The Encourager News Letter - Volume 3 Issue 50 - 2009.11.26 - George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

The Encourager Newsletter

Toward Knowing God and Walking With Him

A FREE WEEKLY PUBLICATION with a BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW – Volume 3 Issue 50

November 26, 2009 Dan Carr, Editor

 

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

 

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, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

 

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

 

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

 

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

 

The Encourager may also be read at www.biblewalking.blogspot.com .

 

To be removed from this mailing list, please click here. In the subject line, type: "remove."  ●To subscribe to this and other Encourager mailings, click here. In the subject line, type "subscribe." Please give your name and email address. ●Please set your spam system to accept encourager@biblewalking.com. and  dan@dancarr.org.   ●. Thank you for accepting our mail and passing it along.  ● Picture: 1782 Painting from Google Search

 

 

The Encourager Newsletter - Volume 3 Issue 49 - The Tradition of Thanksgiving - Two Vloices

"The tradition of Thanksgiving as a time to focus on God and thank Him for His blessings dates back almost four centuries in America. Colonists held Thanksgiving services in Texas in 1541, in Florida in 1565, and in Virginia in 1607 and 1619.

"But it is from the Pilgrims that we derive the current tradition of a Thanksgiving that includes prayers to God, a meal with friends, and a time of athletic competition.

The Pilgrims arrived in America in December 1620 and experienced a harsh winter of extreme hunger and starvation in which half of them died. The following summer, the Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest. As Pilgrim Edward Winslow (who later became their governor) affirmed, "God be praised, we had a good increase of corn. . . . [and] by the goodness of God, we are far from want." (David Barton – http://www.wallbuilders.com/.

The First National Thanksgiving

"America's first national Day of Thanksgiving occurred on September 25, 1789. It was the nation's first official act set by Congress after that body completed the Constitution and Bill of Rights. According to the early equivalent of the Congressional Record:

Mr. [Elias] Boudinot said he could not think of letting the session pass without offering an opportunity to all the citizens of the United States of joining with one voice in returning to Almighty God their sincere thanks for the many blessings He had poured down upon them. With this view, therefore, he would move the following resolution:

Resolved, That a joint committee of both Houses be directed to wait upon the President of the United States to request that he would recommend to the people of the United States a Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer. . ." (Christian Law Association)

President George Washington agreed with this request to publically give thanks to God. Not only did he share the same reasons our other leaders held; he also had his personal reasons when he remembered the bullet holes in his uniform and the horses that had been shot out from under him. . He issued the first federal Thanksgiving proclamation, declaring in part:

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. . . . Now, therefore, I do appoint Thursday, the 26th day of November 1789 . . . that we may all unite to render unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection.

There's no separation of church and state issue in these proclamations and no one on that day complained that God should be kept out of our national holidays. It reminds me of the woman who was overheard saying, "Thanksgiving would be so much better if these religious people would just stay out of it so we can enjoy our turkey and pumpkin pie."

"So much for any hint of the desire for a "separation of church and state" to be found in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights! While our Founders wanted to prohibit the establishment of an official national church, they quite obviously had absolutely no intention of separating God from the American government.

"Following President Washington's initial proclamation, days of Thanksgiving were sporadically proclaimed. Another by President Washington in 1795; · One by John Adams in 1799; · Others by James Madison in 1814 and 1815.

But most official Thanksgivings in early America were observed at the state level. By 1815, the various state governments had issued at least 1,400 official calls for prayer and thanksgiving or for prayer and fasting" (CLA)

This year we have chosen to focus on the history of Thanksgiving and have used material from two of the most recognized and respected sources: The Wallbuilders and the Christian Law Association.

Two Voices—Barbara Carr

Georgia and I spent four days in Pigeon Forge, TN last week. We had a great time! While there we attended a play "The Miracle." The play begins with Satan appearing as an angel and ends with Jesus ascending to Heaven. Satan was stripped of his white, shining angel clothes and exposed as the devil that he is.

