Dear Father in Heaven. Thanks for the pain you bore for us on the cross, and thanks for carrying the pain of my sins to the cross with You. And today I want to tell You that I am sorry that I keep causing You pain by my sinning. I love You, Jesus, and I pray in Your name. Amen.
Brothers and sisters ... They are calling for snow here at the Southern Location of the North Pole, and what does old Santa say about that? "Come on, summer." Please keep praying for those on our prayer list of yesterday. Also please pray for our leaders in Washington, DC. It is time they grow up and get the peoples' work done. Also pray for our military, police, firefighters, and all those who work to keep us safe and healthy. Thanks ... Now let's look at "pain and gain."
John 3:16/17 - For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (NIV)
"No Pain, No Gain." How often have you heard that saying? Those who play sports and are really good at it train well to do it. Even the guys in NASCAR racing work out and train hard. Some think this is not a sport, but let me tell you when that pit crew goes over the wall they get a workout. Thirteen seconds to change four tires, clean a windshield and fill the car with gas, and the driver, five hours behind the wheel at well over 100 degrees inside the car at speeds up to 200 mph and just inches away from others, that is hard work. I am sure what goes on behind what is seen on race day or at a ball game is a lot of icing down and a lot of heat wraps. Pain, pain, pain.
And how many of us today are without pain? Even if you are not in sports of a workout "nut", we have all, or most all of us have been through some rehab for a broken bone, replacement knee, or back surgery or just a bad back. We have twisted ankles, broken hands, and I could go on and on ... and you get sent to PT, rehab to help the recovery, and let me tell you that when you have had a knee replaced and need to work it out on a bike, there is pain. When you have had back surgery and they have you doing weight lifting, each pound seems like a ton. No Pain, No Gain, right? Well, some now are trying to say that you should not work out to the point of pain, while others want those parts to sting. But let me look at this.
What about No pain for one, no gain for the other? Let's just look at sports, and most all sports are team sports. What good is that old quarterback if the line in front of him is not taking on some pain to stop the other team from getting to him? What good is the pitcher in baseball if the catcher does not take a little pain? Can't you feel the pain in the hand of a good catcher when they caught old Nolan Ryan, or that pitcher they called the Rocket? How about that foul tip that gets them even in a covered area?
So the pain of others is very important to us. Even in a home, and men, think about this. How much pain does your wife get just putting up with us? Oh, did I say that? Now think about this ... Men, how often have you run that sweeper? It can hurt a back as much as anything, and what about standing at an ironing board, and moreso after a long day at work. Oh, and ladies, it works the other way around. You try coming home after work and taking a nap, well, the pain us men go through just thinking of you working after you come home from work is mental pain, and we will put up with that, just for you. And you can rest easy that after that nap, that housework will be waiting for you. (Some men are different than that.)
Hold on here, I am going someplace with this today. IF WE DID NOT HAVE PAIN, IF WE NEVER HAD ANY PAIN IN OUR LIFE, would we really appreciate that? Would we appreciate what Jesus went through for us? Let me answer those for you. No, we would not have a clue what Jesus went through, and even with all the pain we have in daily living we will never be able to feel His pain.
Jesus did not just have the pain on the cross when He was nailed, or when the crown of thorns was placed on His head. He had pain when they spit on Him, and He even had pain when they mocked Him. Think of how much pain you had when someone would call you a name, or even now if someone would say things about you that were not true.
I have heard people say, "I feel your pain." To that I say, how, since we all feel pain differently? There is pain from working out, there is pain from getting hurt in an accident, there is pain when you work your body too hard, and then there is mental pain from well, from lots of different things. Broken homes, hurt family members, kids gone bad. I could go on and on. Lost job, bills backing up, too much to get done, and so it goes ...
But I want you to remember this one thing ... How many people take on the pain of others? Let me first say right now THANKS TO OUR MILITARY! So many for so long have given of themselves to protect us, some gave it all, and all gave some. Men and women killed, leave pain to the family left behind, but what about those who have lost limbs, a leg, a foot, both legs ... the pain goes on and on, and talk about mental pain, and believe me, I can NOT feel this one, but it must hurt so bad when you have had to shoot others, even on the other side. I would think the mental pain would last a lifetime. So thanks to the many veterans who have lived in pain for protecting our freedom.
Our Lord Jesus, one who did not need to take on the pain of our sins, but did. Just think of your pain when one of your kids gets into trouble. Think of the parents of the 17 year-old here in Pennsylvania who killed his classmate and their parents some years ago. Think of the family of those who have shot many in schools. The pain is bad, but Jesus took on pain for the sins of the world. We are all children of God, all of us, even those who say there is no God. Now think of this, having a child and seeing them not want to love you, how much pain is that? Jesus feels that pain all the time, not just when He was here on earth. He felt it starting from when Adam and Eve went bad, ate that fruit, disobeyed the rules.
Jesus felt pain like this all the time and as I said, even now ... But AGAIN JUST think of the pain of the day He was beaten, spit on, nailed to the cross, thorns on His head and a sword in His side. Yes, I repeated that. Think of this. Think mostly of the nail going through your foot, not the bottom as if you stepped on it, but being hammered down through the bones. The shampoo bottle fell when I was in the shower, it landed on my big toe and that hurts. I have had the bar of soap fall and land on the top of my foot right where I would think the nail, or SPIKE went into the feet of Jesus. Try this, take your shampoo bottle and hold it down at arm's length and just drop it on your foot, a distance of about two feet ... tell me how bad it hurts.
No Pain, No Gain ... Yes, I think for Jesus to gain the respect of those of us who have been BORN AGAIN He had to go through the pain, for the pain he bore on the cross was for us. Remember, He could have walked on by. Thy will be done, Jesus told His Father in Heaven. Thy will.
So today as we carry pain, think of this, if we never had pain, if we never had a spot of pain in our lives, would we appreciate at all what Jesus went through for us? So, my dear brothers and sisters, when your pain is bad, when you think you cannot handle any more, try this. Think of the pain Jesus went through for us, for you and for me. Think of a nail being driven into your hands or wrists (location is not important as some differ where the nail went in.) Think of the nail going through your foot. Just think of someone hitting your foot with a hammer over and over again. When you have back pain, think of the beating Jesus took for you, and pray, and I think you will find that your own mind will help you through the great pain and even today, Jesus will help carry your pain. Also remember this, Jesus is not going to let you carry things you cannot deal with, if you truly believe in Him.
No Pain, No Gain. Jesus took the pain, we got the gain, and EVERYONE ON THIS LINE SHOULD BE SAYING THANK YOU, JESUS. And today I believe Jesus suffers additional pain each time we sin.
Dear Jesus: THANK YOU, Thank You for covering my sins with Your blood. I am sorry that I caused You pain and still cause You pain. Please forgive me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth and try not to cause Jesus any more pain. And please share your blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Thursday 12/27/12 Left Turns
Dear Father in Heaven ... Thanks for a message today, thanks for all the blessings we have received this day. Thanks for all You do for all of us. Dear Lord, be with President George H. W. Bush and please heal him. Be also with those we lift in prayer today. For Dolores, Lord, how she needs Your touch. Lord, please be with Ruby, Vicki, and Lord, Vicky needs a fridge. And Lord, help Tom Sansoni as he walks out in faith on a new job. Lord, be with Charles and Janet as they travel and keep them safe. Lord, others also need Your touch in travel. Lord, for our dear friends Patsy and Burt from York, PA. Lord, in the name of Jesus I ask You to heal them. Be with Grant and Wanda as they gather with "their girls" and Lord, be with all the people that have been hit by storms, not just weather storms but storms of life. Lord Jesus, I don't tell you this often enough, but thanks for all You do for all of us, and Lord Jesus, I also do not tell You this often enough, I love You, Jesus. Lord, please bless all those on this line. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Good evening, dear brothers and sisters. I just do not know where the time goes each day. I pray you are all safe from the storms of winter and the storms of life. Please pray for all those listed in my daily prayer. And please pray for me to get some much needed rest. Now to the message.
Psalm 119:35 - Direct me in the path of your commands for there I find delight. (NIV)
Psalm 119:133 - Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. (NIV)
They say confession is good for the soul, and I must tell you this true story which I have confessed a long time ago. For a lot of years I worked and then owned and operated gasoline service stations, and I do mean service stations, you know the kind, with restrooms you could use, where you could get free air and water, where the attendants were in uniform and cleaned your windshield and the rear window also. Where your oil got checked, you know all of that, and whee you could get good directions to find things, and it is directions that needed my confession.
One thing that would upset me and most of the folks who really worked hard giving this full service at gasoline service stations was when a person pulled up to the gas pumps and just wanted directions. You dropped what you were doing inside, maybe installing brakes on a car or changing the oil, just to go out to the pumps and give directions. The folks did not want gas, just directions, and I confess to giving some standard directions like this. Go to the next light and turn left, go one block and turn left, go to the stop sign and turn left, then at the next light turn left again. Then we would wave at them as they drove by the next time around. Yes, I confess I did that. Sometimes it would be just go to the third light and turn left, and I used that one a lot. Just go down this street until you get to the third traffic light and turn left. Then one day, and this has been a lot of years ago, Dolores and I were out on our big Honda Goldwing and needed directions. Now unlike some men, I am not afraid to ask! It was in Hanover, PA, if my memory serves me right and I was looking for a place that sold used Corvettes. I stopped at a service station, and I even went inside, then after asking for the directions, the attendant started out, go to the third light and turn left, then go about a mile and turn left again. By now, I am thinking, this sounds bad, I went out and got on the cycle and told Dolores, I believe I am about to be "paid back." But I followed the directions and it was right.
Anyway, four left turns will take you back to the starting point if you do them in blocks. I am also a fan of NASCAR racing and watch a lot of them and in most all of their races they go out and make four left turns. Think about it, a race of 200 laps, that is 800 left turns. Left turn, left turn, left turn, left turn, and you are back where you started and then you do it again. Now while those NASCAR drivers make a lot of money making left turns, I wonder if their life is like that.
What about you, how many of you have your life like that? I know we all get days where it seems like we are going in circles, going round and round and not getting ahead, spinning our wheels, so to speak. How about your life, where is it going, in circles? Let me tell you, if your life is going in circles, that is the same as going up the dead end street. It is time to get off the left turn list and get on board with Jesus. Some of you will say, in fact if we are honest, we will all say that once in awhile it still seems like our life is going in circles even after we are saved.
Let's face it, my friends, in some cases life is like a circle. In days gone by, and I am talking about the past again, in days gone by a lot of the women stayed home and worked, you know the housework that is harder than the work men did/do. Monday the wash, Tuesday the ironing, Wednesday cooking and canning, Thursday the house cleaning started, Friday more house cleaning, Saturday it was market day and Sunday was Sunday School and church and for a lot of people the day to relax and visit others. Monday it started again, week after week, month after month, even year after year.
Now that most women work outside of the home, they still have those other things to do. Except the washing is most often in the automatic machine, and the dryer and most things do not need ironed, but the house still needs cleaned and food still needs cooked, and the market still needs to see your face in the place. So it does seem like we are on the old circle, or that race track to no place.
Even some people who have found Jesus as their Savior, their investment in Him is going in circles, going no place. My friends, take time out of life's daily circle to get to know Jesus better, spend some time with Jesus daily. I know people who like to read, so they have a book with them all the time. How about you, how about your Bible? What if we started a 'take your Bible to lunch bunch', and this could even be done at home. If out, sit down, order your food if you are on your lunch break, and read some of your Bible. Turn the phone and text things off. Set goals that are real, not ones that will turn you off, and work it in. Even if it is every other day. Spend time in prayer, not just before you eat the food, but even during the meal. Do you know you do not need to pray all your prayers out loud? God hears all of your thinking! That is scary! He knows what you are thinking all the time. Think about it, you can read and think and even pray with your mouth full of a good salad or a big juicy burger. Or my favorite for lunch, soup and a hot dog. Maybe you could even have a Bible study lunch, no, you are not eating the Bible, you are going to study it while you eat.
We need to get off the circle and move on ... Our relationship with Jesus should not stand still or be going in circles, or down dead end streets, for finding Jesus and asking Him in is just the beginning, and we need to feed and nourish this relationship to make it grow and work. God is willing, are you? Copies of Our Daily Bread are good reading, in fact, Carry The Light gets copies of Our Daily Bread and if you would like one, just send me your address and I will see that you get one. Prayer books, or even good hymn books are nice. Take one to lunch and sing! You say you can't sing ... get a good old song book and just sing to yourself, and read the words of the hymns. Go to those old ones, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, The Old Rugged Cross, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, In the Garden, and many more. Read the words, these are the meat and potato hymns. You can have a revival at your table all by yourself. You just need prayers, a Bible, and a song book. And of course the Lord, and away you go. How about having a revival online? That would be different.
The scriptures I picked today talk about letting God direct you. It will help you from going in circles. How about it?
Dear Father in Heaven. Help us to get out of the rut, help us to get back on track with You. Help us to not keep going in circles in our relationship with You and to just keep getting nearer and nearer to You. We need Your help, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now go forth, sharing your blessings and walking with Jesus.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good evening, dear brothers and sisters. I just do not know where the time goes each day. I pray you are all safe from the storms of winter and the storms of life. Please pray for all those listed in my daily prayer. And please pray for me to get some much needed rest. Now to the message.
Psalm 119:35 - Direct me in the path of your commands for there I find delight. (NIV)
Psalm 119:133 - Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. (NIV)
They say confession is good for the soul, and I must tell you this true story which I have confessed a long time ago. For a lot of years I worked and then owned and operated gasoline service stations, and I do mean service stations, you know the kind, with restrooms you could use, where you could get free air and water, where the attendants were in uniform and cleaned your windshield and the rear window also. Where your oil got checked, you know all of that, and whee you could get good directions to find things, and it is directions that needed my confession.
One thing that would upset me and most of the folks who really worked hard giving this full service at gasoline service stations was when a person pulled up to the gas pumps and just wanted directions. You dropped what you were doing inside, maybe installing brakes on a car or changing the oil, just to go out to the pumps and give directions. The folks did not want gas, just directions, and I confess to giving some standard directions like this. Go to the next light and turn left, go one block and turn left, go to the stop sign and turn left, then at the next light turn left again. Then we would wave at them as they drove by the next time around. Yes, I confess I did that. Sometimes it would be just go to the third light and turn left, and I used that one a lot. Just go down this street until you get to the third traffic light and turn left. Then one day, and this has been a lot of years ago, Dolores and I were out on our big Honda Goldwing and needed directions. Now unlike some men, I am not afraid to ask! It was in Hanover, PA, if my memory serves me right and I was looking for a place that sold used Corvettes. I stopped at a service station, and I even went inside, then after asking for the directions, the attendant started out, go to the third light and turn left, then go about a mile and turn left again. By now, I am thinking, this sounds bad, I went out and got on the cycle and told Dolores, I believe I am about to be "paid back." But I followed the directions and it was right.
Anyway, four left turns will take you back to the starting point if you do them in blocks. I am also a fan of NASCAR racing and watch a lot of them and in most all of their races they go out and make four left turns. Think about it, a race of 200 laps, that is 800 left turns. Left turn, left turn, left turn, left turn, and you are back where you started and then you do it again. Now while those NASCAR drivers make a lot of money making left turns, I wonder if their life is like that.
