Washington's & Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamations

Just a note of remembrance regarding two of our nation's presidents, in regards to a national day of giving thanks unto Almighty God for His abundant mercy, blessings, and grace. Sadly, as a nation we no longer fear God, and this is reflected in the decisions and actions that are driving us into darkness. Still, those of us who love and fear God may still cry out to Him for mercy in the midst of judgment, and for the manifold blessings He still bestows upon us...for He is good, and His mercy endureth forever.

Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789

[New York, 3 October 1789]

By the President of the United States of America. 
A Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington

Washington, D.C. October 3, 1863
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Bravery...NOT!

I've had several people comment on how brave I am, to stand out on a street corner with a witnessing cross, and a crate full of Bibles, DVD's and gospel booklets to give away. Or, to get up on a soap box and preach the gospel.

When someone says this, I laugh. It is not bravery, I assure you. If you do anything publically for the Lord, you will be called many things, most of which are not flattering. I'm definitely not a "Type-A" personality, and prefer not to be in the spotlight or center of attention. And, when I go out, I go in spite of my fears, which are many.

Like you, I do what I do because I appreciate what the Lord has done for me. We've been given a gift of inestimable worth, and we want to pass it on. We are:

• Thankful...for what Jesus has done for us
• Grateful...for the mercy and love God has demonstrated to us in the cross and the gospel
• Concerned...about our family, friends and neighbors
• Certain...that Jesus is the only way to escape the wrath of God and eternal Hell
• Convinced...that life is short, and we want to redeem the time God has given us

Witnessing crosses, giving away free Bibles, preaching open air: these are just some ideas that came to me, something that I thought would be a way to get the gospel out, or get people thinking about eternity. You've probably come up with other good ideas to do this. If so, thanks for serving your Lord and your King, Jesus Christ. And keep on keeping on, until he comes for us, or we go to be with him!

Charged!

If you want to get charged-up for living for the Lord Jesus Christ, check out this Mark Cahill video on the website Vimeo:

http://vimeo.com/53297015

This is Part 1 of 2 videos from November 2012, and I've been challenged and blessed by them, during some downtime I've had this week thanks to the nasty flu virus someone gave me. You know the verse in scripture,

"In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

I'm not happy about the flu, especially since I then passed it on to Mary. But in my illness, I have a ton of things to be thankful for: a dear wife to minister to me, my comfortable home with climate control, clean water, medicines & supplements, a job I can go back to, and on and on. I think of Adoniram Judson, who suffered the loss of two wives and several children to bring the gospel to the people of Burma in the early 19th century, enduring Dengue fever and malaria in primitive conditions, even in prison, and I don't even dare to complain!

In my relatively comfortable illness (compared to that), the Lord used this down time to push me further out of my comfort zone on how to live my life for the glory and purpose of God and Jesus Christ. So in this illness I can and do give thanks to God for this chance to grow as His child, and to get charged up about boldly reaching others for Jesus Christ.

Hope you do, too. Maranatha!