RECENTLY I was reminded about the pilgrim’s during their first winter of 1621. This was not a time of bounty but a time of despair and heartache. The Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock 393 years ago, experienced nothing but hardships. They lived under a difficult rule and everybody gave into the same pot. The crops were far and few between. They waited for the supply ship to come, and when it did, it brought more mouths to feed but not any food. We have studied about the loss of life, but did you realize, that half of all the people that had made the trip, died?
ABUNDANCE came only in the corn harvest. This was stored for their second winter but was not enough. They rationed out the corn, with everyone getting their portion. They hoped that the game and fish would see them through, however, supplies dwindled away. The story goes that because the supplies were so low, everyone was forced to a daily ration of only five kernels of corn. Amazingly, they survived on so little food; no one died of starvation!
AT THE END OF 1622, out of desperation, the leaders gave up and told all those who were there, that they were on their own. No longer did they have to share their wealth, but were given a piece of ground and were told to take care of themselves. What a novel idea! Take care of yourself, and not expect your neighbor to take care of you.
THE PILGRIMS didn’t have much, but they possessed a great gratitude to God. They came, they conquered the ground, they planted and reaped a strong harvest. They helped each other as they began to till their own land and made friends with the Indians. These people were devoted to purpose, sincere, and devoted in their faith to God! This is how our nation began! Their perseverance is to be admired because it has brought us here today!
AFTER THAT third winter, 1623, they held the famous Thanksgiving Dinner with turkey and the bounty from their farms. They invited their new friends, the Massasoit and the Wampanoag Indians, that also brought game to add to the feast. But because of the deprivation they experience in the previous years they adopted a custom of putting five kernels of corn upon each empty plate before the dinner was served. Each member of the family would pick up a kernel and tell what they were thankful for. It was to remind them that their first winters were dreadful and their portion was only five kernels of corn per person each day.
THIS LAST Thursday, as my family sat around our Thanksgiving table, each one was to tell what we were thankful for. As I began to think about what I was thankful for I was mentally making my list and thought about family, Jim, my children and my grandchildren. Our home, friends, my siblings and our church. All of a sudden it was my turn and I blurted out; I am thankful "I have High Fructose corn syrup Malabsorption". I have a stomach condition where I no longer eat like normal people. But I am very thankful! I have not been in the ER since December 25, 2013. I praise the Lord everyday for my condition!
I REJOICE in the Lord, I am very thankful! Like Paul, I too do not complain of want, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be thankful! In all circumstances God’s peace is mine. I just have to reach out and grab hold of it! Paul says the secret to face plenty and hunger, abundance and want - is by knowing that with God’s strength I can survive. (Paraphrase) Philippians 4:10-13
"REJOICE in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 No matter what, be thankful! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/30/14
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014
A FIRST THANKSGIVING! 11/23/14
D0 YOU ever wonder about the very first thanksgiving experienced by the pilgrims and their new best friends, the Indians? I know what I have read in history books! I am aware of how the new thinkers are wanting to change history to suit themselves! However, the very first thanksgiving had to be full of many firsts. The first large gathering of people full of excitement because of their great crops that year. The first gathering of foreigners on this new land and those who felt this land was theirs alone. The first time these people came together in unity and began to share in thanking God. Wow! Not to mention the first, of eating new kinds of food!
I WAS two weeks shy of 24 when Jim and I married . As the year moved on we began to approach our first thanksgiving as a married couple. My family gatherings were always large because there were so many. We had just moved into our first home and I was going to be making my first pies! Growing up I baked cakes, Joyce did pies.....I was excited and Clarence, my brother-in-law was giving me pointers and even came out to taste my crust. My spirits were not daunted by his constructive criticism, because these were my very first and they looked good!
