Author: jilevan

Keeping Christ In Christmas

jilevan

Keeping Christ In Christmas

I know this is a very busy time for most of us as we carry out our daily chores and then add the shopping and baking and decorating for Christmas. We can get so busy that we forget why or what we are celebrating. This season is so special, and yet, it holds many memories of past times when all our families were together. If yours is like mine, there are many that are no longer with us, but we must just know they are celebrating with the true reason for the season, Jesus, himself. Can you imagine being with the Savior and rejoicing because God sent Him to be our gift to spend eternity with Him and our loved ones. That is the greatest gift we will ever receive. We must rejoice with those who are here and those that are in Heaven and spread the joy and happiness and love of Christ to everyone we encounter. Christmas isn’t just about the gifts we give and get, it’s about the reason we celebrate. God’s love is eternal and it is the most coveted gift of all. We all want to be loved and be able to love. Allow the love of God to fill your heart to overflowing so that it pours out onto anyone who is around you. Reach out to others and spread His gifts of love. MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

jilevan

      

This is to wish you and all of your families a blessed and happy Thanksgiving day.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyday was like Thanksgiving.  It seems that all those gathering together put aside their differences and get along and actually enjoy the company of others.  The world we live in today seems like a constant ground for arguments and disagreements for the silliest reasons and keeps discord among the people constantly.  

We as a nation should be so grateful for all our blessings and looking for ways to bless others on an everyday basis.  As we look around us, we can always see how really blessed we are by comparing our lives to others.  We can always see others that are living a much less prosperous and happy life than we are.  Many are dealing with poverty, sickness,  loss of family and so many other things, like the thousands that are now homeless from the fires.

We soon forget God’s blessings when everything is going good and we are getting along with our lives.  When misfortune comes then we complain and feel that we are so unfortunate until we look around and realize there are others so much worse off than we are.  Wouldn’t it be great if every person would look for someone to bless, with a kind word, a good deed, with money, a meal, or whatever the moment would order.  This would be such a wonderful place to live instead of constant criticism, disagreements and confusion.

This Thanksgiving, look for ways to bless others, to make a day better for someone.  The feeling you will be left with will bring you joy, peace and gratefulness.  The joy that you were able to bring a smile to someone else will stay with you and you will want to do it again and again.  If we all will do this between now and Christmas, it will become a habit, and we will look for ways to do this on a continual basis.  One person can make a difference and if that person causes another to pass it on and on, it will multiply to thousands and thousands and the blessing we will receive will be unbelievable.  Try it and watch what happens. Be led of the Lord as what and when to do something for someone.  He will show you when, where, who and what you  need to do.  Ask Him, He will be so happy to reply.  

God bless you and your families, and may you have the most blessed and thankful Thanksgiving season you have ever had.

Home Again

jilevan

After a month and a half of traveling, we are finally home until after the new year.  Everything we did and saw was well worth the time it took and tiring traveling. 

We covered quite a bit of territory since September 1.  We traveled to the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Norway. Estonia, Russia, Germany, England, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Scotland.  Thirteen countries and every one was different with some likeness.

Meeting people from each of the countries was wonderful and each time you talk with these people you realize how blessed you are to be living in the United States of America.  Their gasoline alone is very expensive.  They pay from 1.35 to 1.55 per liter and there are 5 liters to an english gallon.  They have small cars for the most part but it is still very expensive to drive there.  

The one heart wrenching thing in most every country is the lack of Christian beliefs that are still being practiced.  Some of the countries have such little participation in church anymore that they have converted the church buildings to concert halls, and many other socialistic venues.  People seem to lack the need for Christianity in their lives and that is what is slowly happening here in America.  This is why there is so much hatred and anger among the population.  Love for one another is slowly creeping away and we are being lulled into a society that is about everyone for themselves and to heck with anyone else.

God help us wake up before it is too late.  We need God back in our schools, the workplace and in our homes most of all.  We need to go back to teaching one another about God’s Word and what the word says about loving one another.  

The people we met were kind and likable, but that is not going to get anyone into Heaven.  We must accept Jesus as Savior and live according to His Word and accept His forgiveness for our sins.  I prayed over every step I took,(not out loud, but silently) and in every place, declaring that God’s grace and love fill that place.  I believe we are ambassadors of God’s love and we can carry that love everywhere we go.  We might not see the results, but we have planted a seed and God will send someone else to water it.

I intend to be writing more since we are home, but I continue to pray for all the places Ike and I have walked.  God bless.

COUNTDOWN – JESUS IS COMING

jilevan

The past two weeks have been historical when it comes to the number of earthquakes that have been documented worldwide at 5.0 and higher.  The number of fires, floods, and now destruction from storms are monumental.

Then look at just our USA.  The unrest here is so sad.  Brother against brother, mother and father against their children, and everyone battling against one another over the rights of citizens and non-citizens.  Nothing seems to be sacred anymore and  what scripture says about the way we should live seems to be of little interest to many of the people.

I remember when there were heated races for political offices, but once the person was selected, everything seemed to calm down and we accepted the vote of the people.  Today, I no longer feel like this is the America I grew up in.  Party against party and vile slander of people on every headline.  Growing up, my parents were always democrats.  They thought the party was for the common working man.  The morals of the party seemed right, so I had no quarrel with it.  But a few years ago, during a national convention, they took God out of the agenda, and no prayers because it might offend someone.  They they were standing for legalized abortion for whatever reason, and that was the line that I refused to cross.

We can justify a lot of things, but never killing innocent babies in the mother’s womb.  Yes, God gives us each a choice, but when His commandments are clear on, “thou shalt not kill”, …it’s pretty plain.  Abortion is murder in no uncertain terms.  It will never be anything other than murder.  I don’t care whether you agree with me, as it doesn’t make any difference.  It’s whether you disagree with God and His word.

I know the republicans aren’t the perfect party by no means, however, they believe in prayer, God in the government, and totally against abortion.  Who do you think God will stand for?  HE WILL NEVER GO AGAINST HIS WORD FOR EITHER PARTY.

This election on November the 6th is monumental!!!  If the democrats take the house and senate, the United States as we know it will be no more.  God is fed up with the gross sins of man.  I believe this is why we are seeing such devastation as we’ve never seen before.  I BELIEVE JESUS IS COMING SOON!!!  All signs point to it and look at our country.  So many aren’t ready.  Do you believe in abortion?  Do you believe rioting in the streets solves problems of something you don’t like?  Do you think America should go to socialism?  Perhaps you should study your history again.  A nation divided against itself will fall.  We as a nation are at the edge of the cliff and only Jesus can save us.  Where is your heart today?  Are you ready for Jesus?  Will He take you with Him because you believe and stand for His word, or will you be left behind because you thought you have the right to make your own decisions and it doesn’t affect your walk with Him?  JOHN 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me”.

IT’S TIME WE ALL DROP TO OUR KNEES, PRAY, AND ASK GOD TO DIRECT OUR BELIEFS ACCORDING TO HIS WORD AND FORGIVE US OF WRONG THOUGHTS AND DECISIONS, AND…..ASK GOD TO GO WITH US INTO THE VOTING BOOTHS IN NOVEMBER!

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