A Thanksgiving Parable

Once upon a time there was very wise and loving father who lived in a village far away.  He lived there with his children who he dearly loved.  Though the father was much more wealthy than any other person in town, He and His children lived a very simple life together.  Life was so simple for these children, because their greatest delight was simply spending time with their father.  Day after day the children talked with their father, learned from their father (they didn’t go to a public school, because they were taught by their father who was the smartest man in the village), played with their father, ate with their father and enjoyed the intimate company of their father and one another.  Their father loved them more than any other father loved any other children in the entire village.

            As the children grew older and more mature this loving father wanted to give them wonderful gifts.  He wanted these gifts to be enjoyable to them.  He also wanted these gifts to come from his own vast riches.  One by one the father gave his children gifts with which they could play, work, travel and learn.  They were each very pleased and very thankful for all of their wonderful gifts.  Each day these children would wake up and go talk to their father and tell him how thankful they were for their gifts.        

            After several years of receiving, enjoying and being so thankful for all the gifts the father gave them, these children began spending more time with the gifts than they did with their loving father.  In fact the father was very sad that his children spent more time enjoying their new gifts than they did enjoying him.  It seemed to him that the gifts he gave them out of his love for them, were now destroying their relationship with him. 

            Over time the children grew distant to their father.  Their gifts consumed them more and more.  To make things worse the children, who had always been so close and giving to one another, began fighting over their gifts. 

            When the father approached the children with the desire to have time together with them, they always had responsibilities related to these gifts.  One might say, “Father, I have maintenance to do on this gift, and do not really have time to come see You right now.”  Another would say, “Father, I would love to come be with you and the rest of our family, but I have to work overtime to pay for the taxes on the gifts.”  Still another would say, “Father, I know it would be good to come by to see you, but I work 6 days a week to pay for the accessories for the gift, and only have one day to relax and enjoy it.”  Some actually had appointments to show their gifts around to others.  Finally, there were those who so loved their gifts they just simply did not see the importance of visiting the Father.  In fact, they would say, “Father, when I am enjoying my gift I think of You, so it is not necessary for me to come to Your house to see you.”  Life…for these children…had become all about the gifts and not so much about their gracious Father.

            After many years, however, the children’s gifts began to break, tear up, get lost, wear out or become uninteresting.  As this happened all the children responded differently.  Some became angry at their father for giving them gifts that would tear up, and they would not speak to him anymore.  They totally isolated themselves from him.  Still others had completely forgotten who gave them the gifts in the first place, so they wandered about aimlessly looking for more gifts.  Another group of the children, who had not spoken to their father much, called him and asked him to send them more gifts.  And, there were even those children who were so infatuated with their gifts that, when they saw the gifts were tearing up or unfulfilling, they began to try to replace this emptiness with drugs, alcohol, or broken relationships.  Worst of all, some of the other children actually left their own families just to pursue more gifts that the Father never wanted them to have.  All of these children were very sad and never really regained the joy they once had with their father.

            However, there was one group of children who realized what they had done and ran back to their father to have a close relationship with him again.  This group of children asked their father to forgive them.  You see, they had learned a very important lesson:  “When a loving father’s good gifts to his children become a barrier to Him,  those gifts can no longer be truly enjoyed.  Neither can a person be truly thankful for them”      

            Matthew 6:24-25,33

            “No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.  Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?   But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

A Baby Doll Shall Lead Them.

 

 Statistics have shown in recent times that Islam is the fastest growing religion in America.  I know some who are Muslims, and I have only love and concern for them.  I want them to see that there is only one way to God and Allah is not that way.  I want every Muslim to see that Jesus Christ offers the only way to salvation and eternal life.

 

That being the case, it is crucial that the message of salvationa and Christ get into the marketplace of our culture.  Many Christians are so concerned that they might offend someone with their message that they fail to share it.  But, make no mistake about it, many in the Islamic faith are not timid about communicating the message of Islam whenever and wherever possible. 

 

Do you doubt that?  If so, read the following letter written by Reverend Tim Millwood, who is a former pastor and current Associational Missionary for the Rehoboth Baptist Association in Middle Georgia.  Also, check the link below it for proof.  I have personally checked out the claims in this letter and they are absolutely true.