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isa 14:12-14)

The "morning star" is bright and beautiful. He was once a glorious angel. In this scripture he is shown falling from his place in Heaven to earth. His glory is gone and his brightness extinguished. Satan arrogantly said, "I will ascend into Heaven." He intended to set himself up as the highest to be worshiped. He acknowledged no authority of God in Heaven or earth. He would be making the laws and reigning supremely.

In the play, Satan appeared in every scene whispering into the ears of people. He began in Genesis with Eve. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen 3:1)

There were several other examples in the Old Testament but let's skip to the New Testament. When the angel appeared to Mary, Satan may have whispered to her, "Don't believe him. How could you be with child? You have never known a man." Then said Mary unto the angel: How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? (Luk 1:34)

He may have whispered to Peter in the court yard, when Jesus had been taken. Jesus had told Peter he would deny him three times before the cock crew, but Peter vehemently denied Jesus' warning. However, when he was asked if he knew Jesus, did Satan whisper, "Better say you don't know him or you will be arrested also?" "And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not." (Luke 22:57)

All of this whispering into the ears on stage was a wake-up call for me. I think we forget that Satan is ever ready to whisper ideas and instructions to us. He cannot indwell a Christian's body as he does an unsaved person, but he can suggest things to us and he can oppress us and discourage us. For example: Do you ever say, "I thought about saying this thing or that thing?" Guess who may have planted that thought in your mind?

Or, perhaps you don't just think about saying it—you just blurt it out! You say it before you think about it. How often do you miss a chance to witness to someone because you think that person will not listen to you or may become angry? Where did that idea come from? And the list goes on. Satan is geared up to lead us away from God anyway he can.

But, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1John 4:4)

We are of the family of God and have embraced His Word and His Spirit indwells us. God dwells in our hearts and His strength and grace alone can enable us to have victory over Satan's whispering. God is mightier than Satan's seductive efforts. Even though we have trials and temptations with sin, we don't have to despair. Our God is infinitely stronger than Satan.

Let's listen to the voice of our God. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29)

Jesus is speaking of us. He is saying "my church, my people those who are my followers." We are His sheep. We are to hear and obey His Word. He knows us. Like the song, "He Knows My Name." Sheep will stray, get tangled in the brush and sometimes be cast down, but they know the Shepherd's voice. We need to yield ourselves to His guidance and seek to be led by His voice. The song "Open My Eyes Lord" has the following phrase: "Open my ears Lord and help me to listen." Let's listen for our Lord's voice and respond as did Samuel: And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth (1Samuel 3:10).

Or as Isaiah did: Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me (Isaiah 6:8). The Lord may not speak to us exactly as He did to Samuel and Isaiah and many others. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord rides upon the pages of His word today, giving the words personal meaning and application to our hearts. Ω

The Encourager Newsletter - Volume 3 Issue 48 - More on Daily... - This Isn't Home - 2009.11.05

More on Daily….

James, the half brother of Jesus became known as Camel Knee James. He prayed so much that his knees developed calluses like a camel. He became highly respected as the leader of the Jerusalem church and this respect flowed out to the dispersed Saints who were scattered in many places.

While there are four men in the New Testament known as James, the Jews regarded him as the James. I just typed into Google: "Camel knee James" and got about 7,650,000 locations for finding out more about "Camel knee James." We Christians should not forget the James. He's a tough act to follow.

He grew up in the carpenter's home with his older half-brother, Jesus. Like his brothers, he did not believe that his half brother, Jesus, was the promised Jewish messiah until the end of Christ's earthly ministry and particularly after his resurrection from the dead. Josephus the first-century Jewish historian, records that James was martyred about A.D. 62.

