gentle voice saying..."just trust" His love in us yet abounds...through all our ups and all our downs. So when you leave your house today remember to ask yourself "Did I pray?" Remember when life presses you to rush...

Take a coin from your pocket and read the words that say "In God We Trust" Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7 (New King James Version). David knew what kings and their people usually trusted in – human strength and the ways it is often expressed (in chariots and in horses). In 21 century human can say something like, "Some trust in nuclear weapons and some trust in tanks or bank balance." It is part of human nature to put our trust in such things. But David put his trust in God almighty. He didn't carry the name of the Lord as a magical incantation; rather the name speaks of the comprehensive character of God and is an expression of His faithfulness to His covenant with His children.

God is at work in our lives

God is at work in our lives

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly.
But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. When we are in the point of asking, "God, how can you do this to me?" we can find the answer in prayer. Like Job we need to turn to God and speak to Him. Let us recommend ourselves to God for His mercy and compassion. We may not understand what's happening to us right now, but let us believe God knows what is best for us. Helen Steiner Rice once said, "Whenever we are troubled, and when everything goes wrong, it is just God working in us to make our spirits strong." Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of God.