“Be Full of Thanks!”
| Grateful? She was not forgiven because of her love. Her love was the sign that she had been forgiven. (Luke 7:47) – Watch “Godless times and the 5 Ps of Idolatry” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPiGAZdPCa8) |
| It’s literally only one day out of the year! One concentrated day where we can take a step back, put our drama on pause, and choose to express thankfulness and gratitude to God. This holiday is about God! It’s not about politics, or sports, or oppression, or racism, or social justice. It’s about intentionally focusing on gratitude for God’s provision. Deep gratitude is an obscure trait today. Rather, the order of the day is gross self-centeredness, which comes in the guise of entitlement and victimhood. Dennis Prager said, “Gratitude is the foundation for goodness and happiness. You cannot be a good person or a happy person if you are not grateful. To put another way, there is no ungrateful person that is happy. And there is no ungrateful person that is good.” (Let that sink in.) Sadly today so many people, especially our young, are taught and pressured to be ungrateful. Consequently, we’ve created a population of ingrates, immersed with poison – ideas and philosophies about how bad their lives really are. They’re taught America is bad, we stole the land, Blacks are oppressed, Hispanics are oppressed, women are oppressed, the justice system is racist, the police are racist, global warming is going to kill us all, etc. Hence, people today are manipulated into focusing more on complaining instead of appreciating, and controversy not solutions. Basically, we’ve created brats. (Read “America, we have a brat infestation!”) I submit that a fundamental problem in America is our great abundance. Everywhere you turn it’s easy to see abundance if you’re looking for it – houses, cars and SUVs, electronics, entertainment, shopping malls, grocery stores, A/C, electricity, smartphones, internet, etc. Our abundance has led to our decadence, which has led to our warped definition of freedom. We now incorrectly believe today that freedom is “the ability to do what I want, whenever I want to do it.” Real talk, this is the definition of flesh (Gal 5:16-21). A proper definition of freedom is “the ability to do the right thing.” With this perverted definition of freedom today, we are now so free and abundantly blessed that many have to actually manufacture crises. Talk about too much time on your hands! Regardless of the ignorant, increasing hostility towards the Thanksgiving holiday and our American heritage, stay the course, reflect on your blessings, and give God thanks! Turn off the news, turn on to Fam. Unplug from all social media, plug into relationships. Spend quality time with family and friends. Get outside and take in the beauty of God’s handiwork. Live and appreciate, and give God thanks! PRAY THIS AUDIBLY OVER SOMEONE: (Ps 95:1) ____ declares, “Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. (vs.2) Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to Him. (vs.3) For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods!” (Ps 34:1) ____ will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in his/her mouth. (Ps 107:1) ____ gives thanks to the LORD, for ____ knows He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever! (Ps 9:1) ____ will praise You, LORD, with all his/her heart; ____ will tell of all the marvelous things You have done. (1Th 5:18) ____ gives thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for him/her. (2Tim 1:9) ____ knows God saved him/her and called him/her to live a holy life. God did this, not because ____ deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time – to show ____ His grace through Christ Jesus. (Col 4:2) So, ____ devotes himself/herself to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving! (Col 3:17) And whatsoever ____ does in word or deed, he/she does it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. In Jesus’ name, amen! ▪Read “Our Common Bond has a Name!” ▪My YouTube videos addressing a wide range of topics (Here) ▪Make a Donation ▪Remember to Share this Newsletter |
| Teaching on what it means to be thankful. Great hands-on, provoking exercises! Growing in Christ! Watch “He ain’t the same guy!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYlb0zeIwdM&t=650s) |
| In preparation for our “Divine Design for Sxx” series in January, we just finished examining and discussing the first two stages of authentic masculinity – 1) Boyhood, 2) Cowboy, 3) Warrior, 4) Lover, 5) King, and 6) Sage. – Watch “Dealing with Our Sexual Secrets” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fYXPjBR1Z4) |
| In 2 Corinthians 4:13, Paul declared, “I believed, so I spoke.” I can so relate to this. Because I believe so strongly in the Word of God and His commission, I simply cannot stay silent. I would posit, “The degree to which you believe is the degree to which you will speak. Or, the degree to which you do not believe is the degree to which you will be silent.” (Read “I believed, so I spoke.”) |
| Agree with us in prayer: a. For reinstatement of Brig ministries (Wednesday night Bible Study and Friday morning Sexual Integrity & Restoration (SIR) classes. b. Pray for mature, Qualified Families and Permanent Personnel to co-labor with us in this northern-most, remote area of Okinawa. Henoko/Schwab outreach carries a constant rebuilding nature due its high turnover rate and operational tempo. We literally rebuild a congregation every six months and gather new members. Pray for our strength, wisdom, and resources as weekly we gather sheep and convert goats. c. Pray for our current schedule, i.e. finances, resources, wisdom, strategies, and strength: ▪Sun: Share/Report Christians In Action ministries ▪Mon: Radical & Relevant (R&R) @7pm ▪Wed: Brig Christian Fellowship (BCF) @7pm (PRAY for Reinstatement) ▪Thu: Publish Think On These Things newsletters ▪Thu: Publish YouTube Videos (Channel: YahwehHasASon) ▪Fri: Sexual Integrity & Restoration (SIR) @9am (PRAY for Reinstatement) ▪Sat: Zebulun Christian Discipleship Center (ZCDC) @6pm ▪Make a Donation ▪Recently uploaded YouTube videos ▪Facebook Live Videos |
| Sandy, spending time on the beach with the girls. Such good times! – Watch “Love is not a chore! It’s an opportunity!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnt5b5WvJiI&t=4s) |
| In closing: Saints, thank you for making time to pray for us. Your petitions to the Lord are heard. Although much opposition has come our way, much major breakthrough has come also. To God be all the glory! The re-building phase of Camp Schwab is going well. It seems every week, more new faces are coming out. And many of them are “sticking” even as 1) Their Biblical foundations are being confronted and challenged, and 2) Godly maturity is being demanded of them! You can help by partnering with us through your monetary gifts and donations. Financial contributions can be made online through Christians In Action. Or, you can mail contributions to the address listed below. I declare that you rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you! (1Th 5:16-18) <*{{{{>< In His blessings, Nick & Sandy Guerra, Bond-servants of Christ Contributions can be sent to: Dominic Guerra (Acct# 426) c/o Christians In Action, Missions International 1322 E. Shaw Ave., Ste. 150 Fresno, CA 93710-7904 ▪Please ensure Acct #426 is annotated on your contribution so the funds can be allocated correctly. ▪Please share/forward these newsletters at your discretion. ▪Make a Donation |
| — OUR MISSION — Gather Sheep & Convert Goats! Catch, Clean, & Release! |