Greetings Everyone! Our dear friends in Nebraska, Washington State, Finland, Ireland, and all around the world – welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries, I’m your humble servant, Leonard V. Johnson.
Well, it’s that time of year again! I am so looking forward to seeing my family gathered together once again! And I’m sure you are as well.
As my 6th great-grandfather, John Johnston sailed across the North Atlantic at 21-years-old from Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1696 on his way to America, he began celebrating a day of Thanksgiving which had already been celebrated for some 75 years! Yet, Thanksgiving, as we know it today, was celebrated intermittently until President Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, proclaimed it a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”
But sadly, here we are – as Americans – 40 decades hence about to celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States of America – and a large amount of Americans have forgotten or abandoned the REAL SOURCE and the TRUE EXTENT of our many great blessings! Most Americans have carelessly forgotten the real meaning of Thanksgiving day!
No other nation in the history of nations has been so greatly blessed as the United States of America!
Are you aware, on July 4th, 1776, the population of the US was found to be 2.5 million! Today, our people have grown to 333 MILLION! In the 18th century, according to historian Alice Hansen Jones, Americans at the end of the colonial era averaged an annual income of $18.50, which was the highest in the Western world at that time. 1 Today, the yearly income is approximately $51, 480! 2 And in the 1700s, the world’s GDP was only $643.32 billion – in 2013 it was $101.27 TRILLION! 3 And astoundingly the Gross National Product (GNP) in the United States increased to 19,573.16 USD Billion in the second quarter of 2021! 4
Also, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage of a United States citizen, as of December 2020, is $29.81, while the average weekly wage is $1,034.41. Even though inflation is skyrocketing and a US state’s income tax rate may be anywhere from 1% to 13.3% - and according to a groundbreaking study by Just Facts that after accounting for all income, charity, and non-cash welfare benefits like subsidized housing and food stamps, the poorest 20 percent of Americans consume more goods and services than the national averages for all people in most affluent countries. 5 It shouldn’t make one wonder why illegal immigrants are so adamant about crossing our borders, continuing to weaken our nation!
The Third World countries – I apologize, the “developing countries” – such as Somalia, South Sudan, Niger, and Mali certainly look upon the great blessings of the United States of America in awe and amazement!
As I had once referenced, the actor Jeff Daniels had stated in a clip from The Newsroom, “There is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we are …” speaking of the United States of America “the greatest country in the world.” And he would later go on to say, “It sure used to be… We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reasons. We passed laws, struck down laws, for moral reasons. We waged wars on poverty, not on poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were and we never beat our chest.” And before giving this outstanding monologue he made sure to deem the young girl who asked the question “What makes America the greatest country in the world?” – as he should have – as part of the worst PERIOD, generation PERIOD, ever PERIOD.
All Americans should stop and think concerning his outstanding and thought-provoking monologue! At this time of the year, during this annual Thanksgiving Day, ALL AMERICANS should truly give thanks to God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ for all the boundless blessings. Yet, sadly, too many of our people have become oblivious to the rich history and the true meaning behind this most IMPORTANT national holiday.
Our America in this 21st Century faces ever-greater threats than even during the American Revolutionary War. Illegal immigrants crossing our borders soar to record highs – 1.7 million times in the last 12 months! The highest number of illegal crossings recorded since at least 1960. And, as we are aware – Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas stated that the illegal immigrants who boarded planes in a different country that were US-bound, had, to his knowledge, never been vetted. How many potential terrorists are illegally coming to America!? Our beautiful and blessed land is becoming polluted with filth! Even the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe are highly polluted! A crime surge is occurring in America! The homicide rate in some large US cities rose by 30% last year. And it is showing no sign of slowing. Derek Thompson of The Atlantic wrote, “Americans are experiencing a crime wave, unlike anything we’ve seen this century. … Americans can no longer say, as we could 10 years ago, that we are living in the safest time in our nation’s history.” 6 In the article he had spoken with Patrick Sharkey, a sociologist at Princeton University, who had argued that that intensive and often “aggressive” policing and incarceration policies “probably” helped reduce crime in the past few decades, to the great benefit of low-income neighborhoods. Immorality and sexual licentiousness are completely filling our land. Divorce and broken homes are rampant.
Truly, America needs another Donald Trump, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, or Teddy Roosevelt to again steer our nation towards AMERICANISM – to call all Americans to fasting and prayer – with THANKSGIVING and REPENTANCE unto God and to be delivered from these things which are seriously threatening to utterly destroy this great nation of ours!
America needs to again heed the valuable words of our first military general, statesman, and Founding Father, George Washington, given in his farewell address to the nation: “Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens.”
Also, every American needs to remember the strong and bold advice from our beloved 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt: “Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood—the virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living and the get-rich-quick theory of life.”
And, let us never forget the sobering words of one of America’s greatest of generals, Douglas MacArthur: “In this day of gathering storms, as moral deterioration of political power spreads its growing infection, it is essential that every spiritual force be mobilized to defend and preserve the religious base upon which this nation is founded; for it has been that base which has been the motivating impulse to our moral and national growth.”
