Category Archives: Faith

333 years of Thanksgiving Proclamations. Yes, they all mention God

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This turkey, which I spotted near a railroad bridge just west of Mandan, is going to help me introduce to you some famous proclamations of Thanksgiving. Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving weekend! If you’re bored, stop back…I’m going to be out & about with my camera this weekend, and who knows what you might find here!

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation: June 20, 1676

The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of his judgements he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if it be the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions:

The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God’s Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being persuaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and souls as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ.

By the Governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts


First Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation – George Washington, 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a 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 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 which we experienced 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 enabled 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 hath 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 shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord–To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease 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 third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

1863 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the field of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than theretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

In testimony wherof I have herunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

(Signed)Abraham Lincoln

1877 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation

The completed circle of summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, has brought us to the accustomed season at which a religious people celebrates with praise and thanksgiving the enduring mercy of Almighty God. This devout and public confession of the constant dependence of man upon the divine favor for all the goodgifts of life and health and peace and happiness, so early in our history made the habit of our people, finds in the survey of the past year new grounds for its joyful and grateful manifestation.

In all the blessings which depend upon benignant seasons, this has indeed been a memorable year. Over the wide territory of our country, with all its diversity of soil and climate and products, the earth has yielded a bountiful return to the labor of the husbandman. The health of the people has been blighted by no prevalent or widespread diseases. No great disasters of shipwreck upon our coasts or to our commerce on the seas have brought loss and hardship to merchants or mariners and clouded the happiness of the community with sympathetic sorrow.

In all that concerns our strength and peace and greatness as a nation; in all that touches the permanence and security of our Government and the beneficent institutions on which it rests; in all that affects the character and dispositions of our people and tests our capacity to enjoy and uphold the equal and free condition of society, now permanent and universal throughout the land, the experience of the last year is conspicuously marked by the protecting providence of God and is full of promise and hope for the coming generations.

Under a sense of these infinite obligations to the Great Ruler of Times and Seasons and Events, let us humbly ascribe it to our own faults and frailties if in any degree that perfect concord and happiness, peace and justice, which such great mercies should diffuse through the hearts and lives of our people do not altogether and always and everywhere prevail. Let us with one spirit and with one voice lift up praise and thanksgiving to God for His manifold goodness to our land, His manifest care for our nation.

Now, therefore, I, Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States, do appoint Thursday, the 29th day of November next, as a day of national thanksgiving and prayer; and I earnestly recommend that, withdrawing themselves from secular cares and labors, the people of the United States do meet together on that day in their respective places of worship, there to give thanks and praise to Almighty God for His mercies and to devoutly beseech their continuance.

(signed)R.B. HAYES

1987 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation

Thanksgiving Day is one of our most beloved holidays, an occasion set aside by Americans from earliest times to thank our Maker prayerfully and humbly for the blessings and the care He bestows on us and on our beautiful, bountiful land. Through the decades, through the centuries, in log cabins, country churches, cathedrals, homes, and halls, the American people have paused to give thanks to God, in time of peace and plenty or of danger and distress.

Acknowledgment of dependence on God’s favor was, in fact, our fledgling Nation’s very first order of business. When the delegates to the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774, they overcame discord by uniting in prayer for our country. Despite the differences among them as they began their work, they found common voice in the 35th Psalm, which concludes with a verse of joyous gratitude, “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of they praise all the day long.”

This year, of course, our Thanksgiving Day celebration coincides with the Bicentennial of the Constitution. In 1789 the government established by that great charter of freedom, and “the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed,” were cited by George Washington in the first Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation as among “the great and various favors” conferred upon us by the Lord and Ruler of Nations. As we thank the God our first President called “that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be,” we have even greater cause for gratitude than the fresh triumphs that inspired Washington’s prose. We have seen the splendor of our natural resource spread across the tables of the world, and we have seen the splendor of freedom cursing with new vigor through the channels of history. The cause for which we give thanks, for which so many of our citizens through the years have given their lies, has endured 200 years – a blessing to us and a light to all mankind.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1987, let us, in this unbroken chain of observance, dedicate ourselves to honor anew the Author of Liberty and to publicly acknowledge our debt to all those who have sacrificed so much in our behalf. May our gratitude always be coupled with petitions for divine guidance and protection for our Nation and with ready help for our neighbors in time of need.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 26, 1987, as a National Day of Thanksgiving, and I call upon the citizens of this great Nation to gather together in homes and places of worship on that day of thanks to affirm by their prayers and their gratitude the many blessings God has bestowed upon us.

