A Thanksgiving Sermon

The Following Sermon was written and preached by Rev. Ian Martin

As a kid, I always thought that Thanksgiving Day was a kind of Pre-Christmas celebration. It was just another excuse for a long weekend. It was another day of getting together as an extended family. It was a day to spend time in the kitchen making various things to eat for a big meal. There was a sense of anticipation and excitement that lasted the entire day.

When Thanksgiving was at my mother’s home I can still remember smelling the slow cooking of a massive bird baking in oven. It kind of crept up on you. I remember being in the basement, watching television in the afternoon, waiting for people to show up, when I was smacked in the face with the first whiff of a cooking Turkey … potatoes … carrots … turnip … peas… gravy. It was always a mission to find out what was for dessert that day, because my mother wouldn’t let me near the fridge or even in the kitchen to help out. Apparently all I did was make a mess and get in the way.

At some point early in the afternoon, my mother would haul my sister and I, up the stairs to help set the table and make room for all the guests. She was always a little grumpy during Thanksgiving Day. My sister and I would tear throughout the house working as fast as we could. After all, we had important things to do. The Thanksgiving movie marathon only comes around once a year you know!

Then the family began to arrive. This is when the fun began. My mother has two sisters who were married. My mum is the oldest. When my first aunt and uncle showed up the tension levels in the house began to rise. My mum and aunt’s get along fine, but not on Thanksgiving Day. One year there was a … disagreement … about how to mash the potatoes, and who should do it. I knew the … disagreement ... was getting heated, because I had to increase the volume on the television every couple of minutes. Then, my other aunt and uncle, the youngest, would show up. Life turned into a melodramatic party when they showed up. There was always a life and death story about ravages of the autumn leaves that piled up on the lawn. “Someone has to pick the leaves on my lawn, but who? Who! Not me. I work all day.”

It is right around here that I would say that Thanksgiving had arrived. The family had gathered. My grandmother was giving pointers on how to cook a turkey. My mum was wound up tighter than a tick. One of my aunt’s was sulking because something wasn’t right with the meal. The other was upset that no one listens to her. My grandfather and uncles were on their 3^rd beer talking quietly in the corner about who knows what. While my cousin, my sister and I, were going deaf in the basement watching television, trying to drown them out. Happy Thanksgiving! I am going to go out on a limb here, but I think that this kind of thing is more common than we care to admit.

Is this what Thanksgiving is? Is it only about gathering together to eat a meal? Is it only about enjoying the beauty of a bountiful harvest? (Pause) What is distinctive in the church. or for every Christian, at Thanksgiving? (Pause) The best place figuring this out is at the beginning

The roots of thanksgiving for us in the West can be found littered throughout the Old Testament. Harvests were incredibly important in the life of Israel. If we look at the ancient calendar of the Hebrews, we will plainly see, that the year is punctuated with grand festivals. Some events were timed with the changing of the seasons. This helped to remind the people of God’s constant provision or intimate care for them in daily life, all year long. It provided and opportunity to return to God some small token of all the various things that He had given them, and to all people. All occasions were times of whole-heated delight, and joy, and enjoyment of God’s good gifts. At the same time, they were also sober gatherings of all His people to seek forgiveness and cleansing. These grand festivals were not optional days off, or run of the mill long weekends. No, festivals in ancient Israel were a time for all people to stop what they were doing and enjoy and reflect on the great goodness of God. These festivals were never intended to be empty rituals, practiced out of tradition and repetition. In fact various prophets had sharp words for those who reduce these festivals to this level.

Gathering the crops from the fields in Ancient Israel was also a matter of life and death. If the crops were not harvested people went hungry. Hungry stomachs can lead to weakened immune systems making it easier for disease to infect and spread. There would be little to trade and barter with among themselves and other nations. People would get edgy and wonder where the God of Israel was. It is this God that is ultimately in control of all things, and especially the food for His people. It can not be understated that the hard work of hand cutting fields of barley, wheat and other good things was intimately connected to the daily life of every person in Israel. The harvest is literally gathering God’s gift of food for us to eat.

