Praise and Perseverance

In Colossians 3, we see the teachings of Scripture, showing us ways through which we can show our appreciation to God:
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

For Thanksgiving Day, Colossians 2 shows us to Whom we should show gratitude:
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 


In this season of Thanksgiving, we can allow our zeal for God and love and appreciation for Him consume us.  Here are the words of Hebrews 12:
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."  We have a powerful reminder in Psalm 105 about giving thanks God:Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 4 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced...

Thanksgiving Day is upon us, and while we think about feasts, turkeys, Pilgrims, Native Americans, and preparing for shopping, I think there are a few points to ponder regarding the establishment of a Thanksgiving holiday.    An actual national day of Thanksgiving can actually be traced to 1863, with a proclamation by President Lincoln.   But, there was one woman whose diligence is actually said to have influenced the President to make that declaration - her name is Sarah Josepha Hale.

There is a nice summary I found in the LA Times...it says that:

by 1850, the country was very busy growing, with fifteen new states being added to the union between 1800 and 1850.  Over 200 years had passed since 1621, and the famous feast shared by the early pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe...Thanksgiving festivities were fading fast from the American scene.

Americans ignoring Thanksgiving really bugged Sarah Josepha Hale, and she was stubborn enough and determined enough to make a difference.

When something bothered Sarah Hale, she used the power of her pen. Sarah was the editor of a prominent women's magazine and she used this platform to express her opinions about why it was so important to keep the tradition of Thanksgiving alive in the American family. "If every state would join in Union Thanksgiving on the 24th of this month, would it not be a renewed pledge of love and loyalty to the Constitution of the United States?"

For thirty-eight years she used the magazine and thousands of hand-written letters, pleading to five consecutive presidents to encourage Americans to observe Thanksgiving and have it declared as a national holiday.   Lincoln proclaimed in 1863 that the last Thursday of November would be a national holiday, Thanksgiving.  The Times says:

The timing was critical. America was divided; the Civil War was in full force, and President Lincoln needed something like Thanksgiving to help put the United States back together again.

It seems Sarah never put her pen down. In addition to her campaign for Thanksgiving, Sarah wrote articles and letters advocating higher education for women. She wrote about manners, fashion, and health. She wrote stories for women, for men, and for children. Sarah also loved writing poetry. In 1830, she wrote one of our favorite childhood poems, "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

So, here we have an instance of perseverance for a cause.   Sarah Hale didn't let up - for 38 years - and her persistence paid off.   And, can't that be an encouragement for us to be diligent in speaking up for what we believe in?

We can also be reminded to release the power of thanksgiving - Sarah believed so strongly in the concept that she was willing to devote countless hours to have a national holiday declared.  She recognized the power of thanksgiving in our nation.   And, we as believers, more than a mere observance, can help point people to God by verbalizing our appreciation to Him for our blessings, and perhaps even to tangibly demonstrate it by loving others, so that they may give praise to God.  

The Perils of Permanence

The Lord wants to adjust our perspective, recognizing that life here on earth is not permanent, neither are the possessions and the positions of this world.   Here are the words of Isaiah 43:
18 "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. 20 The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. 21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.

We have been formed by God, and called by God, and He is constantly calling us to grow in Him, to move forward, to recognize that He is taking us on a spiritual journey that will be full of change, but He gives us the spiritual resources that are necessary to walk through those fluid situations of life.   If we trust in our possessions and our positions, then we lessen our degree of surrender to the Lord - He wants us to place our value in Him, and not in the things of this world, so that we might, as verse 21, says, declare His praise.

God holds our future, and as we look into eternity with Jesus, it can give us a new perspective on the changing possessions and positions on the earth.   Here's what Isaiah 65 says:
17 "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.  
There were plenty of news headlines over the weekend - the testimony of General Petraeus on Capitol Hill, the tension between Israel and Hamas, the impending "fiscal cliff", the SEC back in the national championship picture - but one of those stories that was notable in that it provided a change of pace is the announcement that Hostess Brands would be closing its doors - at first, it appeared that there would be no more Twinkies, Ho-Hos, Ding Dongs, or Wonder Bread, but now there is speculation that once the company emerges from bankruptcy, those brands would survive under another company, but the over 18,000 jobs lost will still be lost.   And, there is plenty of finger-pointing to go around: many blame the unions for placing impossible demands on a struggling company, and the unions claim the company was being mismanaged.   But, no matter what the cause, this series of events can teach us about the perils of permanence.

