She asked:" Honey, what are you looking for?"
He answered: "Nothing dear, I'm just looking for the expiration date for this contract."
The wife saw her husband frustrated reading the Marriage Certificate from top to bottom, flip it over, and then read it again...
She asked:" Honey, what are you looking for?" He answered: "Nothing dear, I'm just looking for the expiration date for this contract."
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Created for Commitment Author: Anne Graham Lotz "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15, NIV). Apart from understanding the work of God in our creation, there is no real meaning to human existence. If there was no Creator, then you are some cosmic accident, having come from nowhere and on your way to nowhere. You are just a nobody with no ultimate accountability or eternal value. Now that’s depressing! Praise God, it’s not true! Where are you seeking lasting satisfaction? You may find temporary satisfaction in things and people, but permanent, deep, full satisfaction of your very being is only found in a right relationship with God for Whom you were created. Not only is your being created for God, but your doing is created for God also. You and I were created for commitment to serve God. The Garden of Eden was not only a place for man to live, but it was a place for man to serve. Blessings, Anne Graham Lotz Copyright © 2014 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org. 2019 Advent Video Series with Dr. Doug Beacham Week One The Rev. Dr. Doug Beacham, General Superintendent of the IPHC 2019 Advent Video Series With Dr. Doug Beacham Week One Advent With Presiding Bishop Doug Beacham Let Faith Arise “And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:12-13). When Zacharias was faced with fear, the angel reminded him that he and Elizabeth had been praying for a miracle. Their prayer was answered because of their faith. God invited Zacharias and Elizabeth to enter into the same type of promise as Abraham and Sarah because it was going to usher in something new. During this Advent season, “Let faith arise. Let us persevere in our prayers and believe that God will fulfill His Word, His Promises, because He is righteous.” To view this Advent Video with Bishop Doug Beacham please Click Here. Every day, we rejoice to see Melvine improving in every area of her life. She is joyful, happy, and is an excellent communicator. In fact, she is helping me remember the names of people who have touched our lives, events when God visited us with blessings beyond our imagination, provision for our every need and wants as well. I am thankful that God in His providence led me to be at the right place and the right time to meet Melvine. The joys of events that followed as I pursued Melvine in our courtship are innumerable. I am grateful for Melvine's parents and her sister, and other family members, as well as the church she and her family attended and were active members in the ministry of the church. We are grateful for the children God gave us, and for their impact upon our lives. It is wonderful to begin another Advent season of the church calendar, and the Scriptures that will be read and studied during these four week prior to Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is always exciting and joyful for our family. We wish you and your family a blessed Advent season. Hugh H. Morgan Why Not Rather Be Wronged?
Author: Lynette Kittle Have you ever been mistreated? Dealt with unfairly or experienced loss and hardships at the hands of another? Has someone cheated you out of a position, promotion, or items that should have rightfully been yours? If so, you’re not alone. Ever increasing lawsuits are evidence of a world of unfairness. Yet as a Christian, what is your response? Have you adapted the ways and methods of the culture or do you trust God in these types of matters, turning to Him to direct your reactions and make things right? 1 Corinthians 6:6 describes God’s attitude towards Christians taking each other to court like non-Christians do, stating, “But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!” (1 Corinthians 6:6). In this day of quick lawsuits, how do you handle being lied about, wronged or cheated out of things? 1 Corinthians 6:7 states, “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” Because God assures that He will bring justice, rushing to take each other to court reveals a lack of faith in God to handle it, along with an unwillingness to submit to God’s Word. Scripture urges to, “Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and He will avenge you” (Proverbs 20:22). With today’s quick demands for justice, God’s directions for those who have been wronged seems completely opposite to society’s methods, such as: “If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them” (Luke 6:29). “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (1 Thessalonians 5:15). God’s ways may not seem fair to you but Scripture states, “For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God” (1 Peter 2:19). 1 Peter 2:20 continues with, “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” Jesus suffered unjustly, being wrongly accused, ridiculed, beaten, and killed. He is the example of turning the other cheek and trusting God with the wrongs done to you. As 1 Peter 2:21 points out, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). [Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV. The Morgans will Celebrate Thanksgiving at Home
