72 Years After D-Day, 6th. June 1944.
From Power to Impotence
“Seventy-two years ago, an American-led Allied invasion on the beaches of Normandy marked the beginning of the end of the grip of tyranny over Europe. In little more than a year, the United States would emerge as a superpower and world policeman. Contrast that to today, when that superpower is in retreat—its influence and power rapidly declining.
In the early morning grayness of June 6, 1944, lookouts manning scores of German artillery emplacements above the Normandy beaches of northern France saw the unbelievable sight of nearly 6,000 Allied ships of all types and sizes steaming toward them. Shocked as they were, they knew what those thousands of ships meant: The long-expected Allied invasion of Adolf Hitler's fortress Europe had begun.
Did God play a hand in those events?
Virtually all of the men who stormed ashore that awful day 72 years ago are dead, but a small handful, men in their late 80s and 90s, will visit those Normandy beaches for perhaps the final time to commemorate that important victory.
Despite the enormous cost of more than 9,000 Allied soldiers killed and wounded on that day, D-Day was a success. But many do not realize that it could easily have been a disaster. As supreme commander of Allied forces that day, U.S. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower knew as well as Rommel that if the invasion could be stopped at the beaches, it might be fatal to the Allied cause.
Over the decades, many have wondered if God had a hand in that historic day.”
Complete article at: http://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/70-years-after-d-day-from-power-to-impotence
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Normandy American Cemetery France
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Christ’s Body.
Matthew 26:26
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
“The breaking of the unleavened bread at the New Testament Passover service is symbolic of Christ’s suffering in our place for our sins. It reminds us of our deserved punishment that fell on Jesus as His body was beaten and broken.
Eating the bread is also symbolic of our allowing Jesus Christ to live His life in us, and our need to live by every word of God (John 6:35; Galatians 2:20; Matthew 4:4). Just as physical food is essential to maintain physical life, living by the spiritual “bread” is essential for a healthy spiritual life.”
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Upcoming Holy Day
Pentecost June 12, 2016
Pentecost serves as a reminder that God grants His Holy Spirit to the firstfruits of His spiritual harvest.
Why should Christians celebrate the Feast of Pentecost?
Jesus Christ chose the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot in Hebrew) or Pentecost to begin His Church. What is the meaning of Pentecost for Christians today?
Why should Christians celebrate the Feast of Pentecost?
The third of God’s annual festivals (after the Feast of Unleavened Bread) is the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16-21; Acts 2:1). This festival, also called the Feast of Harvest or Firstfruits (Exodus 23:16; Exodus 34:22), was also the day God first granted His Spirit to the New Testament Church of God (Acts 2).
Pentecost portrays God as the Lord of His harvest, choosing and preparing the firstfruits of His coming Kingdom by giving them His Holy Spirit (Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2; Romans 8:23; James 1:18). The preceding festival of Unleavened Bread pictures our commitment to come out of a sinful life and live our lives by God’s perfect laws. But we can’t do this on our own. Pentecost pictures God’s willingness to give His Holy Spirit to provide the power those He has called need.
God’s Holy Spirit empowers us with the love of God, the motivation to obey Him and a sound mind to discern His truth (2 Timothy 1:7; John 15:26; John 16:13). Only those who are led by God’s Spirit are called the sons of God (Romans 8:9, Romans 8:14). These Christians have a pledge or down payment on eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:5) and can look forward to the first resurrection, which is to eternal life in God’s family.
The Church of God, which began on Pentecost (Acts 2), is given the mission of preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God in preparation for the next step in God’s plan, the return of Jesus Christ. This is pictured by the next festival, the Feast of Trumpets.”
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A longer article about Pentecost: http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/gods-holy-day-plan-the-promise-of-hope-for-all-mankind/the-feast-of-1
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Update:
Yes, it has been pouring. Sometimes there were real gulley-whompers, the kind that create mud holes where there never have been any before. A friend from church brought a 2008 29’ Artic Fox fifth-wheel trailer here for me to sell for them, and the following day when he came to pick up some things his big dually truck got stuck in the driveway. That’s how wet it was.
Roy and I have worked most mornings, but it all depends on the weather what we do each day. One non-rainy day, Roy’s friend dug a French drain on the side of the guest house, trying to make the water drain away from that area better. We had another gushing rainfall, and water collected in front of the drain. Today he came back to lower the perforated pipe in that French drain another 4”. So hopefully it will drain all the way to the ditch now.
Roy and I finally got all the plywood cut and laid for the floor in the new bedroom (which used to be the bathroom and kitchen), in the guest house. It is only temporarily screwed down, and we have to keep one place as an access to see if we have stopped all the rain water from running under the house. When we are ready to screw it down permanently we intend to pick up all 4+ sheets of plywood, and put some Tyvek down as a moisture barrier before we screw it down again.
A light in the walk-in closet was moved to the ceiling now that the closet door is in a different place. The light would have been in the way of a clothes pole. We have to get this wiring down while the walls don’t have any sheet-rock on them. Also another light was installed in a little alcove in the laundry room, which is going to be a half bath. Just a toilet and sink. That way if there is a workman around, they don’t have to use the bathroom inside the guest house.
Some days it was very humid so we installed the big 220v air conditioner/heater through the custom hole we framed up in the wall with the case very securely screwed on all sides. Thieves like to push window air conditioners in to gain access, that is what happened to me. So now all my AC units are installed higher up and through the wall. As there are a lot of trees on that side of the guest house we had to clean a lot of leaves out of the air conditioner, so we put screen wire over the vents with Gorilla tape.
In the new kitchen and bathroom the new sheet vinyl is installed (I call it lino), so we have started building the wall at the end of the tub. This will be the faucet end, so we built an access panel in the wall behind it.
On Saturday, 28 May, many people in our congregation had to make big detours to avoid the flooded areas, so we started the service two hours late. Those that had made it on time had a jolly time in the dining hall waiting for them. Then the sun came out and we were glad that we were all safely there. The Bible readings were Psa. 100 and 95, Numbers 1:1-4:20, Hos. 2:1-2:20 and Luke 2:1-7. The Teaching was about Weaknesses and “Loving God Under Trials.” James 1:12. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
By Saturday, June 4th, there had still been more rain, but no one was inconvenienced by flooded roads, and arrived on time. The Bible readings were Num. 4:21-7:89, Jud. 13:2-25 (about Samson), Acts 21:17-26. and the Teaching was about Prophecies again. How it was foretold that Ninevah, Tyre, Sidon and Egypt would fall and that there would be no more pharoahs. Pathros, a name for Upper Egypt. Ezekiel 30:14 I will make Pathros desolate, and will set a fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments on Thebes. All those prophecies which came true.
This clearing out the house so that I can sell it, seems endless. On Monday, I took more items to the consignment shop, and donated several boxes of ‘stuff’, but the place doesn’t look any less cluttered, and probably will be like that for many a day.
2 comments:
It sure has been a wet June, so far.
Thanks for your comment, DD. And it looks like were are going to have more rain before the month is out.
Happy Trails and Tails. Penny
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