First of all, about permanant possessions.  We are not to place our hope in the stuff of earth.   We have seen numerous brands disappear over the years, and while most of us don't place a whole lot of value on a cream-filled roll, there are resources on earth that we do put undue trust in.   Many may be hoarding these sweet treats over the next few days, and indeed, there may be multiple items that we own that we hoard and begin to attach a greater value to that what God would intend.   Stuff can take our minds off the Savior, and the amount of stuff we own can even run proportionately opposite to our spiritual growth.

Then, there's permanent position.  Where you are right now regarding your place in the family or your position at your job, or in your church, may not be the position you will hold in the future.   Husbands and wives become moms and dads, who become grandparents, and even caregivers for our parents.   You may have lost a job that would have seemed to last a long time, just like those Hostess workers.   Or, a strong church 10 years ago may be less effective now because it failed to respond to some of the ministry challenges of a changing culture, and where you're serving today may look very different that your role a few years back.  

Truth is, the temporal things of earth are changing, and one day, the Lord declares, there will be a new heavens and a new earth - change can provide us with an opportunity to evaluate our lives and our priorities, and to renew our trust in God, recognizing that He is at work, and will give us fresh perspective to deal with altered positions and possessions.   Brands and products will come and go, but the Word of God and the presence of God do not change.

2493

We see a powerful example of exercising discernment from the journeys of Paul, from Acts 17:
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.


They searched the Scriptures...these were truth-seeking people, and it's a great example for us.   We are to know what is true about God's Word, to filter what we hear according to the Word of Truth, and to make reasoned determination about what is true and what is false.   Misinformation can be damaging to our spirits, if we regard what is not true or what is hyped or sensationalized as absolutely true.   And, if we accept and spread misinformation, then our credibility can be damaged and trust is eroded.   We have to be careful to be truth-tellers AND truth-seekers.

2nd Timothy 1:7 says:
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

There is a letter or e-mail that seems to be making the rounds again, and it says something like this:

An organization has been granted a Federal Hearing on the same subject by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington , D.C. Their petition, Number 2493, would ultimately pave the way to stop the reading of the gospel of our Lord and Savior, on the airwaves of America . They got 287,000 signatures to back their stand! If this attempt is successful, all Sunday worship services being broadcast on the radio or by television will be stopped.

This group is also campaigning to remove all Christmas programs and Christmas carols from public schools! You, as a Christian, can help!

We are praying for at least 1 million signatures. This would defeat their effort and show that there are  many Christians alive, well and concerned about our country.. As Christians, we must unite on this.

Please don't take this lightly. We ignored one lady once and lost prayer in our schools and in offices across the nation. Please stand up for your religious freedom and let your voice be heard. Together we can make a difference in our country while creating an opportunity for the lost to know the Lord.

Dr. Dobson is going on CNBC to urge every Christian to get involved.

This has actually been in circulation since about 2008, but it is really a reconstitution of an e-mail that went out in the 1990's actually citing Madalyn Murray O'Hair as the one responsible for this petition - the same one, number 2493. 

There was actually a petition numbered 2493, and here is what the actual FCC website says about it:

These rumors are untrue. In December 1974, Jeremy D. Lansman and Lorenzo W. Milam filed a petition (RM-2493) asking the FCC to inquire into the operating practices of stations licensed to religious organizations, and not to grant any new licenses for new noncommercial educational broadcast stations until the inquiry had been completed. The FCC denied this petition on August 1, 1975. Ms. O'Hair was not a sponsor of this petition.

Since that time, the FCC has received mail and telephone calls claiming that Ms. O’Hair started the petition and that the petition asked for an end to religious programs on radio and television. Such rumors are false. The FCC has responded to numerous inquiries about these rumors and advised the public of their falsehood. There is no federal law that gives the FCC the authority to prohibit radio and television stations from broadcasting religious programs.

According to Snopes.com, from 1975 to 1995, there were more than 30 million pieces of mail opposing this petition sent to the FCC.

