The Thankful Ones

Battleship Arizona Memorial

I was two years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked and we entered the second world war. The battleship Arizona was sunk with almost 1200 casualties. The survivors of this ship are few and old. Over thirty have returned to be with their fallen brothers in ash filled urns. So many young men died, but a few lived to be old men with thankful hearts.

 

One of last USS Arizona survivors returns to ship for last time - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

I am thankful that when I could have died of cancer as a young man that God allowed me to live to be an old man, young in spirit. I thank God for life and the new life in Jesus Christ. I thank God for a loving wife and wonderful children and grandchildren. I thank God for families and kin and the kinship of those in God's family. May we celebrate this Thanksgiving in the company of friends. Jesus is our best friend; thank you Jesus.Most of my friends are old in age but young in spirit. I do not look forward to a burial in an urn with my buddies, but I look beyond the grave to a place of life and goodness, joy and peace. I thank God that he came to me as a young man and although I went through some hard times, he was always near. We must look at life through our redeemed spirit. For greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world. Greater is the eternal spirit made alive in Christ Jesus, then the flesh body of the world.

Psa 100:1  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Psa 100:2  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psa 100:3  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psa 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psa 100:5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 

Anniversaries

 

 

My son and daughter in law are about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. It was only 15 years ago that we celebrated our 25th anniversary. I married Faye who had a handsome three year old son from a previous marriage. He was married at the age of 18 and joined the Marines and was in the Operation Desert Storm war. He is quite a gifted son and a good husband and father who loves the Lord.

 

Thinking back 15 years; this was when we began the Eaglewings ministry online. The Internet was a new thing in 1998 for most people and AOL was the starting place for most people. This gave us a lot of people to chat with and several hundred were led to Jesus.

 

Israel had feasts and Sabbath days to remember. They were to remember their covenant of the law. We are to remember the cross of Jesus and our faithfulness to him. Anniversaries are to remember the good things of the past and covenants that were made. The antichrist spirit is trying to erase the good traditions of our past and to replace them with ungodly laws and sinful ways. We are to remember and keep the things that are good and holy.

 

Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

The Apostle Paul gave us reminders too.

2Ti 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 1:14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

We are to remember the good things, the promises made and hold fast to them. My folks were married 65 years and our covenant with Jesus is forever.

Arise and Shine

When we used to visit my folks before they went home to the LORD, my mother would say to us "you bring life to us." I remember back when I was a young man in the hospital; my mom and dad would come to be with me every day and when my two older brothers would visit, they brought life and strength to me. When our ministry team brings music and the gospel message twice a week to the rest home services, some of them say to us that we bring life to them. Jesus is our light and the life that brought us the light of God. His presence continues in those he has saved. We are his light in this sin darkened world.

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isa 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

This refers to Israel in the Millennium, when the Lord comes in the midst of his chosen people Israel, but the application is for now, to those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. Look around and we see the darkness covering the earth. Sin and shame and fear and despair cover the land, but we are not just from the land, we are made heavenly creations in Christ Jesus, his ambassadors and light bearers.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What then? As ambassadors for Christ, we are not to be hidden in the darkness, but to get up and get out and shine for Jesus. Not only shine in appearance but with the word of life. We are not to be in darkness and gloom, we are to be like Jesus: full of life. He has arisen and his glory will be seen on us for we are in Christ by faith and the giving of his Holy Spirit. As He shined at the Mount of transfiguration, so we shall shine with a holy glow from within. We also are to associate with others of his light, encouraging one another, showing that we are one people of God; the Church of Jesus Christ and the chosen of God.

Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

The darkness needs the light from Jesus. Those who are of God, will come out of darkness; those who remain, prefer the darkness. Politically correct people of darkness, may persecute those of the light. It is God who makes the laws, not man. Any law that transgresses the law of God is sin and darkness. God is not mocked, for the light shines and that which is true will gladly respond to that light, and not come against it.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Great is thy faithfulness

Lam 3:19  Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 

Lam 3:20  My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 

Lam 3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 

Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 

Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 

Lam 3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 

Lam 3:25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 

Lam 3:26  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 

? CeCe Winans - Great Is Thy Faithfulness (with lyrics) - YouTube

It was supposed to be sunny for a week. 

You cannot trust a man's forecast, but God is faithful.

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou for ever will be 

A gentle rain on the pond at the end of the day and the mallards swim over  to see if I have any bread,
 sorry no bread just a picture.

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

The pond has a special feel to it on this cloudy afternoon.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love 

Cottonwood leaves sing in the breeze that God is faithful.

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me
Great is thy faithfulness 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm