Fall, 2001

The End Times
By iona Hoeppner

Yes, dear ones, we are indeed in those last days! And we have been chosen for this time... we are the "sent ones" for this period and He has a job for us each to do...

This is not a time for petty niceties but a time to press on and see that we not remain silent watchers of the lost making their wayfaring way towards the gates of hell...

A word of caution must also be heard... always follow the leading of the Holy Spirit when witnessing... We are spokeswomen for Christ Jesus and must be diligent to never pervert His message with our own opinions...

I praise the Father that He has placed us upon the dying earth at such a crucial time... For He trusts us much and has prepared us for a mighty work for His glory...

There may be times of suffering, hardship, and sorrows... but under it all joyfully flows that river of Living Water!

Be in prayer, dear ones and make yourselves available... Then let Him do the calling!

"THE CHRISTIAN'S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE"
Submitted by Buffy Albertson
(Author Known By God)

I AM FREE FROM FAILURE for "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

I AM FREE FROM WANT for "my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

I AM FREE FROM FEAR for "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

I AM FREE FROM DOUBT for "God hath given to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

I AM FREE FROM WEAKNESS, "for the Lord is the strength of my life." (Psalms 27:1) and "The people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits." (Daniel 11:32)

I AM FREE FROM THE POWER OF SATAN "for greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

I AM FREE FROM DEFEAT "for God always causeth me to triumph in Christ Jesus." (2 Corinthians 2:14)

I AM FREE FROM IGNORANCE, "for Christ Jesus is made unto me wisdom from God." (1 Corinthians 1:30)

I AM FREE FROM SIN, "for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

I AM FREE FROM WORRY "for I am to cast my cares upon Him." (1 Peter 5:7)

I AM FREE FROM BONDAGE, "for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17)

I AM FREE FROM CONDEMNATION, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8:1)

THANKSGIVING - THE PROBLEM IS, TO WHOM?
By: Jeremy Reynalds

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (ANS) --It's almost "Thanksgiving" again. Yes, Thanksgiving. It's a time when we give "thanks." The problem is, to whom? A few years ago, most people when asked this question would, without hesitating, have said we give thanks to God.

But last year, one would hardly have guessed that by looking at the Thanksgiving "offerings" available from America on Line. "Thanksgiving on AOL," billed as an AOL "special," talked more about turkeys, food and celebrities than giving thanks to God.

And while those links are admittedly still there and the front page of the Thanksgiving forum on AOL is graced by a caricature of a turkey, there does seem to be a remarkable change in the forum's focus this year about what people are thankful for.

For example, one writer this year commented "I am thankful for being a part of the Family of God. I am most thankful for the opportunity to wake each morning in my right mind; having the ability to care for myself; and a desire to help those less fortunate. Having a family that expresses love will always bring thanksgiving to me. Realizing that life is precious and that I am still a part of it makes me ever so grateful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

That's in contrast to one forum participant last year who sarcastically wrote that "My life stinks so bad I want to find god (sic) and kill him."

Another writer in the forum this year said, "I am thankful that we know about god (sic) and my country and the freedom I have. My parents, my friends, and the rest of my family. My pets and all the precious things we have on this precious land."

That's a whole lot more encouraging than one posted last year which read, "There is nothing better than stuffing yourself full of turkey and deserts, and then kicking back with a lot of beer and watching the best sport – ‘football.'"

Celebrating Thanksgiving on AOL this year is more of a reflective, somber experience than previously. But it's a whole lot more real, as well. After all, who cares about taking part in an "exciting" on line poll like the one offered last year in which you could choose with which celebrity you would most like to eat Thanksgiving Dinner. Survey participants had options of a list that included Britney Spears, Barbara Streisand, Prince William, Charlie Brown, Bill Clinton and Ralph Nader. (Al Gore and George W. Bush were conspicuously absent!)

Then there was that poll headlined "For men only" which invited guys to take "The Holiday Turkey Quiz." Showing a picture of a man with his face inside a turkey, guys were asked, "Are you a bigger turkey than the gigantic roasted bird on the Thanksgiving menu? Don't be that guy. Take our quiz and find out if you're fit to sit at the grown ups table."

The first question read, "Your significant other invites you to her family's home for the holidays. Your response is: do we have to go, how long do we have to stay, can I watch the game during dinner or what can I bring?"

After 9-11, somehow "entertainment" like that just doesn't seem appropriate any more. For a number of years the reflection and gratitude that should have been a part of Thanksgiving has been mostly replaced by eating and entertainment for an ever-increasing number of Americans. If they even gave thanks at all, it was for gratitude of sorts for a day (or more) off work and the opportunity to guzzle beer while watching their team of choice, all the while glued to the television. I think 9-11 changed that significantly.

With that in mind, I don't think the writer to the AOL Thanksgiving forum last year who was unable to see any connection at all between the Lord and Thanksgiving would get much of a look in this year. This individual with a screen name of "Just Wanna be Happy" wrote, "Since when is Thanksgiving a religious holiday? Please people, stop thanking God for every little thing you have, and start giving yourself some credit. Don't thank God for the great job you have--thank yourself for your hard work. Don't thank God for your wonderful children--praise yourself for bringing them up to be wonderful. There may be a God, but if there is, we are not his puppets."

How incredibly sad! The events of September 11 have shown us how much we really do need God and how much we as a nation still have to give thanks for. It really is way past time that we stopped taking for granted the wonderful freedoms that we enjoy in our great nation and returned to the giving of thanks to God. (Hopefully even the ACLU will see that Thanksgiving day is just that – a day to give thanks, not just guzzle turkey).

Way back in 1789, President George Washington proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving. This was the first ever presidential proclamation issued in the United States and read, "Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer..."

Sounds pretty good to me. However, not everyone was in favor of this National Day of Thanksgiving. It took 74 years and President Lincoln to set things straight. In his 1863 proclamation, Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

After describing all of America's blessing, Lincoln wrote "No human counsel has devised nor has 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."

Lincoln also encouraged his fellow citizens that while praising the Almighty for his blessings they also needed to exercise "humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience ... and to fervently implore the (intervention) of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union."

Since that time, Thanksgiving has been proclaimed by every President. So as we get closer to Thanksgiving Day, stop and giving thanks to the God of the Bible – Lincoln's God and my God too – for the many blessings which you enjoy. And while you're about it, thank God that you live under the presidential rule of George W. Bush and not the Taliban.

For more information contact Jeremy Reynalds at Joy Junction. Tel: (505) 877-6967 or (505) 463-2873 http://www.joyjunction.org

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Author: Iona Hoeppner
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