Without the Bible saying so, we may conclude that James' knees became callused from daily kneeling on his knees. It is also reasonable to conclude that James knew deep in his heart that yesterday's prayers would not suffice for today and that he could not pray enough today so that he would not need to pray again tomorrow. James prayed daily. When I get to Heaven I want to see James…at a distance. I'm not going to run up to him and blurt out: "Hi James…ol' buddy!" Not me. He might say "Show me your knees!"

James had this to say about time and what we should expect to become upon this earth: Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that (James 4:13-15). James may have read the next verses before he wrote his book.

Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth (Proverbs 27:1), and

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

Perhaps we do not think about every day having to be made. But, today has never been here before and when it is over it will never be back again. Our circumstances are certainly different each day. Everything changes so much each day that no two days can possibly be alike. Babies are born and breathing today that did not do so yesterday. Thousands of people are not alive today that were alive yesterday.

Jesus taught us to pray: Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). If the famous grandfather clock had to do all of its 90 years of ticking and striking in one day, it would have burned out the first day and the heat might have burned down the house. As the popular song says: "One day at a time, dear Jesus…"

How gracious of the Lord to write for us: Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matthew 6:34).

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep (Psalm 127.2).

Is it possible that you are losing sleep over some things that you shouldn't be losing sleep over? This may seem like a radical, far-fetched idea, but are you losing sleep over some things that you should be turning over to the Lord so you can turn over in bed and think about tomorrow after the sun comes up?

Do at least one thing every day that you have been putting off forever because you just dread thinking about it. The only problem with that is that after a while you will run out of things you had been dreading to do and that will be quite a mess to be in. Well, do that dreaded thing anyway. Run the risk and you will lighten your load. And do at least one thing that you really enjoy doing but only after you have done the "dreaded thing". And have a good day! Ω

This Isn't Home — Barbara Carr

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:2-4)

As all of you have read, we call the distance from our home in Flat Rock to our home in Southern Pines our 475 mile driveway. Home? What is home? The place where we live; where we are comfortable; where we feel like we belong. Home is a happy place filled with love. Let's not get too comfortable because life is short even if we live a long life.

In the verses above Jesus was talking to His disciples. He is going to leave them. He is going to live with His Father where there are many mansions. He tells them He is going to prepare a place for them. Where He is going they can come also. Do you realize that means you and me? Jesus is preparing a place for us!

If you have read my stories, you know I have never had anything close to a mansion. I love our little house here in Flat Rock and I love our little apartment in Southern Pines. BUT, I do so look forward to my home in Heaven. When we arrive in Heaven something wonderful will happen to us. We will be transformed to be like Jesus. That's what I'm longing for— not the mansion. Just to be in His presence and be like Him will be wonderful! We will be able to recognize, yes, to know and be with our loved ones.

Our earthly father's home is always a welcoming beacon. We love to go there, enjoy the food and fellowship. When our parents go to Heaven we children try to fill that gap by organizing get-togethers, reunions and homecomings. Yet, there is always a little sadness there because some of our loved ones are missing. Our joy comes from knowing the verses above. Look at verse 3b. 'That where I am, there ye may be also."

We have all stayed in houses/rooms where we didn't feel at home—dorms, motels, barracks, etc. It is just not like being at home. There are people that just don't feel at home anywhere here on earth. Usually, it's because they don't know Christ as their Lord and Savior. They are looking for something to fill the void in their lives. The indwelling Spirit of God is the answer. Long term, down the road, Heaven is the answer.

The Bible doesn't give us a clear picture of Heaven and I'm sure it's for God's own good reasons.

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1Co 13:12). Revelation 21:18-23 describes Heaven, but I don't believe our finite minds can comprehend how Heaven will really look.

My son, Doug died November 30, 1981. My only help came from the Lord. My family was a comfort, but they were grieving too. You cannot go through those months of grieving without the Heavenly Father sustaining you. During this time a dear friend of mine sent me the book "Within the Gates" written by Rebecca Springer published about 100 years ago. At the beginning of the book Mrs. Springer states that during a dreadful illness she dreamed of the story in the book. She then tells of her visit to Heaven and describes the scenes she saw while there. It was probably a dream. Certainly nothing that would add to the Bible or contradict it.

