Thanksgiving Proclamation 2023 versus 1789. What a difference!

A Proclamation on Thanksgiving Day, 2023

As families, loved ones, and friends across the country come together to celebrate Thanksgiving, let us be grateful for all the blessings of this Nation and its limitless possibilities.

Throughout our country’s history, this season of reflection and giving thanks comes in good times and tough ones. Before there was a United States of America, the Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving in honor of their first successful harvest and the support and generosity of the Wampanoag people who made it possible. Amid the fierce battle for our Nation’s independence, General George Washington and his troops celebrated Thanksgiving on the way to Valley Forge. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday to honor the blessings of our country, even as he fought to preserve our Union.

This week, Americans will gather with their loved ones and families, celebrating the love they share and the traditions they built together. To those who are also enduring hard times or grieving the loss of a loved one, know that we are thinking of you.

We are truly a good Nation because we are a good people — the First Lady and I see it every time we travel the country because we meet so many incredible people doing the most extraordinary things. We have met with service members, veterans, and their families, who have selflessly served and sacrificed for our country. We have witnessed the resolve of firefighters, police officers, and first responders, who risk their lives every day to protect us. We have seen the best of our character in the doctors, nurses, scientists, public servants, union workers, and teachers, who ensure everyone is taken care of and no one is left behind. We have seen all the possibilities this Nation holds in the mothers, fathers, and caregivers, who work hard to build a future worthy of their children’s greatest dreams, and in young people across the country, who are the most talented, engaged, and educated generation in history.

This Thanksgiving we are grateful for our Nation and the incredible soul of America. May we all remember that we are the United States of America — there is nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 23, 2023, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the people of the United States of America to join together and give thanks for the friends, neighbors, family members, and strangers who have supported each other over the past year in a reflection of goodwill and unity.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

What is the incredible soul of America?

The name of God was not mentioned even once in any form, nor was there any form of thankfulness given, except to thank each other for a job well done. This reminds us about the people building the tower of Babel hoping to replace God with themselves. For this God confused their language, much like today: What is a woman, what is a man? You are no longer officially allowed to know; yet you are all supposed to “build back better” showing support for utter arrogance towards God. Check Isaiah 9:8-16). Contrast this with George Washington’s

Thanksgiving Proclamation

[New York, 3 October 1789]

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 tranquillity, 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 encrease 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.

This is what built America! This is the incredible soul of America!

Day 261 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Philippians 3. The Apostle Paul had reason to brag about his perfect Jewish credentials, but he did not, he would glory only in Christ, and his resurrection. Let us press on towards the goal, after all, our citizenship is in heaven.

Isaiah 65 is rich. It tells of judgment and salvation, the new creation and the new Jerusalem.

Isaiah 66 speaks of judgement and hope, and true and false worship. Yet, the LORD will vindicate Zion; “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream“. Finally, God via Isaiah wraps up the scroll with a description of the Day of the LORD and its sobering aftermath.

Day 260 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Philippians 2:12-29. The Apostle Paul urged the believers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Yes, salvation is past tense (for by grace have you been saved), present tense (work out your own salvation) and future tense (you will be saved). God is independent of time (He existed before time and space. Time and space only has meaning after creation of matter). Paul ended the chapter talking about Timothy and Epaphroditus.

Isaiah 63. The day of the Lord’s vengeance is coming where “the grapes of wrath are trod” and there was no one to help. Then God will show His mercy and provide salvation, but will people listen?

Isaiah 64. A prayer of petition and penance: “All our righteousness are as filthy rags”

Psalm 81, of Asaph. A Psalm for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Day 259 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Philippians 2:1-11. The Apostle Paul urged the believers to imitate the humility of Christ. Verses 7-11 are in the form of a hymn and shows how Jesus, even though he always is God, emptied himself and became obedient to the cross, even unto death.

Isaiah 61. This is the year of the Lord’s favor. Jesus started his ministry finding this prophecy in the scroll of Isaiah and read it but stopped mid-sentence. It also gives “beauty for ashes” and proclaims the good news of salvation.

Isaiah 62. Zion’s new name will be called Hephzibah and the land will be called Beulah, salvation is coming.

Day 258 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Philippians 1. After the customary greeting the Apostle Paul gave a heartfelt prayer for the believers. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (This was the verse given to my wife and me when we joined the church after our salvation). Paul was in prison and this worked in favor of the Gospel. He also encouraged them to behave worthy of the Gospel and follow Christ and be partakers with him in suffering.

Isaiah 59. We are hopelessly separated from God until we confess our sin, and even then we need a redeemer. He will come out of Zion.

Isaiah 60. Arise, shine, for your light has come. Gross darkness covers the people. It tells of the glory of Zion and ends with a millennial prophecy of the New Jerusalem.

Day 257 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Ephesians 6. Children: Obey your parents; bondservants (employees): Do everything as unto God, put on the whole armor of God and pray in the spirit always for all the saints. The Apostle Paul then added a final greeting, and so ends this inspirational letter to the Ephesians.

