ThanksGiving - Somehow Different Now //
Thanksgiving Messages to All
[ latest site update 11-09-06 ]
To the Have's and the Have-Not's and All Those In Between
This letter from my heart is simply an attempt to ratchet-up by a huge amount, the level and intensity of Thanks-Giving to God and/or to the many of our fellow mankind who love to give, of themselves, their time, energy, talents, goods, encouragement, etc. and so on. Also to increase the amount of sacrificial giving, especially of those who have a lot. And also to see a large increase in the grateful attitude of those who are truly in need and do receive from us.
Even to be thankful to our government that has put in place all of the societal mechanisms to make it possible for people to give, with and even above their taxes, to those in need. Even thanks for the fact that there are taxes and donations making it available for all who are in the American Family to get help when needed. I sincerely apologize for those who not only are not very appreciative and in fact clearly demonstrate their insistent desire to take advantage and “abuse the system” for their own benefit, but also for those who feel we have no business giving near as much as we do to those to whom we do give, regardless of who is receiving. When they need it then it may not be found. Or for those who feel that they are somehow “entitled” to whatever they think they should have just because they are Americans, as well as human beings. It’s the attitude we all find offensive, not the giving. Just like so many people who are upset with what is happening in Iraq and want us to get out of there, for many of them it is a matter of why should we die for those who do not seem to appreciate what has been done for them, and who in fact want us to die.
Here is some more to think about, especially now that we’re at the time of year when Thanks-Giving is around the corner. To all those who identify themselves as Christians, there are almost one hundred passages in the Bible that not only tell us who represent God to give liberally to the poor, and defend them when they are taken advantage of, and many more applications, but it also is quite clear how God feels about and towards those who are blessed by him and who refuse to give sacrificially. Including to un-wed mothers, widows, orphans, the disabled, the elderly, etc. Reaping what is sown, good or bad, may take a while to come back around for some, but it will come back, it always does. And for those who have received a lot of assistance, whether money or goods, or services, etc. either once or especially many times over, a whole lot more obvious genuine appreciation would help those who give as well as those of you who receive. I’m not just referring only to Social Services and those sources similar to them, but also even those who get discounts on goods and services, or even health insurance for example.
I’m well aware that most health insurance is not affordable to most but if you were to take a look at what you would have been paying without it, as many have to do, or just to see what is charged and what the goods and services cost, you certainly will be wonderfully thankful and appreciative that you even have it, as expensive as it is. I am currently out of work due to an on the job injury and my wife is disabled. I sat down one day and figured out just how much I would have had to pay for prescriptions alone just over the past ten years and I was astounded at how much of a discount I have been given from my source of prescription benefit, compared to what it would have been otherwise. I know I would not have been able to afford ninety percent of those prescriptions. I haven’t yet looked at all of the other areas I could calculate but that one alone was enough to make me step back and make a special effort to be Thankful.
Finally, here’s an idea to help those who have received, in all the ways I’ve mentioned and more, be far more overtly in making a point to be appreciative, first to God who sits above all of these “needs and deeds” and keeps account, but also to those who give, especially sacrificially. Compile a list of what you would have had to pay for the things you were either given free or at a discount or, as in the case of health insurance, what you would pay without it. Remember, I’m trying to ratchet-up a few notches the desire to be more grateful than ever. My family and I from time to time have had to make use of the different sources of goods and services to help us along.
Yes, I know that we pay too much for medical and health coverage, and the insurance industry does not need as high of a profit margin as they get. Yes I know that the pharmaceutical industry charges way more than they should as well. Yes I know that CEO’s generally rake the public in general in too many cases by the size of their salaries and bonuses, etc. Yes I know that white collar crime and corruption is rampant in our society and culture. Yes I know that the oil companies and a whole number of others are doing the same. Even our taxes are not being spent as prudently and as responsibly as they should be making us want to have practically no more taxes. But which one of these facts I’ve listed is a legitimate enough reason to not be thankful to God and to the others who are not participating in the gouging of humankind in the name of good-business-sense, or good marketing. I venture to say there is not one reason powerful enough to keep any of us from being way more thankful than we have ever been and do some things to make it better.
I heard I think it was Warren Buffet and Bill Gates on T.V. one day saying that they feel the rich should be taxed more than they are. Of course we would all want to wrangle over who is in that category but I also saw on T.V. one night how there are more and more people becoming millionaires in the west and all around the world. Of course not as fast as there are those becoming poor mind you but the tax base of the rich is increasing, and even though many of them are already into philanthropy, a great many aren’t. It was meant for those who have to sacrificially give to those who have not. So that we can be more divinely blessed and blessed in our souls. I also feel that there are way too many who want to make the needy jump through too many hoops, as they say, to see if they are worthy of a blessing. [ I’m not referring to social services such as food stamps, etc. ] If it looks as though the person may never get rich or financially stable then they shouldn’t get a gift. It’s our destiny to give. We just had a major flood hit our area and there are still many people who need, yes, a handout, as well as other types of provision and blessings.