(signed)RONALD REAGAN


1989 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation

On Thanksgiving Day, we Americans pause as a Nation to give thanks for the freedom and prosperity with which we have been blessed by our Creator. Like the pilgrims who first settled in this land, we offer praise to God for His goodness and generosity and rededicate ourselves to lives of service and virtue in His sight.

This annual observance of Thanksgiving was a cherished American tradition even before our first President, George Washington, issued the first Presidential Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789. In his first Inaugural Address, President Washington observed that “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.” He noted that the American people – blessed with victory in their fight for Independence and with an abundance of crops in their fields – owed God “some return of pious gratitude.” Later, in a confidential note to his close advisor, James Madison, he asked “should the sense of the Senate be taken on … a day of Thanksgiving?” George Washington thus led the way to a Joint Resolution of Congress requesting the President to set aside “a day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal Favors of Almighty God.”

Through the eloquent words of President Washington’s initial Thanksgiving proclamation – the first under the Constitution – we are reminded of our dependence upon our Heavenly Father and of the debt of gratitude we owe to Him. “It is the Duty of all Nations,” wrote Washington, “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.”

President Washington asked that on Thanksgiving Day the people of the United States:

“unite in rendering unto [God] 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 great degree of Tranquility, Union and Plenty which we have since enjoyed; for … the civil and religious Liberty with which we are blessed, and … for all the great and various Favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.”

Two hundred years later, we continue to offer thanks to the Almighty – not only for the material prosperity that our Nation enjoys, but also for the blessings of peace and freedom. Our Nation has no greater treasures than these.
As we pause to acknowledge the kindnesses God has shown to us – and, indeed, His gift of life itself – we do so in a spirit of humility as well as gratitude. When the United States was still a fledgling democracy, President Washington asked the American people to unite in prayer to the “great Lord and ruler of Nations,” in order to:

“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 … and to bless them with good Government, peace and Concord.”

Today, we, too, pause on Thanksgiving with humble and contrite hearts, mindful of God’s mercy and forgiveness and of our continued need for His protection and guidance. On this day, we also remember that one gives praise to God not only through prayers of thanksgiving, but also through obedience to His commandments and service to others, especially those less fortunate than ourselves.

While some Presidents followed Washington’s precedent, and some State Governors did as well, President Lincoln – despite being faced with the dark specter of civil war – renewed the practice of proclaiming a national day of Thanksgiving. This venerable tradition has been sustained by every President since then, in times of strife as well as times of peace and prosperity.

Today, we continue to offer thanks and praise to our Creator, that “Great Author of every public and private good,” for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. In so doing, we recall the timeless words of the 100th Psalm:

“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 23, 1989, as a National Day of Thanksgiving, and I call upon the American people to gather together in homes and places of worship on that day of thanks to affirm by their prayers and their gratitude the many blessings God has bestowed upon us and our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourteenth.

(signed)GEORGE BUSH


2007 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation

Americans are a grateful people, ever mindful of the many ways we have been blessed. On Thanksgiving Day, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy, the people we love, and the gifts of our prosperous land.

Our country was founded by men and women who realized their dependence on God and were humbled by His providence and grace. The early explorers and settlers who arrived in this land gave thanks for God’s protection and for the extraordinary natural abundance they found. Since the first National Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed by President George Washington, Americans have come together to offer thanks for our many blessings. We recall the great privilege it is to live in a land where freedom is the right of every person and where all can pursue their dreams. We express our deep appreciation for the sacrifices of the honorable men and women in uniform who defend liberty. As they work to advance the cause of freedom, our Nation keeps these brave individuals and their families in our thoughts, and we pray for their safe return.

While Thanksgiving is a time to gather in a spirit of gratitude with family, friends, and neighbors, it is also an opportunity to serve others and to share our blessings with those in need. By answering the universal call to love a neighbor as we want to be loved ourselves, we make our Nation a more hopeful and caring place.

This Thanksgiving, may we reflect upon the past year with gratefulness and look toward the future with hope. Let us give thanks for all we have been given and ask God to continue to bless our families and our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 22, 2007, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to reinforce the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

(signed)GEORGE W. BUSH


2009 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation

What began as a harvest celebration between European settlers and indigenous communities nearly four centuries ago has become our cherished tradition of Thanksgiving. This day’s roots are intertwined with those of our Nation, and its history traces the American narrative.