What about you, how many of you have your life like that? I know we all get days where it seems like we are going in circles, going round and round and not getting ahead, spinning our wheels, so to speak. How about your life, where is it going, in circles? Let me tell you, if your life is going in circles, that is the same as going up the dead end street. It is time to get off the left turn list and get on board with Jesus. Some of you will say, in fact if we are honest, we will all say that once in awhile it still seems like our life is going in circles even after we are saved.
Let's face it, my friends, in some cases life is like a circle. In days gone by, and I am talking about the past again, in days gone by a lot of the women stayed home and worked, you know the housework that is harder than the work men did/do. Monday the wash, Tuesday the ironing, Wednesday cooking and canning, Thursday the house cleaning started, Friday more house cleaning, Saturday it was market day and Sunday was Sunday School and church and for a lot of people the day to relax and visit others. Monday it started again, week after week, month after month, even year after year.
Now that most women work outside of the home, they still have those other things to do. Except the washing is most often in the automatic machine, and the dryer and most things do not need ironed, but the house still needs cleaned and food still needs cooked, and the market still needs to see your face in the place. So it does seem like we are on the old circle, or that race track to no place.
Even some people who have found Jesus as their Savior, their investment in Him is going in circles, going no place. My friends, take time out of life's daily circle to get to know Jesus better, spend some time with Jesus daily. I know people who like to read, so they have a book with them all the time. How about you, how about your Bible? What if we started a 'take your Bible to lunch bunch', and this could even be done at home. If out, sit down, order your food if you are on your lunch break, and read some of your Bible. Turn the phone and text things off. Set goals that are real, not ones that will turn you off, and work it in. Even if it is every other day. Spend time in prayer, not just before you eat the food, but even during the meal. Do you know you do not need to pray all your prayers out loud? God hears all of your thinking! That is scary! He knows what you are thinking all the time. Think about it, you can read and think and even pray with your mouth full of a good salad or a big juicy burger. Or my favorite for lunch, soup and a hot dog. Maybe you could even have a Bible study lunch, no, you are not eating the Bible, you are going to study it while you eat.
We need to get off the circle and move on ... Our relationship with Jesus should not stand still or be going in circles, or down dead end streets, for finding Jesus and asking Him in is just the beginning, and we need to feed and nourish this relationship to make it grow and work. God is willing, are you? Copies of Our Daily Bread are good reading, in fact, Carry The Light gets copies of Our Daily Bread and if you would like one, just send me your address and I will see that you get one. Prayer books, or even good hymn books are nice. Take one to lunch and sing! You say you can't sing ... get a good old song book and just sing to yourself, and read the words of the hymns. Go to those old ones, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, The Old Rugged Cross, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, In the Garden, and many more. Read the words, these are the meat and potato hymns. You can have a revival at your table all by yourself. You just need prayers, a Bible, and a song book. And of course the Lord, and away you go. How about having a revival online? That would be different.
The scriptures I picked today talk about letting God direct you. It will help you from going in circles. How about it?
Dear Father in Heaven. Help us to get out of the rut, help us to get back on track with You. Help us to not keep going in circles in our relationship with You and to just keep getting nearer and nearer to You. We need Your help, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now go forth, sharing your blessings and walking with Jesus.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Wednesday 12/26/12 Go Easy
Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for a great Christmas, and thanks for Jesus. Thanks for all You do for each and every person, and even those who don't know You. Thanks for planting a message in my mind today. Please help me with it now. In Jesus' name, I send my prayers to Your Father. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters. It is a great morning as we wait on snow to arrive at the Southern Location of the North Pole. I had a great ride as Santa this year and along with Mrs. Claus, Elves Wanda and Grant in their elf costumes and our spy Elf, Pam, dressed in a Santa hat and her shirt which reads, "I spy for the big guy." All the children, along with parents and grandparents who came to Santa's House heard the real story of Christmas and then got some really nice gifts. But their best gift was learning about Jesus. While most knew some, we had some children and their parents who did not have a clue why we have Christmas. Many of the children were anointed with oil along with their parents. This was our first year working out of Santa's House and it did go well. However, we also learned a lot and will make changes. Most have to do with our hours and with getting the word out. On slack times in Santa's House with the ministry team all together we got to learn a lot about each other and also did other tasks for the Lord.
Today my message will take a break from the normal as I slip back in time in my memory and look at the days when I taught bus drivers and also safety, and safety on those winter roads. Please take time to listen and read. This might be a good one to clip and save for your younger drivers. Or even if you wish, and that is up to you, send it to others who drive. Let me get going on the message as I sit here having cookies and milk left from my big ride as Santa ...
Titus 3:1 - Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates. (KJV)
Go Easy, 12/26/12.
As we sit waiting for another incoming winter storm, God opened my eyes that a good reminder on driving safely would be in line. So I am rolling my memory back a few years when I taught safety. Read or not, here we go.
First, if you do not need to go out in bad weather, STAY HOME.
Drivers First. Is your driver's license current? Time to check it! You would be surprised how many of our school bus drivers would forget to renew their driver's license. Next thing, try and clear your mind before hitting the road, and please, NO BOOZE in your system. None, zip. Now back in my days I did not need to say this one, but please HANG UP THE PHONE AND DRIVE YOUR CAR!! And please, ladies, put that makeup on before you leave for work.
Your Car. It should already be ready so I am thinking you for sure have your winter antifreeze checked and all of that, but going out in the bad weather, please be sure that windshield washer fluid tank is full and your windshield washers work. If your wiper blades streak, replace them. Take a walk around your car, look under it for fresh oil or antifreeze drippings. And please check those tires. Do any look soft? The only true way to check them is with a tire gauge. Check for tire pressures in your car manual or on the tire. Also check the tread of your tires and see that they are good also. A low tire can cause you trouble on any road, but on winter roads it could cause your car to turn around for when braking that low tire will lock up first.
Now let's get to the driving parts.
The driver and his car.
Pray first!!!
If you come out and the car is snow covered, clean an area so to get in and start the motor, turning on the heater and the defroster so that the car starts to build heat. Get back out, being careful not to lock your doors, remember, your key is inside. Now with your brush clean your car, ALL OF IT. Remember, if you let snow on the roof, it can blow off and hit others, or as your car picks up heat, when you are slowing or stopping it could come down over your windshield causing you to be blinded for that time. After cleaning the snow and ice from your car, and by now you should be building heat so the snow would slide off the hood easily, and also the windows, pick the wiper blades up off the windshield by hand, not too far, just be sure they are not frozen to the glass so that when you turn them on you either tear the rubber on the blade or even break a part of the blade, arm, or that wiper motor. Remember, have a clean windshield in and out so that you can see. No little peep-holes, please.
Okay, on the road we go and it is winter and the roads are slick. So let's GO EASY.
EASY on the gas, folks. Turn off the cruise control so you have control. Try only putting the gas pedal half-way down. Do NOT JAM it to the floor when pulling out at any time on bad roads. Going easy with the gas pedal not only saves from tire spin but will also save you fuel.
EASY on the steering: Yes, make slow and easy turns with the steering. Remember that when you turn fast you could cause your car to go "end for end" on an icy road.
EASY ON THE BRAKES. Yes, this one might be the best of all on the Easy list. Go easy on the brakes, this requires you to be thinking and planning ahead. You see the cars slowing ahead of you, get off the gas and cover the brakes, and get ready to slow down. Traffic stopped ahead of you, slow down early going easy up to the cars ahead and put some distance between you just in case you are hit from behind. It might save you from being shoved into the vehicle ahead of you. Here is a neat tip, and for all kinds of driving. When you come to stopped traffic, Go Easy up to it, trying to pick up a car or two behind you. Try not to be "last in line." If you slow down early and you pick up a tail, you will not be the one who gets hit really hard. And remember those colors on the traffic signal. Red to stop, yellow to clear the intersection (it does not mean speed up to get through, it means slow down to stop.), Green means to go, look both ways when pulling out. Then there is color four, yes, color four. I call it "stale green", it means this. If the first time you see the signal ahead of you it is already green, watch carefully as it might be ready to turn to yellow.
Easy out. When pulling out from a light, be sure the traffic coming the other way will stop. If it is icy, they might slide through the light. Yes, even if you have the "right of way", be sure the others coming can stop.
Reminders. "The locked wheels go first." Yes, if on slick roads and you are stopping, if your back brakes come on first, your car could go end for end. If a right rear hits up first, the vehicle rear will go to the right. Again, the locked wheels go first and they also "point the way." Let's say your car is sliding, so you know you are to "steer into the skid" and this is a fact. But if you have the front wheels locked up, you are going straight as the vehicle is pointed. So if you are sliding toward something, you might need to get brave and lift that foot off the brakes so your front wheels can turn to change your direction. Try this. Take a child's toy car with wheels and push it freely across a smooth floor. Make sure all wheels turn. Then put tape over the rear wheels and give it a push again. It goes end for end. Take one back wheel and tape it, it will go toward that locked wheel. Try it, come on, you know you want to play with a toy car or truck again.
Easy Going: Means you plan so that you need not lock those wheels. You get the best grip if you are moving slowly.
The slippery inch: Remember, the first inch of snow is the slippery inch. And snow is also the slickest 30 degrees and above. It is because you form ice on top of the snow and it also packs into the tread of the tires. Here is something to remember. And please do this. Take two pieces of your computer paper (it can be used) and cut them in half. You now have four pieces of paper. Think of these pieces of paper as the "bottom of your "tires." Think of it, as you lay them on your chair. I am serious about this, lay them on your chair, and then sit on them. Think of this, this is how much tread of your tires, all four of them together, that is on the road. Now think about it, and I have tire cuts, tread cuts to prove this. As you sit on this paper, remember how heavy your car is, how heavy it is when loaded with people. Remember again you are sitting on those tire treads (the slips of paper). Now listen up and I will make this simple. YOU ONLY HAVE ENOUGH TIRE RUBBER ON THE ROAD TO COVER YOUR OWN "BUTT" SO SLOW DOWN AND GO EASY.
Black Ice. Watch for "black ice", that is frozen water, or even frost on the roads, that you cannot see ... It is wicked, folks.
Dear Father in Heaven, the very first things we need to do when going on the road anytime is to ask You to keep us safe. So right now, dear Lord, I am asking safety on the roads for all. And I am asking it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Okay, my final tip. If you do not need to travel when the roads are bad ... STAY HOME. Now go forth and share your blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Pastor Dan is retired from Central Dauphin School District as Coordinator of Transportation, one of the many jobs was to be sure 12,000 plus/minus a few children were taken safely to school each day.
Dear brothers and sisters. It is a great morning as we wait on snow to arrive at the Southern Location of the North Pole. I had a great ride as Santa this year and along with Mrs. Claus, Elves Wanda and Grant in their elf costumes and our spy Elf, Pam, dressed in a Santa hat and her shirt which reads, "I spy for the big guy." All the children, along with parents and grandparents who came to Santa's House heard the real story of Christmas and then got some really nice gifts. But their best gift was learning about Jesus. While most knew some, we had some children and their parents who did not have a clue why we have Christmas. Many of the children were anointed with oil along with their parents. This was our first year working out of Santa's House and it did go well. However, we also learned a lot and will make changes. Most have to do with our hours and with getting the word out. On slack times in Santa's House with the ministry team all together we got to learn a lot about each other and also did other tasks for the Lord.
Today my message will take a break from the normal as I slip back in time in my memory and look at the days when I taught bus drivers and also safety, and safety on those winter roads. Please take time to listen and read. This might be a good one to clip and save for your younger drivers. Or even if you wish, and that is up to you, send it to others who drive. Let me get going on the message as I sit here having cookies and milk left from my big ride as Santa ...
Titus 3:1 - Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates. (KJV)
Go Easy, 12/26/12.
As we sit waiting for another incoming winter storm, God opened my eyes that a good reminder on driving safely would be in line. So I am rolling my memory back a few years when I taught safety. Read or not, here we go.
First, if you do not need to go out in bad weather, STAY HOME.
Drivers First. Is your driver's license current? Time to check it! You would be surprised how many of our school bus drivers would forget to renew their driver's license. Next thing, try and clear your mind before hitting the road, and please, NO BOOZE in your system. None, zip. Now back in my days I did not need to say this one, but please HANG UP THE PHONE AND DRIVE YOUR CAR!! And please, ladies, put that makeup on before you leave for work.
Your Car. It should already be ready so I am thinking you for sure have your winter antifreeze checked and all of that, but going out in the bad weather, please be sure that windshield washer fluid tank is full and your windshield washers work. If your wiper blades streak, replace them. Take a walk around your car, look under it for fresh oil or antifreeze drippings. And please check those tires. Do any look soft? The only true way to check them is with a tire gauge. Check for tire pressures in your car manual or on the tire. Also check the tread of your tires and see that they are good also. A low tire can cause you trouble on any road, but on winter roads it could cause your car to turn around for when braking that low tire will lock up first.
Now let's get to the driving parts.
The driver and his car.
Pray first!!!
If you come out and the car is snow covered, clean an area so to get in and start the motor, turning on the heater and the defroster so that the car starts to build heat. Get back out, being careful not to lock your doors, remember, your key is inside. Now with your brush clean your car, ALL OF IT. Remember, if you let snow on the roof, it can blow off and hit others, or as your car picks up heat, when you are slowing or stopping it could come down over your windshield causing you to be blinded for that time. After cleaning the snow and ice from your car, and by now you should be building heat so the snow would slide off the hood easily, and also the windows, pick the wiper blades up off the windshield by hand, not too far, just be sure they are not frozen to the glass so that when you turn them on you either tear the rubber on the blade or even break a part of the blade, arm, or that wiper motor. Remember, have a clean windshield in and out so that you can see. No little peep-holes, please.
Okay, on the road we go and it is winter and the roads are slick. So let's GO EASY.
EASY on the gas, folks. Turn off the cruise control so you have control. Try only putting the gas pedal half-way down. Do NOT JAM it to the floor when pulling out at any time on bad roads. Going easy with the gas pedal not only saves from tire spin but will also save you fuel.
EASY on the steering: Yes, make slow and easy turns with the steering. Remember that when you turn fast you could cause your car to go "end for end" on an icy road.
EASY ON THE BRAKES. Yes, this one might be the best of all on the Easy list. Go easy on the brakes, this requires you to be thinking and planning ahead. You see the cars slowing ahead of you, get off the gas and cover the brakes, and get ready to slow down. Traffic stopped ahead of you, slow down early going easy up to the cars ahead and put some distance between you just in case you are hit from behind. It might save you from being shoved into the vehicle ahead of you. Here is a neat tip, and for all kinds of driving. When you come to stopped traffic, Go Easy up to it, trying to pick up a car or two behind you. Try not to be "last in line." If you slow down early and you pick up a tail, you will not be the one who gets hit really hard. And remember those colors on the traffic signal. Red to stop, yellow to clear the intersection (it does not mean speed up to get through, it means slow down to stop.), Green means to go, look both ways when pulling out. Then there is color four, yes, color four. I call it "stale green", it means this. If the first time you see the signal ahead of you it is already green, watch carefully as it might be ready to turn to yellow.
Easy out. When pulling out from a light, be sure the traffic coming the other way will stop. If it is icy, they might slide through the light. Yes, even if you have the "right of way", be sure the others coming can stop.