WE LEFT for church as was our custom on Thanksgiving Day, and then on to celebrate with family. Later that night as we returned home, Jim and I noticed that all the lights were on and the front door was standing wide open. Our new puppy, Frosty, was sitting behind the screen door whimpering. We approached the door cautiously. We could hear the TV, and carefully went inside! No one was there! Our back door was badly scratched from Frosty’s trying to get out to do her business. Evidence that she couldn’t wait was apparent on the carpet by the front door. Obviously, with all the excitement of the morning surrounding ‘pies’, we forgot to secure our home and care for our baby. Some of the air in our bubble began to leak as we tried to put things back in order. How could we have done that? How could we both have neglected our new home, and baby in such a careless manner?
EXCITEMENT does that to a person! Are you excited when Sunday morning comes? When the church family is planning their big thanksgiving dinner, are you excited? Do you get excited when you know that the church doors will be open and knowing family fellowship is just ahead? Through the years I have known many who are always there when the doors are open. They must be excited! I know that I am, but then I am one who hates to miss out on anything!
THE BOOK of Psalms is full of David’s heart declaring his thanks to the Lord. "O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where the glory dwells!" Psalms 26:8 "Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Psalms 95:2-3 "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name for the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is to all generations". Psalms 100:4-5 Aren’t you excited and thankful to belong to the Kingdom of God?
THE EARLY pilgrims suffered many hardships when they entered the domain of the Indians. Many Conflicts arose among the good and the bad! Those who sought peace were able to find it with those who were also seeking peace. When I think about my beginnings with Jim, I marvel at how far we have come together, in the Lord. We are thankful everyday, but around the day we call Thanksgiving, it becomes more of a concentrated effort. I pray this week is filled with excitement and expectations; I pray that blessings will be many; I pray that the peace of God will surround this world of confusion; I pray that the lost will be found! I pray that God’s kingdom in this world will "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! That they will Come into His presence with singing!" Psalms 100:1-2 By Jane Ann Crenshaw (11/11/08) 11/22/14
I WAS two weeks shy of 24 when Jim and I married . As the year moved on we began to approach our first thanksgiving as a married couple. My family gatherings were always large because there were so many. We had just moved into our first home and I was going to be making my first pies! Growing up I baked cakes, Joyce did pies.....I was excited and Clarence, my brother-in-law was giving me pointers and even came out to taste my crust. My spirits were not daunted by his constructive criticism, because these were my very first and they looked good!
WE LEFT for church as was our custom on Thanksgiving Day, and then on to celebrate with family. Later that night as we returned home, Jim and I noticed that all the lights were on and the front door was standing wide open. Our new puppy, Frosty, was sitting behind the screen door whimpering. We approached the door cautiously. We could hear the TV, and carefully went inside! No one was there! Our back door was badly scratched from Frosty’s trying to get out to do her business. Evidence that she couldn’t wait was apparent on the carpet by the front door. Obviously, with all the excitement of the morning surrounding ‘pies’, we forgot to secure our home and care for our baby. Some of the air in our bubble began to leak as we tried to put things back in order. How could we have done that? How could we both have neglected our new home, and baby in such a careless manner?
EXCITEMENT does that to a person! Are you excited when Sunday morning comes? When the church family is planning their big thanksgiving dinner, are you excited? Do you get excited when you know that the church doors will be open and knowing family fellowship is just ahead? Through the years I have known many who are always there when the doors are open. They must be excited! I know that I am, but then I am one who hates to miss out on anything!
THE BOOK of Psalms is full of David’s heart declaring his thanks to the Lord. "O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where the glory dwells!" Psalms 26:8 "Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Psalms 95:2-3 "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name for the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is to all generations". Psalms 100:4-5 Aren’t you excited and thankful to belong to the Kingdom of God?