As she describes Heaven, it will surely make you want to be there with all your heart. It was such a comfort to me. It's just a dream but it has stimulated many people to think about Heaven. Some say it is too simple to be Heaven. I am a simple person. It filled my needs at that time.

In the book: If you had a talent on earth, in Heaven it would be magnificent. For example my earthly father was a carpenter. In Heaven, he would still be able to use his craft to build homes for those who are coming, but his skills would be way beyond what he could do on earth. If you were a musician or had a beautiful singing voice on earth, in Heaven you would be a master of music, etc. We can only imagine what it's going to be like. We cannot go beyond what the Lord has told us.

The book said the saints know when a loved is about to come home and they got ready for their coming. Daddy died May 11, 1981. Doug loved Daddy so much and Daddy loved him like a son. I have always believed our Heavenly Father called Daddy home, so he would be there when Doug arrived in November. Doug was saved when he was twelve and rededicated his life when he was sixteen. I believe he was saved. But during college days he strayed. I believe Jesus made intercession for him with the Father saying: "He has lost his way; I'll go get him."

"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." (Luk 15:4-6) Hallelujah! This isn't our home. Our real home is in Heaven—a new home and a new body. I don't look forward to a long sickness/disease before death, but I do look forward to Heaven. Ω

The Encourager Newsletter - Volume 3 Issue 46 - Daily and Stuff - 2009.10.23

Daily….

Everything God does to transform a pound of seed into a harvest of ripe golden grain, He does it daily. Transforming a few tomato seeds into delicious red slices for a sandwich is done daily. Acorn to giant oak tree is done by daily changes we cannot see. The development of a baby from conception to a beautiful baby in the nursery is done by daily changes. Everything we do that's worthwhile will have to be done daily.

"Daily" occurs 62 times in the Bible. God made the earth and the universe daily….six of them. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it (Exodus 20:11). If God did not make the earth and heaven in six days, then we have a Moses problem. Not only so but Jesus certified Moses as a prophet of God by his writings and his appearance with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration long after he had died, along with Elijah who has not yet died.

And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, (Deuteronomy 34:10)

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me (Luke 24:44).

And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah: (Luke 9:30).

If Moses' words are not true, including his words about God making the earth and the heaven in six days, then we also have a Jesus problem as well as a Moses problem. It could be that we have a Darwin problem who never did anything outstanding but write a book: The Origen of Species. Behe wrote a good commentary on Darwin in Darwin's Black Box. So, whose book shall we accept by faith?

The Bible claims that God made the earth and the heavens….daily….six days. The Old Testament worship system of the Jews is based on that claim, particularly the Jewish Sabbath.

God did not rest because He was tired. He rested in the sense of ceasing His work, stopping what He was doing. Some of our well-intentioned leaders, even Bible believers, have bowed before the religious priests of evolution to accommodate their unfounded assertion of a dateless past of billions of years. These scared Bible believers have earned nothing but the evolutionist's contempt and scoffing.

Without a six-day creation the weekly Jewish Sabbath has no basis. The Sabbath was ordered by the Lord Himself to commemorate God's six-day creation. (Exo_31:13-17.) Most Christians observe The Lord's Day to commemorate the resurrection of Christ. The Lord's Day is not the Jewish Sabbath. The days are not the same but they are similar.

The work week has been studied to death to try to find the ideal number of work days. Every test that's run shows that the ideal mixture of work days and rest days is to rest one day in seven and maintain the cycle.

God knows a lot about making stuff and how to make it work. He's the expert on efficiency.

Whether you believe God made the earth and the heavens in six days as the Bible says, or whether you believe in a dateless past of billions of years, you were not there to watch it being done and you are shut up to the unavoidable proposition of taking it by faith. A dateless past of billions of years is not more scientific than the Bible's six-day creation. Sorry if you are offended. If you are an evolutionist, you are an evolutionist by faith because all you have to go on is what someone told you or what you read in a book.