Reminders. "The locked wheels go first." Yes, if on slick roads and you are stopping, if your back brakes come on first, your car could go end for end. If a right rear hits up first, the vehicle rear will go to the right. Again, the locked wheels go first and they also "point the way." Let's say your car is sliding, so you know you are to "steer into the skid" and this is a fact. But if you have the front wheels locked up, you are going straight as the vehicle is pointed. So if you are sliding toward something, you might need to get brave and lift that foot off the brakes so your front wheels can turn to change your direction. Try this. Take a child's toy car with wheels and push it freely across a smooth floor. Make sure all wheels turn. Then put tape over the rear wheels and give it a push again. It goes end for end. Take one back wheel and tape it, it will go toward that locked wheel. Try it, come on, you know you want to play with a toy car or truck again.
Easy Going: Means you plan so that you need not lock those wheels. You get the best grip if you are moving slowly.
The slippery inch: Remember, the first inch of snow is the slippery inch. And snow is also the slickest 30 degrees and above. It is because you form ice on top of the snow and it also packs into the tread of the tires. Here is something to remember. And please do this. Take two pieces of your computer paper (it can be used) and cut them in half. You now have four pieces of paper. Think of these pieces of paper as the "bottom of your "tires." Think of it, as you lay them on your chair. I am serious about this, lay them on your chair, and then sit on them. Think of this, this is how much tread of your tires, all four of them together, that is on the road. Now think about it, and I have tire cuts, tread cuts to prove this. As you sit on this paper, remember how heavy your car is, how heavy it is when loaded with people. Remember again you are sitting on those tire treads (the slips of paper). Now listen up and I will make this simple. YOU ONLY HAVE ENOUGH TIRE RUBBER ON THE ROAD TO COVER YOUR OWN "BUTT" SO SLOW DOWN AND GO EASY.
Black Ice. Watch for "black ice", that is frozen water, or even frost on the roads, that you cannot see ... It is wicked, folks.
Dear Father in Heaven, the very first things we need to do when going on the road anytime is to ask You to keep us safe. So right now, dear Lord, I am asking safety on the roads for all. And I am asking it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Okay, my final tip. If you do not need to travel when the roads are bad ... STAY HOME. Now go forth and share your blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Pastor Dan is retired from Central Dauphin School District as Coordinator of Transportation, one of the many jobs was to be sure 12,000 plus/minus a few children were taken safely to school each day.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas 2012
Dear Father in Heaven ... Thanks for blessing all of us and walking with all of us each and every day of our lives. Help us, dear Father, to learn to do the same. Help us to bless You and walk with You each and every day of our lives. Please be with Your people as they travel and watch over them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (King James)
Dear Brothers and Sisters ... John 3:16 tells it all, from the birth to the cross and the fact that we have a Savior this day that is ALIVE AND WELL, and waiting, just waiting for us to come to Him. The best Christmas Gift ever given to any and all of us was Jesus. The best Christmas gift you could give yourself is to be sure you accept this gift of Jesus. No time like Christmas to come to Christ or renew with Christ.
Dear Father in Heaven, please wash my sins away, I want to receive the gift of Jesus right now. Then put me to work in Your fields of Harvest. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ... I love you ... Pastor Dan.
P.S. Remember, please, to "share your blessings."
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (King James)
Dear Brothers and Sisters ... John 3:16 tells it all, from the birth to the cross and the fact that we have a Savior this day that is ALIVE AND WELL, and waiting, just waiting for us to come to Him. The best Christmas Gift ever given to any and all of us was Jesus. The best Christmas gift you could give yourself is to be sure you accept this gift of Jesus. No time like Christmas to come to Christ or renew with Christ.
Dear Father in Heaven, please wash my sins away, I want to receive the gift of Jesus right now. Then put me to work in Your fields of Harvest. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ... I love you ... Pastor Dan.
P.S. Remember, please, to "share your blessings."
Friday, December 21, 2012
Friday 12/21/12 The Story
Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks again for all You do for us, and Lord, we have a lot of work to do for You. All those folks, Lord, that thought the world was going to end for sure did not know about You. Father, we need to get the word out that not even Jesus knows when You are going to send Him back. We do pray it will be soon, but until then, we sure have work to do, and please help us to get it done. Today, Lord, I pray for all pastors, priests, and all who will be teaching and preaching this Sunday and on Christmas Eve and even Christmas Day. I pray that each and every one of them will preach the truth, Lord, and leave a Salvation Message, for we will surely have people in front of us who only come to church once or twice a year. Thanks for all the blessings. Help me now, please, dear Lord, with the message. I love you, Lord, and I pray to You, Father, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Good Friday afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters. I am going to try and get this message out this afternoon so you have it before Christmas. Please pray for all those who just do not understand who Jesus is, like all those who were planning for the world to end today. The plan they need is to take Jesus into their hearts, work for Him daily until they hear the sound of the trumpet. Let me get to the message now.
12/21/12 - The Story (and the first day of winter).
Luke 2:15 - When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and The Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told. (NIV)
Notice again that the Bible is now referring to the angels and that is meaning more than one of them. You recall that I talked about the great company of heavenly hosts. After the angels made their announcement to the shepherds they went back to heaven. I have had many people tell me that they felt like they were touched by an angel, and to me this does show that angels still make "house calls" so to speak. More on that at a later date. Luke 2:15 then goes on to say that the shepherds talked to one another and decided to go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told them about. Notice how they knew and accepted that the angel, who we feel was Gabriel, was indeed a messenger of the Lord. For they said, "which the Lord has told us about."
In verse 16 it tells us they "hurried off" and since they did not have any other means of travel with them while watching their flocks, I would take the hurried off to mean they did not spend much time getting ready and maybe even did a fast walk to Bethlehem. I think that they might not have all gone at once, leaving their flock unattended. I am thinking that because the Bible tells us that after they found Mary, Joseph, and The Baby, and had seen Him, they spread the word concerning the event. This leads me to believe that they went right back to their flocks and told others. Maybe they helped each other out. It also tells us that all who heard the word were amazed. I am sure that the facts remained the same as it went from one person to the next.
Luke 2:19 states that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Let me ask you this, have you ever taken what God has told you and thought about it for awhile? I would think that Mary had a lot to treasure. She was there with time to think about all that was going on. She was a virgin, she gave herself freely to the Lord, and now I would think she was pondering the responsibility that she was going to have in raising this "Child of God." I would think like any mother she is trying to remember the events and she is running them through her heart. Today I don't think people dwell much on the events as they happen. Now it is on camera, or people are taking pictures with their phone. I would think she would be thinking about feeding Him. How often would He eat, and, maybe how long would she be spending in the stable. I mean a lot has happened. Maybe she is thinking back to when the angel of the Lord first appeared to her. I am sure this young virgin we all the "Virgin Mary" today had much to think about.
In Luke 2:20 we see that the shepherds returned, and while telling others they were glorifying and praising God for "all the things they had heard and seen." And the neat thing is that they found it just as they were told. Nothing was changed. As in all things coming from God we can expect the truth.
And that is why, I believe all, I said ALL the events in the Bible, just as they are laid out. There are times we need to use our own minds and think things through when it is not spelled out word for word. Let me give you an example of my believing. The Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all things and He did it in six days and rested on the seventh. I believe it, and I believe the days were the same in time as today, for after all we still have the same sun and moon making the day and the night. That is a wrap for today.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for Your great gift to us, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No greater gift was ever given to us, Lord. None, Lord, I am sure glad, Lord, that I have come nearer and nearer to You so that I can appreciate this great gift. Thanks again, and all glory and honor is Yours. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Now go forth and share those blessings. Have a great weekend. God willing, I will be up early on Christmas Eve morning to send out a word that is given to me for that day.
Love ya, Pastor Dan
Good Friday afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters. I am going to try and get this message out this afternoon so you have it before Christmas. Please pray for all those who just do not understand who Jesus is, like all those who were planning for the world to end today. The plan they need is to take Jesus into their hearts, work for Him daily until they hear the sound of the trumpet. Let me get to the message now.
12/21/12 - The Story (and the first day of winter).
Luke 2:15 - When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and The Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told. (NIV)
Notice again that the Bible is now referring to the angels and that is meaning more than one of them. You recall that I talked about the great company of heavenly hosts. After the angels made their announcement to the shepherds they went back to heaven. I have had many people tell me that they felt like they were touched by an angel, and to me this does show that angels still make "house calls" so to speak. More on that at a later date. Luke 2:15 then goes on to say that the shepherds talked to one another and decided to go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told them about. Notice how they knew and accepted that the angel, who we feel was Gabriel, was indeed a messenger of the Lord. For they said, "which the Lord has told us about."
In verse 16 it tells us they "hurried off" and since they did not have any other means of travel with them while watching their flocks, I would take the hurried off to mean they did not spend much time getting ready and maybe even did a fast walk to Bethlehem. I think that they might not have all gone at once, leaving their flock unattended. I am thinking that because the Bible tells us that after they found Mary, Joseph, and The Baby, and had seen Him, they spread the word concerning the event. This leads me to believe that they went right back to their flocks and told others. Maybe they helped each other out. It also tells us that all who heard the word were amazed. I am sure that the facts remained the same as it went from one person to the next.
Luke 2:19 states that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Let me ask you this, have you ever taken what God has told you and thought about it for awhile? I would think that Mary had a lot to treasure. She was there with time to think about all that was going on. She was a virgin, she gave herself freely to the Lord, and now I would think she was pondering the responsibility that she was going to have in raising this "Child of God." I would think like any mother she is trying to remember the events and she is running them through her heart. Today I don't think people dwell much on the events as they happen. Now it is on camera, or people are taking pictures with their phone. I would think she would be thinking about feeding Him. How often would He eat, and, maybe how long would she be spending in the stable. I mean a lot has happened. Maybe she is thinking back to when the angel of the Lord first appeared to her. I am sure this young virgin we all the "Virgin Mary" today had much to think about.
In Luke 2:20 we see that the shepherds returned, and while telling others they were glorifying and praising God for "all the things they had heard and seen." And the neat thing is that they found it just as they were told. Nothing was changed. As in all things coming from God we can expect the truth.
And that is why, I believe all, I said ALL the events in the Bible, just as they are laid out. There are times we need to use our own minds and think things through when it is not spelled out word for word. Let me give you an example of my believing. The Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all things and He did it in six days and rested on the seventh. I believe it, and I believe the days were the same in time as today, for after all we still have the same sun and moon making the day and the night. That is a wrap for today.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for Your great gift to us, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No greater gift was ever given to us, Lord. None, Lord, I am sure glad, Lord, that I have come nearer and nearer to You so that I can appreciate this great gift. Thanks again, and all glory and honor is Yours. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Now go forth and share those blessings. Have a great weekend. God willing, I will be up early on Christmas Eve morning to send out a word that is given to me for that day.
Love ya, Pastor Dan
Thursday 12/20/12 The Story
Dear Heavenly Father, Thanks again for waking us this day and thanks for a special day for us to share Your love with a daycare and a senior home. Thanks for watching over this line and our online flock as we call them, Lord. Please keep watching over Ruby. Thanks for trusting me to do Your work. Thanks for our ministry team and all those in our flock at the Bridges. Dear Lord, we hear more and more about murders but it seems to me, only when there is a mass murder does it make national news. Lord, help us, please, dear Lord, come back soon. Love you, Jesus. Thanks for all You do for us now. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters, it is raining here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. We had a great Thursday playing Santa and Mrs. Claus at another Goddard School whee once again we can talk about Jesus. Let me get moving out with the message ...
12/20/12 The Story.
Luke 2:8 - And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (NIV)
Yesterday we ended as we talked about the Birth of Jesus not really being easy, simple maybe, but surely not easy. Today our story takes us out in the fields nearby, where we find shepherds keeping watch over their flocks at night. This verse is like all verses in the Bible, really important. It talks about the shepherds in the fields that are nearby, meaning that they could get to the manger, unlike the Kings or Wise Men whom we see in the "manger scenes". It also tells us that this event announcement happened at night. But what about the birth? If we followed along in the Bible up until now, Jesus could have been born in the stable but during the day. We now have established by the Word from our Bible the Birth announcement happened at night. But did the Birth happen at night or during the day? Let's keep going!
In verse 9 we find an angel of the Lord appeared to them. Now if we were to look back you would find that an angel of the Lord has been announcing the events all along. The angel talked to Zechariah, to Mary, to Joseph, and has been identified as Gabriel. Anyway, the word tells us that the glory of the Lord shone around them. So we know that Gabriel can light up the place and this scared the shepherds. They were terrified. Then Gabriel told them, "Do not be afraid." He also told them that he brought "good news." Now we will find out later from our Lord Jesus that we are to take the "good news" of our Savior into all the world. Do you see how this all ties together? Do you see how this message from the Bible is still good current news today?
Mark 16:15 - He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the GOOD NEWS to all creation." (NIV)
Okay, what else do we find in these scripture verses today? We find recorded in Luke 2:10 that the Good News is of great joy and it is for ALL PEOPLE. Again it ties right into Mark 16:15, for the Good News is for all creation, or as in Luke, All People.
Luke 2:11 - "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord." (NIV)
I am thinking our Lord Jesus was born during daylight hours and then after the baby would have been cleaned up and fed and all had settled in for a few hours, the announcement went out to the shepherds. As we move on, we find that the Angel of the Lord gave them the location.
Let's now go back to the Word.
Luke 2:13 - Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (NIV)
What we see here is that Gabriel brought along friends. A great company of the Heavenly Host appeared. We also know, and we still study this later, The Heavenly Host stood nearby when Jesus was taken, arrested, and then put to death on the cross. God The Father had His Angels or Heavenly Hosts standing nearby then. One last thing and we need to remember this always ... "Glory to God" -- All Glory goes to God !!! Amen.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for opening the Christmas story to me in different ways. And thanks for trusting me to share it. Now let us go forth this day, Lord, with Your blessings, to do Your work. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Now please go forth sharing Your blessings and remember that Jesus loves you, and I love ya also.
Pastor Dan
Dear brothers and sisters, it is raining here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. We had a great Thursday playing Santa and Mrs. Claus at another Goddard School whee once again we can talk about Jesus. Let me get moving out with the message ...
12/20/12 The Story.
Luke 2:8 - And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (NIV)
Yesterday we ended as we talked about the Birth of Jesus not really being easy, simple maybe, but surely not easy. Today our story takes us out in the fields nearby, where we find shepherds keeping watch over their flocks at night. This verse is like all verses in the Bible, really important. It talks about the shepherds in the fields that are nearby, meaning that they could get to the manger, unlike the Kings or Wise Men whom we see in the "manger scenes". It also tells us that this event announcement happened at night. But what about the birth? If we followed along in the Bible up until now, Jesus could have been born in the stable but during the day. We now have established by the Word from our Bible the Birth announcement happened at night. But did the Birth happen at night or during the day? Let's keep going!
In verse 9 we find an angel of the Lord appeared to them. Now if we were to look back you would find that an angel of the Lord has been announcing the events all along. The angel talked to Zechariah, to Mary, to Joseph, and has been identified as Gabriel. Anyway, the word tells us that the glory of the Lord shone around them. So we know that Gabriel can light up the place and this scared the shepherds. They were terrified. Then Gabriel told them, "Do not be afraid." He also told them that he brought "good news." Now we will find out later from our Lord Jesus that we are to take the "good news" of our Savior into all the world. Do you see how this all ties together? Do you see how this message from the Bible is still good current news today?
Mark 16:15 - He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the GOOD NEWS to all creation." (NIV)
Okay, what else do we find in these scripture verses today? We find recorded in Luke 2:10 that the Good News is of great joy and it is for ALL PEOPLE. Again it ties right into Mark 16:15, for the Good News is for all creation, or as in Luke, All People.