The image of the harvest for us today is an earthly, wholesome and romantic image right? When we say “Harvest” we think of piles of grain, and vegetables, and perhaps herds or flocks of animals. We reflect on the finished work of the harvest. We think about how much has been given to us. In our mind’s eye we can see the stores of food separated out and ready to be enjoyed. The funny thing is, I have never been part of a harvest or have even seen it in real life. The food that we all enjoy at thanksgiving, for the vast majority of us, is going to have been bought at a fully stocked grocery store. Can you imagine walking to the Metro or Food Basics and seeing most of the shelves empty? The fruit and vegetable stands sparse, with just a couple pieces of sub-par onions and apples available. Can you imagine Thanksgiving out of a can? The truth is, we enjoy a constant, year round harvest. The closest that most of us will come the harvest is when we notice the blueberries or strawberries are in season. Otherwise, we enjoy the fruits of a constant harvest.

Thanksgiving is more than food. It is more than simply gathering together. It is even more than saying “thank you” to God and to each other. It is a glorious rejoicing in God’s gifts to us and to all people. It is a resoundingly wonderful expression of joy and delight for all the things that God has done in all our lives. The purpose of the festivals in Ancient Israel was spiritual. It was, and still is, even for us here today, a great and glorious meeting of God and his people. We are now beginning to see what is distinctive about Thanksgiving for the church.

About an hour before dinner, with tensions running high in the house, I decided to go upstairs to see if I could help prepare something for the feast. Perhaps I could mash the potatoes or begin taking things out to the table or fill the glasses with water. I just wanted to help mum out with the meal and reduce some of the tensions. Besides, if I could help out in preparing the meal I could avoid doing the dishes.

When I got upstairs and entered the kitchen, there was a serious problem. We had no diner rolls. Apparently the entire meal would be ruined if we did not have diner rolls to eat before the Turkey. The world was slowly crashing down, and none of the stores were open to quickly run out grab them. Naively, I suggested going next door or down the street to see if one of the neighbours could spare some to save the meal. In that moment I could picture it: I would be the hero of the day and would have a great excuse not to do the dishes. “Hey, don’t ask me to do sinks full of dirty dishes, I got the rolls!” But I was promptly shot down by my two aunts and stressed out mother. The men were hiding in the corner of the living room. When I got down stairs, my sister said with a smirk, ”Where are the rolls?” Then she giggled and laughed a bit. At the time I did not think it was very funny.

Thanksgiving is not about us. Our Lord Jesus Christ states in the first verse of today’s reading, “No one can serve two masters; You cannot serve God and wealth.” In the days leading up to Thanksgiving and the harvest most of us will reflect and think about the day with a smile and a little bit of humble awe. This is the easy time. There are fewer distractions; there is time and energy to intentionally reflect on all of the gifts that God has given to us in the space leading up to the day. But, on the day when we called to be the most joyful, most gracious, or most reflective we loose sight of why we are gathered at all. We begin to forget that the purpose of the whole day is to thank God for all the blessings of this life. We are called to thank the Lord for all that He has given to us, including himself.

The master that the family was concerned with was the food on the table and having the perfect meal. We wanted to have the meal that we made. We were not concerned with being thankful for everything that had already been given and was present. In a way, we were caught up in the giving part of thanksgiving. In our eagerness to give to the meal and to each other, we were forgetting our God. We were forgetting Jesus.

My actions were different. In truth, I really did want to help and I was indeed thankful for all the food and the people that were gathered. But I wanted to give myself a pat on the back and not give my time where it was needed. I wanted to make myself the hero, even if it was only in my mind. I was thankful, but not very giving. I never once thought of giving something back to the Lord who gave me all I have to begin with. I never once thought of Jesus being the real hero of the meal or even of the whole day.

Thanksgiving is a two part thing, and neither part is about us. It is Thanks and it is Giving. Israel gathered the harvest, said thanks, and offered the choicest parts of the harvest back to God. It was never about Israel’s ability to work hard, make the perfect meal, or to give the most back. It was always about rejoicing in the abundance of God’s love in both word and deed. What is distinctive about Thanksgiving in the church is that we are called to put Christ first, before ourselves, especially on Thanksgiving. We are called to first thank the Lord and give ourselves back to him.