To our present elected officials everywhere in our land, from now on. Make all forms of Health-Care truly affordable for all, not just for some. Be far and above way more fiscally responsible in managing, budgeting, and spending our tax dollars, Change the tax codes to tax the rich way more than they are and to put salary caps on high paid CEO’s and Politicians, professional athletes, and others. We do not just simply need a higher minimum wage but a bigger break on the various costs of living for those who are in the low income categories. We can do this, we will figure it out, we are Americans. We’ve never been short on ideas only recently on implementation and enforcement. As obese as so many Americans are, [including me a little bit], it’s amazing how little amount of gut’s we have to get done what needs to be done.
I also thank God I am a native of Broome County, America, and this area and live amongst many people here who anyone would be proud to call their neighbor.
Dead Man's Clothes
For many years now my wife and I have gotten a lot of our clothes from clothing banks of different kinds and places. My wife has always been able to find, [thank the Lord] some very nice things for her and me and even our children and grandchildren. It’s been easy to tell for me though that a great many of the clothes she would bring home for me, which seem to be in a “batch” of the same size, were from someone who had “passed away”. Of course I probably don’t even know who they were but at the time it was a blessing from the Lord and my wife, who even though she has done this kind of shopping for most of our life together, there was a time when she complained about having to do so because of wanting brand new things. I think she has gotten used to this way now. All of us who have been recipients of her clothing hunts have really gotten some nice things, but each time it’s hard for me not to “wonder” a bit about who passed away and left “me “ their clothes. I’ve never been irritated by this or upset in any way like that, but it has always had a way of making me “remember”, as though I were doing a last rites memorial for the person. “Thank You God for these clothes and for the person who owned them and those who left them for you to show my wife when and where to find them”. Maybe it’s just me wanting to honor the living and the dead, to some degree. It’s almost like “organ donation” and the clothing someone wears has just as much significance to those around them as their internal organs do.
Along those lines let me talk briefly about another honored person who’s clothes I wear. The Bible talks about us being allowed to and also required to “put on Christ” and “His Robe of Righteousness”. This was only possible because of His death and departure from this world almost 2000yrs. ago. And not only myself but everyone who would “come after Him” can also “wear” His clothes. His “robes and clothes” are now massed produced brand new in Heaven for all of the whosoever will’s to wear as soon as they are ready willing and able. They are tailored after Jesus size [not ours] and are not in a thrift store. They come right from the hand of God. To “put on Christ” of course means way more than just jumping into a Christian Suit of some kind and walking around “as though” you knew him well. You can’t even get his clothes issued to you unless you “know Him” in His present glorified risen state. We cannot even get into the Kingdom of God without wearing his clothes. Especially the “Robe of His Righteousness”. No unclothed people allowed and no one with their own “filthy rags”. I’m proud to not only know Him personally but to have his Spirit grant me the honor and privilege of “wearing that dead man’s clothes”.
It's Thanks Giving Time Again
If you've received any of my messages before you know me, I feel I have an assignment to deliver messages that the Spirit of God lays upon my heart that are usually discovered to be very important to some who read them.
For many years I have felt urged to do this and have only done so in a very small circle of friends or maybe a few e-mails here and there. I may send some letters to the editor [not many get posted] or on a couple of websites I write for, or even to various government officials, etc. but not really that often or that widespread. But I have been told repeatedly to do so in a more widespread public way and until recently I have been very reluctant. One of the main reasons is because so many of the messages I get are so controversial I cringe at the thought of the reputation I'll get. This is a sin on my part. It is the fear of man. Period. Now I understand that there can be a fine line between discretion and urgency in delivering these kinds of messages, no matter who you are. But honestly that has been more of an excuse for me than a legitimate reason. For this I can only confess and repent and apologize. That being said here is a message that I feel strongly to get out there and I pray that it will have it's full effect. Please forward any messages you receive from me if you feel so inclined. If you want to be on my list of those receiving regular messages please let me know by e-mail. I will be sending a lot more of these out from now on, probably weekly. Any feedback or critique is welcomed.