THE EARLY pilgrims suffered many hardships when they entered the domain of the Indians. Many Conflicts arose among the good and the bad! Those who sought peace were able to find it with those who were also seeking peace. When I think about my beginnings with Jim, I marvel at how far we have come together, in the Lord. We are thankful everyday, but around the day we call Thanksgiving, it becomes more of a concentrated effort. I pray this week is filled with excitement and expectations; I pray that blessings will be many; I pray that the peace of God will surround this world of confusion; I pray that the lost will be found! I pray that God’s kingdom in this world will "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! That they will Come into His presence with singing!" Psalms 100:1-2 By Jane Ann Crenshaw (11/11/08) 11/22/14
Saturday, November 15, 2014
ACCOUNTABLE OR NOT ACCOUNTABLE! 11/16/14
WITHIN THE political arena we have a birds eye view of those who run our country. Many decades ago some Godly men created laws that were set up for the United States of America, and they called these law’s the "Constitution!" It included the preamble and the by-laws! This Constitution was set up so that the President would be accountable to the Congress and the Congress and the President, would be accountable to the people. For it was for "We the People" that this country was ordained by God! God’s blessing fell upon this country and remained as long as "We the People" followed His laws.
WE RECENTLY held elections and the Republican Party will soon hold the cards in the Congress. They will hold the majority in the House and the Senate! Our system asks for checks and balances, or accountability. However, we have a President that believes his power is within himself and if he can’t get the Congress to bow to his bidding, he will go it alone and make and break laws at his own will. This is unconstitutional; it is breaking the law; and shouldn’t there be some repercussions? Shouldn’t there be talks about impeachment? Shouldn’t he have to go spend time at Guantanamo Bay?
IF OUR president was charged and found guilty of murder, he would have to go before the courts! If he was found guilty running a red light; shouldn’t he be given a ticket? Now I ask you, where does it say that the President can do whatever he wants to do? Are we so conditioned by watching cute movies about the sins of the President, that we go away laughing? Are we so wrapped up in our own problems we figure when he gets caught, perhaps he will then be punished? Should the President be allowed to walk all over our laws and get away with it?
ARE YOU accountable to someone? I know that I am! As Christians we should be accountable to one another but in the long run we are accountable to God! In Romans Paul talks about the condition of those who died without hearing of Christ. He talks about the law that the Jews were under. "For no human being will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20 In this verse Paul was talking to the Jews; however, this also can apply to law in general. In the present state of human nature, perfect obedience to law is impossible. The law is a standard of measurement which makes man aware that he is a sinner, but does not offer him any hope of a way to escape from guilt.
WE HAVE LAWS that we must abide by. Parents institute laws for the children to live by; the schools provide laws within the school so we can learn; when we marry we are to abide by the laws of marriage. Our city and state has laws to keep us out of trouble. God has given us a way to live, that is not of the law of the Old Testament, but through His Son’s grace upon the cross. When we are obedient to God our reward is eminent; eternal life with the Father.
WHEN WE BREAK the laws that we live under, we find ourselves in trouble. We pay fines; go to jail; don’t get a diploma for learning; get a divorce; live in poverty. "But now in the present time He deals with men’s sins; to demonstrate His righteousness. In this way God shows that He Himself is righteous and that He puts right, everyone, who believes in Jesus." Romans 3:26 In the past God overlooked men’s sins and did not punish them immediately. But now, since the Cross and until time ends, God deals with men’s sins. We see that sin and salvation are not make-believe! God puts right with Him, those who reach out through faith to make themselves part of Christ. PRAY for our President that he will quickly meet up with Jesus Christ, and become the kind of President God has created him to be! Having a man of color for President, should have been a very good thing. It is not the color that is the problem, but the man! However, while there is breath; there is still hope! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/14/14
WE RECENTLY held elections and the Republican Party will soon hold the cards in the Congress. They will hold the majority in the House and the Senate! Our system asks for checks and balances, or accountability. However, we have a President that believes his power is within himself and if he can’t get the Congress to bow to his bidding, he will go it alone and make and break laws at his own will. This is unconstitutional; it is breaking the law; and shouldn’t there be some repercussions? Shouldn’t there be talks about impeachment? Shouldn’t he have to go spend time at Guantanamo Bay?
IF OUR president was charged and found guilty of murder, he would have to go before the courts! If he was found guilty running a red light; shouldn’t he be given a ticket? Now I ask you, where does it say that the President can do whatever he wants to do? Are we so conditioned by watching cute movies about the sins of the President, that we go away laughing? Are we so wrapped up in our own problems we figure when he gets caught, perhaps he will then be punished? Should the President be allowed to walk all over our laws and get away with it?