Author: Ramona F. Ready I am so glad that your day has been as blessed, as you are a Blessing to others!! May your mind, your body, your soul and your spirit be touched by GOD today!! Love to you ALL. Ramona Advent Devotional Week 1: Victory in Jesus Author: Cissie Graham Lynch This is the first of a four-part series on Advent, meaning “arrival.” The Advent season celebrates the coming of a Savior in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Below is a portion of Cissie Graham Lynch’s Advent devotional, Born to You This Day. Throughout the Old Testament, we read prophecies of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. His coming is first foretold in Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” It’s the first time the Good News is mentioned in the Bible. Right after Adam and Eve had fallen into sin, God immediately revealed His plan to send a Redeemer, His Son, to offer salvation to a sinful world. Can you see the promise of Jesus in this passage? The phrase “I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman [symbolizing all of humanity]” describes the coming, long-lasting struggle between good and evil. “You shall bruise his heel” refers to Satan’s attempts to defeat Christ, the woman’s offspring. “He shall bruise your head” foretells Christ’s victory over Satan when He defeated death. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, by Charles Wesley, is one of my favorite Christmas carols. In the original version, Wesley refers to that passage of Scripture: Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home; Rise, the woman’s conquering Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head. Since the beginning of time, Satan has been out to steal, kill, and destroy us. He desires for you to follow his evil, destructive, and deadly path. He repeatedly attempted to defeat Christ during His 33 years on earth, and I am sure Satan thought he had the final victory when Christ took His last breath. But when Jesus rose from the grave, He conquered death and defeated Satan. Remember, Jesus came to give life to you and me: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” —John 10:10 Whether you are dreading this Christmas season or excitedly anticipating all it brings, keep in mind that Christ stands in victory. Don’t let Satan rob you of the joy of the season. Christmas is the time when we remember that God’s Son was born—born to live so that He could die for you. What a precious thing to celebrate! What are you doing to take time to appreciate and focus on the gift of Christ this Christmas season? PRAYER: Father, I pray that You will open my eyes to the gifts You give each day—and open my lips so that I can give witness of Your gifts to others. Help me to celebrate the miraculous birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and share the Good News of salvation because of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. More Prophecy Readings for Week 1 Numbers 24:17 Deuteronomy 18:18–19 2 Samuel 7:12–14a Job 19:25 Psalm 2:7 Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah 53 Micah 5:2 Cissie Graham Lynch is the daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of Billy Graham. She is a ministry spokesperson for Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Cissie and her husband, Corey, have one daughter and one son, and live in Fort Myers, Florida. Do you have the hope of Christ this holiday season? Start a relationship with the Savior of the world. Buy Cissie Graham Lynch’s full devotional, Born to You This Day. Luke 2:1-20 The Advent Story as told by Dr. Luke, a physician, and a disciple of Jesus Christ
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. NIV While attending a Marriage seminar dealing with communication, Jack and his wife, Barb, listened to the instructor.
"It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other." He addressed the man, "Can you describe your wife's favorite flower?" Jack leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "Its Pillsbury isn't it?" It was early morning when Blenda Smith called informing me that she and her husband, Doug Smith, were on their way to their daughter's home, Lisa, to take Thanksgiving dinner and were bringing ours to our home. In about 20 minutes Doug and Blenda arrived with several boxes of food. A 13 pound turkey cornbread dressing and gravy from the turkey creamed corn macaroni and cheese potato salad cranberry sauce green beans ice tea I was given the honors to carve the turkey. It had a lot of white and dark meat. Melvine thinks that the dark meat is