Thanksgiving Proclamation by George Washington

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

I Corinthians 15:57 (KJV)

Today as I read the Thanksgiving Day proclamation made by President George Washington in 1789, my heart was saddened to think about how very far we, as a nation, have strayed from God and the vision of our founding fathers.  I am SO grateful to God for allowing our great country to be founded upon the the Word of God and by men who believed in Him and trusted in Him for guidance and wisdom, and it burdens my heart to see the disdain so many have for Him now. 

The United States of America absolutely was founded as a Christian nation, and no matter how much people try to rewrite history, the past can never be altered. 

I heard there are those who even want to change the name from Thanksgiving Day to some other title.  It seems to go against the cultural tide to even acknowledge that there is a God, let alone to show gratitude to Him and thank Him for all He has done.  No matter who turns their back on Him, He will always be God, and He will always be so worthy of our praise and gratitude.  How I praise Him today for the many blessings He has bestowed and continues to pour into my life! 

I hope each one of you have an abundantly blessed Thanksgiving Day, and I trust you will enjoy being reminded of how our very first President set aside and designated this special day as a day to praise our awesome Creator!

"By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation."

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor ­­­– and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be ­­­– That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks ­­­– for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation ­­­– for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war ­­­– for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed ­­­– for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted ­­­– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions ­­­– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually ­­­– to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed ­­­– to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord ­­­– To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase 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."

Just Before Jesus Returns

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Ephesians 6:12

(KJV)

In my last post I alluded to an article Mom used to refer to often.  It was printed in China many years ago, and it gave a description of how things would be right before Jesus comes back.  I found the words as sobering as they used to be when Mom would read them to me or speak of them through the years.  After I published the post, a commenter asked that I post the full article, and I am just finding the time to grant her request.  

As I said, I did not write this, nor do I know who wrote it.  Since it was printed in China, I am assuming it must have been written by someone in China, or perhaps a missionary to China?  I am almost certain this weathered, tattered paper copy belonged to my Papaw, who was one of the most stalwart prayer warriors I have ever known.  When he passed away, I believe this article was passed down to Mom, and now it is mine.  I wish I knew who to credit for having written it.  All I know is it was published as a prophecy in China many years ago, and anyone with spiritual discernment can see that you and I are watching this prophecy unfold in fulfillment in front of our very eyes.  It could not be more on target in describing the exact conditions of our day, and it truly brings a solemnity over my spirit.  I hope it stirs yours, also, as you read.

(I have taken the liberty of making a few spelling, punctuation, and grammatical corrections.)

Just Before Jesus Returns

"Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that before the coming of our Lord, there would come a falling away first.  (2 Thessalonians 2:3)  To Timothy, he stated that evil men and impostors would wax worse and worse and there should be perilous times in the LAST days.  (2 Timothy 2:1-13)  It will be noticed in the Scriptures that the apostasy is not concerning education or fine churches or able ministers or large congregations or the progress of intellectual or material prosperity, but the breaking down that is foretold of the visible church is on faith and the denial of the power of landslide in the visible church toward higher criticism which is lower infidelity, and a denial of the supernatural working of God in regeneration, definite answers to prayer, and the revelation of the apostles and their successors.  

We then are to expect great deceptions and delusions deceiving if it were possible the very elect.  We may also expect great advances in a "form" of godliness in the LAST days.  Faith will not only become low thru worldliness and the denial of the Scriptures, but through the "remakable initiative faiths" which will work on in their deceptive power.  A pastor says those movements will become an unseen influence in the air around us, an atmosphere of people with evil spirits and heavy with the depression of HELL.  These evil spirits will do their utmost to injure, mislead, confuse, and depress the children of the Lord.  Our bodies will be afflicted, it will press in our minds and becloud our souls.  All kinds of strange feelings and peculiar trials will come to us.  A surprising lack of desire and energy Godward, a spiritual deadness, a mental heaviness, lethargy of soul, an alarming desire for forbidden things, and a peculiar delight and fascination in any of the world's pleasures.  In liberty and power it will be difficult to give attention to the WORD when it is preached.  It will be very difficult to get in real earnest and continued prayer.  This is the atmosphere in which we must battle as the LAST days darken around us.  Oh, let us be strong in the Lord!  Satan will no doubt bring a mysterious power to bear on our minds and wills, which will make it exceedingly difficult to walk closely with God and very easy to live in the flesh.  We will be amazed at the power he can use against us.  It will become very hard to serve God faithfully and to pray earnestly, and it will seem as if everything without us and almost everything within us has conspired to keep us from following Christ all the way and to influence us to compromise.  We will be surrounded by a worldly atmosphere that will draw us away from God, that will render prayer half-hearted, that will deaden our spiritual senses to the reality of Heavenly things, and that is out of communion with God and harder than ever to keep communication open between our souls and Heaven.

Already we feel the beginning of the influence of the in-rush of those things upon us as worldliness in various forms weaves the ever-expanding power over many congregations.  Things are not only allowed, but are unblushingly organized now which would not have been possible a generation ago, since the craze of the drama and the exciting round of pleasure is catered to in connection with many places of worship, to the destroying of deep spirituality and bringing to an end of revivals and the furtherance of the spirit of compromise, with doubtful things and associations.  There is a terrible decline of faith and true religion all over the world at this moment.  We do not deny that there may be, here and there, a few exceptions, but looking at the Christendom as a whole, it presents a sad picture.  Reviewing these matters, do they not constitute a loud call to the servants of Christ to arise and seek during the intervening short period to make the most of this, the day of opportunity, before their Lord and Master comes to summon them to give an account of their labors at the Judgment seat of Christ?"

PRINTED IN CHINA

God bless the dear soul who wrote this.  It was not by accident that I came across it recently.  It is a timely warning to those of us who are fighting the good fight of faith in these last days and doing our utmost to "dwell in the secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty."  (Psalm 91:10)  May we pick up our weapons of prayer and our shields of faith and war against all that seeks to draw us away from living a life in close proximity to Jesus.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Hebrews 12:1,2 

Source 

The Inner Views of The Benham Brothers

"And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, 

saying that there is another king, one Jesus."

Acts 17:10

(KJV)

Praise God for Jason and the men in the early church who

"turned the world upside down"!

These men were willing to go against the cultural tide of their day.

They were not afraid to do "contrary to the decrees of Caesar", when the decrees of Caesar were contrary to the law of Almighty God.

They loudly and unashamedly proclaimed "that there is another King"...

one called Jesus!

And, praise God for a modern day Jason and his twin brother, David, 

who are standing firm against the cultural tide of our day,

who are willing to step out of complacency and face their own Goliaths,

armed with the truth that the battle is the Lord's.

We first heard Jason and David's incredible testimony last September at a conference where I was a part of Concerned Women for America's prayer team.
On a recent Thursday evening, we were once again blessed to hear them speak,
while attending another function on behalf of CWA.
Imagine how blessed we felt when God orchestrated a way for us to meet them personally
before the event began!
To God be the glory.

It is with great respect that I present to you the

of Identical Twins, David and Jason,

The Benham Brothers.

Cheryl:  Can you give us a little information about your background? 

David & Jason:  We grew up as preacher’s kids in Dallas, TX.  Our lives consisted of school, sports, and Sunday school.  At age 12 we started our first company - a small landscape company that grew to about 25 accounts before we went to college.  Our dream was always to play pro baseball, and after graduating from Liberty University, God gave us that opportunity in the late 90’s.  Although we never made it to the Big Leagues, we did play professionally, which was a dream come true. 

Cheryl:  When did you first become a Christian? What life events led up to your decision to follow Jesus, and how has that choice impacted your lives?

Jason & David:  Both of us were 12 when we got saved.  Jason was at a chapel service at our Christian school, and David was at a Christian youth camp.  From that day forward, we committed to reading the Bible every day.  We were little hellions for a while, but in time we began to grow and mature in our faith.  We were two of the most ambitious and rambunctious kids you could meet, so growing in Christ is all we needed for God to harness our strength for development and not destruction. 

Cheryl:  Will you kindly share your story with us about HGTV’s “Flip It Forward”? How did the show come about? Why was it suddenly cancelled? How has this whole situation changed your lives and ministry? 

David & Jason:  After our time in pro ball we moved our families to Charlotte, NC and started a real estate company.  From small beginnings in 2003, we grew to 100 offices in 35 states by 2010.  From there, we began to create other companies and non-profits as our entrepreneurial spirits were on hyper-drive.  We were approached by a production company in 2012 to do a reality show, and, after signing a straight-to-series contract with HGTV, we landed in the midst of a media firestorm as we refused to be silent about our faith. 

It started when HGTV announced the show and started airing commercials.  At that time a few activist groups began putting intense pressure on HG to cancel the show because of our “extreme” beliefs, such as being pro-life, believing in traditional marriage, and that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.  HG wanted to stick with us, as they already knew all of our beliefs prior to signing us, but as the pressure mounted they let us go.  But we know that whatever the devil meant for evil God means for good, and we have since been traveling the country using this platform to proclaim the truth that Jesus is the answer to all of our nation’s problems.

Cheryl:  What would you say are the most pressing issues in the cultural battlegrounds of our day? What are the biggest threats to our religious liberties?

Jason & David:  The darkness in our culture today manifests in three specific areas - the termination of life (abortion), the redefinition of marriage, and the rise of militant Islam.  But God has not called us to be issues-fighters - He’s called us to be kingdom-advancers.  This means we lead with the Gospel because the truth is what sets people free. 