Luke 2:11 - "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord." (NIV)
I am thinking our Lord Jesus was born during daylight hours and then after the baby would have been cleaned up and fed and all had settled in for a few hours, the announcement went out to the shepherds. As we move on, we find that the Angel of the Lord gave them the location.
Let's now go back to the Word.
Luke 2:13 - Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (NIV)
What we see here is that Gabriel brought along friends. A great company of the Heavenly Host appeared. We also know, and we still study this later, The Heavenly Host stood nearby when Jesus was taken, arrested, and then put to death on the cross. God The Father had His Angels or Heavenly Hosts standing nearby then. One last thing and we need to remember this always ... "Glory to God" -- All Glory goes to God !!! Amen.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for opening the Christmas story to me in different ways. And thanks for trusting me to share it. Now let us go forth this day, Lord, with Your blessings, to do Your work. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Now please go forth sharing Your blessings and remember that Jesus loves you, and I love ya also.
Pastor Dan
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Wednesday 12/19/12 The Story
Dear Father in Heaven ... Thank You, Jesus, for another great day on Wednesday. You blessed us each and every minute of the day. From a good night's rest to the rising of our bodies until we finished in the evening and climbing back into bed. Thanks for watching over this line, and watching over all those we have been praying for. Help me this day to stay on point and keep moving out for You. Be with all those who have lost loved ones across this great nation, and be with those who are healing from wounds, not just those causing injury to body but also those wounds that were caused by things that affect the mind. Be in Washington, DC, please, as our leaders there try and act like adults and get out a budget. Help them get on their knees and bring things to You and then it will get done, and Lord, please be at Sandy Hook and comfort that town. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Hi, brothers and and sisters. I know it is early Thursday morning and I am writing under the date of Wednesday, I had another busy day on Wednesday and next week I will tell you about the blessings of this day. God has been working one blessing after another, however, I want to get on to this message both for you and also to get it in my mind for preaching it on Sunday and also Christmas Eve. I mentioned in my prayers about praying for our leaders in Washington DC. I truly believe that if, THAT IF our President and the leaders of our Congress, both the House and the Senate, would come together in the same room and would start by getting on their knees and talking to God The Father, through His Son Jesus, if they would ask in faith for help, they could sit down and work out a budget for this nation. What I would like to see happen is not the point, it is what the Will of God should be done. But again as in our schools, we have thrown our Lord Jesus out and expect to get results. We need to get back to Christ. And everyone said ... AMEN. Now let me get to the Story.
Luke 2:1 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (NIV)
Luke 2:6 - While they were there, the time came for The Baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, I set the first five verses of Luke 2 down again for review for you, as it has been awhile since I really touched on it. You will recall that I talked about the trip and how it was a distance of about 69 miles and that while walking and riding it would have taken about three days. I talked about that trip and how they would have needed to stop and rest along the way. So now let me get moving on some fresh things that God has planed on my mind about that trip.
Since there would not have been hotels built along the way every so many miles, I would think it went something like this. As they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, I would think more and more people would be joining them as they traveled from village to village toward Bethlehem. I mean back then there was no Hilton or other hotel or motel of any name, not even Howard Johnson's, so that means none of those ice cream cones along the way. Remember, since people traveled by foot or with donkeys or camels, all would need rest and food and drink along the way. Jesus reminded me that even back then, before He was born, that the hungry needed to eat, the thirsty needed a drink, and people needed clothes even the people traveling who might be strangers from each other, were invited in along the way. Think about it, folks, put yourself back in time and as you travel and you get tired and weary and you need food and water, so you just stop along the way and go to a door. It might go like this. Knock, knock! Who's there? I am Joseph! Joseph who? No, that is not how it would go. It would have gone like this. Knock on the door, the homeowner would answer the door. Hi, I am Joseph, and I need to take care of my wife and animals for the night. Come on in, stranger, and bring your wife in also, I will help you with the animals. I would think this is how the trip would have been made along the way. People joining together along the way. Maybe there were places like our "bed and breakfast" places. All this to get you thinking about that trip that we think happened in today's time.
Yes, brothers and sisters, as our C and E people go to church, pastors try and fit the entire message into one 20-minute sermon. By the way, C and E means Christmas and Easter, for a lot of people only go to church twice a year. Wow, God gives us all those hours, eight thousand seven hundred and sixty per year, and every four years He gives us an extra twenty four hours and some people are willing to give back two hours a year. How about that, but that is two hours more than many people give back to God in a year. Okay, let us go ahead now to Bethlehem, and when Joseph and Mary arrived at that inn. That inn, in this little town of Bethlehem, over the years has been talked about, studied about more than any other inn, and that inn had the most famous person ever to stop in, and yes, He was told there is no room. I guess Joseph forgot to "phone ahead." But think about it, folks, the Bible tells us that they were told they could not stay in the inn for there was no room, but they could stay in the stable. And then The Baby was born. More than that, folks, Mary, who has been on a long, long ride, lasting about three days, would have been very, very tired, and she would need a place to deliver. Think about Joseph, surely he would have taken care of the donkey, putting it in the stable, or tying it up outside. I think next he would have made Mary a bed, maybe of hay and/or straw, putting a blanket on top of that hay and/or straw. A blanket that might have been the one she sat upon while riding on the donkey, or maybe a fresh one given to them by the innkeeper. I would think Joseph would have taken care of Mary and then got the manger ready for Jesus. The Bible talks about placing Him in a manger, and you think of something special. Think, folks, of a feeding place for the animals, an area where the hay would have been placed, maybe even a place where grain would have been placed. Then think of how Joseph would have formed it, moved it around, made it comfortable for his Son who was about to be born. Please remember, both Mary and Joseph knew ahead of time that this child would be special. The angel of the Lord had talked to both of them. I would think that Joseph did all he could do to make things comfy for Mary and the newborn.
Speaking of newborns, Crockett's new grandbaby was picked to be Jesus in a Nativity at their church last Saturday evening when someone forgot to bring the "doll". Something they will be able to tell that child about later in life. I can see it. Connor, you should be acting more like Jesus than you are doing, as they help teach him, along with his parents, Beth and Craig, about Jesus and how he should follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Anyway, we also need to think in our minds how someone would need to help Mary deliver The Child. More than likely there would be other women on this trip that helped deliver children in the past and would help this virgin deliver this Child. Then as our Savior was born, He would need cleaned up. The cord would need tied, and then the baby wrapped in cloths and placed in the manger. Think about it, it was not just a simple birth.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for the message of this day, and please, Lord, help me get caught up later today with Thursday's message. But not just thanks for the message, thanks for for this special Child, our Jesus, our Savior ... Born this day that we now call Christmas. Help us remember Jesus was not just born on the day we call Christmas, He is the reason, the only reason we have Christmas, and so many folks want to take Him out of it. Pray, warriors, along with me, to keep Jesus in Christmas, in town squares, in schools, and not just for Christmas, but each day of our lives. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, I say this, to keep Jesus in Christmas and all other places and time, it must start with us,with you and me. Now go forth and share your blessings. More later today, I pray.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Hi, brothers and and sisters. I know it is early Thursday morning and I am writing under the date of Wednesday, I had another busy day on Wednesday and next week I will tell you about the blessings of this day. God has been working one blessing after another, however, I want to get on to this message both for you and also to get it in my mind for preaching it on Sunday and also Christmas Eve. I mentioned in my prayers about praying for our leaders in Washington DC. I truly believe that if, THAT IF our President and the leaders of our Congress, both the House and the Senate, would come together in the same room and would start by getting on their knees and talking to God The Father, through His Son Jesus, if they would ask in faith for help, they could sit down and work out a budget for this nation. What I would like to see happen is not the point, it is what the Will of God should be done. But again as in our schools, we have thrown our Lord Jesus out and expect to get results. We need to get back to Christ. And everyone said ... AMEN. Now let me get to the Story.
Luke 2:1 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (NIV)
Luke 2:6 - While they were there, the time came for The Baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, I set the first five verses of Luke 2 down again for review for you, as it has been awhile since I really touched on it. You will recall that I talked about the trip and how it was a distance of about 69 miles and that while walking and riding it would have taken about three days. I talked about that trip and how they would have needed to stop and rest along the way. So now let me get moving on some fresh things that God has planed on my mind about that trip.
Since there would not have been hotels built along the way every so many miles, I would think it went something like this. As they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, I would think more and more people would be joining them as they traveled from village to village toward Bethlehem. I mean back then there was no Hilton or other hotel or motel of any name, not even Howard Johnson's, so that means none of those ice cream cones along the way. Remember, since people traveled by foot or with donkeys or camels, all would need rest and food and drink along the way. Jesus reminded me that even back then, before He was born, that the hungry needed to eat, the thirsty needed a drink, and people needed clothes even the people traveling who might be strangers from each other, were invited in along the way. Think about it, folks, put yourself back in time and as you travel and you get tired and weary and you need food and water, so you just stop along the way and go to a door. It might go like this. Knock, knock! Who's there? I am Joseph! Joseph who? No, that is not how it would go. It would have gone like this. Knock on the door, the homeowner would answer the door. Hi, I am Joseph, and I need to take care of my wife and animals for the night. Come on in, stranger, and bring your wife in also, I will help you with the animals. I would think this is how the trip would have been made along the way. People joining together along the way. Maybe there were places like our "bed and breakfast" places. All this to get you thinking about that trip that we think happened in today's time.
Yes, brothers and sisters, as our C and E people go to church, pastors try and fit the entire message into one 20-minute sermon. By the way, C and E means Christmas and Easter, for a lot of people only go to church twice a year. Wow, God gives us all those hours, eight thousand seven hundred and sixty per year, and every four years He gives us an extra twenty four hours and some people are willing to give back two hours a year. How about that, but that is two hours more than many people give back to God in a year. Okay, let us go ahead now to Bethlehem, and when Joseph and Mary arrived at that inn. That inn, in this little town of Bethlehem, over the years has been talked about, studied about more than any other inn, and that inn had the most famous person ever to stop in, and yes, He was told there is no room. I guess Joseph forgot to "phone ahead." But think about it, folks, the Bible tells us that they were told they could not stay in the inn for there was no room, but they could stay in the stable. And then The Baby was born. More than that, folks, Mary, who has been on a long, long ride, lasting about three days, would have been very, very tired, and she would need a place to deliver. Think about Joseph, surely he would have taken care of the donkey, putting it in the stable, or tying it up outside. I think next he would have made Mary a bed, maybe of hay and/or straw, putting a blanket on top of that hay and/or straw. A blanket that might have been the one she sat upon while riding on the donkey, or maybe a fresh one given to them by the innkeeper. I would think Joseph would have taken care of Mary and then got the manger ready for Jesus. The Bible talks about placing Him in a manger, and you think of something special. Think, folks, of a feeding place for the animals, an area where the hay would have been placed, maybe even a place where grain would have been placed. Then think of how Joseph would have formed it, moved it around, made it comfortable for his Son who was about to be born. Please remember, both Mary and Joseph knew ahead of time that this child would be special. The angel of the Lord had talked to both of them. I would think that Joseph did all he could do to make things comfy for Mary and the newborn.
Speaking of newborns, Crockett's new grandbaby was picked to be Jesus in a Nativity at their church last Saturday evening when someone forgot to bring the "doll". Something they will be able to tell that child about later in life. I can see it. Connor, you should be acting more like Jesus than you are doing, as they help teach him, along with his parents, Beth and Craig, about Jesus and how he should follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Anyway, we also need to think in our minds how someone would need to help Mary deliver The Child. More than likely there would be other women on this trip that helped deliver children in the past and would help this virgin deliver this Child. Then as our Savior was born, He would need cleaned up. The cord would need tied, and then the baby wrapped in cloths and placed in the manger. Think about it, it was not just a simple birth.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for the message of this day, and please, Lord, help me get caught up later today with Thursday's message. But not just thanks for the message, thanks for for this special Child, our Jesus, our Savior ... Born this day that we now call Christmas. Help us remember Jesus was not just born on the day we call Christmas, He is the reason, the only reason we have Christmas, and so many folks want to take Him out of it. Pray, warriors, along with me, to keep Jesus in Christmas, in town squares, in schools, and not just for Christmas, but each day of our lives. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, I say this, to keep Jesus in Christmas and all other places and time, it must start with us,with you and me. Now go forth and share your blessings. More later today, I pray.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Tuesday 12/18/12 The Story
Dear Father in Heaven. Thanks again for waking us this day, and thanks for watching over us. Please be with Sterling as he suffers the loss of his wife. We know, Jesus, she is with You. Thanks for all Your work with us in the food pantry. Thanks for watching over our families and friends. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters. Our friend Luella Funck has gone home to be with Jesus. Please pray for her husband Sterling and their family. Sterling and Luella were part of our flock at the Bridges and they both loved the Lord Jesus, and of course Sterling still does. I am running behind somewhat and I want to bring you up to date on our food pantry and how things went on Saturday at our distribution. First this update. Today, Tuesday, I had both of my knees injected with Syndisc to help get me through until I can get time to have at least my right one replaced. We need your prayers to keep us going through Christmas. Please keep praying for Ruby, who had a bad fall. Let me get to our daily message.
Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (NIV)
Yes, I used this scripture last week, but it is the best when telling you about our food pantry. Let me go back to December 1st when a crew, and I mean a crew of people came to our food pantry and packed food for 80 families. It was a work of art as these folks would get food off the shelves and pack it into bags. While 80 families you might think 80 bags, but the fact is we packed out 5 bags for each family. That is 400 bags of food. Then it was stacked, some on tables, on shelves, and some on the floor. You heard me tell of the water pipe breaking and how the water did not hit one bag of food. GOD IS GOOD, PRAISE THE LORD!
Dolores got the job of calling families, lining them up to come in on the 15th for food. This takes days and days and days of calls. We get our family names for those needing food from those who have come in before and called to come in. We also call on several school districts and their counselors supply us with names of families who are requesting help. Also Cumberland County Children and Youth send us family names. All families were contacted first by those sending names so to get permission for us to contact them. Dolores called over 80 families and she confirmed over 70 that would be coming in on our distribution day, December 15th. Now let's get to Distribution Day.
Saturday, December 15th, finds Dolores and me rising at 4:00 AM so as to take care of our animals and get ready for this big day. At 7:30 AM our movers and shakers, Grant and Wanda, arrived to help get the day started. After a short prayer we made a few starter plans and then things started to move out. Tables were pulled outside and set up, pies were pulled from a freezer in our upper garages and brought down. It was a beautiful, but cold morning, and we were setting up outside. Soon after four people came from Jonestown, PA, about 50 miles away. Two years ago the one couple had a fire in their home and they rented a place from our son, who has Lehman's Property Management. He told us they needed some help and we stocked their kitchen with food. They came to "give back". More and more people came to help, food carts were put outside, dog food was packed up and set out for those having dogs. Potatoes were pulled out and some needed bagged. At 8:50 AM we all stopped and after praying and talking about all those who were killed the day before, all those babies, we went back to work for the Lord. People got their assignments. We had three prayer warriors on the driveway, Tim Beitzel, Ruby Mayeski, and Wanda Crockett. Others were assigned to other jobs, such as head loader, and loaders. Grant worked the cars coming in, dressed in his elf suit. Cars were lined up side by side, with four cars moving ahead at a time. Drivers went inside to sign in, and their ID was checked. Then they came out with a loading slip and the fun began. A turkey, five bags of food, and five pounds of potatoes were loaded into the cars for the folks. In the meantime, the ones coming for the food were sent down a line, two packs of hamburger rolls, one pie, and all the goodies they wanted. Flour, salad mix, and even extra cereal was put into the bags. Cars lined up, and the line was moving. What a day! About mid-morning, our dear friend and prayer warrior, Ruby, had a bad fall on the driveway, two nurses attended to her. These ladies, Helen and Robin, were here helping to load cars. She was driven home by Robin and daughter Danelle picked up Robin and brought her back. It was really a great day. One person was upset when they tried to pick up food for someone who told us they did n ot need the food and that person was turned away. It was a beautiful and wonderful day. Every pie, every loaf of bread, all went out, three of our freezers were empty. We had enough turkeys to go around with the help of all of you who donated turkeys or dollars to purchase them. I even bought some extras and the leftovers were put into one freezer. The other freezers were left open to defrost. Now I must go on here just a tad.