When we are all gathered at the table, and the feast was ready to be devoured someone said grace. With everyone standing behind our chairs the common ritual was for someone to be nominated to say grace. Sometimes it was Mum, other times it was my Grandmother, and the odd time it would be my Grandfather. This particular year was different. My mum, exhausted and standing behind her chair, bowed her head and said to a quiet room, “Some one say grace.” And without missing a beat, everyone at the table, young and old responded saying, “GRACE!” We had never laughed so much as a family as we did at that moment. My grandmother had tears running down here cheeks. When the laughter died down, we earnestly, whole-heartedly and joyously said, “Amen.”

In this single moment I believe we were all aware of Christ’s presence at that table. I believe that the laughter we enjoyed was saying thanks to the Lord. I believe in our hearts we collectively surrendered and gave ourselves back to Him, even if it was for a short moment. A peace calmed all our hearts and we began the feast. Every piece food was cooked to perfection, even if we did not have the dinner rolls. Everyone remarked on how good the Turkey tasted. We began apologizing to each other for being short with each other all day. I even found myself looking forward to doing the dishes. All of the worries of the day fell away. No one remembered why they were so uptight.

Near the beginning of this sermon I asked the question, “what is distinctive in the Church at Thanksgiving.” Jesus Christ is what is distinctive in the Church at thanksgiving. We joyously dwelling in the peace of Christ when we are gathered at a table. We are awash in the Holy Spirit. We are thankful for the Father for being steadfast with us, always.

Let me finish off this sermon with a prayer from the BCP:

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, We your unworthy servants do give you most humble and hearty thanks For all your goodness and loving-kindness, To us and to all people. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for your inestimatable love In the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; For the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we ask you, give us a sense of all your mercies, That our hearts might be unfailingly thankful, and that we show forth you praise, Not only with our lips but in our lives; By giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

Champagne anyone?

OOO A Champagne Day 09-09-09

May God bless us all with His brand of champagne...fill our cups to overflowing good Lord!

May we all seek Your Glory and Your Salvation!

May we forever praise Your most holy name; cast off our temporal and materialistic, selfish ways for Your Eternal and indestructible ways!

May we receive freely the sacrifice of Jesus and its benefits for life eternal and life abundantly now!

May we be Your ambassadors to this world!

May we remember well that we are daughters and sons; princesses and princes of the most High God and King!!

• Ephesians 1:11-19 MKJV

in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will, for us to be to the praise of His glory, who previously had trusted in Christ; in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Therefore I also, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength

• 1Peter 2:9-16 MKJV

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; you who then were not a people, but now the people of God, those not pitied then, but now pitied. Dearly beloved, I exhort you as temporary residents and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honest among the nations, in that which they speak against you as evildoers, they may glorify God in a day of His visitation, seeing your good works. Then be in obedience to every ordinance of men, because of the Lord, whether to a king as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him for vengeance on evildoers, but for praise on well-doers. For such is the will of God, doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish men; as free, and not having freedom as a cover of evil, but as servants of God.

Amen

Shadows

• Luke 17:26-27 MKJV

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it also shall be in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and the flood came and destroyed them all.

• Genesis 6:17-18 MKJV

And behold! I, even I, am bringing a flood of waters upon the earth in order to destroy all flesh (in which is the breath of life) from under the heavens. Everything which is in the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you. And you shall come into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.

• Hebrews 11:7 MKJV

By faith Noah, having been warned by God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

There is a parallel here or a shadow being drawn out for Christians to heed in these last days. Jesus said it would be as it was as in the days of Noah that He would return.

Yes the world is falling further into sin as it did then. But there is more to it.

We are all Noahs!

God has called us to build arks to save as many people as possible instead of animals this time around. The flood is not going to be water but ever-lasting punishment for all those who reject Jesus.

As we build this "ark", people will ridicule us and condemn us for believing such "folly" of Jesus' return and that our preparedness for His return is a waste of time.

They will not heed our calls and go on doing their own thing right up til we are to enter the "ark" and as the trumpet heralds us out of this world and God's final wrath is poured out on the wicked; we can be rest assured that we will be safe.

But does it mean we should stop "building the ark" or sharing the gospel; because they ignore our call or think we are silly?