 

 

 

Dear pastors and leaders,

        Please take a second and read this. I want you to know I often delete emails about suspicious or radical subjects, not because we are not to be vigilant, but because I don’t want to be an alarmist, and because blogs often contain inaccurate information. I heard about a new Fisher Price doll called “Little Mommy-Real Loving Baby” with a message in it’s voice. This has been verified in stores locally by Dr. Johnny Ellison and his wife, Elissa (of Green Acres BC). In between coos and ahs, this doll says plainly: “Islam is the light.” (Yes, they tested numerous dolls and they were all the same.)

    If there were such a doll with a Christian message and it were not sold in Christian Bookstores and clearly marked as containing such a message, imagine the outcry! Imagine a child 2-5 years old who hears this subliminal message over and over. I won’t try to tell you what to do about this. I’m going to pray about it before I do anything. But, I think Mattel/Fisher Price should hear from Christians, and as a minimum, I think parents and shoppers should be warned of this before the Christmas season! I would not pass this on if it were not from such a trustworthy source.

 

 

In Christ, Tim Millwood 

 

 

 

Here is a video of it if you want to see it.

 

http://www.metacafe.com/w/1869452/

 

Be vigilant my friends and keep the faith.

Have you gotten over election day?

On November 5, 2008 the front page of the USA Today newspaper read in small block letters:  “America Makes History.”  Then, in enormous block letters: “Obama Wins”.   The impact of the election the day before was enormous.

 

 

 

The local Macon Telegraph rehearsed a quote from president elect Obama’s acceptance speech that simply read, “Let us summon a new spirit” with a full color picture.

Two days have come and gone since the election.  Headlines still ring out loud with the scenes of a historic election:

In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution it declares:   “Obama shows tactical shift.”   In reference to his choice for White House Chief of Staff.

In the Wall Street Journal, one headline reads:  “In end, McCain played to the GOP.”  Speaking of McCain’s strategy in campaigning.

The World Magazine web site proclaims in large, bold letters:  “Republicans Regroup.”

This nation will never forget this election.  Eventually, however, things will come up in the news that will command the attention of the American people in such a way that the November 5, 2008 election will not be the front page.  There will be jobs to find, bills to pay, kids to raise, houses to clean, and work to be done.  Eventually, whether one is a supporter of Obama or not, most will get past this election and go on with life.  Election day will not ALWAYS command front and center.

Though this election did not necessarily turn out to my preference, I must say that I will joyfully go on with life and pray for the president.  I have already gotten over election day 2008.

However, there was another day, where my election was secured, and I have never gotten over it.  In 1Peter 1:1-3 Peter declares, “

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ^elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

In eternity past, God Almighty set forth a great plan to call a people out to Himself. Those called out to Himself He would refer to as His elect.  The provision and preparation for this great act was accomplished before the foundation of the world. 

And, while God made all this possible for the elect before the beginning of time, “in the fullness of time” He sent forth His Son to make it practical in the world.  Jesus Christ stepped forward to make happen practically what God had already determined eternally.

Finally, on June 28, 1988 God Almighty — after drawing me to Himself for some time — applied His electing power to me personally.  I entered, that very day, into a relationship with Him based on repentance, and faith.  It was that day — one could say — that I personally entered in to the election God had worked out for me.  I am now part of the elect. 

While it may be a little theologically off base to say that I experienced an election day on June 28, 1988, I must say that I will never get over that day.  It is that day that God launched me into an eternal existence contained within Himself.

When some claim anger, fear, or grief over the outcome of elections, I say, “My election is sure, and no earthly election can change that.”  When some claim elation and unspeakable joy over the outcome of a presidential election, I say that I have had joy in my life because I was elected — not the president. 

You see, the bottom line is this.  In 1000 years, who was elected president of the USA will make little difference for the current times.  None of us will be here, and if Jesus has not returned, the world will be drastically different.  And, while the presidential election may make little difference then, the fact that I am part of the elect will make all the difference in the world.  And that, my friend, I will never get over.