In the meantime, food had been coming in, it was stacked in baskets and in boxes to be sorted and shelved after the distribution day. Monday I received a call to get bread from the food store that another ministry could not use. Today, Tuesday, I picked up that load of bread. Our movers and shakers once again showed up. I was with Grant and Wanda in the morning for awhile and we talked about how we were going to lay out the food pantry. About 11:00 AM I had to leave to get my knees injected. I returned to find the work done and things back in place and all the boxes broken down and placed at the curb for Wednesday morning pickup.
We have two places to go and pick up more food. The museum that fills the antique truck notified us today that the truck was full again. Grant and I just unloaded it on Monday, just the day before.
Our shelves are loaded. We now have the shelves back to almost normal, but much, much more than last year at this time. Thanks for all who helped to purchase food, all who helped pack food, all who sent in food, all who filled carts at churches and the Auto Museum at Hershey, PA. All who came to load the cars and pray over those coming in. Special thanks to New Hope Ministries Food Pantry, Mechanicsburg, PA. and Newport Assembly of God Food Pantry, Newport, PA. for sharing with our small food pantry as we team together to help feed the hungry according to the word of our Lord Jesus. One of the most special things that happen at the Carry The Light Ministries is that everyone who comes for food, EVERYONE, gets prayed for and over. This is not just on this one day, it is each time. On Distribution Day, we pray in the driveway so to keep the line moving.
The only other trouble we had this year was that Santa's big bus went down again for repairs. This time I think we will need to either salvage it or maybe replace the engine with a used one. It is great for when we go out to do Santa and load with food, we can do it all at once. Beside that the bus is a witness to the Lord on the road.
Now as we thank everyone, we will indeed give TOP HONORS AND ALL THE GLORY TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, FOR WITHOUT HIM WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING.
Dear Father in Heaven ... Thanks for the great blessings. All honor and glory to You, through Your Son Jesus, I give these thanks. Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings, for INDEED, when you share them in faith, you will be blessed over and over again. So often when I walk into the food pantry I will say, "God is good all the time." Others in the pantry will say, "All the time, God is good."
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Dear brothers and sisters. Our friend Luella Funck has gone home to be with Jesus. Please pray for her husband Sterling and their family. Sterling and Luella were part of our flock at the Bridges and they both loved the Lord Jesus, and of course Sterling still does. I am running behind somewhat and I want to bring you up to date on our food pantry and how things went on Saturday at our distribution. First this update. Today, Tuesday, I had both of my knees injected with Syndisc to help get me through until I can get time to have at least my right one replaced. We need your prayers to keep us going through Christmas. Please keep praying for Ruby, who had a bad fall. Let me get to our daily message.
Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (NIV)
Yes, I used this scripture last week, but it is the best when telling you about our food pantry. Let me go back to December 1st when a crew, and I mean a crew of people came to our food pantry and packed food for 80 families. It was a work of art as these folks would get food off the shelves and pack it into bags. While 80 families you might think 80 bags, but the fact is we packed out 5 bags for each family. That is 400 bags of food. Then it was stacked, some on tables, on shelves, and some on the floor. You heard me tell of the water pipe breaking and how the water did not hit one bag of food. GOD IS GOOD, PRAISE THE LORD!
Dolores got the job of calling families, lining them up to come in on the 15th for food. This takes days and days and days of calls. We get our family names for those needing food from those who have come in before and called to come in. We also call on several school districts and their counselors supply us with names of families who are requesting help. Also Cumberland County Children and Youth send us family names. All families were contacted first by those sending names so to get permission for us to contact them. Dolores called over 80 families and she confirmed over 70 that would be coming in on our distribution day, December 15th. Now let's get to Distribution Day.
Saturday, December 15th, finds Dolores and me rising at 4:00 AM so as to take care of our animals and get ready for this big day. At 7:30 AM our movers and shakers, Grant and Wanda, arrived to help get the day started. After a short prayer we made a few starter plans and then things started to move out. Tables were pulled outside and set up, pies were pulled from a freezer in our upper garages and brought down. It was a beautiful, but cold morning, and we were setting up outside. Soon after four people came from Jonestown, PA, about 50 miles away. Two years ago the one couple had a fire in their home and they rented a place from our son, who has Lehman's Property Management. He told us they needed some help and we stocked their kitchen with food. They came to "give back". More and more people came to help, food carts were put outside, dog food was packed up and set out for those having dogs. Potatoes were pulled out and some needed bagged. At 8:50 AM we all stopped and after praying and talking about all those who were killed the day before, all those babies, we went back to work for the Lord. People got their assignments. We had three prayer warriors on the driveway, Tim Beitzel, Ruby Mayeski, and Wanda Crockett. Others were assigned to other jobs, such as head loader, and loaders. Grant worked the cars coming in, dressed in his elf suit. Cars were lined up side by side, with four cars moving ahead at a time. Drivers went inside to sign in, and their ID was checked. Then they came out with a loading slip and the fun began. A turkey, five bags of food, and five pounds of potatoes were loaded into the cars for the folks. In the meantime, the ones coming for the food were sent down a line, two packs of hamburger rolls, one pie, and all the goodies they wanted. Flour, salad mix, and even extra cereal was put into the bags. Cars lined up, and the line was moving. What a day! About mid-morning, our dear friend and prayer warrior, Ruby, had a bad fall on the driveway, two nurses attended to her. These ladies, Helen and Robin, were here helping to load cars. She was driven home by Robin and daughter Danelle picked up Robin and brought her back. It was really a great day. One person was upset when they tried to pick up food for someone who told us they did n ot need the food and that person was turned away. It was a beautiful and wonderful day. Every pie, every loaf of bread, all went out, three of our freezers were empty. We had enough turkeys to go around with the help of all of you who donated turkeys or dollars to purchase them. I even bought some extras and the leftovers were put into one freezer. The other freezers were left open to defrost. Now I must go on here just a tad.
In the meantime, food had been coming in, it was stacked in baskets and in boxes to be sorted and shelved after the distribution day. Monday I received a call to get bread from the food store that another ministry could not use. Today, Tuesday, I picked up that load of bread. Our movers and shakers once again showed up. I was with Grant and Wanda in the morning for awhile and we talked about how we were going to lay out the food pantry. About 11:00 AM I had to leave to get my knees injected. I returned to find the work done and things back in place and all the boxes broken down and placed at the curb for Wednesday morning pickup.
We have two places to go and pick up more food. The museum that fills the antique truck notified us today that the truck was full again. Grant and I just unloaded it on Monday, just the day before.
Our shelves are loaded. We now have the shelves back to almost normal, but much, much more than last year at this time. Thanks for all who helped to purchase food, all who helped pack food, all who sent in food, all who filled carts at churches and the Auto Museum at Hershey, PA. All who came to load the cars and pray over those coming in. Special thanks to New Hope Ministries Food Pantry, Mechanicsburg, PA. and Newport Assembly of God Food Pantry, Newport, PA. for sharing with our small food pantry as we team together to help feed the hungry according to the word of our Lord Jesus. One of the most special things that happen at the Carry The Light Ministries is that everyone who comes for food, EVERYONE, gets prayed for and over. This is not just on this one day, it is each time. On Distribution Day, we pray in the driveway so to keep the line moving.
The only other trouble we had this year was that Santa's big bus went down again for repairs. This time I think we will need to either salvage it or maybe replace the engine with a used one. It is great for when we go out to do Santa and load with food, we can do it all at once. Beside that the bus is a witness to the Lord on the road.
Now as we thank everyone, we will indeed give TOP HONORS AND ALL THE GLORY TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, FOR WITHOUT HIM WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING.
Dear Father in Heaven ... Thanks for the great blessings. All honor and glory to You, through Your Son Jesus, I give these thanks. Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings, for INDEED, when you share them in faith, you will be blessed over and over again. So often when I walk into the food pantry I will say, "God is good all the time." Others in the pantry will say, "All the time, God is good."
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday 12/17/12 Mass Murder
Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for a really great day on Saturday with our food distribution. Only You could workout the details as the day went well. Please heal our dear prayer warrior Ruby who fell here at our distribution while praying for others. Bless those who watched over her and took care of her here. We pray Your healing hand on her. Lord, help me with this message today. Thanks for waking us, and thanks for watching over our families as we pray for those who lost loved ones last Friday. Thanks for the beautiful grandbaby of Vicki born on Sunday morning. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters. I really do not know where to start today, but one thing I do know, we will be back on the Christmas Message and the Birth of Christ tomorrow morning. As we all know or should know by now, we had a mass murder at an elementary school last Friday. Twenty little lives lost and also six adults, along with the murder of the murderer's mother and also the murderer as he shot himself. I have been asked why did God let this happen? You know I cannot answer for God on that one, but I do want to bring out a few points that I am sure of. More gun controls will not help stop these events! The laws on the books are enough and need enforced for starting place. But let me walk us way back to when God created the heavens and the earth. I ask that you take time to read this story. I do want to bring out a few points.
Genesis 1:26 - Then God said, "Let us make man in our image in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move on the ground." 27 So God created man in His own image. In the image of God He created him. Male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number." (NIV)
You see, God made us in His image and likeness and gave us control over all things. Then you will recall the story of Adam and Eve and how in the garden they did not listen to God, who placed them there with little instruction except to not eat fruit from that one tree. Man, meaning man and woman, using their own free will, fell into evil and sin right from the start. The point I am making here is God gave us all free will, each and every one of us. Unlike the storms and weather that have hit our country and others and over the years have killed many people, God still controls those things fully.
Now I move forward to last week and of course other events like this that have happened. People have a choice on how to use their own free will as given to all of us by God. As one very brave parent of one of the young victims stated this weekend, "this man chose to use his free will for evil." He made this statement through tears and then some reporter asked him if he was mad. He said, "no, I am not mad." Brothers and sisters, I do not believe children are born bad, they are not, they are raised to become that way. This goes back a long, long way. The love shown in families helps to mold people into what they become. I do believe that alcohol, drugs, etc., help change the behavior of those once they get on that "crap".
Now I also want to go back to that question, why did God let this happen? And while the murderer used his free will, could God have changed the events of the day? Of course He could have, and I will say that before this all ends we will see this scripture start to play out ...
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (NIV)
Last night we saw people of many faiths come together in a school building and pray, read scripture, and even had the governor of Connecticut and our president there, and all talked about God.
You know, brothers and sisters, over the years we have taken God out of so many places, and may I just name a few right now. Shopping centers, where Santa cannot even tell the story of Christmas, the real story. I know this for a fact and that is why I have never been a "mall Santa". Last week, on Tuesday, a mall shooting. We have known for many a year that God has been tossed out of our public schools. When I was in school, we red the Bible in class and even prayed. I went to intercity schools, in Harrisburg, PA, and we just did not have problems like today. Slowly, God was removed from the schools, first by stopping the Bible from being read. Now kids do not need to even pledge the flag, if they choose not to. The Nativity has been removed from schools, from town squares, from government buildings, and so it goes. Our country, along with so many other countries, have tossed God right out of the places. Goodbye God, goodbye Jesus, you are not welcome in our schools, said those in charge. But when we have a mass murder in a school such as this one, for several weeks an issue will be made and then it will be put aside again. CHRISTIANS!!! It is time to get God back into places, and I do not mean we should let people bring in all the other religions, I mean we need to get God back into places, and back into churches. Last night there were all sorts of pastors offering up prayers, but only one of the many "Christian" pastors closed their prayers in the name of Jesus. Most just closed with Amen. Only one, ONLY ONE, called on the name of Jesus, and our Bible, folks, tells us that the "only way to the Father is through the Son." Do you think that just means to get into heaven? I don't. I think we need to call on Jesus to get all things we want to get to our Father in Heaven. Hey, I did not make these rules, I just use the word from the Bible.
I want you to think about this, I ask you to hug your children and grandchildren, I ask you to raise them in love. Things are different today, beside putting God out of the buildings, in a lot of cases it is not even in the lives of our little ones. We have had children into Santa's House this year who know all about Jesus but we have had them in and they did not have a clue why we have Christmas, nor did their parents. Trust me, they knew when they left here, but now it is up to the parents to follow up. Brothers and sisters, get a good church, and I mean a good one, and get those little ones into Sunday School.
Those little ones last week got that pass over to the Lord, but the adults, I pray they all know who the Lord is and that they had Him in their hearts. And that evil one, we know where he went, according to scripture, he went to Hell. Now let me close out with this scripture and we really need to look at this again. After Christmas we will study it more. I hope to put out a second message tonight about the food pantry and the happenings of that event on Saturday.
2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, it is long past the time we need to, as a group, return to God. Today, pray for those injured in the shootings, and folks, that does not mean they need a bullet in them to be injured, what all the folks saw makes them injured. Pray for the families of the deceased.
Also while I am at it, a young PUNK entered a home of Mennonites and shot them over and over again with stun guns and then tied them up and robbed their home. Said he hated the Mennonites and the ones he robbed as he hit them with the stun guns. They were all between 84 and 90, three women. This an attack by a PUNK on Christians.
Dear Father in Heaven, Help us, Lord, help us all, and Lord, may we start coming back to You, and do it fast. Help us get out Your word, so that Your love covers all. And Lord, please come back soon. In Jesus' name, Amen.
I hope to put out a second message today about our food pantry, it was such a great event, I do not want it to get lost in the mess I just wrote about. Now go forth SHARING THE LOVE OF JESUS and your other blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Dear brothers and sisters. I really do not know where to start today, but one thing I do know, we will be back on the Christmas Message and the Birth of Christ tomorrow morning. As we all know or should know by now, we had a mass murder at an elementary school last Friday. Twenty little lives lost and also six adults, along with the murder of the murderer's mother and also the murderer as he shot himself. I have been asked why did God let this happen? You know I cannot answer for God on that one, but I do want to bring out a few points that I am sure of. More gun controls will not help stop these events! The laws on the books are enough and need enforced for starting place. But let me walk us way back to when God created the heavens and the earth. I ask that you take time to read this story. I do want to bring out a few points.
Genesis 1:26 - Then God said, "Let us make man in our image in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move on the ground." 27 So God created man in His own image. In the image of God He created him. Male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number." (NIV)
You see, God made us in His image and likeness and gave us control over all things. Then you will recall the story of Adam and Eve and how in the garden they did not listen to God, who placed them there with little instruction except to not eat fruit from that one tree. Man, meaning man and woman, using their own free will, fell into evil and sin right from the start. The point I am making here is God gave us all free will, each and every one of us. Unlike the storms and weather that have hit our country and others and over the years have killed many people, God still controls those things fully.