NO!

We must not fail in our final task of serving God!

God is counting on us to "build the ark" so that those He will bring to our "arks" will be saved from the "rain" coming as God did with the animals.

It doesn't matter where you are in life, what job you have, what school or home-life you have, or how old you are?

Build your arks! What matters is not what others say but what God is calling you to do!

On a side note:

The Old Testament holds shadows of what is in the New Testament and to what is to come...these shadows are so important to understand our identity in Christ and our destiny in Him.

Amen

The Missionary Model

Received Decemeber 2006...a word from God Most High to His Missionaries


How is it that you go into foreign lands with a mind to share the kingdom's message, but you don't get to know the people there?

You impose all your ideas & theology on people who are blinded and lost to my call.

You speak foreign tongues to them, like many missionaries before.

Live with them! Get to know them! Why do you think I came and lived as one of you, learned your ways & suffered the human condition? TO better myself? NO! I did it to show yow you the ways of the kingdom can be lived on human terms!

I spoke your in your language, practised your customs so long as I did not defile myself or deny who I was. Gently and quietly amongst my children, my lost people, backwards & deceived, did I live out the kingdom, until the time was right to speak or act in accordance to the commands of HE who sent me.

You do things backwards and wonder why nothing has changed. You were called to be set apart from the world, but you also must still live in it. You are foreigners in a foreign land; living amongst strangers & strange customs; be not afraid of what is happening around you. DO you think I am not beside you or understand?

There are my things amongst the garbage you see; take the time to see them and make use of them.Stop treating all foreign things as unclean and ungodly...some are of me and some are not...discern this!

Come, my people, into the new world; the natives need my light of truth but my heart in you to do it...step boldly and see my hand at work among these nations that are deceived and lost...

Whom shall I send?

but brave missionaries who can live holy under tyrannical laws & customs...liberating my children from savagery and demonic leadership.

Your life must exhibit acceptance & love...humbleness above all else with righteous justice as you live amongst those to whom I have placed you.

Are you willing to take the cloth of a missionary your whole life through; each and every day?

Even in the mundane activities will you show and declare me?

Will you learn to show my kingdom by learning not to destroy culture and customs but by weeding and tending my garden that is overrun by the serpents weeds?

By heeding my example; you can bring about my kingdom in thought, word & deed.

Amen

The Ambassador's Rebuke

Received January 2007...a word from God Most High to His Ambassadors.

How dare you go into foreign lands with no regard for them or your king?

Did I not send you in my name?

You dare to claim that home is better than the one you belong to... and yet you sit before the altars of idols, eat food and dance while you neglect your mission!

You mock your brethren in heathen practices, take up in debauchery, drunkenness and orgies... while my children remain forgotten, imprisoned, P.O.W.'s tortured.

You claim citizenship of heaven, yet live as the scum of the earth. I have sent you before me so the kings of foreign lands may know me; for you to gather information of my people; to establish embassies so that people can come to me; seek asylum in my country.

You are my ambassadors, but you have forgotten what home is. You have chosen the land you are in as home. You have taken up the customs of the enemy...

IF you want to come home...end the foolish life you have...you who have called me king...bow before me ...take up your most holy task and show foreigners who I am and extend citizenship to those who want it and live as if you were home.

Rebuke the lesser life you have chosen! I am coming...coming fast! Through the life of Christ I am for the foreigners, I have conquered all, nothing can stop my rule...

My rule is of love, holiness, and worship of the King of Kings...pick up my staff that is the symbol of my authority...hold it high for all to see.

My servants...my children...my precious, precious children...seek the kingdom of the Most High again. Return to holy living so that you may return home to sit in the court of the Lamb as a true child of the King.

The Cookie Revelation

Here is another old revelation I wanted to share.


Revealed To Jayson Tench 13/11/2006

From the act of a child:

Imagine you are a father with a toddler son. You hand him small bunch of cookies for a snack. He says thank you and goes away for a bit. Later, he runs with excitement and all the love he has for you. Reaching up he hands you a cookie.

You take it from him, with a smile and stop and look at it. This cookie is far from the ones u gave him, it is incomplete and even as you study it, you realize the cookie has bite marks in it.

