This Sunday, June 5, many Christians will celebrate, Pentecost, remembering the events recorded in Chapter 2 of the book of Acts. But sadly, there are lots of Christians who do not realize the great significance of what happened that day.
What happened on that day?
Perhaps you’ve noticed “Pentecost” is not even included on most printed calendars? Other important Christian remembrances are, but not Pentecost. And yet, just 8 days before it happened, Jesus specifically spoke about about it. In fact it was the last thing he spoke about before he ascended into heaven.
So what exactly are we remembering that warrants celebrating? Some say that day was specifically and only about the Apostles receiving the holy spirit. Some say it was a unique event relevant only for those living in the first century. Others say that it is something about speaking in tongues.
But could that event have an even greater significance than most realize? Is it possible it was the greatest event to date in the history of mankind? What is the real significance of what occurred that day?
Sometimes people get confused – Veterans Day, which is in November, is when we remember everyone who has served our country, at any time in any capacity. Memorial Day, formerly known as, “Decoration Day,” is a remembrance of the men and women who died while in military service to the United States.
It began as a way to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War. After World War I, it was extended, to honor all American military who died in all wars. We remember those who gave their lives in service to our country.
Congress actually established an exact minute of remembrance. The National Moment of Remembrance Act, adopted in December of 2000, encourages every citizen to pause each Memorial Day at 3:00 p.m. local time to remember the brave men and women who died serving this country.
Take some time this weekend to thank God for the freedoms and liberties we still have in this country because over the years so many gave their lives. But it is still up to each generation to protect and keep the freedoms we enjoy, because liberties and freedoms can quickly evaporate!
In these troubled and divisive days, continue to pray for our country, and pray for those in government positions who truly love our country and Constitution, for God to give them wisdom and courage to speak and do that which will insure our liberties and freedoms to continue.
If you don’t live here in the United States, take some time to pause and pray for God’s help and blessings on your country.
And, regardless of where we live, how very thankful we are for the ultimate sacrifice made by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He gave his life so we could have eternal life – the ultimate freedom – freedom from death itself!
Below are 3 very moving videos that help put this remembrance into perspective.
For the third year in a row, I’m re-posting the following for Mother’s Day 20221, because Mom’s are very special! In these days of cultural upheaval, I’m glad there is still a day set aside to honor moms. And we should. If you like it, share it with someone!
MOM
Some governments use the word “ministry” to describe various functions, like ministry of finance, or ministry of education. The word “ministry” means service. Therefore, the minister of education would be one who serves the country with regards to education.
I believe being a mom is a ministry, a very, very unique service.
No woman can ever study hard enough or prepare long enough to be
Sunday, April 17th, Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His tomb is empty. God raised him from the dead. Jesus Christ is alive!
For the last 2000 years, more has been written about Jesus Christ than any other person. He never taught at or established an institution of higher learning, yet all the schools of all times could never measure even close to his number of students.
All the rulers who ever reigned, all the government bodies that ever sat, and all the military campaigns ever engaged, have not affected the life of mankind as powerfully and dynamically as Jesus Christ.
The Bible declares he was the Son of God who always did the Father’s will. In his earthly life he carried out God’s great plan of redemption and salvation. One of the last things he said before laying down his life for all of mankind was, “It is finished!”
After his brutal beatings and subsequent crucifixion and death, he remained dead and buried for three days and three nights. Then, his Father, God Almighty, raised him from the dead, to die no more, to live eternally in his new resurrected physical body. Jesus Christ is alive!
There have been and continue to be people who have been raised from the dead. But no human being has ever been raised from the dead to die no more and to live eternally in a new resurrected body except for one: Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus Christ is lord of all human beings who have ever lived or will ever live. And the great focal point of the preaching in the first century was the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Hundreds of eyewitnesses saw Jesus Christ alive in his resurrected body. The Bible makes the resurrection of Jesus Christ crystal clear. Scripture points out numerous times for all mankind to take note, that Jesus Christ is indeed the savior of mankind because God raised him from the dead to die no more.
Jesus Christ is the long awaited Messiah, the Christ; he is the savior of mankind! It is he and he alone who laid down his life in payment for the sins of the whole world. And Scripture makes it abundantly clear he truly is the savior, for God marked him out by raising him from the dead, to die no more.
The good news is that God Almighty now freely gives eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Romans 10 declares that if anyone confesses or acknowledges, Jesus is indeed lord, and believes in their heart God raised him from the dead, they shall be saved! And those who are saved become children of God, receiving eternal life, as well as all the rights, privileges and abilities detailed in the Scriptures.
And here’s some more good news! For those of us who accept Jesus Christ as lord, and believe God raised him from the dead, the Bible says that Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters! We are now a part of God’s family, and Jesus Christ is our brother.
How grateful we are as we celebrate the resurrected Jesus Christ! He is risen! He is alive! And, God has promised he is coming back one day to gather us all together!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Is God Really Orchestrating Everything In The World?
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One of my recent podcasts is titled, Is God Really Testing You? Sometimes instead of saying God is testing them, people say that God brings bad things to you in order to bring you something good. Similar phrases include, “God has a reason, ” and, “everything is just meant to be.”