Today, we recall President George Washington, who proclaimed our first national day of public thanksgiving to be observed “by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God,” and President Abraham Lincoln, who established our annual Thanksgiving Day to help mend a fractured Nation in the midst of civil war. We also recognize the contributions of Native Americans, who helped the early colonists survive their first harsh winter and continue to strengthen our Nation. From our earliest days of independence, and in times of tragedy and triumph, Americans have come together to celebrate Thanksgiving.

As Americans, we hail from every part of the world. While we observe traditions from every culture, Thanksgiving Day is a unique national tradition we all share. Its spirit binds us together as one people, each of us thankful for our common blessings.

As we gather once again among loved ones, let us also reach out to our neighbors and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand. This is a time for us to renew our bonds with one another, and we can fulfill that commitment by serving our communities and our Nation throughout the year. In doing so, we pay tribute to our country’s men and women in uniform who set an example of service that inspires us all. Let us be guided by the legacy of those who have fought for the freedoms for which we give thanks, and be worthy heirs to the noble tradition of goodwill shown on this day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 26, 2009, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all the people of the United States to come together, whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place where family, friends and neighbors may gather, with gratitude for all we have received in the past year; to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own; and to share our bounty with others.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Answering His Call

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While on the road last weekend I spotted this truck in front of Walmart in Minot. I didn’t have time to hang around and wait for the driver, but I sure would have liked to. In this photo you can kinda see the airbrushing of the Lord Jesus Christ on the beams of the cross.

This truck is adorned with a singular message: Repent and Believe. I am counted among those who came to the saving knowledge that Jesus died to save sinners (of whom I am chief, I might add, in accordance with I Timothy 1:15). It’s encouraging to see this guy taking it to all 50 states.

Fifty states, one true story. The “Repent & Believe” at the bottom of the Virginia license plate caught my eye. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could get plates like that here? Instead we have Fargo-area liberals trying to fight personalized plates with religious themes.

You can check out this truck’s travels at hiscall888.com if you’d like. There’s a blog mentioning North Dakota stops as well as a statement of faith, something I’ve been meaning to put on this site for quite some time. Check it out!

Soon to be revealed

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My friend Terry has a scripture sign ministry where he puts these signs in front of various businesses, churches, and even homes around Bismarck and Mandan. Some are right near downtown, others are out in rural areas. Every month he puts a new Bible verse in each one, as the center part is interchangeable. It’s always cool to spot a new one when roaming around Bismarck-Mandan, since I know the guy who puts them up. They’re built by a little organization called Wayside Ministries, if I remember correctly.

I took note of the verse on this sign the other day and thought it was pretty amusing, considering the end of the verse. It kinda says it all, considering how many North Dakotans are starting to look forward to Spring and all this white stuff to melt away! I just want it warm enough to let my toddlers play in the snow, and I look forward to building snow forts and snowmen with them. The winter blanket will melt soon enough. When it does, the rest of this sign shall be revealed.

Amen, brother…Amen.

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I couldn’t help but notice this big rig parked in a most conspicuous location last Thursday afternoon. At work we have a joke with which we heckle each other, “Could you make the font bigger?” In this case, I think it’s just right.

This truck is doing some well-needed evangelism, whether moving or stationary. The trailer had Maine plates and the tractor had California plates. Hopefully this message has been seen in all points in between!

I’ve got my memory verse for this week. See also Psalm 66:16.

Proclaiming the gospel from all angles. I admire this driver’s conviction. I didn’t see anyone inside, and if they were napping in the sleeper I hardly wanted to be the one to interrupt. In fact, I’m going to have a nap of my own once I finish typing this. My two precious little tow-headed boys are already sawing logs, and it’s like sweet music to my ears on the baby monitor.

This is the first thing you see when this truck approaches, you can’t miss it on the side as it goes by, and it’s the big rig’s parting words as well. Amen, brother…Amen.

Consolation and “the nice man”

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Our church is going to have some of our supported missionaries visit us this month. I’ve met some amazing missionaries in the past few years, and I look forward to reconnecting with these people when they stop through. As I ponder some of the past missions events we’ve had, along with some of the wonderful missionary families who have come, I was reminded about a pair of stories that really struck me as a relatively new husband and new Daddy. Click below to listen.