The rumor does involve Christmas programs and carols, so it's not surprising you will find this e-mail or a variation thereof circulating this time of year - to respond, hit "Reply", and politely say that the rumor is not true, maybe even referring them to the FCC website or Snopes.com.   I agree, we must be vigilant in matters of religious freedom.   But, we also must be able to separate truth from fiction.

Misinformation can be a powerful deterrant in the Christian life - we can encounter it in what we see or hear, or in what we allow into our minds.   The enemy will create fear in our consciousness through the misinformation that we accept.   That is why discernment is an important element, as we choose to embrace or reject the straightforward or the suggestive challenges that can enter our lives and affect our faith.

To Tell the Truth

Ephesians chapter 4 gives us a picture of what a Christian living the devoted Christian life looks like:
(22b) put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.25Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
If we are walking in the power of the new man, energized by the power of the indwelling Christ and led by the presence of the Spirit within us, it will have implications for the words we speak, and that includes telling the truth.   In a world that is committed to shades of gray, where we can be tempted to embellish accounts of our activities or to report something different that what we've witnessed, it can be challenging to live the Christian life, but I believe that God blesses the life of integrity, committed to accuracy in the way that we speak - we are to be truth-tellers.  In Colossians chapter 3, we see a great admonition to us in upholding the truth - Christians are to be honest in dealing with others:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him...  I believe that Christians are called to a high standard of integrity in a society that is seemingly less committed to upholding truthfulness.   I came across a survey from this past spring from SELF magazine and TODAY.com about what is termed, "financial infidelity", which has enormous consequences in a marital relationship.  According to a report about the survey on Forbes.com, 46 percent of respondents said they have lied to their partners about money, including lying about purchases, hiding them in the back of the closet and clandestinely withdrawing money from joint accounts. 
The poll of 23,000 online users also found that more than 60 percent of both men and women think cheating is cheating, whether it’s financial or sexual. Two-thirds said that honesty about money is as important as remaining monogamous. About one-third said financial infidelity can sometimes lead to sexual infidelity.

About 13 percent of respondents said they’d broken up or gotten divorced over secretive spending habits.

Lying, which can mean hiding the truth or embellishing the truth - if you're not forthright on the facts, it can imperil you and your relationships - leading to mistrust in the home, in friendships, in your work, and a variety of other areas.   We are seeing play out on the national stage political and military situations where trust has eroded.   Hearings begin today in earnest in Congress to get to the truth about what happened in Libya, and Federal investigators have taken steps to get to the truth about a lapse in trust and propriety that has taken down a high-ranking official. 

As believers in Christ, we are called to a high standard of integrity - if our lives are built on God's Word, then we recognize the importance of telling the truth, the whole truth - not shading the facts or hiding information, but being transparent with our words and authentic in our lives.

Secession vs. Sticking With It

I believe that God calls us to be faithful in what He has called us to do - and even though we may grow weary or be tempted to give up, He will give us strength and direction, and develop perseverance, in the midst of our challenges:
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.   Don't grow weary, verse 9 says - and we can know that barriers will arise in situations to which God has called us.  And, if He desires for us to accomplish a work for Him, then He will give us the resources we need in order to see it through.   We reap a harvest as we continue to sow - but, if we cease sowing and even withdraw from a situation, then we will not see God's work accomplished in the way He intends.   When times get tough, there is a temptation to run, to give up, or to become complacent.  But, it is in the times of adversity where we can experience God's hand in a particularly powerful way, and He will do His work in our lives, producing fruit to His glory.

In Philippians 4, the apostle Paul talks about the attitude of contentment, which is not to be confused with complacency:
11b ...I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Alabama and Georgia are now #4 and 5 in the college football BCS standings, and people are looking toward that SEC championship, where both teams are headed if Alabama defeats Auburn next week.    There's another ranking out there now where Alabama and Georgia are 4 and 5, even though the positions are reversed, at last check - the listing of states that have had residents file secession petitions on a website, We the People, that is operated by WhiteHouse.gov.   If a petition is submitted and gains 25,000 signatures, or more, it elicits an official response by the Administration.

