Our "Advent Ark"

Our "Advent Ark"                                    Eternity

image is being used                        Will we spend it remind us that                                           in

       Christ                                         heaven or hell?

is coming again.

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Mt. 24:36-39, 42

                      

My Dear Friends,

    All of us had better hope and pray that an economic collapse does not happen any time soon, because it is becoming increasingly apparent that the American people are not morally equipped to be able to handle one. Greed and selfishness have become so rampant in America that large segments of the population have totally forgotten how to be any other way.

    Again, as every year at this time, you see signs and notations “Let’s put Christ back into Christmas.” I would strongly like to suggest; let’s put Christ back into “Christian.”

   John the Baptist in this weeks gospel says to ask Jesus “Are you the one who is to come - or are we to wait for another?” Jesus says that's completely up to us.

   He is no longer in the world as he was in those days. He does not walk the streets of Vermilion, Huron, Lorain etc. as he did the streets of Nazareth and Capernaum and Jerusalem. Now Jesus means for his presence to be apparent through those of us who belong to Him and call themselves “Christian.” He looks to us to fulfill his mission here in this city, state, country and world.

  Here I will briefly comment on our present government politics…… There has always been a lack of political will to do what is right; but never in our history to this extent.

Have you paid any attention to the present lame moral, I mean, lame duck (first one equally correct) sessions? No man did I think would like to obtain money more than a poor or needy person.---I was, as you also might be, wrong!--- It’s the rich that that our legislators have to think of first! I use to think that those who had enough money and those with money to spare have it in their power to benefit others, and even be desirous to do so. Politically wrong again! I should have remembered that the Bible does remind us that those who set out to serve God and Mammon, soon discover that there is no God. No God---no conscience---no compassion-- no Golden Rule.   In too many countries—and as we see includes our own---are willing to put party loyalty and personal gain above the needs of the nation.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

   I do believe that more Americans are now aware, or should be, that taking money from the taxpayer and also just printing more to give to the big banks, big industries, big oil, big energy etc. and along with war are indicators of a mismanaged nation. This type of action is a temporary fix benefiting only the political and economic opportunists. I might add here that history teaches it will bring permanent ruin.                                                                                                                                                    

    I somewhat wonder if just like the Hebrews, under the leadership of Moses, became a nation of God; that America, under the leadership of our Founding Fathers, also became a nation of God. I’m sure we would all agree America has been truly blessed.

    I believe that once America decided to trust in outward knowledge, instead of God’s revelations, so that it is no longer “In God We Trust”; and that in removing God from our schools, government etc. etc., America, like Biblical Israel, (might also add Eve in the garden) that we as a nation have now become spiritually bankrupt. Or is it dead?

  As most of us know that as individuals or as a nation you cannot lead anyone further than you have gone yourself. As Obama our president, has stated, “America is not a Christian nation. I believe it was. But I’m inclined to agree with him on that point now.   

   What do you think?

                Shalom          Al T.

  

   “In as much as you did it unto the least of these my brethren, you did it unto me.” (Mt. 25:40)

Let us pray, not only in this season of Advent, but in every season of our lives, this prayer of Charles Wesley:

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.