These moving words were spoken by a missionary to the Pacific who visited our church this weekend. He’s been on the field it seems like forever, and you can tell from his stories that he’s made some great sacrifices over the years as all missionaries do. I’d love to give him direct credit, but some of these guys take a risk being in the field, often political and sometimes physical. Putting their names on the Internet can sometimes cause unintended harm and I’d hate to risk doing so.

Hopefully by electronically enabling you to hear this man’s words, which moved me as I struggle to be a good daddy and provide my little boys with blessed memories, I can pass along some of that consolation he was talking about.

Six biblical steps to an Obamanation

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Many are alarmed with the speed and blindness with which our nation is veering toward a leftist, socialist predicament at the hand of President Obama and his willing accomplices in the Congress. It’s nothing new, folks. It’s actually (like everything else the left has been trying for forty years) a page out of a very old playbook. I refer you to Genesis chapter 47, where we can walk through the process step by step in the situation with ancient Egypt:

And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. (Genesis 47:13-14)

As Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel put it, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” While we don’t have a literal famine going on right now, we do have something similar in our financial crisis. Our reliance on our prosperity for our happiness puts us in a very vulnerable position. Proverbs 13:8 tells us that “the ransom of a man’s life are his riches…” and once our comfortable lifestyle is threatened, many panic and can be easily controlled by a government promising a solution.

And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. (Genesis 47:15-17)

The citizens came to the government and willingly gave their property (and their freedom with it) for some security from the government. The money failed…does that sound remotely familiar? Sure, there’s a spiritual back story to God’s provision through Joseph, but as he is acting on behalf of the world system portrayed by Egypt in the Bible he takes over the nation progessively by “taking care of” the people in exchange for all that they have.

When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s. (Genesis 47:18-20)

The insidious nature of government expansion is that it never quits unless we stop it. All that’s needed for a takeover is a willing populace, whether asleep at the wheel or simply scared into submission. The people, having been frightened into relying on the government to provide for them, sold their possessions, their land, and themselves to the government in the span of two years. All they needed was a little crisis to shake them up, and as long as they weren’t relying on God they would gladly give everything to whoever else they thought could provide. Then, before they knew it, they were slaves.

And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. (Genesis 47:21-22)

While ideologies like socialism, communism, and the like promise “equality,” they deny the undeniable human spirit, the desire to achieve. Therefore, these types of government require one class for all the “little people” and one class to enforce the “equality.” Left alone, people all want to better themselves to a degree…some more than others. That doesn’t work in a self-proclaimed “egalitarian” society unless you have a class of enforcers above all of those deemed “equal.”

Notice how the rest were moved into cities. Remember how cities like Bismarck, Fargo, and others are submitting (without voter approval, mind you) to “smart growth” schemes, denying property rights, asserting extra-territorial zoning authority, and pushing mass transit? Individual property rights are merely a nuisance to government; if we let them continue on this path, we slowly (albeit more quickly these days) give up our liberty. The founders or our nation realized that individual property rights are a huge component of personal liberty.

Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. (Genesis 47:23-24)

There you have it, folks. Nothing granted by government comes without strings attached, and good luck getting rid of those strings. Just ask the banks that didn’t want TARP money, took it at the insistence of the government, are now finding themselves run by the government, and find that the government will not accept the bailout money back when they try to repay it! The automakers are another case in point. Once you accept the government’s provision, you’re Owned. That’s with a capital Obama O. Once you’ve accepted the “generosity” of the government, then the list of demands start rolling in. These people sought help from the state, and before they knew it they were working for the state.

And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. (Genesis 47:25)

Here’s the real sad part: the people were so deceived that they counted themselves as having been saved by the government. There is no salvation in government, folks. The problem today is the same; people aren’t relying on God, their own individuality, or the wisdom of the founding fathers in drafting the foundation of our country. In fact, most people are too ignorant to the intentions of the founders of the United States of America to even realize how far we’ve come. John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” That falls right in line with the old phrase, “If you don’t believe in God, you’ll believe in anything.” That’s what happened to the people of Egypt thousands of years ago, and it seems we’re in the process of falling for it again, having departed so far from the faith and values upon which our nation was founded.

There you have it folks. I was considering a post like this a while back, then I heard a preacher talk about something similar recently and decided to put my thoughts into writing. Another time-tested cliche’ talks about those who are ignorant of history being condemned to repeat it. Sadly, I think that today’s under-educated, entertainment-driven American masses have departed so far from the ideals of the original United States of America that they were primed for a cult of personality to come along and sweep them into collectivism. My hope and prayer is that there are still enough of us left, the vigilant and faithful, who believe in this nation as it was conceived and founded over two hundred years ago. If we can steer this ship aright, we can avoid becoming an Obamanation.

