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Sunday, November 22, 2015

Perfect Timing


All in the Timing 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Thursday, November 12, 2015

"Obedience Made Easy"

“And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them.” (1 John 3:23-24a)

These verses expand the meaning of Jesus’ two great commands: Love God and love people.

You show your love for God by believing in Him and placing your life in Jesus’ hands. You love others by sacrificially loving them more than yourself.

1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

Both of these commands are fulfilled in obedience.

John 15:10 says, “If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love.”

Obedience is a circular activity. Your obedience places your faith in Jesus resulting in the work of the Holy Spirit being released in you. Releasing more of the Holy Spirit enables you to continue living in obedience. Obedience comes easier when you have cultivated a lifestyle of learning to remain (dwell) in Jesus.

John 15:4 says, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”

Your growing relationship with Jesus will not only help grow your faith, but will also help you make Jesus the Lord of your life. Walk with Jesus daily in prayer and Bible reading so that He grows to be the “hub” of your life – arming you for obedience!


1 John 2:3-6 -- “We know that we have come to know him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day brings good thoughts and pride in my country. Those who have served our country deserve honor. God reminds us that we should honor everyone, but we honor Veterans on this day. Romans 13:7 says, "Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I (Also known as the Great War) ; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.


Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who gave their lives and those who perished while in service.




In the USA, Veterans Day annually falls on November 11. This day is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans are thanked for their services to the United States on Veterans Day.



While both honor our military personnel, the former is a day to remember and pay respect to all the men and women that died serving our country in a war, while Veterans Day is to celebrate the soldiers who are still alive and served in the forces at anytime, during peace or war.



Veterans Day shows respect for those who were willing to give their lives to the country and to serve their country. It shows that we appreciate the veterans.” “Veterans Day is important to me because it is a time to recognize and honor those that have served their country in the armed forces.



Celebrating Veterans Day. If the November 11 holiday falls on a non-workday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).


Observance
Veterans Day is intended to honor and thank all military personnel who served the United States in all wars, particularly living veterans. It is marked by parades and church services and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast. A period of silence lasting two minutes may be held at 11 am. Some schools are closed on Veterans Day, while others do not close, but choose to mark the occasion with special assemblies or other activities.

Veterans Day is officially observed on November 11. However, if it falls on a week day, many communities hold their celebrations on the weekend closest to this date. This is to enable more people to attend and participate in the events. Federal Government offices are closed on November 11. If Veterans Day falls on a Saturday, they are closed on Friday November 10. If Veterans Day falls on a Sunday, they are closed on Monday November 12. State and local governments, schools and non-governmental businesses are not required to close and may decide to remain open or closed. Public transit systems may follow a regular or holiday schedule.
History
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations came into effect. On November 11, 1919, Armistice Day was commemorated for the first time. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the day should be "filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory". There were plans for parades, public meetings and a brief suspension of business activities at 11 am.

In 1926, the United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I and declared that the anniversary of the armistice should be commemorated with prayer and thanksgiving. The Congress also requested that the president should "issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples."

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) was approved on May 13, 1938, which made November 11 in each year a legal holiday, known as Armistice Day. This day was originally intended to honor veterans of World War I. A few years later, World War II required the largest mobilization of service men in the history of the United States and the American forces fought in Korea. In 1954, the veterans service organizations urged Congress to change the word "Armistice" to "Veterans". Congress approved this change and on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor all American veterans, where ever and whenever they had served.

In 1968 the Uniforms Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) made an attempt to move Veterans Day to the fourth Monday of October. The bill took effect in 1971. However, this caused a lot of confusion as many states disagreed with this decision and continued to hold Veterans Day activities on November 11. In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which stated that Veterans Day would again be observed on November 11 from 1978 onwards. Veterans Day is still observed on November 11.






Tuesday, November 03, 2015

"You Are Ready"

“At once, he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20)

The Gospel of Mark ends with Jesus saying in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

Jesus had completed His mission on earth and had now imparted that mission to His disciples. Jesus died for us so that all might be saved and come into relationship with God.

1 Timothy 2:4 says, “Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

In Acts 9:7 Paul was blinded by God during his quest to persecute followers of Christ. For three days Paul was blind until Ananias (in Acts 9:18) was sent by God to heal Paul. Paul had fervently practiced his Jewish faith all his life.

Galatians 1:14 says, “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”

Yet upon the restoration of Paul’s eyesight, he instantly began proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ!

Here is a man who was totally immersed and indoctrinated in the Jewish faith, yet immediately without years of training, without a solid church to support him, without a Bible-based Sunday school class, or a mentor to guide him, Paul began preaching.

He let Jesus’ life naturally flow from his own. And we are called to do the same. You do not need one more sermon or one more Bible study to proclaim the good news of Jesus; you merely need to believe He is your Savior, He did live, He died for your sins, He did rise from the dead, He has equipped you with the Holy Spirit, and YES, Jesus will return, and that He desires all to be saved!


John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”