more tender. The dark meat comes from the legs of the turkey. I remember growing up we had chickens, turkeys, cows, hogs, and a goat. We had turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In those days, we had a large extended family with lots of uncles and aunts, and cousins. They came to our home because Grandmother lived with us. My aunt Virginia, who was married to my uncle, Charles Payne, always prepared a dish that I dearly loved called "ambrosia." Today, I don't know anyone who makes it. I wish I did, I would like to have some during the holidays. We have a lot of turkey left over as well as veggies. We will have leftovers for several days to come, and for me they are better with a day or two on them. Greg put all the leftovers in the refrigerator. He loves them as much as Melvine and I love them. Vonnie made the creamed corn and macaroni. Blenda made the potato salad and other veggies. Everything was copacetic. We are a blessed family to have church friends like this Pearson ladies who take have taken on a new last name like Smith and Parnell. What's more, they are good singers. They used to have a trio called the Pearson Trio. There was Frank Pearson their brother, Blenda and Vonnie. Their harmony and blending of their voices was out of this world. They blessed people everytime they sang. Today, we don't have special singers in the church. For me that is sad, because there are those who are gifted to sing and sing well as soloist, duets, trios, quartets, and sextexts. I miss the choirs we used to have in the church. That is gone. I haven't given up on the church. Better days are sure to come. Lord may it happen soon. Shaped by God Author: Anne Graham Lotz "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7, NIV). The Hebrew word for “formed” is yatsar, which means “to mold.” It is the same word used to describe a potter molding and shaping clay. The description reveals that while God spoke the worlds into space, the planets into orbit, the earth on its axis, the seas within their boundaries, the sun, moon, and stars to appear in the sky, the trees and flowers to cover the earth, the animals to fill the earth, God personally shaped the physical characteristics of man with His own hands and breathed into man His own life! Such knowledge should cause us to pause and worship the Creator Who molded you and me from the “dust of the ground.” Blessings, Anne Graham Lotz Copyright © 2014 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org. Priority Thanksgiving Prayers Most Christians Have Never Prayed
Author: David Bryant What is the greatest gift you've ever received? Is there one blessing above all others that has ignited your heart with undying gratitude? Is there any work of God's grace toward you that fills your daily prayers with appreciation and praise? Christians know from Scripture, there's only one answer to all three questions: our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us so in 2 Corinthians 9:15. Here it is in four translations (with emphasis added): Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift! (RSV) Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (NIV) Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! (NLT) Thank God for this gift, His gift. No language can praise it enough! (MSG) In the context, Paul is speaking of Jesus and all the blessings that come to us through Him. For example, the apostle reflects in the previous chapter: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. Jesus is the greatest gift any of us will ever receive. All other gifts—in fact, all the promises of God—are showered on us through Him. Yet we're told in verse 15, He's the one gift that is inexpressible, indescribable, beyond human description—unspeakable. So, how can any Thanksgiving Day prayer be shaped by something—by someone—so lofty, so profound, so amazing that current vocabulary fails to do Him justice? Moreover, Paul increases the difficulty of our challenge in Ephesians 3:8 when he adds that in God's Son are found "riches" that are "inexhaustible" (MSG), "boundless" (NIV) and "endless" (NLT). So, even if I'm able to come up with words to express gratitude for how we have "received grace upon grace out of Christ's fullness" (John 1), there will never be an end to my discoveries of all the treasures found in my Savior! No wonder the Bible declares that our Father "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3b, MEV). "Heavenly" means we have topics for prayers of thanksgiving defined by eternal, cosmic, angelic realities beyond this world—and defined by Who Jesus is, where He sits, and what His current saving reign means for me. Still, as impossible as it may seem, Christians are called to take hold of words and declare with their tongues heartfelt thanks to God the best we know how. We are to "rejoice always" and "in everything give thanks" (1 Thess. 