Now I move forward to last week and of course other events like this that have happened. People have a choice on how to use their own free will as given to all of us by God. As one very brave parent of one of the young victims stated this weekend, "this man chose to use his free will for evil." He made this statement through tears and then some reporter asked him if he was mad. He said, "no, I am not mad." Brothers and sisters, I do not believe children are born bad, they are not, they are raised to become that way. This goes back a long, long way. The love shown in families helps to mold people into what they become. I do believe that alcohol, drugs, etc., help change the behavior of those once they get on that "crap".
Now I also want to go back to that question, why did God let this happen? And while the murderer used his free will, could God have changed the events of the day? Of course He could have, and I will say that before this all ends we will see this scripture start to play out ...
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (NIV)
Last night we saw people of many faiths come together in a school building and pray, read scripture, and even had the governor of Connecticut and our president there, and all talked about God.
You know, brothers and sisters, over the years we have taken God out of so many places, and may I just name a few right now. Shopping centers, where Santa cannot even tell the story of Christmas, the real story. I know this for a fact and that is why I have never been a "mall Santa". Last week, on Tuesday, a mall shooting. We have known for many a year that God has been tossed out of our public schools. When I was in school, we red the Bible in class and even prayed. I went to intercity schools, in Harrisburg, PA, and we just did not have problems like today. Slowly, God was removed from the schools, first by stopping the Bible from being read. Now kids do not need to even pledge the flag, if they choose not to. The Nativity has been removed from schools, from town squares, from government buildings, and so it goes. Our country, along with so many other countries, have tossed God right out of the places. Goodbye God, goodbye Jesus, you are not welcome in our schools, said those in charge. But when we have a mass murder in a school such as this one, for several weeks an issue will be made and then it will be put aside again. CHRISTIANS!!! It is time to get God back into places, and I do not mean we should let people bring in all the other religions, I mean we need to get God back into places, and back into churches. Last night there were all sorts of pastors offering up prayers, but only one of the many "Christian" pastors closed their prayers in the name of Jesus. Most just closed with Amen. Only one, ONLY ONE, called on the name of Jesus, and our Bible, folks, tells us that the "only way to the Father is through the Son." Do you think that just means to get into heaven? I don't. I think we need to call on Jesus to get all things we want to get to our Father in Heaven. Hey, I did not make these rules, I just use the word from the Bible.
I want you to think about this, I ask you to hug your children and grandchildren, I ask you to raise them in love. Things are different today, beside putting God out of the buildings, in a lot of cases it is not even in the lives of our little ones. We have had children into Santa's House this year who know all about Jesus but we have had them in and they did not have a clue why we have Christmas, nor did their parents. Trust me, they knew when they left here, but now it is up to the parents to follow up. Brothers and sisters, get a good church, and I mean a good one, and get those little ones into Sunday School.
Those little ones last week got that pass over to the Lord, but the adults, I pray they all know who the Lord is and that they had Him in their hearts. And that evil one, we know where he went, according to scripture, he went to Hell. Now let me close out with this scripture and we really need to look at this again. After Christmas we will study it more. I hope to put out a second message tonight about the food pantry and the happenings of that event on Saturday.
2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, it is long past the time we need to, as a group, return to God. Today, pray for those injured in the shootings, and folks, that does not mean they need a bullet in them to be injured, what all the folks saw makes them injured. Pray for the families of the deceased.
Also while I am at it, a young PUNK entered a home of Mennonites and shot them over and over again with stun guns and then tied them up and robbed their home. Said he hated the Mennonites and the ones he robbed as he hit them with the stun guns. They were all between 84 and 90, three women. This an attack by a PUNK on Christians.
Dear Father in Heaven, Help us, Lord, help us all, and Lord, may we start coming back to You, and do it fast. Help us get out Your word, so that Your love covers all. And Lord, please come back soon. In Jesus' name, Amen.
I hope to put out a second message today about our food pantry, it was such a great event, I do not want it to get lost in the mess I just wrote about. Now go forth SHARING THE LOVE OF JESUS and your other blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Friday 12/14/12 The Story 15
Please read to the end. Please, please.
Good Morning, Dear Father in Heaven. I love You, thanks for waking me and helping me get started this day. May I use this day to serve You in all I do. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Good morning, brothers and sisters. I want to get right to the message today.
The Story, Day 15.
Let me start with a homework assignment ... Before reading this message, please get your Bible out and read Matthew 25:31/46. This story is called in the Bible "The Sheep and the Goats." I am just going to pick some verses.
Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (NIV)
Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (NIV)
Matthew 25:41 - "Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me NOTHING to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me NOTHING to drink, 44 I was a stranger and you did NOT invite me in.'" (NIV)
Matthew 25:45 - "He will then reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did NOT do for one of the least of these, you did NOT do for me.'" (NIV)
Again as I start this message it would come together better for you if you indeed read Matthew 25:31/46 from your own Bible. You know so many, many pastors and others preaching the Word, when they talk about being saved, have people close their eyes, the ask others to raise their hands if they wanted to come to the Lord. Next they are asked to step out in faith and are told they just need to ask in faith and they will be forgiven and saved. Hold on a minute, while that is how you come to the Lord and how you get saved, if you want to go to heaven, it goes a lot deeper than that. You must go to work for the Lord! Sorry, folks, I did not make the rules, and I am not the final judge, but as I read my Bible and see scriptures like those, "who do not work, should not eat," it brings me to mind that while we should work if we are going to eat, we do need to take care of those who cannot work, and also those who might have lost a job and are not working for a short period of time.
The Bible is very clear, and it is in the words of Jesus, that if we want to go to heaven, we must do the things listed in Matthew 25:35/36, where we are told to take care of the hungry and thirsty, etc., and if we did that, it would be as if we did that for Jesus Himself. It also goes on to tell us if we do NOT take care of the hungry and thirsty, etc., that would also be the same as NOT taking care of Jesus.
Now please follow me on this, when He separates the people, it will be like sheep and goats, and the sheep will go on His right and the goats on His left. Then Jesus tells those on His left, and that would be all those who did NOT feed the hungry, provide water for the thirsty, or clothe the naked, that they should "depart from me, you who are cursed, into the internal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Brothers and sisters, I cannot make it clearer than Jesus did, in fact, the only thing I might do is say it this way. These are my words, the way I tell it. If we do not work for Jesus, if we are not doing what He asks of us, I would say it like this. Brothers and sisters, if you are not working for Jesus as pointed out in the Bible, you are going to be going to hell. And then telling folks they do have the option to change their ways for Jesus, remember, is the same, He still forgives if we have never helped before and you turned people away. You can ask to be forgiven, be saved, and then get up and get to work for Jesus. Brothers and sisters, there are not many people out in the world today that can do nothing at all as in working for the Lord. I know today we have people who have computers, pay for internet service, have big, big TV's and have nothing to eat. We need to help them if they have nothing to eat. Also people can work for Jesus by just living for Him and setting examples. People can feed the hungry, help the thirsty, and give a home to a stranger by doing things like this.
Remembering Jesus is the same, so He wants these things done, but I am sure He knows how different the world is today. So a stranger might find a meal, something to drink, a place to sleep and get clean clothes, etc., at a place like the Salvation Army. So you help the places like the Salvation Army, but putting coins or dollars in those kettles when you hear the bells ringing. None of us can do it all. I have a dear friend, Tom Sansoni, and also Pastor Kevin Brown from Lighthouse Baptist Church, who go to prisons, and I believe Pastor Larry Hale from Glenvale Church of God also goes there. Also those same people help gather food for the needy and also spread the word. Again, people are all called by God to do different things in different ways. All can do something!!
I think I got my point across. Time to get ready to be Santa tonight and tell the real story to the children through the eyes of Claus!
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving all who ask You in faith, and please, Lord, help them, and also me, with my assignments from You. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get it, but thanks for helping me. Watch over this line, please, and all who use it. Keep all clear and safe. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Folks, I started this message early today, and now I am pushing to get it out about ten hours later. Please pray for Dolores and me as we at our age keep pushing on for Jesus. Hey, we are just getting started, but some days this time of year we get very tired. Pray for our ministry team, Pam, Grant, Wanda, Dolores, and me, plus all who are coming tomorrow to help, and all who are coming tomorrow for food. It is our really big day. Again, to all who help, thanks, it is appreciated. Now go forth and keep sharing those blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan. READ ON, PLEASE.
Normally a news junkie, I did not hear about the school shooting until about two hours ago when it was brought to my attention by a school teacher while we were in Santa's House. Please pray for the families of all those killed in this shooting. Late news is telling us that 20 school children were murdered and seven others were also killed. Please, please pray. Please ...
Good Morning, Dear Father in Heaven. I love You, thanks for waking me and helping me get started this day. May I use this day to serve You in all I do. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Good morning, brothers and sisters. I want to get right to the message today.
The Story, Day 15.
Let me start with a homework assignment ... Before reading this message, please get your Bible out and read Matthew 25:31/46. This story is called in the Bible "The Sheep and the Goats." I am just going to pick some verses.
Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (NIV)
Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (NIV)
Matthew 25:41 - "Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me NOTHING to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me NOTHING to drink, 44 I was a stranger and you did NOT invite me in.'" (NIV)
Matthew 25:45 - "He will then reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did NOT do for one of the least of these, you did NOT do for me.'" (NIV)
Again as I start this message it would come together better for you if you indeed read Matthew 25:31/46 from your own Bible. You know so many, many pastors and others preaching the Word, when they talk about being saved, have people close their eyes, the ask others to raise their hands if they wanted to come to the Lord. Next they are asked to step out in faith and are told they just need to ask in faith and they will be forgiven and saved. Hold on a minute, while that is how you come to the Lord and how you get saved, if you want to go to heaven, it goes a lot deeper than that. You must go to work for the Lord! Sorry, folks, I did not make the rules, and I am not the final judge, but as I read my Bible and see scriptures like those, "who do not work, should not eat," it brings me to mind that while we should work if we are going to eat, we do need to take care of those who cannot work, and also those who might have lost a job and are not working for a short period of time.
The Bible is very clear, and it is in the words of Jesus, that if we want to go to heaven, we must do the things listed in Matthew 25:35/36, where we are told to take care of the hungry and thirsty, etc., and if we did that, it would be as if we did that for Jesus Himself. It also goes on to tell us if we do NOT take care of the hungry and thirsty, etc., that would also be the same as NOT taking care of Jesus.
Now please follow me on this, when He separates the people, it will be like sheep and goats, and the sheep will go on His right and the goats on His left. Then Jesus tells those on His left, and that would be all those who did NOT feed the hungry, provide water for the thirsty, or clothe the naked, that they should "depart from me, you who are cursed, into the internal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Brothers and sisters, I cannot make it clearer than Jesus did, in fact, the only thing I might do is say it this way. These are my words, the way I tell it. If we do not work for Jesus, if we are not doing what He asks of us, I would say it like this. Brothers and sisters, if you are not working for Jesus as pointed out in the Bible, you are going to be going to hell. And then telling folks they do have the option to change their ways for Jesus, remember, is the same, He still forgives if we have never helped before and you turned people away. You can ask to be forgiven, be saved, and then get up and get to work for Jesus. Brothers and sisters, there are not many people out in the world today that can do nothing at all as in working for the Lord. I know today we have people who have computers, pay for internet service, have big, big TV's and have nothing to eat. We need to help them if they have nothing to eat. Also people can work for Jesus by just living for Him and setting examples. People can feed the hungry, help the thirsty, and give a home to a stranger by doing things like this.
Remembering Jesus is the same, so He wants these things done, but I am sure He knows how different the world is today. So a stranger might find a meal, something to drink, a place to sleep and get clean clothes, etc., at a place like the Salvation Army. So you help the places like the Salvation Army, but putting coins or dollars in those kettles when you hear the bells ringing. None of us can do it all. I have a dear friend, Tom Sansoni, and also Pastor Kevin Brown from Lighthouse Baptist Church, who go to prisons, and I believe Pastor Larry Hale from Glenvale Church of God also goes there. Also those same people help gather food for the needy and also spread the word. Again, people are all called by God to do different things in different ways. All can do something!!
I think I got my point across. Time to get ready to be Santa tonight and tell the real story to the children through the eyes of Claus!
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving all who ask You in faith, and please, Lord, help them, and also me, with my assignments from You. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get it, but thanks for helping me. Watch over this line, please, and all who use it. Keep all clear and safe. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Folks, I started this message early today, and now I am pushing to get it out about ten hours later. Please pray for Dolores and me as we at our age keep pushing on for Jesus. Hey, we are just getting started, but some days this time of year we get very tired. Pray for our ministry team, Pam, Grant, Wanda, Dolores, and me, plus all who are coming tomorrow to help, and all who are coming tomorrow for food. It is our really big day. Again, to all who help, thanks, it is appreciated. Now go forth and keep sharing those blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan. READ ON, PLEASE.
Normally a news junkie, I did not hear about the school shooting until about two hours ago when it was brought to my attention by a school teacher while we were in Santa's House. Please pray for the families of all those killed in this shooting. Late news is telling us that 20 school children were murdered and seven others were also killed. Please, please pray. Please ...
Thurs. 12/13/12 The Story 14
Dear Father in Heaven: Again, again, Lord, You have blessed us, again today, You woke us, and Lord, that blessing was given to millions and millions people this day. Today, Lord, You have furnished us air to breathe, clothes to wear, food to eat, and one beautiful day. Thank You. Thanks, Lord, for the things we forget to thank You for so often, and Lord, please watch over us, keep us going as we head toward our big day here at the ministry. Lord, thanks to You we are ready, all honor and glory to You. Now, Lord, please bless me with words to say in Your name to those on this line. Lord, I pray, give thanks and make requests all in the name of Jesus. Amen.
My dear brothers and sisters, please forgive me if I am late getting back to you on an email. We have been a tad busy here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. I also need to put together a new prayer request list. Please let me know if you need prayers, and by all means, let me know if you have been blessed by a healing. I sound like a broken record this week on telling you about our blessings, but I think it needs done. This morning up early again and off to our food store where it was our day to pick up the bread that is left over from their bakery. We received a large amount and with it a few pies and cakes. When we get bread we always freeze it, except wen our freezers are full like right now. Our one freezer is full of pies we have been freezing for two months. We now have enough for each family coming on Saturday to have a pie for Christmas. Now for those of you who have helped by supporting us, this is what the folks are getting this Saturday ... Each family will receive five bags of groceries, most of which is canned food, mac and cheese, pasta, cereal, rice, stuffing, etc. Plus at least five pounds of potatoes, larger families will get ten or twenty pounds and of course that turkey. They will also receive cakes, pies, bread, fresh salad mix, some frozen veggies. I wish all of you could see our food pantry. It is under our home and fills what would be about a four-car garage. The way our home is built there is a large garage door to get in. Now the neat part of this, listen to me on this, but first can you shout, PRAISE THE LORD? Okay, the neat part is we have five shopping carts full of food, plus boxes and boxes of food that has come in since we packed. In other word, not like years before when the Christmas distribution is over, we will still have a good bit of food on the shelves. This is exciting stuff, folks, it really is.
Also today Dolores and I suited up as Santa and Mrs. Claus and went to a Goddard School, where we sat with children and talked about the real meaning of Christmas. Next week we have another Goddard School. God is so good, both of these schools collect food for us. Now I must get to the message.
The Story, Day 14.