Your little son is staring up at you with expectant eyes seeing if you’ll eat the cookie…

Will you? Could you do as God has done for you?

God has given you a great gift bigger than a cookie and everyday just like a toddler son you give him back worship that is incomplete and often bitten into either by yourself or by offering worship to idols.

Thankfully, God doesn’t always examine our worship of him but rather our heart behind it and eats the cookie we have offered him.

• John 4:22-24

You give worship, but without knowledge of what you are worshiping: we give worship to what we have knowledge of: for salvation comes from the Jews. But the time is coming, and is even now here, when the true worshipers will give worship to the Father in the true way of the spirit, for these are the worshipers desired by the Father. God is Spirit: then let his worshipers give him worship in the true way of the spirit.

Bride Revelation

Here is an old revelation I wanted to share...

Revealed to Jayson Tench 03/11/2006

The following two-part revelation is based on the following Bible Passage and the subsequent definitions:

• Romans 7:1-6 MKJV:
  Or are you ignorant, brothers; for I speak to those who know the Law; that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the married woman was bound by law to the living husband. But if the husband is dead, she is set free from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she is married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress by becoming another man's wife. So, my brothers, you also have become dead to the law by the body of Christ so that you should be married to Another, even to Him raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sin worked in our members through the law to bring forth fruit to death. But now we having been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

• Definition One: Wife

Noun: A married woman considered in relation to her husband.

(Online Compact OxfordEnglish Dictionary of Current English)

• Definition Two: Bride

Noun: A woman on her wedding day or just before and after

the event.

(Online Compact OxfordEnglish Dictionary of Current English)

Part One: The Wedding Ceremony

Imagine yourself as a bride, walking down the aisle with her father; wearing the most beautiful wedding gown, all your friends and family are watching. The groom stands with anticipation beside the pastor and his father. This is indeed your happiest day!

Now imagine your father and the groom's father is God the Father; the groom is Jesus; and perhaps the Holy Spirit the pastor. The bride is still you and also represents the church.Your friends and family represent not only those in your life, but also those in the church family, the world at large, and those beings that we cannot see;both good and bad.

Now, imagine yourself as you walked down the aisle stopping at every alluring man to either kiss or become very intimate with him. Now remember, this is not done in secret, but in full view of everybody. As you continue down the aisle, you look up and see your handsome groom crying!

As a committed Christian,this is what you are doing every time you choose not to follow Jesus, ourgroom!

Part Two: Awaiting Wedding Night Consummation

Imagine it's your wedding day and again, you are a bride; the ceremony is over, it has been a long day and the reception is about to begin. You're holding your new husband's hand and you feel a tingling all over; for one brief moment, in anticipation you think ahead to the night to come. You have tried to imagine being in his arms you have tried to keep yourself pure and do what is right as a betrothed.

This night is a result of a decision that you made some time ago; a decision to keep yourself for one man and one man alone. The wedding ceremony is your public announcement to God and to everyone else of your love and pledge; to honor, serve, sacrifice, and ultimately be one with her husband.

This night serves, as you make love to your husband, to physically bring about all the promises you have made to each other. But for now, you must wait for consummation; you must eat, dance, and visit the friends and family who have joined you in the festivities. But most importantly, proclaim boldly the man you have just married, you love more than anything or everything you could ever need or want in life.

Also during this time, you must watch out for anyone who might lure you away, for there are many who would try! In this case, the man who you have married has sacrificed his freedom of being a suitor to any other one. He has also blocked the path from any other suitor from trying to get to you. Where others may try, they have no right to you, nor can you give yourself to any other man!

The wedding night scenario is now! The believers of Jesus are the bride and of course, Jesus is the groom.Our baptism, altar call, or any other public ceremony in which you gave yourself to Jesus (within doctrinal guidelines) is the wedding ceremony. And our consummation moment is the second coming of Jesus. It is a very short time;we must do everything we can to share the Gospel, live our lives, praise and worship and fellowship. But most importantly proclaim boldly that, which we fully believe... that Jesus is the truth, the way and the life. Jesus is God incarnate and He is coming again!

