While Thanksgiving was celebrated from the earliest times in our republic, it was not an official national holiday until Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it so during the civil war. Here is the original proclamation. Please note this day's direct connection to our God. Lincoln was certainly not ashamed to credit God with his and our nation's successes. Here is the official proclamation:
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
The Power of the Resurrection
This weekend we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Often we speak of the cross and the power of forgiveness that Jesus died to purchase for us. In the cross is our debt paid in full. We have been adopted into the family of God and will eternally walk in the presence of our Lord.
In the resurrection, we find the power of God. Our risen Lord has come into our lives and empowered us to build His Kingdom; to change our own lives; to change the world for His Glory. So often we ask the question, “how can I make a difference in this world?” We won’t make a difference by simply living for our own pleasures and walking this life in our own strength. I've heard the quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet taken out of context by many a self-centered and lonely individual, "to thine own self be true". No. To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the only Way to the Father, will I be true. Now is the time to remember our Lord stepped into the lives of His downcast disciples and transformed them from trembling men into the Apostles that went forward from that upper room and changed the world. It was walking in the power of His resurrection and in the power of His Spirit that transformed these men and thus transformed the world. More importantly, because of this marvelous transformation of life, we have found salvation and power through their message of His love.
Let’s be determined this day to never walk this life in our own strength again. Let us truly surrender to the unending power of His resurrection. For in the resurrection of Jesus is the key to a transformed life and a transformed world, one life at a time. It’s time we stand up for His glory in the power of the resurrection and live, not a mundane life, but an outstanding life for Him.
Until later,
Don
In the resurrection, we find the power of God. Our risen Lord has come into our lives and empowered us to build His Kingdom; to change our own lives; to change the world for His Glory. So often we ask the question, “how can I make a difference in this world?” We won’t make a difference by simply living for our own pleasures and walking this life in our own strength. I've heard the quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet taken out of context by many a self-centered and lonely individual, "to thine own self be true". No. To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the only Way to the Father, will I be true. Now is the time to remember our Lord stepped into the lives of His downcast disciples and transformed them from trembling men into the Apostles that went forward from that upper room and changed the world. It was walking in the power of His resurrection and in the power of His Spirit that transformed these men and thus transformed the world. More importantly, because of this marvelous transformation of life, we have found salvation and power through their message of His love.
Let’s be determined this day to never walk this life in our own strength again. Let us truly surrender to the unending power of His resurrection. For in the resurrection of Jesus is the key to a transformed life and a transformed world, one life at a time. It’s time we stand up for His glory in the power of the resurrection and live, not a mundane life, but an outstanding life for Him.
Until later,
Don
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Forgive
Lately I’ve been asked about the topic of forgiveness a lot and it even came up in a teaching at church recently, so I thought I would jot down a few things about the subject since it keeps coming up.
The funny thing about forgiveness is that it seems that we all know that God expects us to forgive others when they wrong us. In fact, the questions I get about forgiveness often start with this phrase, “I know I should forgive, but…”. Yes, scripture says that if we are to receive forgiveness, then we must forgive others.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. NIV
Matthew 11:25
when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. NIV
It seems that people are all too willing to forgive, until someone actually offends them. And the same person who chooses, yes chooses, not to forgive and to hold bitterness against someone is most likely the same person who cannot understand why others refuse to forgive them when they wrong someone. Truthfully, who among us has not wronged someone else either by doing something thoughtlessly, or purposefully, or by saying something in the wrong way? I know I have been wrong many times and I have been wronged many times.
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”. I know I need a lot of mercy. This scripture is interesting however, because the literal meaning of the Greek word here for “blessed” is “oh how happy”. Have you ever noticed that a bitter person is not a happy person? Why? Because we were designed to choose peace and not bitterness. The human condition called bitterness, or unforgiveness is a state we were not designed to be in. Our psych wards and counselors couches are filled with those who simply choose not to forgive and thus drive themselves to emotional illness. Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not the only reason for mental illness, but it is a major contributor. This is why Paul admonishes us in Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Did you notice Paul says, “as far as it depends on you”. God wants us to choose peace. He wants us to be “oh how happy”. He says, do your part. We are so busy focusing on the one who did not do his part, but God says, that doesn’t matter. You do your part. Let God worry about the other guy. Why is it that we are only willing to do our part to live at peace when the person really hasn’t done that much to disturb the peace. It’s the ones we truly need to forgive; it’s the ones who steal our joy; it’s the ones who truly have wronged us that we need to forgive. We need to come to that place where we truly decide that the one who wronged us truly owes us nothing. It is me that I am hurting when I choose not to forgive and truly no one else.
We’ve all seen that person who walks around with a scowl on their face looking like they’ve been sucking on lemons all day. They walk into a room and bring a dark cloud with them. I don’t want to be that person and I’m sure you don’t want to be that person either. How do we change it? We choose peace. We choose to forgive.
