Joy

THANKSGIVING!

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Frankly Speaking,

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.” ~ Psalm 100:4 NLT


THANKSGIVING! What does THANKSGIVING mean to you and your family? Is it all about THE BIG MEAL with friends and family, and then the leftovers? Is it THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE televised in New York? Could it be THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW after the parade? What about THE FOOTBALL GAMES with all the hoopla? Is it that NATURE WALK later in the day? Maybe, that’s just us. 😊

This is how THE DAY started one-hundred-sixty years ago…

Proclamation 118 ~ THANKSGIVING DAY, 1864
“Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe. And I do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust and from thence offer up penitent and fervent prayers and supplications to the Great Disposer of Events for a return of the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased Him to assign as a dwelling place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations.”

Let us not forget THE ONE to WHOM THANKSGIVING is due. Give thanks with a grateful heart for the things He has done for you. Not thankful? You read this, right? Thank Him for sight, breath, etc.😊

LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS.

Blessings in CHRIST,

Pastor Wes

I PETER 3:15

GOD’S WORK ~ GOD’S WAY!

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FRANKLY SPEAKING,

But as THE ARK OF THE LORD’S COVENANT entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David skipping about and laughing with joy, she was filled with contempt for him. ~ I Chronicles 15:29

GOD’S WORK ~ GOD’S WAY! ~ Let’s review last week. King David wanted to move THE ARK OF THE COVENANT back to Jerusalem. He basically took a survey, and everyone thought it was “the right thing to do.” However, they left GOD out of the process. A man named Uzzah tried to steady THE ARK as it appeared to fall, and he was killed by GOD for touching THE ARK. We ended the sermon possibly thinking GOD was unfair. Go back and watch. 😊

FIRST, we must come to the realization that GOD is GOD, and we are not! When GOD makes a promise, HE never fails! HE promised HE would redeem us in Genesis 3:15, and HE fulfilled HIS promise. HE promised that HIS holiness was represented in THE ARK, and HE told the people exactly how to move it. HE warned them that if they touched it, then they would die. Why do we pick and choose when to believe GOD’S promises?  We argue with HIM when we disagree with HIS Promises? We seem to want Santa Claus instead of GOD!

SECOND, in today’s passage (I Chronicles 15:1-29), King David seeks GOD’S approval rather than a human consensus.  What a difference that makes! Too often, we, ministers, are more concerned with the opinion of the congregants rather than that of the CREATOR. When King David moved THE ARK ~ GOD’S WAY, everything went well and a HOLY GHOST party broke out. GOD first life!

THIRD, David danced for joy before THE LORD. He was not “showing off.” Michal’s reaction to King David’s worship is a vivid picture of our worship. (v 29 above) In my experience, someone somewhere is always filled with contempt whenever you worship GOD honestly and openly. It is too much for them to handle. Worship anyway! When worshiping GOD, never look out, look around, or look back. Always look up!  GOD’S WORK ~ GOD’S WAY!  😊

Living in THE SHADOW of the CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15

CHRISTMAS KENOSIS!

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FRANKLY SPEAKING,

6 Though HE was GOD, HE did not think of equality with GOD as something to cling to. 7 Instead, HE gave up HIS divine privileges; HE took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When HE appeared in human form, 8 HE humbled HIMSELF in obedience to GOD and died a criminal’s death on a cross.                                                        Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

CHRISTMAS KENOSIS! What isKENOSIS? Think about your dream vacation. One commercial has a family dreaming of a trip to the beach, then the narrator leads them to think bigger. So, they decide to go to Hawaii. That is their paradise.Imagine living in the most beautiful place you can think of. Look around at all the majestyand glorious mountains, seashores, valleys, or other landscapes that sooth your soul. Now, take your imagination one step further. Picture yourself in charge of everyone and everything there in your paradise! You are in control of it all. You are not merely a resident; you are the king or queen of this eutopia ~ for all time.  Heavenly, right?

You discover a problem. There is another land where everything is in ruin. The people have no hope, no light, no joy, and no peace. You know that you can go there and change all of that. However, in order to help these people, you must become like them. You must take off your title and leave this wonderful home. You know that you will not be respected or honored when you arrive. You cannot arrive as a royal dignitary; you must take on the role of a servant or slave in order to help these people. In fact, ultimately, you will have to give your life to save these people. Is it worth it to you?

My friend, that is KENOSIS! JESUS CHRIST left HIS home in heaven with angels following HIS every command to become a baby born in a feeding trough in a cave because even a shabby hotel would not have HIM. HE was born to very poor parents who could not honor HIM as THE KING deserved. It gets much worse! As we celebrate CHRISTMAS and the birth of THIS BABY who came to save us, never forget that HE was wrapped in “swaddling clothes.” HE did not come to live on earth with us; HE came to die for us on a filthy wooden cross so we could live forever. That is The KENOSIS of CHRISTMAS!

Living in THE SHADOW of the CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15


PS ~ This illustration breaks down because…. unlike JESUS, you and I could never be:

Omnipotent: all powerful

Omniscient: all knowing

Omnipresent: in all places

JESUS left heaven to became a baby to live and die for you and me! That’s Christmas Kenosis ~ WOW!