Luke 2:4 - So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem to the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (NIV)
I talked a tad yesterday about just now long this trip was, saying it would take at least three days. Today I had ministry partner Pamela Bower check the miles between Nazareth and Bethlehem. The distance according to Google Earth is 69 miles. Now I want you to think about this again. It is estimated that a woman with child can walk at 2.5 miles per hour. Now we think that Mary was on the back of a donkey, the first time that Jesus would have been on that beast. At that pace it would have taken about 28 hours and since they would have had to rest not just their own selves, but also the animals, it would take that long. So how long would it take today? Folks, if one would get on a major road and travel that 69 miles they would make that trip in about one hour. Think about it, brothers and sisters.
Now let me take you on a very short side trip.
Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat." (NIV)
These are the words of Jesus, and telling us this. What it means, my friends, and tomorrow I am going to devote the entire message on this ... it means how we help others on this earth is just the same as if we were helping Jesus. So I want you to think about this ... If when we feed the hungry it is the same as if we were feeding Jesus, and I give you all the scripture on this tomorrow, but think about this. If we do not help others, it would be the same as if we wee not working with Jesus. So how do you help others? Come back tomorrow and see this special message on helping others.
Have a blessed night.
Dear Father in Heaven, please carry us through this night and wake us again in the morning to serve You. Help those whose names are just coming forth that need Your touch. Rest us down now, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Go forth sharing those blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
My dear brothers and sisters, please forgive me if I am late getting back to you on an email. We have been a tad busy here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. I also need to put together a new prayer request list. Please let me know if you need prayers, and by all means, let me know if you have been blessed by a healing. I sound like a broken record this week on telling you about our blessings, but I think it needs done. This morning up early again and off to our food store where it was our day to pick up the bread that is left over from their bakery. We received a large amount and with it a few pies and cakes. When we get bread we always freeze it, except wen our freezers are full like right now. Our one freezer is full of pies we have been freezing for two months. We now have enough for each family coming on Saturday to have a pie for Christmas. Now for those of you who have helped by supporting us, this is what the folks are getting this Saturday ... Each family will receive five bags of groceries, most of which is canned food, mac and cheese, pasta, cereal, rice, stuffing, etc. Plus at least five pounds of potatoes, larger families will get ten or twenty pounds and of course that turkey. They will also receive cakes, pies, bread, fresh salad mix, some frozen veggies. I wish all of you could see our food pantry. It is under our home and fills what would be about a four-car garage. The way our home is built there is a large garage door to get in. Now the neat part of this, listen to me on this, but first can you shout, PRAISE THE LORD? Okay, the neat part is we have five shopping carts full of food, plus boxes and boxes of food that has come in since we packed. In other word, not like years before when the Christmas distribution is over, we will still have a good bit of food on the shelves. This is exciting stuff, folks, it really is.
Also today Dolores and I suited up as Santa and Mrs. Claus and went to a Goddard School, where we sat with children and talked about the real meaning of Christmas. Next week we have another Goddard School. God is so good, both of these schools collect food for us. Now I must get to the message.
The Story, Day 14.
Luke 2:4 - So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem to the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (NIV)
I talked a tad yesterday about just now long this trip was, saying it would take at least three days. Today I had ministry partner Pamela Bower check the miles between Nazareth and Bethlehem. The distance according to Google Earth is 69 miles. Now I want you to think about this again. It is estimated that a woman with child can walk at 2.5 miles per hour. Now we think that Mary was on the back of a donkey, the first time that Jesus would have been on that beast. At that pace it would have taken about 28 hours and since they would have had to rest not just their own selves, but also the animals, it would take that long. So how long would it take today? Folks, if one would get on a major road and travel that 69 miles they would make that trip in about one hour. Think about it, brothers and sisters.
Now let me take you on a very short side trip.
Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat." (NIV)
These are the words of Jesus, and telling us this. What it means, my friends, and tomorrow I am going to devote the entire message on this ... it means how we help others on this earth is just the same as if we were helping Jesus. So I want you to think about this ... If when we feed the hungry it is the same as if we were feeding Jesus, and I give you all the scripture on this tomorrow, but think about this. If we do not help others, it would be the same as if we wee not working with Jesus. So how do you help others? Come back tomorrow and see this special message on helping others.
Have a blessed night.
Dear Father in Heaven, please carry us through this night and wake us again in the morning to serve You. Help those whose names are just coming forth that need Your touch. Rest us down now, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Go forth sharing those blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Wednesday 12/12/12 The Story 14
Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for all the blessings that You poured out on us this day. I am so excited about how this day went. Lord, we had only one bump in the road, and I am sure You will take care of that down the road. Lord, help us to keep serving You as we go forward each day. Lord, I pray today for Joanne Fortney and for New Hope Ministries as she and others step out in faith to work for You. Please bless all those who serve You at New Hope. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Good Wednesday evening, my dear brothers and sisters. As you can see, it gets later each night. What a busy, busy day. Up early as normal to take care of the animals. Next I watched for our trash and recycle haulers and gifted them some dollars. I had $10 in my hand for each of the five workers when I remembered that God said about helping the "least of them" so I upped the dollars to $25 each. Now watch what happened. At 10:00 AM Grant and I were off to New Hope Ministries in Mechanicsburg, PA. New Hope Ministries is now helping smaller food pantries like ours with food help. Today they gave us lots and lots of potatoes, salad mix, iced coffee, and about 170 packs of fresh rolls for our distribution on Saturday. On the way home we picked up 20 frozen turkeys at the food store for 99 cents per pound, and we paid for them. We had one person give us a $300 donation for turkeys. These 20 came in at $300.50. How about that for God working things out? Now let's see, $125 turned into a "FULL TRAILER" of food, and it is full. We had other donations to help cover the cost of turkeys and many turkeys dropped including 25 from Boyer Funeral Home. I am pleased to tell you that if I counted right, we now have enough turkeys to cover our distribution on Saturday. Praise God also for the cold weather, as we are using our outside freezer (our food pantry trailer). I must get to the message, but I had to tell you just how we were blessed today. Tomorrow, up for another load of free bread.
The Story, Day 14.
Luke 2:3 - And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (NIV)
One thing we do not talk about when telling the real Christmas story about the birth of Jesus is just how long this trip is. When we look at the Bible it tell us that old Caesar put out the word that people were to go and register, and then we find Mary and Joseph at Bethlehem. It is estimated that the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem took at least three days. So my mind gets to thinking about this young virgin mother, named Mary, who is riding on the back of a sure-footed donkey, who would be sitting on the donkey sideways (side-saddle, but they did not have saddles). Now Joseph would be walking. I would think they would need to bunk down at night for a few hours, and maybe they would have friends along the way where they could get out of the cold night air. Could you see it, Joseph walked for three days and when arriving they would ask him for ID and he would say, gosh, I walked off without it, I will be right back. Just kidding, folks, my mind is tired tonight. As I stop for today, I wonder how many men today would walk three days to register to pay taxes. I would think there would be few taxpayers. And what about Mary? Ladies, picture yourself nine months pregnant and needing to ride a donkey for at least three days in a row. Dare I say that not many women would be going along for that ride if it were today. However, if it were today we would more than likely make the trip in a van or SUV and get there in hours. Please think about those things ... I need to get to bed. Let's pray first.
Dear Father in Heaven, Please keep watching over this line, and please be with the families of those killed in the shooting last night, and even with the killer's family. Be also with those who were wounded and heal them. Thanks for taking care of all of us. God, please, please be with all of the people on this earth. Again, thanks for the blessings of today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings, and then watch them grow.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Wednesday evening, my dear brothers and sisters. As you can see, it gets later each night. What a busy, busy day. Up early as normal to take care of the animals. Next I watched for our trash and recycle haulers and gifted them some dollars. I had $10 in my hand for each of the five workers when I remembered that God said about helping the "least of them" so I upped the dollars to $25 each. Now watch what happened. At 10:00 AM Grant and I were off to New Hope Ministries in Mechanicsburg, PA. New Hope Ministries is now helping smaller food pantries like ours with food help. Today they gave us lots and lots of potatoes, salad mix, iced coffee, and about 170 packs of fresh rolls for our distribution on Saturday. On the way home we picked up 20 frozen turkeys at the food store for 99 cents per pound, and we paid for them. We had one person give us a $300 donation for turkeys. These 20 came in at $300.50. How about that for God working things out? Now let's see, $125 turned into a "FULL TRAILER" of food, and it is full. We had other donations to help cover the cost of turkeys and many turkeys dropped including 25 from Boyer Funeral Home. I am pleased to tell you that if I counted right, we now have enough turkeys to cover our distribution on Saturday. Praise God also for the cold weather, as we are using our outside freezer (our food pantry trailer). I must get to the message, but I had to tell you just how we were blessed today. Tomorrow, up for another load of free bread.
The Story, Day 14.
Luke 2:3 - And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (NIV)
One thing we do not talk about when telling the real Christmas story about the birth of Jesus is just how long this trip is. When we look at the Bible it tell us that old Caesar put out the word that people were to go and register, and then we find Mary and Joseph at Bethlehem. It is estimated that the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem took at least three days. So my mind gets to thinking about this young virgin mother, named Mary, who is riding on the back of a sure-footed donkey, who would be sitting on the donkey sideways (side-saddle, but they did not have saddles). Now Joseph would be walking. I would think they would need to bunk down at night for a few hours, and maybe they would have friends along the way where they could get out of the cold night air. Could you see it, Joseph walked for three days and when arriving they would ask him for ID and he would say, gosh, I walked off without it, I will be right back. Just kidding, folks, my mind is tired tonight. As I stop for today, I wonder how many men today would walk three days to register to pay taxes. I would think there would be few taxpayers. And what about Mary? Ladies, picture yourself nine months pregnant and needing to ride a donkey for at least three days in a row. Dare I say that not many women would be going along for that ride if it were today. However, if it were today we would more than likely make the trip in a van or SUV and get there in hours. Please think about those things ... I need to get to bed. Let's pray first.
Dear Father in Heaven, Please keep watching over this line, and please be with the families of those killed in the shooting last night, and even with the killer's family. Be also with those who were wounded and heal them. Thanks for taking care of all of us. God, please, please be with all of the people on this earth. Again, thanks for the blessings of today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings, and then watch them grow.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Tuesday 12/11/12 The Story 13
Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever. Amen.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for that wonderful prayer You taught us to pray. It sure does cover all the bases. Thanks for watching over us this day and thanks for traveling with us to our sing-along and thanks for the great report on Dolores at the doctor. Please, Lord, watch over Vicki who has had another setback and really needs Your help. Please keep Your hand upon Ruby, Dick, the Saylor Family, Matthew, and also Dale. Watch over please our flock at the Bridges and also our dear friends at the Museums in Hershey, PA. In Jesus' name, I pray this day, Amen.
Hi, brothers and sisters. Wow, back to writing in the evenings for awhile again. It seems I just cannot get up early enough to get started like I once did. Even getting up this morning at 4:30 AM I got the animals taken care of, it was time to get that shower and get on the road as Santa. Tomorrow we are heading out to get potatoes and then back to bag them up for Saturday. Speaking of Saturday, if you are coming to help, it would be appreciated if you could arrive between 8:30 AM and 8:45 AM. Please park in the driveway in front of the house so the circle part of our driveway is open. It is to be a nice day and we have a lot of things to set up outside. We also need to get all the pies and cakes out of the freezers and onto tables to be picked up by our guests coming for their food. Let me get to the message ...
The Story Day 13.
Luke 2:1 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. (NIV)
As I start now trying my best to time the writings to run right to Christmas as we head out with Joseph and Mary on this trip before the baby was born ... In verse one today we see that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken. Let me tell it like it was stated in the King James Version of the Bible. "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." And those taxes have been going on for a long, long, long, long time and going up and up and up and up. Sort of reminds you of our nation right now with all the fighting over taxes.
Stop. Late breaking news just coming in. Coming in from Portland, Oregon. There has been a shooting at a mall, reported so far at least 60 shots have been fired. Source, Fox Cable News.
Dear Father in Heaven, please protect Your people at this mall, please help the shooters be stopped. Protect the police who are responding and all the shoppers and workers. In Your name, Jesus, we place this event ... Amen.
Now back to my message. What about all these taxes and how should we handle them? For that, let me go right back into the Bible and to this scripture ...
Matthew 22:17 - "Tell us then, what is Your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought Him a denarius, 20 and He asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" 21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then He said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." (NIV)
So now we know we are to give to our Caesar what is his, but what about all the Caesars we have today? Let's look at it. We have Washington, DC, Caesar, we have in our area Pennsylvania State Caesar, Cumberland County Caesar, Silver Spring Township Caesar, and Cumberland Valley School District Caesar. So we have five Caesars in our area alone, and some of you might have even more in your area. Wait, hold on, we have turnpike Caesars, bridge toll Caesars, oh, I could go on and on and on. Someone once said the only two things you really had to do in life was to pay taxes and die. However, I know for a fact we can get away with just one thing. Yes, we must pay taxes, but if we really know Jesus we do not need to die. HOW ABOUT THAT??
So the decree went out for the Roman world to be taxed, and the Bible tells us that everybody went to register. Let me compare that with today. While we have many, many Caesars, we also have many, many people who try really hard to not register anywhere. Some sneak into our country and even work here and do not pay their share, yet our current Caesars want to keep raising those taxes. So, brothers and sisters, our Lord tells us to pay Caesar what is Caesar's and to pay God what is God's.
I have this great idea. If God can run the world on 10% (Old Testament) or just being a cheerful giver, I think we should add all our Caesars all together and tell them, if 10% is good enough for God it should be good enough for all of you. Let me make this point and then go to prayer. I think if we are honest with Caesar and we are honest with God then we will be okay. I know this because the Bible tells us to do it. It tells us we just cannot out-give the Lord. Let's pray.
Dear Father in Heaven, as we close again for this day, I pray You will be with those on this line, and those injured in the shooting that is now being reported. Please be with the families of the lost. And Lord, we do not need to look to foreign lands to see fighting, Lord, we lose more folks in a day in America in murders and vehicle crashes than in wars, and Lord, we seem to think nothing about that. Lord, again I pray that our nation comes back to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for that wonderful prayer You taught us to pray. It sure does cover all the bases. Thanks for watching over us this day and thanks for traveling with us to our sing-along and thanks for the great report on Dolores at the doctor. Please, Lord, watch over Vicki who has had another setback and really needs Your help. Please keep Your hand upon Ruby, Dick, the Saylor Family, Matthew, and also Dale. Watch over please our flock at the Bridges and also our dear friends at the Museums in Hershey, PA. In Jesus' name, I pray this day, Amen.
Hi, brothers and sisters. Wow, back to writing in the evenings for awhile again. It seems I just cannot get up early enough to get started like I once did. Even getting up this morning at 4:30 AM I got the animals taken care of, it was time to get that shower and get on the road as Santa. Tomorrow we are heading out to get potatoes and then back to bag them up for Saturday. Speaking of Saturday, if you are coming to help, it would be appreciated if you could arrive between 8:30 AM and 8:45 AM. Please park in the driveway in front of the house so the circle part of our driveway is open. It is to be a nice day and we have a lot of things to set up outside. We also need to get all the pies and cakes out of the freezers and onto tables to be picked up by our guests coming for their food. Let me get to the message ...
The Story Day 13.
Luke 2:1 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. (NIV)
As I start now trying my best to time the writings to run right to Christmas as we head out with Joseph and Mary on this trip before the baby was born ... In verse one today we see that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken. Let me tell it like it was stated in the King James Version of the Bible. "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." And those taxes have been going on for a long, long, long, long time and going up and up and up and up. Sort of reminds you of our nation right now with all the fighting over taxes.
