How to Handle President Biden

2 CommentsPastor's P.O.V., Prayer, , , ,

PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS SWORN IN TODAY. Half of Americans are rejoicing, the other half are worrying about what the future holds for America.

Regardless of how you voted or whether you are happy or sad, laughing or mad, there’s something you can do that can and will change the course of this country, influence the governance of our new President and grant you a semblance of peace no matter your political persuasion.

Pray.

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Christmas Vs. ChristMYTHS

1 CommentPastor's P.O.V., Special Days, , , ,

THE BABY JESUS WAS NOT BORN ON DECEMBER 25.

What? Are you kidding me? Nope.

The Christmas season brings with it a lot of great and wonderful traditions, but have you ever thought how these customs came about? You may be surprised! Let’s start with that Christmas date.

The early church in the first few centuries did not celebrate the birth of Jesus arguing against celebrating all birthdays of saints and martyrs. The early church fathers suggested that saints should be honored on the day they died for Jesus.

Previous dates for His birth were January, March, April, May and November. It’s not exactly clear why the church settled on December 25th, but the first recorded reference to it was in the 3rd century.

The date we now celebrate was probably to replace the pagan holiday, “The Birthday of the Unconquered Sun,” which honored the sun god on what they thought was the first day of the Winter Solstice. It’s fitting that the “Sun of Righteousness,” Jesus, “will rise with healing in his wings” on the darkest day of the year as the Light of the World.

Here are some other Christmas tradition origins: Kissing under the mistletoe may have come from a Druid tradition where enemies would meet underneath it and would stop fighting to declare a truce.

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A Little Bit of Hangin’

Pastor's P.O.V.

Abraham Lincoln once listened to the pleas of the mother of a soldier who’d been sentenced to hang for treason. She begged the President to grant a pardon. Lincoln agreed. Yet, he’s reported to have left the lady with the following words: “Still, I wish we could teach him a lesson. I wish we could give him just a little bit of hangin’.”

I’ve always loved reading those words from a short devotional written by Pastor Max Lucado. I always remember that little article after Thanksgiving Day is past when the time for giving thanks is over and I start to take things for granted once again.

His little devotion reminds me of the brevity of life, and how one day a person we love is here, but the next they may be gone.

Lucado explained what “a little bit of hangin’” meant when describing an incident that happened while friends were gathered at his home:

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Thank the Universe and an Aspargus

2 CommentsPastor's P.O.V., Special Days, , ,

THE WORST THANKSGIVING SERVICE I ever saw advertised was from a church in Dripping Springs that had a special “Thanking the Earth” ceremony. And the silliest bumper sticker ever stuck to a Hyundai said this: “Did you thank a green plant today?” How far away from God these people are to thank the creation and not the Creator.

The Babylon Bee reported that “local atheist Hal Woodring is preparing his heart to humbly show gratitude to the cold, mechanical processes that randomly led to mankind’s existence and his own fleeting life this Thanksgiving, sources confirmed Friday. Woodring plans to bow his head silently before partaking in his family’s extravagant Thanksgiving feast Thursday evening to give thanks to the meaningless, cold, inconsequential universe for preserving him and allowing him to partake in its bounty. His family members report that he does this every Thanksgiving, pausing to thank the meaningless, vast, and ancient universe that doesn’t care at all whether they live or die.”

That was satire, but it wasn’t far from the truth.

Religion News Service reports that atheists and the non-religious have a Thanksgiving called “secular grace” which invokes no deity and has no spirituality, yet it still fulfills a need.

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The Morning After the Election 2020

2 CommentsPastor's P.O.V.

THE MORNING AFTER THE BALLOTS WERE TALLIED, the sun came up, the birds started singing, morning coffee was made, breakfasts were consumed, and families were late to church again. People went deer hunting, or to their friend’s homes or to a million other places. A dog barked somewhere off in the distance. Life went on.

As usual.

Why? Because God is still on the throne, in control, large and in charge. Nothing escaped his gaze; he holds all things together.

Many felt great elation while others profound disappointment over who God put into office and who he didn’t. Remember this: “It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” (Psalm 75:7) Whomever got elected was God’s man or woman.

Thank Him. Praise Him. Our God knows what he is doing.

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