Hey, I can appreciate the sentiment of signing a petition to express frustration, or even to show support for a particular cause.   But, the emergence of the online petition can give an outlet, but it remains to be seen if this activity can really result in social or policy change by and large.   These petitions can give news sources something to cover, though, and these secession petitions, now running for all 50 states, have generated plenty of virtual ink.

(Update from The Daily Caller)

Honestly, though, if you consider the practicalities of a state actually following through on secession, the challenges can be enormous.   That can explain why, since the Civil War, we haven't seen any states actually withdraw from the Union and form their own individual governments.   The governor of Texas, Rick Perry, who had actually made some secession comments a few years back, rejected any support for consideration of pulling out.  He is quoted as saying:

“Gov. Perry believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it. But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government...

Alabama governor Robert Bentley, the same day he resisted a Federal request to set up a health care exchange for the state, sent word through his press secretary,

“Governor Bentley believes in one nation under God. While there is frustration with the federal government, Governor Bentley believes that states can be great laboratories of change...As our leaders in Washington look for strategies to address America's financial challenges, Alabama is working hard toward saving a billion dollars annually by right-sizing government. We can disagree on philosophy, but we should work together to make this country the best it can be..."

But, I began to think about the human tendency to "secede" when things don't go the way we like, and we start operating in discontentment and we could even end up engaging in sinful behavior...if we are facing challenges on the job, go find a new one, which is especially difficult in this economy.   You've been offended by someone at church, or the preacher said something you disagreed with, or the music's too loud - go find another church.   Not satisfied with your current spouse?   Go find a new one, or get involved in a romantic entanglement with someone to whom you're not married.   If we become consumed with a "grass is greener on the other side" philosophy, we operate contrary to Scripture, that teaches contentment, perseverance, and faithfulness.   Instead of working at making things better, we devote our energy to bailing out, and that can be counterproductive.   So are you in a difficult situation or relationship?   Perhaps God is desiring to do a deeper work in your life and in the lives of others - instead of running, perhaps He wants you to double down.

Living Outside Ourselves

In Matthew 4, we see the call of 4 of Jesus' disciples:
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  Simon, Andrew, James, and John heard the call of Jesus.   And, we are told in all the instances that immediately they followed Him - they left their fishing nets and walked into a new and adventurous life with Jesus.   They didn't delay, didn't tell the Savior they'd get back with Him, or even say they needed to set some things in order.   They went immediately, without rationalizing.    I think that sometimes we can talk or think ourselves out of following Christ in what He has called us to do.   That's not to say we should be impulsive or presumptive.  But, if the Holy Spirit is dealing with our hearts and has shown us an area of need that He wants to address through us, then we can be confident that He will provide the way to fulfill what He has called us to do. 
Jesus gave a hard teaching, but it's so relevant to our lives as we contemplate living outside ourselves:
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

After 700,000 votes cast, the 2012 Woman of the Year Reader's Choice Award from the website Glamour.com is - Katie Davis.   Do you know who Katie is?   Well, I must say that this is not the type of story that I would find on this website, which doesn't necessarily offer all-wholesome far.    But, Katie's story does offer a ray of light.   When she was 19, Katie was so inspired by a trip to an orphanage in Uganda that she returned to her home in Brentwood, Tennessee, and told her family that she was moving there.

Her ministry, Amazima Ministries International, connects 600 vulnerable children with sponsor families worldwide and feeds 1,500 kids a week.  Katie herself is adopting 13 daughters, ages 4 to 16.  She has chronicled some of her endeavors in the book, Kisses From Katie.  She is quoted as saying, “I never intend anyone to think, Wow, I want to do what she does...Service is just about saying yes to the people around you who need your help.”

Quite an amazing story of a young lady who looked outside herself, saw children in need, and followed the call of God to do something.  

There's another young lady who was profiled at CitizenLink.com this past week: her name is Vivienne Harr, and she's 8 years old!   She had seen a picture of two boys in Nepal with rocks strapped to their heads, and she told her parents, “We should do something”.  She started a lemonade stand near their house in Fairfax, California, and over the last four months, Vivienne has used it to raise more than $50,000 for a nonprofit group dedicated to ending modern-day slavery and human trafficking around the globe.