5:16, 18, NKJV)—most of all, as we give thanks for Jesus, the One Gift that subsumes all others—including in 2018. Let Me Help You Create a New Way to Pray at Your Thanksgiving Table This Year What I want to do for the remainder of this blog post is give you seven facets of this one grand gift, suggesting a few key questions for you to answer about each. Then, your answers can be used to compose seven one-paragraph prayers—basically by turning each separate answer for each main topic into an expression of thanksgiving to the Father for the Son, based on what your answers inspire for you. Finally, I suggest that you type up your seven single thanksgiving paragraphs on seven separate sheets of paper. At your Thanksgiving Day celebration distribute each written prayer to seven guests. Before the meal begins, ask each person to read the prayer out loud, asking everyone else to pray along silently. Encourage everyone to see each prayer as a new kind of Thanksgiving prayer that most of them have never prayed before. Also, remind them that all seven prayers are really one prayer—all about the One Person Who is the greatest blessing any of us could possibly celebrate in the past year. NOTE: The seven topics for these seven prayers are based on the seven groundbreaking keys explored in over 600 pages in my latest book, Christ Is Now!—in case you would like to explore any of this in more depth for yourself. Thanks for the gift of Who Christ is to us Prompts to help you shape your prayer: What is one insight Jesus helped you to see more clearly about the nature and ways of God this past year? What is one new truth about Jesus' majesty and supremacy you discovered in your study of the Bible this past year? What is one name or title for Jesus (out of over 300 in Scripture) that brought special joy and meaning at some point in your life this past year? In 2018, what was one time your identity as one who belongs to God's Son blessed you? Compose Thanksgiving Prayer No. 1. Drawing on your four answers, create a one-paragraph prayer thanking the Father for the gift of Who Christ is to us. Thanks for the gift of Who Christ is for us Prompts to help you shape your prayer: What blesses you about knowing Jesus can fully understand you in whatever you're going through because for our sakes, He became one of us? At what one specific moment in 2018 did Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for your sins take on a deeper meaning for you, filling you with gratitude for all He suffered for you? What does it mean to you that Jesus conquered death forever? This past year how has this truth brought you comfort or filled you with renewed hope? Are you thankful for a moment this past year when the truth about Jesus victorious reign today increased your confidence to face a challenge? Compose Thanksgiving Prayer #2. Drawing on your four answers, create a one-paragraph prayer thanking the Father for the gift of Who Christ is for us. Thanks for the gift of Who Christ is over us Prompts to help you shape your prayer: Was there one time this past year when the truth that Jesus reigns over the workings of creation filled you with praise? Was there a time this past year when the truth that Jesus overrules in the unfolding of world history gave you new reasons to celebrate? Was there a time this past year when the truth that Jesus is in full control of the design of global leaders brought you a measure of reassurance and hope? Was there a time this past year when the truth that Jesus is advancing His Kingdom among earth's people fill you with renewed excitement about what lies ahead for the Gospel? Was there a time this past year when you witnessed Jesus reigning over the forces of darkness in a way that removed fear from you and ignited bold faith in you? Compose Thanksgiving Prayer No. 3. Drawing on your five answers, create a one-paragraph prayer thanking the Father for the gift of Who Christ is over us. Thanks for the gift of Who Christ is before us. Prompts to help you shape your prayer: Christ has gone before us into the future to bring it back to us right now. What is one way you've seen Him do that for you this past year? Jesus has gone before us into the heavens to take us there with Him right now. What is one way this reality has encouraged you this past year? Christ has gone before us into the promises of God to make them ours too, right now. Is there one promise of Scripture you've had fulfilled in your life this past year through Christ? Jesus has gone before us into the world to open up a way for us to serve him right now. What is one way this past year our Savior opened a new way to share Him with someone else? Compose Thanksgiving Prayer No. 4. Drawing on your four answers, create a one-paragraph prayer thanking the Father for the gift of Who Christ is BEFORE us. [Editor's note: This no doubt is a tough assignment for most of us. Do the best you can. Thinking the thoughts is vitally important as we praise God for His Son, Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:18-28 What a powerful blessing for this Thanksgiving Season
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. KJV Two husbands were discussing their married lives.