Stop. Late breaking news just coming in. Coming in from Portland, Oregon. There has been a shooting at a mall, reported so far at least 60 shots have been fired. Source, Fox Cable News.
Dear Father in Heaven, please protect Your people at this mall, please help the shooters be stopped. Protect the police who are responding and all the shoppers and workers. In Your name, Jesus, we place this event ... Amen.
Now back to my message. What about all these taxes and how should we handle them? For that, let me go right back into the Bible and to this scripture ...
Matthew 22:17 - "Tell us then, what is Your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought Him a denarius, 20 and He asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" 21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then He said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." (NIV)
So now we know we are to give to our Caesar what is his, but what about all the Caesars we have today? Let's look at it. We have Washington, DC, Caesar, we have in our area Pennsylvania State Caesar, Cumberland County Caesar, Silver Spring Township Caesar, and Cumberland Valley School District Caesar. So we have five Caesars in our area alone, and some of you might have even more in your area. Wait, hold on, we have turnpike Caesars, bridge toll Caesars, oh, I could go on and on and on. Someone once said the only two things you really had to do in life was to pay taxes and die. However, I know for a fact we can get away with just one thing. Yes, we must pay taxes, but if we really know Jesus we do not need to die. HOW ABOUT THAT??
So the decree went out for the Roman world to be taxed, and the Bible tells us that everybody went to register. Let me compare that with today. While we have many, many Caesars, we also have many, many people who try really hard to not register anywhere. Some sneak into our country and even work here and do not pay their share, yet our current Caesars want to keep raising those taxes. So, brothers and sisters, our Lord tells us to pay Caesar what is Caesar's and to pay God what is God's.
I have this great idea. If God can run the world on 10% (Old Testament) or just being a cheerful giver, I think we should add all our Caesars all together and tell them, if 10% is good enough for God it should be good enough for all of you. Let me make this point and then go to prayer. I think if we are honest with Caesar and we are honest with God then we will be okay. I know this because the Bible tells us to do it. It tells us we just cannot out-give the Lord. Let's pray.
Dear Father in Heaven, as we close again for this day, I pray You will be with those on this line, and those injured in the shooting that is now being reported. Please be with the families of the lost. And Lord, we do not need to look to foreign lands to see fighting, Lord, we lose more folks in a day in America in murders and vehicle crashes than in wars, and Lord, we seem to think nothing about that. Lord, again I pray that our nation comes back to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Monday 12/10/12 The Story
Dear Father in Heaven, Thank You for the special blessings that You put upon us this weekend. You are indeed in charge of all things and I love You very, very much. Please help me with the message and to keep this line open. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Good evening, brothers and sisters. Today is a side trip from the message, but I must share with you just another miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ, plus I have been asked to write a recipe for my favorite cookie that I bake, and trust me, I can cook, but I never baked anything. I want to share this with you, and it might be used in the Sentinel out of Carlisle, PA, next week. The write from the Sentinel is Tammie Gitt, who came to Santa's House and did a story on it. Tammie is a wonderful young lady and a born-again Christian (yes, you must be born-again to be a Christian). So let me get to the side trip story and tomorrow back on the Story as we head to Christmas and beyond. Remember, it is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, our veterans, our military, our police,our firefighters, and all who work to keep us safe and healthy.
Malachi 3:6 - I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you? "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse, the whole nation of you because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you will not have room enough for it. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, I used the above scripture because it fits the message of today. First of all, I do want you to notice that the very first line of the scripture in Malachi 3:6, I the Lord do not change, is the same as the one I use so much found in Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. But let me move on, with the miracles that Jesus gave to us yesterday.
First, we all know that each day God gives us blessings, and if you think about it, they are miracles, all of them, and I do not want to make light of them. For example, God still sees that we are fed daily, and folks, that is a miracle if you really think about it. But folks, listen to these events of yesterday, Sunday, 12/9/12 that happened to us.
We started our Sunday as always, up in the morning early, take care of our many dogs, cats, goats, and our pet chicken (no, she does not live in the house). We get ready and head to the Bridges where I pastor and Dolores plays the piano. We had a great morning with a full room, then after closing, Dolores and I headed out to eat. On the way out of the Bridges, James, one of the office workers who, when there, always goes out and gets our vehicle and brings it around, also loaded in the back two boxes of clothes that someone dropped off for our ministry to use. After eating we returned home and were going to rest as we had a Santa appointment that evening with Doug Boyer and his ministry outreach for seniors up in Newport, PA. I change out of my Sunday clothes and put on some jeans and told Dolores I was going to unload our little pantry truck down in the food pantry which is under our home. I went down, backed the truck up to the door and went inside and my heart went into my throat, for there was water every place in the food pantry. I put out a call to Grant and Wanda but they were out singing, I called up the stairs to Dolores to "get me some help" and folks, you need to know we have packed food all over the place as we packed out for this week, and some of those bags were placed on the floor. I started to pick bags up off the floor and put them doubled up on tables that were already full of packed food. Other food that had come in since we packed and was not sorted was stored all over the place, most of them up on things so water could not hit them, but not all of them. I got out the shop vac and got it ready when the first neighbor showed up with his young son, and the son, Steven, about 10, took the vac and went to work. Steve, his dad, put up a few more tables and started to move some things to higher ground, so to speak. Soon Jared, our other neighbor, showed up and went to work finding the leak. Now listen to this, here is the miracle. No water hit any food product or anything. The only thing lost was a few boxes that had some of my junk in them. Remember that the food pantry is in our basement so I do have some things down there. The water that came in was from a broke pipe that only leaked when our well pump went on. In the meantime I had already placed a call for my son-in-law Jeff Davis who has a plumbing business and is a great plumber, and I left a message on his phone. Now Jeff called me back within 20 minutes but my neighbors had already found the leak. We shut down the pump, they ran to their homes and looked for some plastic pipe. They had some and were making the repair when Jeff called back. We did not need to run him the distance from his home to ours to make the repair, but he informed me if I have more trouble just call him back. The repair was made and after some time waiting for the pipe glue to set up good, we fired up the pump and the leak was fixed.
Sadly, we missed our appointment with Doug Boyer and his group, who was so nice and told me no kids were coming, it was a senior thing, and he excused us with his blessings. On Monday, Grant came over early and we cleaned up the mess and put things back together, later on Wanda joined in sorting out clothes for Saturday.
Folks, you just had to see the way the water circled around the food that was on the floor. As a rule, no food is ever put on the floor except when we pack once a year for our big Christmas distribution. Next year, nothing will be on the floor. Again, not one thing was lost except for a few cardboard boxes. At this time, if you are like me, you are yelling out PRAISE THE LORD!
Now one more thing today ... I want to show you what I sent to the Carlisle Sentinel to be used in the paper next week. This is where the rest of the scripture I used kicks in. I do hope you enjoy it.
"Well, kids of all ages, Old Santa likes all kinds of cookies, and trust me when I say that I have eaten my share of those cookies. But the truth is Santa does not bake, because so many good little boys and girls of all ages have placed cookies and milk out for me to eat along with carrots for the reindeer that till I get to the last stop on Christmas Eve, it just amazes me that I can still fit down the chimney. I do have fond memories of some of my favorite cookies that have been set out for me each year. One girl, Bobbie, makes Old Santa some special Sand Tarts and even mails them to Santa from Florida. I get them before Christmas, I think she is trying to get extra gifts!! I have eaten Sand Tarts, Ginger Snaps, Chocolate Chips, of all shapes and sizes, and even one year someone made me Rum Cookies, and they had a little kick to them. I am glad Rudolph knew the way home that year. Santa does have a recipe for Christmas, however, and how folks can receive more gifts. As we know, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, and in the Bible it tells us that if we love Him, and if we pray to Him and if we SHARE OUR GIFTS, He will multiply the gifts over and over again. So dear children of all ages, remember to love God and love your neighbors and that will keep you on the nice list for both Jesus and His helper Santa Claus.
Now during the year, Mrs. Claus does bake up some Oatmeal Cookies to keep old Santa happy and here is her recipe for Oatmeal Cookies. 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 cup molasses, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 tsp. soda dissolved in 4 tbsp. of milk, 2 cups oatmeal, 2 cups flour, 3/4 cups raisins and nuts mixed, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, pinch of salt. Mix together in order of recipe, drop on greased pan and bake in a hot oven set at about 350 until done about 10 to 15 minutes.
One thing old Santa always liked to do and that was eat some of the cookie dough before it is baked!
Bad Santa! Now boys and girls, please go to bed early on Christmas Eve. Unless of course you are going to a late evening Candlelight Christmas Eve service. Santa ALWAYS stops along the way for one of those services. Oh, and would you please this year set out chocolate milk with those cookies? Thanks and God Bless all of You!" -- Santa
Now you are back to me live, so to speak ... And let's close up today with a prayer, but today it is different, I would just love for you to send me the prayer today at icarrythelight4God@msn.com
Thank you
Now as I close, we are looking for a few more helpers for Saturday. If you can come, please let me know. We have distribution from 9 to noon and need helpers here by 8:30 AM to get things lined up. This is a fun day. Now go forth and share your blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good evening, brothers and sisters. Today is a side trip from the message, but I must share with you just another miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ, plus I have been asked to write a recipe for my favorite cookie that I bake, and trust me, I can cook, but I never baked anything. I want to share this with you, and it might be used in the Sentinel out of Carlisle, PA, next week. The write from the Sentinel is Tammie Gitt, who came to Santa's House and did a story on it. Tammie is a wonderful young lady and a born-again Christian (yes, you must be born-again to be a Christian). So let me get to the side trip story and tomorrow back on the Story as we head to Christmas and beyond. Remember, it is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, our veterans, our military, our police,our firefighters, and all who work to keep us safe and healthy.
Malachi 3:6 - I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you? "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse, the whole nation of you because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you will not have room enough for it. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, I used the above scripture because it fits the message of today. First of all, I do want you to notice that the very first line of the scripture in Malachi 3:6, I the Lord do not change, is the same as the one I use so much found in Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. But let me move on, with the miracles that Jesus gave to us yesterday.
First, we all know that each day God gives us blessings, and if you think about it, they are miracles, all of them, and I do not want to make light of them. For example, God still sees that we are fed daily, and folks, that is a miracle if you really think about it. But folks, listen to these events of yesterday, Sunday, 12/9/12 that happened to us.
We started our Sunday as always, up in the morning early, take care of our many dogs, cats, goats, and our pet chicken (no, she does not live in the house). We get ready and head to the Bridges where I pastor and Dolores plays the piano. We had a great morning with a full room, then after closing, Dolores and I headed out to eat. On the way out of the Bridges, James, one of the office workers who, when there, always goes out and gets our vehicle and brings it around, also loaded in the back two boxes of clothes that someone dropped off for our ministry to use. After eating we returned home and were going to rest as we had a Santa appointment that evening with Doug Boyer and his ministry outreach for seniors up in Newport, PA. I change out of my Sunday clothes and put on some jeans and told Dolores I was going to unload our little pantry truck down in the food pantry which is under our home. I went down, backed the truck up to the door and went inside and my heart went into my throat, for there was water every place in the food pantry. I put out a call to Grant and Wanda but they were out singing, I called up the stairs to Dolores to "get me some help" and folks, you need to know we have packed food all over the place as we packed out for this week, and some of those bags were placed on the floor. I started to pick bags up off the floor and put them doubled up on tables that were already full of packed food. Other food that had come in since we packed and was not sorted was stored all over the place, most of them up on things so water could not hit them, but not all of them. I got out the shop vac and got it ready when the first neighbor showed up with his young son, and the son, Steven, about 10, took the vac and went to work. Steve, his dad, put up a few more tables and started to move some things to higher ground, so to speak. Soon Jared, our other neighbor, showed up and went to work finding the leak. Now listen to this, here is the miracle. No water hit any food product or anything. The only thing lost was a few boxes that had some of my junk in them. Remember that the food pantry is in our basement so I do have some things down there. The water that came in was from a broke pipe that only leaked when our well pump went on. In the meantime I had already placed a call for my son-in-law Jeff Davis who has a plumbing business and is a great plumber, and I left a message on his phone. Now Jeff called me back within 20 minutes but my neighbors had already found the leak. We shut down the pump, they ran to their homes and looked for some plastic pipe. They had some and were making the repair when Jeff called back. We did not need to run him the distance from his home to ours to make the repair, but he informed me if I have more trouble just call him back. The repair was made and after some time waiting for the pipe glue to set up good, we fired up the pump and the leak was fixed.
Sadly, we missed our appointment with Doug Boyer and his group, who was so nice and told me no kids were coming, it was a senior thing, and he excused us with his blessings. On Monday, Grant came over early and we cleaned up the mess and put things back together, later on Wanda joined in sorting out clothes for Saturday.
Folks, you just had to see the way the water circled around the food that was on the floor. As a rule, no food is ever put on the floor except when we pack once a year for our big Christmas distribution. Next year, nothing will be on the floor. Again, not one thing was lost except for a few cardboard boxes. At this time, if you are like me, you are yelling out PRAISE THE LORD!
Now one more thing today ... I want to show you what I sent to the Carlisle Sentinel to be used in the paper next week. This is where the rest of the scripture I used kicks in. I do hope you enjoy it.
"Well, kids of all ages, Old Santa likes all kinds of cookies, and trust me when I say that I have eaten my share of those cookies. But the truth is Santa does not bake, because so many good little boys and girls of all ages have placed cookies and milk out for me to eat along with carrots for the reindeer that till I get to the last stop on Christmas Eve, it just amazes me that I can still fit down the chimney. I do have fond memories of some of my favorite cookies that have been set out for me each year. One girl, Bobbie, makes Old Santa some special Sand Tarts and even mails them to Santa from Florida. I get them before Christmas, I think she is trying to get extra gifts!! I have eaten Sand Tarts, Ginger Snaps, Chocolate Chips, of all shapes and sizes, and even one year someone made me Rum Cookies, and they had a little kick to them. I am glad Rudolph knew the way home that year. Santa does have a recipe for Christmas, however, and how folks can receive more gifts. As we know, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, and in the Bible it tells us that if we love Him, and if we pray to Him and if we SHARE OUR GIFTS, He will multiply the gifts over and over again. So dear children of all ages, remember to love God and love your neighbors and that will keep you on the nice list for both Jesus and His helper Santa Claus.
Now during the year, Mrs. Claus does bake up some Oatmeal Cookies to keep old Santa happy and here is her recipe for Oatmeal Cookies. 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 cup molasses, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 tsp. soda dissolved in 4 tbsp. of milk, 2 cups oatmeal, 2 cups flour, 3/4 cups raisins and nuts mixed, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, pinch of salt. Mix together in order of recipe, drop on greased pan and bake in a hot oven set at about 350 until done about 10 to 15 minutes.
One thing old Santa always liked to do and that was eat some of the cookie dough before it is baked!
Bad Santa! Now boys and girls, please go to bed early on Christmas Eve. Unless of course you are going to a late evening Candlelight Christmas Eve service. Santa ALWAYS stops along the way for one of those services. Oh, and would you please this year set out chocolate milk with those cookies? Thanks and God Bless all of You!" -- Santa
Now you are back to me live, so to speak ... And let's close up today with a prayer, but today it is different, I would just love for you to send me the prayer today at icarrythelight4God@msn.com
Thank you
Now as I close, we are looking for a few more helpers for Saturday. If you can come, please let me know. We have distribution from 9 to noon and need helpers here by 8:30 AM to get things lined up. This is a fun day. Now go forth and share your blessings.
Love ya, Pastor Dan.
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