Colossians 3:13
13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. NIV
I know that I need mercy. I know that I have been forgiven much by God. I know that I need the joy of the Lord to be my strength. All of this adds up to the fact that I need to be merciful as my heavenly Father is merciful. I need to forgive.
Until Later,
Don
The funny thing about forgiveness is that it seems that we all know that God expects us to forgive others when they wrong us. In fact, the questions I get about forgiveness often start with this phrase, “I know I should forgive, but…”. Yes, scripture says that if we are to receive forgiveness, then we must forgive others.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. NIV
Matthew 11:25
when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. NIV
It seems that people are all too willing to forgive, until someone actually offends them. And the same person who chooses, yes chooses, not to forgive and to hold bitterness against someone is most likely the same person who cannot understand why others refuse to forgive them when they wrong someone. Truthfully, who among us has not wronged someone else either by doing something thoughtlessly, or purposefully, or by saying something in the wrong way? I know I have been wrong many times and I have been wronged many times.
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”. I know I need a lot of mercy. This scripture is interesting however, because the literal meaning of the Greek word here for “blessed” is “oh how happy”. Have you ever noticed that a bitter person is not a happy person? Why? Because we were designed to choose peace and not bitterness. The human condition called bitterness, or unforgiveness is a state we were not designed to be in. Our psych wards and counselors couches are filled with those who simply choose not to forgive and thus drive themselves to emotional illness. Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not the only reason for mental illness, but it is a major contributor. This is why Paul admonishes us in Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Did you notice Paul says, “as far as it depends on you”. God wants us to choose peace. He wants us to be “oh how happy”. He says, do your part. We are so busy focusing on the one who did not do his part, but God says, that doesn’t matter. You do your part. Let God worry about the other guy. Why is it that we are only willing to do our part to live at peace when the person really hasn’t done that much to disturb the peace. It’s the ones we truly need to forgive; it’s the ones who steal our joy; it’s the ones who truly have wronged us that we need to forgive. We need to come to that place where we truly decide that the one who wronged us truly owes us nothing. It is me that I am hurting when I choose not to forgive and truly no one else.
We’ve all seen that person who walks around with a scowl on their face looking like they’ve been sucking on lemons all day. They walk into a room and bring a dark cloud with them. I don’t want to be that person and I’m sure you don’t want to be that person either. How do we change it? We choose peace. We choose to forgive.
Colossians 3:13
13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. NIV
I know that I need mercy. I know that I have been forgiven much by God. I know that I need the joy of the Lord to be my strength. All of this adds up to the fact that I need to be merciful as my heavenly Father is merciful. I need to forgive.
Until Later,
Don
Monday, January 25, 2010
Jay Vs Conan
I'm just a neutral observer in all this Jay vs. Conan business, but I don't understand why anyone is mad at Leno. The facts are, Conan's ratings were in the tank as well as Leno's. NBC refused to let Jay out of his contract, but was happy to let Conan out of his because Jay had great ratings at 11:35. Jay had no choice. Conan had a choice and could simply move his show to 12:05 (11:05 CT) and wait for Jay's contract to run out. Conan's ego would not allow him to do that from all that he has said and done. I'm no Leno fan and certainly not a Conan fan, but it seems like any anger in this matter should be directed at NBC and Conan O'Brien. Just my opinion...
Personally, I'm just writing this because I'm tired of all of the whining. If you really want to do something about programming you don't like, simply don't watch. I don't think anyone at NBC is intelligent enough to make even an informed decision as to what the television watching public wants to watch, thus their ratings which consistently put them at the bottom of the heap on a regular basis. So why is anyone surprised that they would make such stupid programming choices? I'm not.
In a day and age where all the networks have forsaken the art of writing a good show and producing it for the doldrums of reality television, why is anything a surprise to we who faithfully sit here with our remotes and watch whether we like it or not. Maybe put down the remote and do something esle when the networks put out garbage. It hits them right where it hurts. Advertising dollars… Let your voice be heard. Put down the remote.
That's my 2 cents worth anyway...
Until later,
Don
Personally, I'm just writing this because I'm tired of all of the whining. If you really want to do something about programming you don't like, simply don't watch. I don't think anyone at NBC is intelligent enough to make even an informed decision as to what the television watching public wants to watch, thus their ratings which consistently put them at the bottom of the heap on a regular basis. So why is anyone surprised that they would make such stupid programming choices? I'm not.
In a day and age where all the networks have forsaken the art of writing a good show and producing it for the doldrums of reality television, why is anything a surprise to we who faithfully sit here with our remotes and watch whether we like it or not. Maybe put down the remote and do something esle when the networks put out garbage. It hits them right where it hurts. Advertising dollars… Let your voice be heard. Put down the remote.
That's my 2 cents worth anyway...
Until later,
Don
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