A Tough Journey. Being in God s Will

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2 Americans must never forget the origins of our national Thanksgiving holiday. Its spiritual significance is no longer taught in our nation s public schools. In fact, most school children today are taught that Thanksgiving originated when the Pilgrims invited their Native American friends to dinner to thank them for their help in troubled times after the Mayflower landed. As with much of modern American revisionist history, there really is much more to the story. A Tough Journey The Atlantic crossing in the fall of 1620 had been an extremely difficult journey for the Pilgrims. For two months, 102 people were wedged into what was called the tween decks the cargo space of the boat, which only had about five-and-a-half feet of headroom. No one was allowed above deck because of the terrible storms. This was no pleasure trip, but God sustained every one of the Pilgrims through the voyage. God providentially protected His people. A littleknown fact about the Mayflower is that this ship normally carried a cargo of wine; and the wine spillage from previous voyages had soaked the beams, acting as a disinfectant to prevent the spread of disease. During one terrible storm, the main beam of the mast cracked. Death was certain if this beam could not be repaired. At that moment, the whole Pilgrim adventure could very easily have ended on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. But, providentially, one of the Pilgrims had brought along a large iron screw, likely for a printing press. That screw was used to repair the beam, saving the ship and all on board. Being in God s Will After sixty-six days at sea, land was sighted off what is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts. But that was not where the Pilgrims wanted to be. They had intended to establish their new colony in the northern parts of Virginia (which then extended north to the Hudson River in modern-day New York), but two factors interrupted their plans. The winds had blown them off course, but they also later learned that some Englishmen

3 who wanted to settle in the same Hudson River location had bribed the crew to take them off course. Once again God was in charge and the Pilgrims landed exactly where God wanted them to be. Had they actually landed in northern Virginia, near the Hudson River, they would most certainly have been attacked by hostile Native Americans. Instead, there were no Native Americans on Cape Cod when the Pilgrims made landfall there. The land had already been cleared and the fields had already been cultivated. God Provides The Pilgrims barely survived their first winter. Only four families escaped without burying at least one family member. But God was still faithful. In the spring of 1621, He sent Squanto to the Pilgrims, an Indian who spoke their own language and who offered to teach them how to survive in this strange new land. Squanto was one of the few Indians from that area who had not died in the plague. He had been captured as a young man and taken to England as a slave, where he mastered the English language. He was later freed and returned to his native territory shortly before the Pilgrims arrived. Probably the most important thing Squanto taught the Pilgrims was how to plant the Indians winter staple crop corn. The Pilgrims thanked God for this wonderful helper, but they also shared with Squanto the most valuable treasure they had brought with them from England the Gospel. Squanto died within a year or two after coming to the aid of the Pilgrims, but before his death Squanto expressed to the Pilgrims his faith in their God of Heaven. Teach Your Children Now that you know the true story of Thanksgiving, this year make sure your children and grandchildren learn it too. The evidence of history clearly shows that on that first Thanksgiving Day, both the Pilgrims and the Indians were thanking God for His great goodness in providing for them all. In fact, with the help of Squanto, the Pilgrims had established a peace agreement with these nearby Indians that remained in place for a half century. As America is currently facing serious challenges both at home and abroad, let s join together with countless generations before us in giving thanks to God for His blessings and for preserving our nation. Let s make sure that all our children and grandchildren learn Whose hand of protection has been over America ever since the Pilgrims arrival; and let s all pray that He will continue to bless and sustain our nation as we continue to acknowledge and honor Him. Thank you so much for helping us learn about our right to say grace prior to our meal at our local senior center. We provided a copy of CLA s letter to the paid leaders at the center, and our grace was immediately reinstated. We trust it will not be necessary to call on your services in the future, but we will keep your phone number. -From Nebraska About five years ago I contacted CLA when my daughter was starting a prayer group in her 7th grade class. You gave me some great advice and she had no problems throughout her junior high years. She is now a senior in high school and has organized her school s See You at the Pole event since her freshman year. -From Illinois Please forgive me for not writing sooner to thank you for sending me the information I needed. I am so grateful you took the time to help me find what I was looking for. I shared your information with my employer and HR, and I pray there will no longer be a problem. Again, I thank you for your help and for the help you give to people across this great land. I am sure others appreciate it as much as I do. -From Michigan The Legal Alert is always a blessing to read, and I praise God for your helpful ministry to God s people and for your successes. I pray for you almost daily. I am 94. May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you all in good health in these stressful times. -From Alabama