Phrases like that indicate that whatever difficulty presents itself, it is something that came from God. That kind of thinking doesn’t agree with the Bible. I John 1:5 says, “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” In that same epistle it says, “God is love.” It says in Chapter 1 of the book of James, that God cannot be tempted with evil and neither does He tempt any person.
I certainly believe God can close one door and open another door. You can see that in the Scriptures many times. I’ve seen that happen in my life. And I must admit that on a few occasions, I ignored a closed door, and the results were not very pleasant.
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The song, “O Holy Night” is special to me for three reasons. First, Nat King Cole’s version was my dad’s favorite holiday song. Secondly, the amazing history of the song itself, including it being the first Christmas song ever played on the “air waves.” Thirdly, the first verse of the song is so impactful. (words below)
Enjoy reading the history of this song, and enjoy your holiday season!
The History of the Song, “O Holy Night.”
In 1847, Placide Cappeau, a wine merchant in France, was asked by his parish priest to write a poem for the Christmas Eve service. He wrote the words to, “Cantique de Noel” (“Song of Christmas”).
He then asked his friend, Adolphe, who was of the Jewish faith to write the music, and the song was performed for the congregation on Christmas Eve. The French people loved it. Sometime later, Placide left the church, and then it was discovered that the composer of music was not of the Christian faith, so Church leadership banned the song from its services throughout all of France. However, the French people continued to embrace it.
Ten years later, an American abolitionist, John Sullivan Dwight, heard the carol and loved its vibrant message of hope. His English translation quickly became popular in the North during the American Civil War.
Legend has it that the French Catholic Church finally allowed the song back into its services after an encounter in 1870 between French and German troops during the Franco-Prussian War. During a lull in fighting, a French soldier began singing it. The Germans were so moved that they responded by singing one of Martin Luther’s hymns. This little “songfest” encouraged the soldiers to honor a truce for 24 hours on Christmas.
Fast forward to early 1900’s, and the invention of radio. After some trial testing with voice over telegraph, Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian, via telegraph, alerted several ships of a special Christmas broadcast scheduled for 9pm on Christmas Eve. They had no idea it was not going to be dots and dashes coming over the telegraph.
When that 9pm broadcast happened, on Christmas Eve, 1906, the telegraph operators were stunned to hear a man’s voice! Everyone said this was impossible. Reginald was the first voice ever heard on the radio.
After giving a resume of the program, he played a recording of Handel’s, “Largo” on an Ediphone. That was the first recording ever played on the air. Then he played, “Oh Holy Night” on his violin, and sang the last verse as he played. It was the very first Christmas song ever heard on the radio!
His wife and secretary had promised to read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible, but they were speechless; mic fright. So, Reginald took over and read the story of the birth of Christ. He then concluded the broadcast by extending Christmas greetings to his listeners and asking them to write to him to let him know if they heard it. He didn’t know if it was going to work for sure. He received numerous responses.
The history of this song embodies what this season of Christmas is really all about – God’s love in sending His Son for all people. It was written by a wine merchant, set to music by a Jewish composer, banned by overzealous church leaders, but then kept alive by true believers. It was then adopted by an American abolitionist inspiring hope for those enslaved. It was sung by troops at war in the trenches and inspired at least 24 hours of peace. It was broadcast live by invisible radio waves – a new medium that would soon be instrumental in getting the message of the Good News all over the world.
One is perhaps reminded of the most popular verse in the Bible. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” “Whosoever!”
Whether someone is a wine merchant, of a different belief, a religious zealot, a slave, bond or free, male or female, that night in Bethlehem, God sent His Son, the prince of peace, to make available everlasting life to anyone and everyone who accepts Jesus Christ! He is lord of all people, and God raised him from the dead!
O Holy Night
O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!
[Verse 2]
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
[Verse 3]
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim
Psalm 103:2 says, Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. We all have much to be thankful for. Below are some verses about giving God the thanks and praise He deserves.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Psalm 50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with Psalms.
Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.
Psalm 116:17 I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
Psalm 147:7 Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
I Chronicles 16:8, 34 :8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people
. :34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto Thy name.
Psalm 30:4, 12 :4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.
:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever.
Psalm 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High:
Psalm 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.
Psalm 105:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people.
Psalm 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of thy righteous judgments.
Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
There are members of all types of groups and organizations. I have a number of different memberships, including a credit union, and a shopping warehouse. Basically, a membership allows you to take advantage of what is offered to members. That’s the whole point of being a member, right?
Perhaps you are a member of a group or organization. The criteria to join might be anything from paying a monetary requirement, having achieved a certain accomplishment or status, or some other requirement in order to become a member.
Being a member of a certain group or organization affords its members certain privileges that non-members do not have. Certain benefits and privileges are strictly for, “members only,” and non- members cannot access those benefits and privileges.
The Bible speaks of those who are born again as being members of the Body of Christ, with Jesus Christ as the head. That sounds like a
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In season or out of season, giving a gift of God’s Word is always a great idea!