The “Make-A-Stand! Lemonade: The Sweet Taste of Freedom” project includes donations taken in person at the lemonade stand, as well as online, which go to an organization called Not For Sale.   This third-grader says, "I want to be making a difference for the rest of my life. Everyone can make a difference. My lemonade stand is where everyone can make a difference. If people like me can, I say everyone can."

These 2 young ladies can really inspire us!  I really do think that the Holy Spirit will point out needs to us on a consistent basis - our choice is whether or not we'll A) pay attention and recognize there may be a nudge from God's Spirit here and B) follow that prompting.   It does involve sensitivity, compassion, and a real dedication to see with spiritual eyes and then follow Christ, not matter what the cost.

A Cross in the Desert

On this Federal and state holiday for Veteran's Day, we can take time to reflect on God's provision for our nation, and those He has used to preserve our civic freedoms.  Psalm 136 says:
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. 3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: 4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever...  There are so many instances of God's hand expressed in the life of our nation.   Our brave men and women of the armed forces have been used to gain our freedom, to promote it, and to further the cause of freedom around the world.   As those who came to these shores desired to build a "city on a hill", where God's truth would be in evidence, we recognize that our veterans have been incredible instruments in God's plan to bless a nation that was founded, I believe, to exalt Him.   And, the symbol of the cross and the remembrance of their sacrifices have been so intertwined, and this is no accident - this can serve as a reminder that this nation was built on an acknowledgement of God, which can be a powerful force in our nation's challenges, and in the challenges we face individually.  Psalm 33 acknowledges the hand of God in nations:11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

A story for Veteran's Day this year begins in 1934, when World War I veterans placed a 7-foot-tall white cross made of pipe on Sunrise Rock in the Mojave National Preserve in the Mojave desert to honor their comrades.  Years later, one of the dying veterans asked a man named Henry Sandoz to watch over the cross.   For years, Henry kept his promise and successfully maintained the memorial, including the replacement of damaged crosses with new versions — until 2002, when the ACLU sued the federal government for violating the First Amendment, saying that the cross was an establishment of religion. 

2 Federal courts sided with the ACLU, and one court ruling resulted in a wooden box being placed over the top of the cross.   The case made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, and in 2010, it overturned the lower court rulings and paved the way for a land swap between the National Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.   Just after that ruling, the cross that had been standing at the site was stolen.

It was planned that yesterday, as a result of the transfer of land, a service would be held to commemorate a new cross on the historic site.  And, indeed, about 100 people gathered at the site for that occasion.   In an interesting twist, the cross that was stolen turned up last week - according to the San Francisco Examiner, San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies were called about a “famous cross” found on state Highway 35, about three miles south of state Highway 92.

“Upon arrival, deputies observed a cross standing upright and attached to a fence post with zip ties,” Deputy Rebecca Rosenblatt said.

The cross was in good condition, Rosenblatt said, and had a note attached to it proclaiming its authenticity. No arrests have been made.

Meanwhile, the Sandozes had really already moved on, making preparations for the Sunday ceremony and the brand new cross.   The site will be upgraded, too, with a fence, visitors' entrances, and a plaque stating that the cross is a memorial for war veterans.

Isn't it interesting that across our land, crosses are commonly used to symbolize the sacrifices of veterans?   The picturesque setting at Arlington National Cemetery and other hallowed grounds across America are replete with crosses to mark the graves of those who have given their lives in service to our country.

Despite the efforts of secularist organizations, you cannot separate the cross from the history of our country.  The sacrifices of brave men and women in uniform have resulted in the furtherance of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage and our ability to practice our faith.   And, while yesterday we thought about not only our veterans, but also Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith, today, even though we see the erosion of our religious liberties in some instances, nevertheless we enjoy a tremendous amount of freedom to practice our faith.   We publicly attended church at thousands of worship centers across the land, and we can give thanks to God for that, as we are thankful for His mercies upon our nation, and thankful for those who have died to preserve that ability to be free, and to worship freely.  

While there are those that don't acknowledge the significance of the cross and Christian principles in our land, we still recognize that His ways have provided the basis for our laws and the motivation for so many to fight for our country.    And, we remember the ultimate sacrifice made on a cross by our Savior, as well.