What we celebrate this weekend

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But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

_____

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:3-12)

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Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

…For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
(Romans 5:12, 17-18)

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My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:1-2)

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The Bible is very clear that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So how does one get to heaven and commune with a perfect, just God? Well, there’s nothing we can do to achieve the kind of righteousness His just nature requires. We can, however have the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15) imputed unto us by faith in Jesus as the son of God.

Nothing we can do — no good deed, sacrament, or anything else — can negate our burden of sin. Jesus paid the penalty for that sin, however, “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). We need only to accept the free gift mentioned in Romans 5:15.

There are millions of people out there trying to work their way into heaven. The fact of the matter is that the price of our salvation was paid once for all when Jesus died on the cross and rose again. We need only to put our faith in him rather than ourselves or any earthly institution. That’s why eternal salvation is referred to as a “gift” by Jesus himself and apostles Peter and Paul. My wish this weekend is that everybody reading this would take those Bible verses to heart, do some Bible reading on your own to see that the verses quoted above are only the tip of the iceberg, and accept that free gift of eternal life through the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.

Golden Hour pays off big…but the Sweet Hour pays off bigger

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I’m sure there comes a point in every photographer’s life when they discover the Golden Hour, a photography term for the first hour before sunrise and the last hour after sunset. That’s when the light gets really cool, painting your outdoor subjects with an array of color.

Only a severe case of cabin fever could have kicked this man’s butt out of bed this morning at somewhere before six o’clock. I’ve really needed to get out with my camera, and my little boys (ages one and two years) have been giving me some hectic nights and very little sleep. I finally had one morning in which to try sleeping in, with no work or church to contend with…and I got up earlier than ever. I must really love photography! That I do, as well as just getting in the truck and roaming. This time bore plenty of fruit.

I found this barn along a gravel road. I bundled up and followed some packed-in snowmobile tracks up to it for a Golden Hour capture that made my early awakening worthwhile. I have plenty of other angles and other photos from other scenes discovered along the way, but I think I’ve already found my favorite. It’s facing south so the impending sunrise is not visible, but its color is unmistakably present.

When the sun has set, your sunset and evening photo opportunities have just begun. In the morning, don’t wait for the sun to rise to get stunning sunrise pictures. Bismarck and Mandan have plenty of sights that look entirely differently when painted from the palette of the morning or evening sun!

I’ve been working on my Bible reading habits lately. In the Bible, tithing (which we Americans tend to think of in a monetary context) is often considered with the “firstfruits” of one’s substance. I don’t consider tithing simply in the context of putting a check in the offering plate; we should give to God the first fruits of other important things, such as our time. Because of that, and in kind of a Psalm 63 sort of way (“O God, thou are my God; early will I seek thee…”), I have begun a habit of reading my Bible first thing in the morning.

This morning I woke early, but not as early as I’d hoped. As I readied my gear in my office for a mad dash outside, I saw my Bible on the desk. Thankfully I was able to stop and set things down, sit and read as I usually do, and to pray before I left. Among my prayers was something along the lines of “Lord, please show me something beautiful through my camera today.” Well, in that respect He certainly answered my prayer. I saw some really wonderful things on my trek today, capturing most of them with my camera.

This reminded me of the hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer” although I don’t pray for an hour every morning. I had that “Sweet Hour” before I even set out for the “Golden Hour.” By doing so I got the morning off to a fantastic start, one far better than if I’d simply dashed to the truck and hurried out on my own.

Fight the insidious homosexual agenda’s advance in North Dakota

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Yesterday I was unable to attend a committee hearing on Senate Bill 2278 (PDF), which seeks to add “sexual orientation” to the state’s anti-discrimination laws. It’s a sneaky “foot in the door” for the homosexual agenda, one which has to be stopped.

I would gladly have given testimony at the Judiciary Committee hearing yesterday, but couldn’t make it. I have, however, sent emails to my legislators. I urge you to do the same. It wouldn’t hurt to follow up with a phone call. The text of my email is below, and you can feel free to cut/paste relevant portions of it for your own email.

–Begin message–
I’m a constituent of District 30, and unfortunately was unable to attend the judicial committee meeting on SB 2278 this week. This is the bill to amend state law regarding discrimination by adding the term “sexual orientation”. I’m writing to voice my strong opposition to this bill. I have tried to find information on the status of this bill, but have been unable to do so. If it continues to the floor for a vote, I must urge you to vote NO on this bill, and to urge your fellow Representatives to do so as well.