The biggest threat to our religious liberty today is the silence of the church.  By our silence, we give our affirmation.  When Christians stand for truth it provides liberty for everyone - including Muslims, Atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, those with no religion - EVERYONE! 

Cheryl:  As Christian parents, Kevin and I are doing our utmost to raise a son who will stand up for Jesus and live a life that glorifies Him. What advice can you offer to those of us who are endeavoring to raise Godly children in a society that is increasingly hostile toward the God we serve? How can we lay that impenetrable foundation that will enable them to stand in spite of opposition, and even possible persecution? When we heard your testimony at the TNG Conference in September, you shared about your Dad and the way you were raised and how he instilled Godly values into your lives. Would you care to share any of those experiences here as encouragement to Christian parents?

David & Jason:  We’re in it with you.  We have young kids as well.  The one thing our dad did that has made a lasting impression on us is that he raised us to be warriors.  He taught us from the outset that we are in a spiritual battle and that God uses people to accomplish His will on the earth.  We learned that while we’re here on the earth we are a part of the church militant, which means we have to be engaged in the spiritual battle that rages in the earth, not just culturally, but personally as well.  So, if Christians are made to be fighters and they aren’t fighting, they won't experience the fullness of God in their lives. 

Cheryl:  It was such a dear blessing to meet the two of you and hear you speak on Thursday night. One of the most moving parts of your speech and one that has most vividly lingered in our minds is when you spoke of the contrasted effects the wind has on a candle versus embers, and you applied those thoughts to the Holy Spirit. Will you share those thoughts with us here? 

Jason & David:  Knowing we are the light of the world, if we view our light as a little candle then the winds of culture can easily blow it out.  But if we see ourselves as burning embers, like in a fire pit, then when the cultural winds blow it will actually ignite the fire in us.  The same wind that snuffs out the candle ignites the burning embers.  Spending time with Jesus, in His Word and prayer, is what it takes to kindle the fire of our faith.

Cheryl:  Your energy and enthusiasm for righteousness is so inspiring and contagious. What would you say to those who are discouraged in the fight against wrong? Is there still hope to turn things around? How do the two of you remain enthusiastic, zealous, and so completely “on fire” for God?

David & Jason:  This is a great time to be alive!  God knew how dark it would get at this time, and He created each one of us to be here now for this very hour.  If we keep our focus on God, our faith will replace fear because with God all things are possible!

Cheryl:  How can we pray for you, your wives, and your families? Are there specific needs you would like us to lift to the Father during this current season of your lives and ministry?

Jason & David:  Just pray our kids grow to love Jesus with all their hearts - that’s by far the most important thing in our lives right now.  As we travel we aren’t home as much as we’d like, so please pray for the spiritual growth of our children. 

Cheryl:  In closing, will you share the Word of God with us? What are some of your favorite Scriptures and/or what is God laying upon your hearts to speak to us here?

David & Jason:  Jason’s favorite passage is Mark 14:50 - “Then they all deserted Him and fled.”  I put this on my baseball glove in pro ball because it was a constant reminder that I’m not better in possibility than the worst deserter is in actuality.  This tends to keep me humble. David’s is Ephesians 6:10, “Finally brothers, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” We need to be strong in these last days!

A BIG thank you to you, Jason & David, for taking the time to answer our questions

and grant us this interview!

What a blessing you are to all of us!

We are forever grateful to both of you.

Most of all, thank you both for standing firm,

for being the examples we need and long to see in these perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1-5),

for taking a lead, front line position on the battlegrounds of this fight for faith and religious liberty.

Thank you for valuing the approval of God 

more than the praise of men,

for not taking the easy way out,

for refusing the bait of fame if it required you to compromise your convictions,

and for making the decision to follow Jesus, whatever the cost.

You may order The Benham Brothers' book called "Whatever The Cost",

view 19 chapter videos, and download a free study guide by clicking HERE.

To sign up for their blog emails, click HERE.

 Zach with The Benham Brothers

If you are ever able to go see The Benham Brothers in person

and hear them give a complete account of their testimony and all God has brought them through,

I encourage you to do whatever you need to do to get there.

Their passion for God and love for Jesus Christ will challenge you and inspire you to draw closer to Him and seek Him as to how you, too, can rise up as a warrior in the army of God.

To read previous

 click the links below.

The Inner Views of Joshua Becker
 The Inner Views of Lisa Newton
The Inner Views of Dr. Alveda King
The Inner Views of Jen Avellaneda
The Inner Views of Tonya Shellnutt
The Inner Views of Karen Del Tatto
The Inner Views of Evelyn Rennich
The Inner Views of Bob Sellers
The Inner Views of Kelly Bowling