Also during this time,we'll called to be on the lookout for any person, unclean spirit/Angel of darkness, falsehood, and deception that would seek to lure us away. Just like the man in our wedding scenario, Jesus sacrificed everything blocking all and anything the accuser of the brethren can throw at us. Jesus is our all in all,and there is nothing or anyone that Jesus were rather have than us. Once we belong to Him, we are His and He is ours. We belong only to Him, no one has the right to us, nor can we give ourselves away.

This divine exchange, likeany other royal marriage also gives us all the rights and privileges, responsibilities and authority of making sure we live for the kingdom of heavenand the one who would be our groom... Jesus Christ!

The Green Green Katydid

A dear friend wrote the following after taking the photo & I had to share it.

***Update: Shortly after posting this, my friend witnessed a robin eating the bug...so take heed of the lesson here within.***

The Green Green Katydid

Story written by Ellie Jean Bryan
Copyrighted August 2009

I don't wanna be like a green green katydid trying to hide on a red red plum tree!

Hey You!

Green green katydid!
You are not hiding on the red red plum leaves!

You are not safe! The enemy can see you & the big old bird is gonna eat you!

Like a green green bug on a red red plum leaf you will be, if you live like this world!

The big bird of Sin will eat your salvation.

Dear, Dear Christian, you are not safe when you don't hide in Jesus!
Cleave to the image of Christ!

Be safely hidden in his holy reflection!

Become a part of him and enjoy his camouflage; Which is the saving redemption of his covering.


His righteousness imputed unto you, dear lovelies!

It is through him that you are made righteous; and that after nothing you can do that can be good enough to make you holy.

But, THROUGH him, and IN Him you can do ALL things, by his spirit and Not by any might or power :)

Once upon a time there was a green green katydid
Trying to hide in a red red plum tree!

Be Ye not of this world~ But become Holy as he is Holy!

• Romans 12:2:
  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
  

• 2 Corinthians 3:18:
  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
  

• Romans 8:4:
  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
  

• Zechariah 4:6:
  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Sharing the Gospel

Am I worthy? who knows but God...just wish others would truly show it by being helpful.

I, once heard a story, from a street person; "It's great to share the gospel with people like us: I do believe God does indeed love me...but ya'know some preachers, they come down here tell me God loves me and will take care of me and then promptly walk away, when I nod and smile; leaving me sitting here... still starving and cold! Ya'know people on the streets would accept that message more if the preachers brought some bread too or took us in for the night ya'know?"

Sadly I said "yep." Not sure what to do or say at that point until I looked up.

"Be right back." said I as I rushed inside and bought him a hamburger from the Mcdonald's, he was begging outside of...

After taking a bite, he said " best darn gospel I have had all day. Thank you."

I cried hard then knowing I could do no more. Today that memory still makes me cry because sometimes I know how that beggar felt before I gave him the hamburger.

I may have food and shelter but am missing other things; more intangible things, more "unimportant" but things that others can offer.

God forgive and help us all our apathy in these times when people forget those in need. When our own lives seem so far more important or we are suffering more it seems. Our time is short and we need to be about the business of our Father.

Amen

Hypocrisy

I know this is my first post but...

I am so tired of the hypocrisy of the human race. Whether or not they believe in Christ is a mute point...

• Friends who say they will will be there to help you and yet when you ask are always busy.
• People of faith professing their beliefs and yet do not live it.
• Spouses who vow life long love and so on and they promptly go out and cheat or get divorced because their spouses were not living up to their expectations.
• Preachers who preach one thing but allow the "politics of the church" dictate whether or not they actually do something.
• People who speak love and forgiveness and then do not let go of the past and shun someone in need now.
• People who profess a stand and yet do not keep that stand because others try to bring them down for it.
• Families that abandons their own when they feel like it.
• People who scream and yell at social injustices for themselves but do not the respect those who are in opposition to them.

The list goes on and on...this is the state of human beings today...does anyone really care for anyone other than themselves? The bible clearly states "Love thy neighbours as yourself!" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto yourself!"

And people wonder why they feel God has abandoned the world...if I was God I would abandon such hideous undeserving creatures too...but we all can be thankful that I am not God and that the real God doesn't give up on us....and He has already saved us from our foolishness!

Amen.