ARE YOU accountable to someone? I know that I am! As Christians we should be accountable to one another but in the long run we are accountable to God! In Romans Paul talks about the condition of those who died without hearing of Christ. He talks about the law that the Jews were under. "For no human being will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20 In this verse Paul was talking to the Jews; however, this also can apply to law in general. In the present state of human nature, perfect obedience to law is impossible. The law is a standard of measurement which makes man aware that he is a sinner, but does not offer him any hope of a way to escape from guilt.
WE HAVE LAWS that we must abide by. Parents institute laws for the children to live by; the schools provide laws within the school so we can learn; when we marry we are to abide by the laws of marriage. Our city and state has laws to keep us out of trouble. God has given us a way to live, that is not of the law of the Old Testament, but through His Son’s grace upon the cross. When we are obedient to God our reward is eminent; eternal life with the Father.
WHEN WE BREAK the laws that we live under, we find ourselves in trouble. We pay fines; go to jail; don’t get a diploma for learning; get a divorce; live in poverty. "But now in the present time He deals with men’s sins; to demonstrate His righteousness. In this way God shows that He Himself is righteous and that He puts right, everyone, who believes in Jesus." Romans 3:26 In the past God overlooked men’s sins and did not punish them immediately. But now, since the Cross and until time ends, God deals with men’s sins. We see that sin and salvation are not make-believe! God puts right with Him, those who reach out through faith to make themselves part of Christ. PRAY for our President that he will quickly meet up with Jesus Christ, and become the kind of President God has created him to be! Having a man of color for President, should have been a very good thing. It is not the color that is the problem, but the man! However, while there is breath; there is still hope! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/14/14
Saturday, November 8, 2014
WISH I MAY, WISH I MIGHT! 11/9/14
HAVE YOU EVER wished upon a star? I know I have, but I wouldn’t wish to have any of my dreams to come true today. Especially after having drank certain tea’s or have taken certain pills. Dreams are erratic enough without the aid of having consumed something to help you sleep. "I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish my dreams comes true tonight!" How spooky is that?
GOD PLACED the stars in the heaven’s to bring additional light so we could navigate. They are the directional’s that man has used from the beginning to guide over land and sea during the night. Today we have what they call GPS! It can be used day or night and recently the police were able to track a kidnapper because the car company had placed it in his car.
EVIL will find a way! So what a man thinks in his heart, he will do. What are your thoughts? What are your plans for today? What were you dreaming of yesterday? How are you doing so far? Ask yourself; "am I wealthy or rich with stuff? Am I successful in all of my financial endeavors?" I know that, in the sense that the world sees lots of money and stuff, I am far from living in those standards! So far, because of Christ, my life is far better than I could have ever dreamed it could be.
"FLEE THE EVIL desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord, out of a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22 This isn’t talking entirely about sensual desires, but the grand ambitions for power, becoming prideful, allowing brashness and stubbornness to rule you so that you can succeed. Those who are still in their youth, this passage is the encouragement you need to seek God’s kingdom first. Many of us remember our youth and our pursuits of happiness but today, we know the value of leaning upon the Lord.
MAKING PLANS is what most of us love to do. Making a plan for the day doesn’t always turn out as we planned. We had planned to sell our house this last Summer but it didn’t sell! Why? Haven’t a clue but it does go to show making plans doesn’t always mean success will follow. We can plan, but we shouldn’t place a lot of hope on the plan. We are just a puff of smoke. The day will come and go; we get older; our health is failing; but God is faithful!
MANY QUOTE Jeremiah 29:11 that says; "For I know the plans I have for you says, the Lord." I love that verse, but the plan God has is "Plans for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope." God’s plan is for us to seek His face and to call upon His Son and take Him as our Savior! That is for our welfare, giving us a future here to serve Him, and the hope of eternity in heaven. God’s plan excites me everyday; does it excite you?