Like those who founded our country, I’m a Christian. Because I believe the Bible, I believe that homosexuality and its variants are wrong. It’s my Constitutionally protected right to think so, and to exercise my beliefs freely. The people behind SB 2278 don’t agree with that; in fact, they want to legitimize their sinful act at the expense of the religious freedoms of others.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those wacky Westboro types that pickets funerals and the like. I actually joined the Patriot Guard to oppose those people. But I don’t appreciate having someone try to ram their sexual agenda down the throats of North Dakotans. I believe that homosexuality is an abomination according to the Bible, but so is ALL sin. That includes theft, adultery, lying, etc. Just because the physical manifestation of homosexuality is more offensive than the others doesn’t mean we’re singling it out. By the same token, we don’t have “thieves advocacy groups” pushing legislation trying to legitimize their sin, do we? There aren’t any “Liars’ Pride” parades that I know of. But there is a very strong pro-homosexual lobby; they seek to be legitimized by passing legislation guaranteeing that they get special status above other citizens, and that’s wrong.

One reason why legislation like this has been labeled “insidious” by legislators in other states such as Indiana which are evaluating “hate crimes” legislation is the “aid ,abet, or induce” part of it. If “sexual orientation” is added to this law, and a pastor preaches out of the Bible that homosexuality is wrong, these groups intend for the pastor to be prosecuted for any perceived “hate cimes” or “discrimination” against homosexuals by anyone who heard his sermon. They are not really interested in equal rights; their goal is to silence all opposition to their sin. They know that it is frowned upon by most Americans, so they wish to legislate the opposition into silence by fear of prosecution.

Case in point: my wife and I own a duplex. For years we have rented the other half of it to help make our house payment. We’ve rented to friends or acquaintances the whole time. If I wanted to list it as an available rental property, but declined to rent it to a homosexual couple because I don’t want this sin entering my home, the proponents of this bill would have me face legal penalty. My religious objections, guaranteed by the Free Exercise clause of the 1st Amendment as well as the section of ND state law that SB 2278 attempts to amend, would be irrelevant if these people had their way. I am not seeking legislation to hang Bible verses on the wall in their house; yet they are seeking the force of government to force me to allow their sin into mine.

People who chose homosexuality deserve no more protection under the law than the rest of us. They don’t want “equality” per se; if that was the case, they would not be trying to use the force of law to trump my freedom of religion. I believe that seemingly innocuous legislation like SB 2278 is the beginning of a slippery slope where the “rights” of people with deviant sexual practices take priority over the Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all Americans. That’s the hidden agenda behind SB 2278, and the reason why I believe it deserves a resounding defeat.

Thank you for your time.

Clint F
Bismarck, ND

–End message–

I could add more to this post, but that email sums it up. Here are some resources for you in finding your legislators and making your voice heard. That’s the system of government we enjoy, folks…let’s make use of it!

These links will open in a new window. The PDF link will launch Adobe Reader on your computer.

Full text of SB 2278 (PDF format)

Actions on SB 2278

Find your legislative district, if you don’t know it already

Senate member directory, where you can find Senators for your legislative district

House member directory, where you can find Representatives for your legislative district

North Dakota Family Alliance, who fights the good fight while the rest of us neglect our duty to influence our government.

It’s time to get active, folks! Activist groups emboldened by their party’s success at the national level are going to be pushing their agendas harder than ever. It’s up to us to stop them. We have a form of government that only works if the people get involved in it. Our opposition has no problem getting their activists going; we need to do the same. If we don’t care enough to send an email or place a phone call, we get the government we deserve.

Prayin’ for Gentleman Wade

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My friend Wade is in need of prayers right now. He fell victim to a very serious, sudden, and mysterious medical complication and it’s uncertain what the future holds. I know many of you enjoyed Wade’s performances as Gentleman Wade in the beloved Medora Musical in years past. He’s truly the nicest guy I’ve ever met, a distinction echoed by everybody I know who’s ever met or worked with Wade.

I don’t feel it’s my place to discuss a friend’s medical details, especially when things are so serious and the time so grievous for his family. If you’re a Facebook user, there are a couple of Wade Westin prayer groups set up where you can receive updates and voice your support. I know they’d appreciate your support on his behalf.