Although happily married, they admitted that there were arguments sometimes. Then Chad said, "I've made one great discovery. I know how to have always the last word"" "Wow!" responded Sherman, "How did you manage that?" "It's easy," replied Chad. "My last word is always ‘Yes, Dear." Hugh, Melvine, and Greg Morgan look forward to a Thanksgiving Dinner meal that two ladies of our church, Christian Life Worship Center, a Pentecostal Holiness Church in Athens, Georgia, are preparing for us. The ladies are sisters that will provide the Thanksgiving Dinner for the Morgans. They are Vonnie Pearson Parnell, wife of Roy Parnell; and Blenda Pearson Smith, wife of Doug Smith. These ladies are noted for their cooking. Vonnie makes the best macaroni and cheese you will ever put your teeth into. Whereas, Blenda makes the best potato salad in the known world. Years ago when I had the privilege to be the pastor of Tarkenton Memorial Church, we attended New Year's Day with the Pearson family, one of the largest families in the church at Vonnie's home. Our Stephanie loved to eat Vonnie macaroni and cheese, and Melvine loved Blenda's potato salad. Of course, I love potato salad, and that will be grand along with turkey and other special veggies, cranberry sauce, mashes potatoes and gravy, etc. We are so blessed to have a church family like ours with so many people who are helping us. If you live in the Athens area and are looking for a church home we would love for you to visit our church as a special guest of Hugh and Melvine Morgan. The address of Christian Life Worship Center is 125 Kathwood Drive, Athens, Georgia 30607. Our pastor is the Rev. Mr. Terry Kesling and his lovely wife is Pam (Pamela). I know you will love them like we do. In the meantime, Melvine got back in the kitchen on Wednesday preparing our supper with the help of Greg and me. We bless the Lord for healing Melivne. We claim her healing in the Name of Jesus based on 1 Peter 2:24, "And with His stripes we were healed." Thank you for allowing us to come into your home once again on this Thanksgiving Day 2019 through the newsletter God has entrusted to me called Hugh's News. Bishop Leon O. Stewart will be 90 Years Old on December 5. Bishop Leon O. Stewart is the only living former General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. He will be celebrating his 90th birthday on December 5. I thought it would be a good idea, maybe a God-Idea, to let you know and give you an opportunity to send Bishop Leon O. Stewart a birthday card. His mailing address is: Bishop Leon O. Stewart 1112 Fridge Drive Atmore, AL 36502 Leon was the superintendent of the Alabama Conference, now called Alpha Conference, when I graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1963. He assigned me to my first pastorate, the Brownville Pentecostal Holiness Church, near Evergreen, AL, in Conecuh County, the poorest county in Alabama. He told me that the Brownville Church had great potential. He was right and God blessed what we believed He wanted us to do in ministering to the precious people of this church and community. It was from that country church, I was called by Bishop J. A. Synan to go into the Air Force as a chaplain to fill the vacancy that Chaplain, Colonel, Eugene Myers left when he was killed on active duty in a military air transport plane that crashed over Manilla, in April 1964. The rest is history. 2019 Advent Video Series With Dr. Doug Beacham Week One Advent With Presiding Bishop Doug Beacham Let Faith Arise “And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:12-13). When Zacharias was faced with fear, the angel reminded him that he and Elizabeth had been praying for a miracle. Their prayer was answered because of their faith. God invited Zacharias and Elizabeth to enter into the same type of promise as Abraham and Sarah because it was going to usher in something new. During this Advent season, “Let faith arise. Let us persevere in our prayers and believe that God will fulfill His Word, His Promises, because He is righteous.” To view this Advent Video with Bishop Doug Beacham please Click Here. Happy Birthday Navy Chaplain Corps
244 years November 28 2019 Captain Guy Lee, Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) Force Chaplain, delivers a speech to guests during the commemoration of the 244th anniversary of the Navy's Chaplain Corps Naval Special Warfare Command Celebrates 244th Anniversary of the Navy Chaplain Corps Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alexander P Perlman Naval Special Warfare Command More than 125 attendees gathered to celebrate the 244th anniversary of the Navy Chaplain Corps onboard Naval Air Station North Island in a ceremony hosted by Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC). This marks the first time that NSWC hosted the event. "The Navy Chaplain Corps Anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the ways that chaplains and Religious Program Specialists, or RPs, serve Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and their families," said Capt. Guy Lee, NSWC's Force Chaplain. "We focus on promoting the free exercise of religion, which is the right that all Americans have to worship according to their convictions - and includes the right not to worship at all. We believe this liberty makes our people strong in spirit, morally resilient and tough. As a result, they're able to fulfill their commitments, both in peace and war." The Navy Chaplain Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress in the second article of Navy regulations on Nov. 28, 1775, which prescribed twice-daily religious services performed aboard the budding Continental Navy's warships. The guest speaker of the event was Captain Adam Curtis (ret.), a former Navy SEAL and ordained deacon who works with the Naval Special Warfare community. "Chaplains really are an integral part of the NSW community," said Curtis. "The chaplain's may not always be in the spotlight, but their mission has always been about doing what matters, when it matters for our people and the people that matter to them." Throughout the Navy's 244-year history, the Navy Chaplain Corps has provided ministry and counseling services to Sailors and Marines wherever they serve around the world. It is important for Sailors, Marines and their families to know that chaplains and RPs are available to assist them wherever they are stationed. "Between Camp Pendleton and San Diego, there are approximately 300 chaplains and RPs assigned in the local area," said Lee. "Chaplains and RPs are always embedded in their assigned units, so you can't go to an organizational chart and identify a specific command where they all reside. For this reason, we use the Navy Chaplain Corps Anniversary as an opportunity to come together as a community." NSWC's mission is to provide maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations, unilaterally or with partners, to support national objectives. NSW's greatest competitive advantage is its people, and it provides the nation's premiere maritime special operators and combat support personnel in support of U.S. Special Operations Command's global mission. Thanks Be to God!