LET"S LOOK at some scriptures in Proverbs. "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3 Committing our work to the Lord comes with paying attention to God’s will. God will not establish our plans if we are not walking with Him. "A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps." Proverbs 16:9 Get the picture? "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established." Proverbs 19:21 Is it getting clearer? Can you sink your teeth into this?
I PRAISE the Lord everyday for my husband. He sets the pattern for our lives and we both serve the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. One last verse to encourage all those who serve the Lord with gladness. The first part of Proverbs 21:5 says; "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance." Job lived a life full of days! Mary, the sister of Martha, lived a life doing what she could! We can live a life not seeking earthly rewards because we know that our eternity is with our Savior in heaven with the Father. How good is that? Living a life of thanksgiving is abundant living!
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/8/14
GOD PLACED the stars in the heaven’s to bring additional light so we could navigate. They are the directional’s that man has used from the beginning to guide over land and sea during the night. Today we have what they call GPS! It can be used day or night and recently the police were able to track a kidnapper because the car company had placed it in his car.
EVIL will find a way! So what a man thinks in his heart, he will do. What are your thoughts? What are your plans for today? What were you dreaming of yesterday? How are you doing so far? Ask yourself; "am I wealthy or rich with stuff? Am I successful in all of my financial endeavors?" I know that, in the sense that the world sees lots of money and stuff, I am far from living in those standards! So far, because of Christ, my life is far better than I could have ever dreamed it could be.
"FLEE THE EVIL desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord, out of a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22 This isn’t talking entirely about sensual desires, but the grand ambitions for power, becoming prideful, allowing brashness and stubbornness to rule you so that you can succeed. Those who are still in their youth, this passage is the encouragement you need to seek God’s kingdom first. Many of us remember our youth and our pursuits of happiness but today, we know the value of leaning upon the Lord.
MAKING PLANS is what most of us love to do. Making a plan for the day doesn’t always turn out as we planned. We had planned to sell our house this last Summer but it didn’t sell! Why? Haven’t a clue but it does go to show making plans doesn’t always mean success will follow. We can plan, but we shouldn’t place a lot of hope on the plan. We are just a puff of smoke. The day will come and go; we get older; our health is failing; but God is faithful!
MANY QUOTE Jeremiah 29:11 that says; "For I know the plans I have for you says, the Lord." I love that verse, but the plan God has is "Plans for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope." God’s plan is for us to seek His face and to call upon His Son and take Him as our Savior! That is for our welfare, giving us a future here to serve Him, and the hope of eternity in heaven. God’s plan excites me everyday; does it excite you?
LET"S LOOK at some scriptures in Proverbs. "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3 Committing our work to the Lord comes with paying attention to God’s will. God will not establish our plans if we are not walking with Him. "A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps." Proverbs 16:9 Get the picture? "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established." Proverbs 19:21 Is it getting clearer? Can you sink your teeth into this?
I PRAISE the Lord everyday for my husband. He sets the pattern for our lives and we both serve the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. One last verse to encourage all those who serve the Lord with gladness. The first part of Proverbs 21:5 says; "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance." Job lived a life full of days! Mary, the sister of Martha, lived a life doing what she could! We can live a life not seeking earthly rewards because we know that our eternity is with our Savior in heaven with the Father. How good is that? Living a life of thanksgiving is abundant living!
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/8/14
Saturday, November 1, 2014
RUN AFTER PEACE! 11/2/14
WHEN THERE is trouble it is hard to find peace, let alone seek it and pursue it. Through the years I have noticed that trouble is always lurking around every corner. But I have never tried to look for trouble! Trouble just seems to come and go just like every other life event. However, peace is something we all want! God says we are to seek peace and to pursue it! What does that mean in a world like ours.
MANY HAVE written about peace in the world and about the peace that God gives. I too have written about this before. However, we live in a world of constant turmoil and so we ponder, how can we live in peace.