4 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, the ship; the axe had 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 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... 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. 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 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 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 Abraham Lincoln, 1863

5 The Bible is full of economic principles to preserve a thriving economy. As America tries to get back on track economically, one fact is often overlooked. Free and open markets can produce great prosperity. But unless Biblical values are applied, we have also seen that greed and chaos can result. The Bible teaches us not to deceive or defraud others. Proverbs warns, The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity. In Luke 12:21, Jesus warns against anyone who layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. In Noah Webster s 1828 dictionary, he defined Economy as the management, regulation and government of a family; the concerns of a household. Economics includes stewardship about more than just managing your money. No matter how much money you have, what are your priorities? Do you and your family value what God values; desire what He desires? In these difficult financial times, make sure your family s economy is in line with God. America can recover economically, but we need God to do it. At some time every pastor will likely experience a medical emergency during a church service. Many churches have members in the medical profession who are qualified to assist during such emergencies. Someone with a cell phone should also be prepared to call 911 immediately. Ushers should be trained to remove the person to a safe area where medical personnel will have access. The best thing for the pastor to do is to immediately lead the congregation in prayer for the person and family, while others should be ready to individually assist and comfort family members. Having a plan could save a life and safely control the situation.

6 CLA Assists Christian School Against Homosexual Group CLA was able to assure a Christian school in New York that it was NOT required to allow a gay rights group to start a Gay Straight Alliance club in its Christian school. The school had received a call from a gay rights group asking to start a club there. As private institutions, Christian schools are permitted to uphold moral standards for their students and staff based on the Bible, including prohibiting immoral conduct or conversation of any kind whatsoever. CLA Stands with US Military Worldwide Pray for those around the world serving to defend our freedoms. In 1993, Congress passed the current policy, affirming the ban on open homosexuality in the military, into law as part of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It has been upheld at the federal appellate level in every court challenge since them. By asserting that the current policy on homosexuality in the military has, in the judge s words, a direct and deleterious effect on the Armed Services, she is basically stating that she knows more about our military than the Service Chiefs who have all stated their opposition to overturning the ban. 1st Circuit Deciding Whether Under God is Political or Religious The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit heard arguments about whether a New Hampshire statute that requires school districts to provide time for public elementary students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance on a voluntary basis is constitutional. The panel hearing Freedom From Religion Foundation v. U.S. focused largely on whether the under God phrase is religious or a nod to the political philosophy holding that Americans have inalienable rights. Please be in prayer for our courts! Pray for senior citizens in Nebraska who are being told they may not say grace before meals because the program receives government money. In fact, the seniors have a free speech right to pray before their meals and to engage in other devotional activities without threatening the government money received by the center. CLA Helps Those in Health Care Praise the Lord that a volunteer at a mental facility in Missouri is now able to incorporate Christian music into his program for residents. Free legal defense of those facing difficulties for the Biblical faith Free legal counsel to churches and Christians for their ministries Legal seminars for ministries to help prevent lawsuits The Legal Alert radio program Preaching in churches across the country Publication of a monthly newsletter, The Legal Alert Free consulting to local, state, and federal officials and legislators to provide maximum religious liberty Intercessory prayer ministry for requests sent to the ministry office Capital Prayer Initiative Homeschool Legal Advantage Christian Law Association christianlaw.org // PO Box 4010, Seminole, FL