OR…perhaps the Bible restricts your lifestyle, especially your sexual life style (as was admitted by Huxley) and that's your game. Everyone who has anything to say about the past is a person of faith. The past does not walk into a laboratory to be examined. A growing number of Ph.D.'s believe the Bible gives the best explanation of how everything got here. The Bible is also the best book to point to the future and how to live the unchartered present of "daily."

We are to pray for daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Jesus taught daily in the Temple (Luke 19:47) and the disciples taught daily in the Temple and house to house (Acts 5:42). We are to exhort one another daily:

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:12-13). Have a good….day.

Stuff: Letting It Go

---Barbara Carr

A friend was very sick and wasn't expected to live long. She was a Christian, a good woman, in church as long as she was able and raised her children to love the Lord. Dan and I were visiting her one day and she made this statement. "I am ready to go home to Heaven, but I hate to leave my stuff." There is a side to this that I can understand. Would someone else love and take care of her antiques and hand crafted quilts as she had? How important is our "stuff" to us?

"There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he." (Ecc 6:1-3)

Solomon was disturbed about the evil he had seen under the sun, the evil in this world. It was a silent, subtle evil. He had about 100 children, but his soul was not satisfied. He was not able to enjoy his wealth. He worried that he would have no burial. A traditional Jewish funeral would have many people mourning and weeping. If the family couldn't get enough mourners and weepers, they hired them. Solomon was a very rich man—wives, children, lands, houses, horses, and chariots; lots of "stuff". Yet, he was wondering about his funeral. Stuff cannot be a substitute for love.

"All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?" (Ecc 6:7-8)

Our appetite for stuff is out of control. I don't deny I like my stuff and want more stuff. When I run low on stuff, I go to a yard sale and build up my supply. At the present we want a GPS. What do you think? It's a good tool for traveling; being warned of stalled traffic ahead; finding gas at the best price and where to eat. Don't you think we need a GPS? Almost every family has at least two televisions, two cars or more, telephones galore and the list goes on.

We just love our stuff. But how much is enough? When should we put "stuff" on a credit card? Credit cards can be a useful tool to eliminate having to carry money with you and to keep records for you but it is a monstrous tyrant if you don't pay it off every month.

In these verses Solomon is trying to give us lessons on what he has learned in life. He says many times "all is vanity." He is trying to give us a wakeup call.

"For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?" (Ecc 6:12)

Our inner man cannot be satisfied with the stuff of this world. A man can have a good job, a nice home and a fine family and still feel like a failure, because he cannot get enough stuff. Children have a mountain of stuff, yet they are bored. We walk between two opposing values:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17) In contrast….

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1John 2:15)

"Stuff" can become an idol and then it is a sin problem. "Stuff" can be a great blessing but it is a terrible master and god. No amount of stuff can pay for and forgive our sin. Jesus Christ died for our sin and paid our sin debt. That's worth more than all our "stuff" put together. God has a plan for our life. He knows our past, present and future. Stuff cannot secure our future. Only God knows the future. What do you want/desire out of life? We can't live well if our life is dominated by stuff, because we can never get enough.

Solomon had it all, but his soul wasn't satisfied. Let's clean up our life. Let's desire the things God wants to desire and be thankful in our hearts for everything we have that has come from His hands.

"Follow after charity (love), and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." (1Co 14:1)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)

This is what God desires from us as His children. We can't produce the fruit of the Spirit. Denying ourselves and surrendering to the Spirit of God is not always easy, but we need to work hard in that direction. We don't want to come to the end of life with lots of "stuff" like Solomon did and have the regrets he did. God fills all of our needs and gives us most of our wants. We need to be thankful for the beautiful, useful things He gives us. But "stuff" must not own us nor come before our love for the Lord. Ω