PAUL writes to Timothy about the coming of apostasy. This is about those turning away from their own faith in God, and seeking their own pleasures. Paul never minces with words, he just says it like it is. "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, dissolute living, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people! For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of truth." 2 Timothy 3:1-7
DOES this sound like what is going on today? Can we find peace amongst these things? God says we can! Paul says to avoid such people. These are not the kind of people I hang out with, but I read about them in the papers and hear about them on the news. It use to be other countries and we called them 3rd world countries. But now it is here in America. Are we now considered a 3rd world country also?
BEHEADING has become murder of choice. And our country wants to ban guns! Next on the list will be knives. What about the heart? What about turning their destructive natures into seeking God’s truths! I don’t have to tell you readers of what is going on but I feel it is important that we Christians begin to stand up and speak God’s truth. We cannot turn our heads, shaking them in shame, and just go on!
"DEPART from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it!" Psalms 34:14 There it is! In this chapter, David is praising God’s goodness, and encouraging trust in the Lord; seeking Him with all our hearts. However, David is also warning against sin; how the righteous will be delivered, but the wicked will be condemned. Does that inspire us to have peace? It should! If we continue in the faith and are obedient to God’s word then we know we will be delivered into the bosom of Abraham! That is the peace that God promises to those who are faithful!
IN THE scriptures there were the Gentiles and the Jews. Paul was warning them against refusing God. In Hebrews chapter 12 beginning with verse 12 Paul encourages the people to push ahead with all their strength. "Try to be at peace with all men, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it." Hebrews 12:14 You must make an effort to be at peace with everyone including your enemies.
IN VERSE 15 Paul says that no one should turn back. Don’t be like the sheep that has gone astray. Christians are to work together to keep each other headed in the right direction. We live in a lost world but that doesn’t mean we are going down with it. Esau was a bad example because he sold his birth right. Let’s keep keeping on in the faith, regardless of what is happening in the world. Don’t give your future away out of immorality or from fear. Our God is faithful, lets be faithful also, and we shall find peace! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/31/14
MANY HAVE written about peace in the world and about the peace that God gives. I too have written about this before. However, we live in a world of constant turmoil and so we ponder, how can we live in peace.
PAUL writes to Timothy about the coming of apostasy. This is about those turning away from their own faith in God, and seeking their own pleasures. Paul never minces with words, he just says it like it is. "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, dissolute living, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people! For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of truth." 2 Timothy 3:1-7
DOES this sound like what is going on today? Can we find peace amongst these things? God says we can! Paul says to avoid such people. These are not the kind of people I hang out with, but I read about them in the papers and hear about them on the news. It use to be other countries and we called them 3rd world countries. But now it is here in America. Are we now considered a 3rd world country also?
BEHEADING has become murder of choice. And our country wants to ban guns! Next on the list will be knives. What about the heart? What about turning their destructive natures into seeking God’s truths! I don’t have to tell you readers of what is going on but I feel it is important that we Christians begin to stand up and speak God’s truth. We cannot turn our heads, shaking them in shame, and just go on!
"DEPART from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it!" Psalms 34:14 There it is! In this chapter, David is praising God’s goodness, and encouraging trust in the Lord; seeking Him with all our hearts. However, David is also warning against sin; how the righteous will be delivered, but the wicked will be condemned. Does that inspire us to have peace? It should! If we continue in the faith and are obedient to God’s word then we know we will be delivered into the bosom of Abraham! That is the peace that God promises to those who are faithful!
IN THE scriptures there were the Gentiles and the Jews. Paul was warning them against refusing God. In Hebrews chapter 12 beginning with verse 12 Paul encourages the people to push ahead with all their strength. "Try to be at peace with all men, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it." Hebrews 12:14 You must make an effort to be at peace with everyone including your enemies.
IN VERSE 15 Paul says that no one should turn back. Don’t be like the sheep that has gone astray. Christians are to work together to keep each other headed in the right direction. We live in a lost world but that doesn’t mean we are going down with it. Esau was a bad example because he sold his birth right. Let’s keep keeping on in the faith, regardless of what is happening in the world. Don’t give your future away out of immorality or from fear. Our God is faithful, lets be faithful also, and we shall find peace! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/31/14
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