Friends, although those words were voiced nearly 70 years ago – in good measure, it certainly reflects the status of our America today. It is time, my fellow Americans, for an awakening of all people to reestablish “moral and spiritual principles” unto God – which upon this nation was originally founded.
As we here in America observe our Thanksgiving Day, let us remember that it was truly meant to be a day of THANKSGIVING to the awesome God Almighty for the many blessings He has bestowed upon this great nation! – cf. Genesis 35:11.
A Very Brief History of Thanksgiving
In the year of our Lord 1620, an English vessel known by the name Mayflower transported a group of English families from England to the New World after a grueling 10 weeks at sea! The massive 180-ton ship dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Thanksgiving originated from the first Thanksgiving feast which was held by the Pilgrims in 1621 – a prayer event and dinner to celebrate the first harvest of these Mayflower settlers – a Christian commonwealth. Before disembarking the vessel, they wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact, an agreement that established a rudimentary government that stated, “IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first Colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation.”
During that first winter of 1621, they were ill-prepared. It took a frightful toll, the most notable being the risk of starvation and the lack of suitable shelter. During that winter, the passengers remained onboard Mayflower, suffering an outbreak of a contagious disease described as a mixture of scurvy, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. After it was over, only 53 of the original 103 passengers remained—just over half; half of the crew died as well.
From the beginning, the assistance they received from the local Native Americans – that being primarily the Nauset and Pokanoket tribes – was vital. A Pokanoket named Squanto spent several months teaching the Pilgrims survival skills such as planting corn, using fish as fertilizer, making medicine from plants, and building Indian-style houses. 7
We Should THANK GOD Daily!
"Oh, give THANKS to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2) Let Israel now say, 'His mercy endures forever.' 3) Let the house of Aaron now say, 'His mercy endures forever.' 4) Let those who fear the LORD now say, 'His mercy endures forever'" - Psalm 118:1-4.
We, as a nation today, are in serious trouble! We, as a nation today, have FORGOTTEN GOD and He has withdrawn His blessings from us! Notice this DIRE WARNING from the LORD our God –
“’ Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12) lest – when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13) and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14) when your heart is lifted up, and you FORGET the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; …”
And, might I say – from the dread of King James I & IV of Scotland and England; from the house of bondage!
“ … 17) ‘then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18) And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19) THEN it shall be, IF you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, …’”
And again, might I say – a great many of our people are grasping hold of idols!
“ …’ and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish’” – Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 17-19.
The LORD our God spoke this WARNING to ancient Israel, it surely applies to the modern United States of America!
The LORD our God WARNS our great nation (and any nation) –
“’ But it shall come to pass, IF you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you TODAY, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.
16) Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.
17) Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
18) Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
19) Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.
20) The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have FORSAKEN Me’” – Deuteronomy 28:15-20.
As Minister Guy LaMar recently wrote –
“Hopefully true Christians can realize the EVIL spirit that has come upon the nation of the United States of America! This EVIL spirit is under the umbrella of Liberalism. Many youths of today have been trained in this EVIL spirit from the public schools of which are run by Liberal colleges. All of which are tools of Satan the devil to destroy humanity. Sadly, the USA is in its stage of demise. Unless the USA repents, which is highly doubtful, it will fold as a nation from what it once was.”
Unless we, as a nation, repent of our disobedience and our ingratitude and pride, the LORD our God will continue cursing the nation until she is destroyed! Now, this may be shocking and incredulous to many – but it will happen – unless we repent as a nation!
Yet, you – as an individual – can and should repent of disobedience to the LORD our God! Will you repent of ingratitude for the many blessings which the LORD our God has given you!?
God promises protection if you do –
“A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.
8) Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.
9) Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10) NO EVIL SHALL BEFALL YOU, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11) For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.” – Psalm 91:7-10.
True Christians have repented of sin – for sin is the transgression of the Law, summed up with the Ten Commandments – 1st John 3:4. It is a great blessing from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ that true Christians can keep Thanksgiving day and understand its true meaning – and that every day we give THANKS TO GOD! □
Bibliography:
1) Miller, S.C., George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Ten Facts About the American Economy In the 18th Century, https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/colonial-life-today/early-american-economics-facts/. Retrieved 24 Nov. 2021.
2) Hartill, R., How to Retire With $2 Million on the Average American's Salary, Oct. 29, 2021. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/how-to-retire-with-%242-million-on-the-average-americans-salary-2021-10-29. Retrieved 24 Nov. 2021.
3) Roser, M., Economic Growth, Our World in Data, https://ourworldindata.org/economic-growth#the-world-economy-over-the-last-two-millennia. Retrieved 24 Nov. 2021.
4) source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
5) Agresti, J.D., The Poorest 20% of Americans Are Richer on Average Than Most European Nations, FEE Stories, August 30, 2019. Retrieved 24 Nov. 2021.
6) Thompson, D., Why America’s Great Crime Decline Is Over, The Atlantic, March 24, 2021. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/is-americas-great-crime-decline-over/618381/. Retrieved 24 Nov. 2021.
7) Chavez, F.B. III, What Indian Tribes Interacted With the Pilgrims? Classroom, 29 Sept. 2017. https://classroom.synonym.com/economics-georgia-1733-7894900.html. Retrieved 24 Nov. 2021.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Be sure to leave a comment and tell us what you think.