First From Julie's Keyboard:
Better Than a Pocket Knife
This week our youngest son and I were shopping in a large dept. store. Shopping is not one of our fortes, but more like a matter of necessity. We had our list of items and were succeeding, for once, at sticking to it. Then, all at once, a special perk was announced over the intercom. In essence, it said that every shopper in the store over the age of 18 would receive a free stainless steel blade pocket knife if we would leave our shopping carts and go to a certain counter to collect this item.
Patience in a store is not one of my son's best virtues. He said, "Oh no, you're not going to do this are you?" With that twinkle in my eye, and trying to make a learning lesson out of the situation, I replied, "Well, we at least need to check this out, don't we? After all it's free!" As we headed in the direction indicated, we began to notice a line was forming and shopping carts were scattering in every direction around it. So, guess what? We said, "Forget it!" My son was spared his mother's indulgence once again.
While it was certainly worth the effort to many in the store, this free item couldn't buy the patience of my son. It would have to be something else, and only a short list of possibilities at that.
My thoughts turned to a free Gift of all the gifts being offered. The Caller who makes folks aware of this Gift is none other than the Father, God Himself. The Gift is the Christ, the Author of eternal life which He gives to those who receive the call. Yet, there are those who spurn this call for whatever reason. They haven't the time, nor the patience to spare to get to know this Giver of such a Gift.
When I thought about the instruction given in the store to leave the shopping carts, I thought of the unnecessary baggage being hauled around in the lives of people. To get the gift in the store, the cart was to be left behind. To receive the Gift from the Heavenly Father, all the baggage of our lives must be tossed aside. It's Christ and Christ alone. His Gift makes all things new. When He calls, run to Him. Let nothing hinder. His Gift if for eternity. Pocket knives will perish!
Blessings,
Julie
____________________________________________
"The Supreme Government"
Better Than a Pocket Knife
This week our youngest son and I were shopping in a large dept. store. Shopping is not one of our fortes, but more like a matter of necessity. We had our list of items and were succeeding, for once, at sticking to it. Then, all at once, a special perk was announced over the intercom. In essence, it said that every shopper in the store over the age of 18 would receive a free stainless steel blade pocket knife if we would leave our shopping carts and go to a certain counter to collect this item.
Patience in a store is not one of my son's best virtues. He said, "Oh no, you're not going to do this are you?" With that twinkle in my eye, and trying to make a learning lesson out of the situation, I replied, "Well, we at least need to check this out, don't we? After all it's free!" As we headed in the direction indicated, we began to notice a line was forming and shopping carts were scattering in every direction around it. So, guess what? We said, "Forget it!" My son was spared his mother's indulgence once again.
While it was certainly worth the effort to many in the store, this free item couldn't buy the patience of my son. It would have to be something else, and only a short list of possibilities at that.
My thoughts turned to a free Gift of all the gifts being offered. The Caller who makes folks aware of this Gift is none other than the Father, God Himself. The Gift is the Christ, the Author of eternal life which He gives to those who receive the call. Yet, there are those who spurn this call for whatever reason. They haven't the time, nor the patience to spare to get to know this Giver of such a Gift.
When I thought about the instruction given in the store to leave the shopping carts, I thought of the unnecessary baggage being hauled around in the lives of people. To get the gift in the store, the cart was to be left behind. To receive the Gift from the Heavenly Father, all the baggage of our lives must be tossed aside. It's Christ and Christ alone. His Gift makes all things new. When He calls, run to Him. Let nothing hinder. His Gift if for eternity. Pocket knives will perish!
Blessings,
Julie
____________________________________________
"The Supreme Government"
"We
must keep our eyes fixed on the supreme government of the Eternal King,
as directing all events, setting up or pulling down the kings of the
earth at his pleasure, suffering the best form of human government to
degenerate and go to ruin by corruption, or restoring the decayed
constitutions of kingdoms and states by reviving public virtue and
religion, and granting the favorable interpositions of his providence. .
. ." ~ Samuel Langdon, May 31, 1775. a
delegate to the New Hampshire convention that adopted the Constitution,
often led its debates, and did much to remove prejudice against the Constitution.
As I was preparing in Church this morning to read a Thanksgiving proclamation given by President Cleveland in 1887, I was struck by the horror of seeing or hearing of a nation or people who had been blessed by God, turning there backs upon Him, to seek their own pleasures, and glory in their own accomplishments.
It is by Him and Him alone that we stand as a nation, Mr. Langdon understood this and rested his faith in the King of all governments. He new the continued success of the American hope would rest in His Providence. He new the possibility of degeneration and ruin always awaited, but if we would continue to revive our public virtue by religious affection our constitutions of government could be restored. Of course when our Founders spoke of religion, it was not just any religion to which they referred, but to the Christian religion. It was not necessary to define between competing religions, as all but the whole nation embraced Judeo Christian values.
There is much resistance in our land today to these values, to the faith of which we once embraced. So it is incumbent upon us to implore God, that in His Sovereign Mercy, He would rescue us from our own ruin and turn our hearts back to Him. May this be a part of our petitions and prayers this Thanksgiving Holiday. Let us Worship Him for who He is, what He as done for us, for our nation, and the world. Then let us approach Him with our petition of hope for our land, and love and trust His merciful Providence.
May the God of Mercy bless each of us with a deeper understanding of His Glory and Majesty.
David
As I was preparing in Church this morning to read a Thanksgiving proclamation given by President Cleveland in 1887, I was struck by the horror of seeing or hearing of a nation or people who had been blessed by God, turning there backs upon Him, to seek their own pleasures, and glory in their own accomplishments.
It is by Him and Him alone that we stand as a nation, Mr. Langdon understood this and rested his faith in the King of all governments. He new the continued success of the American hope would rest in His Providence. He new the possibility of degeneration and ruin always awaited, but if we would continue to revive our public virtue by religious affection our constitutions of government could be restored. Of course when our Founders spoke of religion, it was not just any religion to which they referred, but to the Christian religion. It was not necessary to define between competing religions, as all but the whole nation embraced Judeo Christian values.
There is much resistance in our land today to these values, to the faith of which we once embraced. So it is incumbent upon us to implore God, that in His Sovereign Mercy, He would rescue us from our own ruin and turn our hearts back to Him. May this be a part of our petitions and prayers this Thanksgiving Holiday. Let us Worship Him for who He is, what He as done for us, for our nation, and the world. Then let us approach Him with our petition of hope for our land, and love and trust His merciful Providence.
May the God of Mercy bless each of us with a deeper understanding of His Glory and Majesty.
David
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