Author Robert J. Morgan Restoration experts in northern England have been working hard to uncover and preserve the treasures of Auckland Castle, which is 500 years old. Earlier this year, they exposed the original framing around a door between the butler’s pantry and the dining room. Inscribed in the wooden panel above the door were the words Est Deo Gracia, a Latin phrase meaning “Thanks be to God.” Every time guests looked toward the kitchen and saw food coming to the table, they were prompted to be thankful. Wouldn’t it be great to engrave that phrase on the lintels of our minds? How wonderful to recognize every blessing God sends, and, as it comes our way, to say, “Thanks be to God!” Gratitude is the attitude that reclaims our spirits in times of disappointment or distress. However bleak our circumstances, we can always find reasons to say: “Thanks be to God.” That little phrase can bear us through difficulty and lift us from defeat. Earlier this year, for example, the remains of Christians slain in Libya were returned to their families in Egypt. The father of one of the victims said of his son, “Thanks be to God, he died a hero. … He and his brothers, the martyrs, did not abandon their faith.” Those words and the attitude behind them are profound. Thanks be to God—what a privilege to incorporate those four syllables into the vocabulary of daily life, whatever the day brings. These words are especially powerful because they are Biblical. This phrase occurs five times in the consecutive books of Romans, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Thanks Be to God for Setting Us Free It first appears in Romans 6:17, where we read: “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin. …” The moment we find Christ as Savior, we are set free from sin, death, hell and condemnation. Paul Schlener, the father of a friend of mine, was stationed aboard a Navy vessel caught in Typhoon Cobra in 1944. He was tossed around like a rag doll as the storm battered the ship. Nearby vessels capsized under the violent waters, and Paul’s ship rolled dangerously from side to side. One thought kept booming through Paul’s mind during that terrible night. It was a question about his spiritual condition, one his brother had asked him years before: “Paul, are you saved?” Back on land, Paul quickly found a church service to attend, and the minister concluded his sermon by saying, “If there should be someone here tonight, civilian or military, who would like to enter into a right standing with God by receiving Christ as your personal Savior, please come down front so I can speak with you personally.” Immediately Paul walked to the front, knelt, and with tears of thanksgiving made the decision that set him free. He later took the message of Christ to the Amazon jungle, where he served four decades, never losing his sense of gratitude for the One who had saved him both physically and eternally. The Lord sometimes allows us to sail into storms to direct our attention toward Him and to prompt us to consider our spiritual condition. Only by receiving Christ as our Lord and Savior can we say, “Thanks be to God! I’ve been set free. I’ve been saved!” Thanks Be to God for Victory Over Sin Despite our freedom in Christ, Jesus-followers still struggle with temptation. Perhaps you’re trying to fight off some provocation today. The same Savior who frees you from the penalty of sin can give you increasing victory over its power. In Romans 7, Paul confessed his own struggle with temptation, but he ended the passage saying, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” “You and I face fresh discouragements every day, but thanks be to God! He leads us in triumph, and in His victory we can share Jesus with the next generation. His Name spreads through us like a life-giving aroma to a decaying world.” We’re complex individuals, walking kaleidoscopes of weaknesses, passions, wide-ranging proclivities and endless problems. How easily we can become dominated by anxiety, anger, addiction or a thousand other failures. But as we grow in Jesus, we grow in victory; and as we grow in victory, we grow in gratitude. One of the best ways to combat temptation is with thanksgiving. Suppose you’re struggling with jealousy toward someone who is blessed with something you want. Don’t let envy creep into your bones, but say, “Thanks be to God!” List the aspects of the situation for which you can be thankful and praise the Lord. Temptation has no answer to thanksgiving, and the devil doesn’t know what to do with a grateful heart. Thanks Be to God for Victory Over Death We next encounter our special phrase in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, where the Apostle Paul wrote: “‘Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Even in the face of death, we can shout, Est Deo Gracia. In 1712, a preacher named Richard Stretton passed away. At his memorial service, his friend Matthew Henry preached on the phrase, “Thanks be to God.” He told the mourners, “It is our duty in everything to give thanks. … When we are burdened with the sense of guilt, we ought to say, ‘Thanks be to God; there is rest in Christ.’ When we mourn for our afflictions, we ought to say, ‘But thanks be to God, these afflictions are designed to further us on our way to Heaven.’” He continued, “I and many others have lost a faithful friend; but, thanks be to God, our loss is his gain. … Thanks be to God, he not only rests from his labors, but his works follow him. … Thanks be to God for the good hope we have through grace.” Grief is natural and necessary for us, but in God’s timing we can climb out of our sorrow, rung by rung, using the truths behind the phrase, “Thanks be to God.” Our time on earth is brief, but through Christ’s resurrection we have the sure hope of Heaven. As we cultivate a grateful spirit, our heartaches eventually become hallelujahs. Thanks Be to God Who Spreads His Message Through Us We also exclaim “Thanks be to God” for the privilege of sharing this message with others. Second Corinthians 2:14 says, “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” One of Billy Graham’s mentors was Dr. V. Raymond Edman. As a young man, Edman longed to invest his life for Christ in Ecuador, but his health broke in the jungle. Seeking to recover, he took a voyage aboard a Dutch freighter and spent his time outlining 2 Corinthians. When he came to chapter 2, he was staggered by the words “thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ …” Edman read that sentence slowly, prayerfully, phrase by phrase. He sensed a great contrast between that verse and his condition. Here he was, broken, unsure, anxious about his future, not far from death’s door. Yet to Apostle Paul, life was ongoing, unbroken triumph. Climbing to the deck, Edman prayed for a triumphant spirit and yielded himself afresh to Christ. From that day, God began to use him in an unprecedented way, and under his influence a generation of young men and woman arose to follow and serve Christ. You and I face fresh discouragements every day, but thanks be to God! He leads us in triumph, and in His victory we can share Jesus with the next generation. His Name spreads through us like a life-giving aroma to a decaying world. Thanks Be to God for Jesus In 2 Corinthians 9:15, Paul employs this phrase a fifth time, saying: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” This verse comes at the end of a prolonged passage about financial stewardship. Second Corinthians 8 and 9 exhort us to excel in the grace of giving, to give cheerfully, and to remember how God is able to supply all our needs. The concluding sentence—“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift”—reminds us that our gifts for the Lord’s work are simply reflections of the greatest gift ever given—God’s free gift of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words: Thanks be to God for Jesus! That says it all, doesn’t it? Let’s go through life with this phrase engraved in our minds. A grateful heart lifts our spirits, honors our Savior, frustrates our enemy and magnifies our influence. Whatever you’re going through today, take a deep breath, look to Jesus, count your blessings, and say five times: “Thanks be to God!” [Robert J. Morgan is a best-selling author and the teaching pastor of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tenn., where he has served for 38 years.] Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, © 1973, 1978, 1984, by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Prayer for Thanksgiving
Dear God, Thank You for Your amazing power and work in our lives, thank You for Your goodness and for Your blessings over us. Thank You that You are Able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for Your purposes. Thank You for Your great love and care. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You that You are always with us and will never leave us. Thank You for Your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don't thank You enough, for Who You are, for all that You do, for all that You've given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on You afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with Your peace and joy. We love You and we need You, this day and every day. We give You praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! In Jesus' Name, Amen. [Editor’s Note: Content taken from the blog piece, The Power of Gratitude: 21 Verses of Thanks to God, written by Debbie McDaniel. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved. |