Recently in the news different major network talk show hosts have been championing domestic and social causes that are not at all trivial things that many believe are the only thing on the talk shows. For example, Oprah has started a campaign to combat the problem of convicted sex offenders in our country and even outside of our country. Her success so far has been stunning and has nabbed numerous offenders that were previously not found by the authorities. Dr. Phil has begun to champion the cause of helping to locate missing young girls and women who are kidnapped and sold into the sex slave trade around the world. This is just to name a couple of them. I'm not just trying to get you to start watching these programs. We have to use wisdom and discretion from the Spirit of God.
But for a long time now I have been specially directed to watch them on occasion and even expose myself to numerous other secular sources of news and information on TV, Radio, Magazines, and others. It has been used by the Spirit of God to open the door to insights and revelations, so to speak, that I have been urged to incorporate into my prayer and ministry life. We should be the ones doing these things alongside of or in place of them.
Part of the message I'm delivering to someone today is that it's way past time for us as followers of Jesus Christ the Lord to stop avoiding everything that is going on "out there" in society and our neighbors world around us and become stable enough to allow the Holy Spirit to show us how to impact our world for Christ through what we get exposed to. I believe the Holy Scriptures teach us to become the main participants in the kinds of things that reach out to help the lost. God Bless Oprah and Dr. Phil and the others who are showing that they care a lot about the things in life that are hurting people, thank you God for their efforts. But I believe that that same God has been trying to get us out of church and our many bless me clubs, so to speak, and into peoples lives, so that
he can use us to help them and use that help to lead them to him. This is not a plug for door to door visitation, even though that has it's place. But there's a lot more we can do besides that. Maybe you're already doing
witnessing and passing out tracks, etc. Maybe you should be quiet now and do something the world doesn't expect or usually see us doing. Laying down our comfortable lives and our realms of convenience and give the
Lord a chance to change peoples lives, not just their beliefs.
Now I know there are those organizations and individuals that have been around for a long time that are doing much of that already. i.e. The Salvation Army, Sisters of Charity, Volunteers of America, CHOW, and on
and on. But the amount of them and their efforts compared to the size and number of problems people are having is not even close. Brothers and sisters, we are the ones who are supposed to take the lead here. And if
not the lead, then a strong showing of participation. Either joining forces with those already involved, [leave your doctrines at the door] or starting our own organizations to help out. But just like the talk show hosts have done, they found some needs that were not being met on a large scale and have done so themselves. God Bless them and I pray for what they are doing. If the Lord can't get us out of our comfort zones and do like they are doing then we should pray for them. You better believe it was the Lord urging them to do so because we haven't. I'm not just referring to food and clothing banks, and things like that already going on, although they do need a lot of warm bodies to help. But there are many many things going on in peoples lives that are not being addressed and we are supposed to be the ones doing the majority of it, as we're able to. Stop following the advise of those who say don't help these people because they are either criminals, they don't deserve it, they will be ungrateful or wasteful, etc. What about the literally millions of people who are truly needy who will be wise and grateful and law abiding and they are turning to the lost world for their help. Plus the others. Within the ranks of those naming the name of Christ are literally billions of dollars that should be getting spent on those needy people I'm referring to instead of on our fancy homes and cars and vacations and numerous spiritual conferences, etc. You may say, I can't afford to give any money. But you can pray. And not just for yourselves and your family members. The Bible says to pray always. I've met tons of people who say, "what do you pray about for an hour"? There are so many things that literally would keep us in prayer "all the time" if we would expose ourselves to them. Were you aware of praying for the families of the victims of crimes, children that have been molested and abused or kidnapped, those in deep depression or mental health torment, shut in
handicapped and elderly that hardly ever get any visitors. The list goes on. Maybe you're already doing these things. Maybe you need to pray more. Maybe you need to ask the Holy Spirit to show you which sources of information to look at that will help you pray.
When Jesus walked the earth and healed all who came to him [when he went to them] he did not just simply do those things for them to show future generations of believers that Jesus doesn't want anyone sick, and if anyone gets sick then we are supposed to heal them and that's how they come to the Lord. He did it primarily [not exclusively though] to show that he, God, cared about what they were going through each day of their lives, that he knew life was hard, that he knew they were suffering terrible things. He wanted to show them that God wanted to help them and in turn they may choose to love him and follow him. Agape Love is unconditional but somehow many feel that that is only supposed to apply to certain people. I'm sure the Father knew which people he told Jesus to heal that were going to be some of the ones that cried out "crucify him". Even some of them were criminals, wasteful poor people, etc. But he still healed them anyways, he still taught them the Gospel of the Kingdom. And I don't believe he did that so that he could punish them extra for being ungrateful. I love that song that says "Open My Eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus". The Bible says that He is where the needy are. Behold.................