Isaiah 57. The LORD warned strongly against idolatry, especially the pagan god Moloch. There is peace for the contrite, but there is no peace for the wicked.

Isaiah 58 explains true fasting.

Day 256 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Ephesians 5. The Apostle Paul gave good advice: Walk in love, walk in light, and walk in wisdom, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Then Paul gave Godly advice on marriage and likened it to the relationship between Christ and the church.

Isaiah 56. Salvation will be open to all. In Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial will be remembered “Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.” Yet, Israel still have wicked leaders.

Psalm 80, of Asaph. A prayer for restoration of Israel, mentioning the Shepherd of Israel, a heartfelt and urgent plea.

Day 255 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Ephesians 4:17-32. The Apostle Paul reminded the Ephesians they are children of light, do not grieve the spirit, and “do not let the sun go down on your wrath“.

Isaiah 54. After the gigantic chapter 53, writing about the sin-bearing, suffering servant the narrative switches back to God’s servant, Israel, and the Covenant of Peace. It ends with “no weapon formed against you shall prosper”

Isaiah 55 gives the invitation to abundant life. Remember this: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Psalm 79, of Asaph. A cry for help, for the heathens were devastating Jerusalem, the Temple and the people. The Psalmist confessed their collective sins and pleaded for restoration, always with praise and thankfulness.

On this, the 22th anniversary of September 11, let us remember the cross at Calvary, the cross at Ground Zero, and the offense of the cross to all who refuse to believe.

This year, president Biden has decided to sit out the 22 anniversary of the 9/11 attack by being in Alaska. He had to be at the G20 conference but decided to add a trip to Vietnam after the conference. He should have done it before, showing the importance of Vietnam and their rare earth metals. But then again, wisdom has never been the characteristic of Joe Biden:

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1)

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The original location where the iron cross was found, standing out in the rubble like this.

For Muslims the cross is an offense since it contradicts the Holy Quran. For them Jesus did not die on the cross but was directly translated to God. For atheists and humanists the cross is an offense since to them it suggests we need a redeemer, and that reminds them of their mortality. But to us who believe it is the symbol of redemption and new eternal life in Christ. If they were not pricked in their hearts when they see the cross they would not be offended.

Christ died on the cross at Ground Zero.

We have only one risen hero.

But the fools reject grace,

stay condemned, cannot face

The truth in The Cross at Ground Zero.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (St. John 3:16-17)

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An intermediate location for the cross

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The final resting place for the Iron cross near the 9/11 museum.

In 2015, the guest host on OAN shared these thoughts on Aug 28, in preparation for 9/11.

These were the final words of Governor Sarah Palin after a successful week anchoring “On Point” with the One America News.

Governor Palin is a true servant. Her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, worked at the stinky Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island, New York in January and February 2002 as part of a federal Department of Agriculture program.

In a telephone interview, Mr. Heath said he and his wife had worked to keep sea gulls and rats from scavenging the human remains in the debris. Mr. Heath, then 70, a retired science teacher, and Mrs. Heath, then 68, a retired secretary, had worked for the Agriculture Department for 15 years. They traveled around the world dealing with “nuisance” animals like rats and bears.

“A lot of people just didn’t like the job, it was kind of a morbid thing,” he said of the work at the landfill. “But I thought it was part of history.”

This is the attitude of a servant.

After the 9/11 attack the country got together to rebuild the country again. Many quoted Isaiah 9:10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.”

Isaiah 9:10 has been quoted by politicians as a message of resilience and hope. This message was scribbled by President Obama in 2012 on a building near Ground Zero. Other Politicians have quoted Isaiah 9:10. John Edwards quoted it directly on the third anniversary of 9/11, not realizing that the message is not one of hope, but of utter arrogance. Today’s message by President Biden is “Build back better”, same message, one of utter arrogance. It is clear from the context:

What comes before the message that came down on Israel? Of course verse 6 and 7:

Child born: Shows the humanity of Christ

Son given, shows the deity of Christ

It also shows the unity of God as Father, Prince of Peace as Son and Wonderful Counselor which is the Holy Spirit, three aspects of God, three in one, the triune God, the Trinity.

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This message brings us full circle back to Jesus Christ, the one who died at the original Ground Zero, but rose again. There will be no “build back better” unless there is a revival, a return to God, a great awakening. This present government has by its actions shown that American Exceptionalism is dead, we will do better by abandoning our citizens and allies and negotiate with terrorists who will be fully installed in Afghanistan on 9/11. We will from now on be under Global Governance.

The aim of China is to be the dominant force in the world by 2030. Recent events have made them speed up the time table by at least 5 years after successfully interfering in the last election by openly favoring Joe Biden. The greatest fear of the Chinese Government are the 300 million or so closet Christians in China, a number that just keeps growing. The other fastest growing churches are the Christians in Iran and Afghanistan. In Myanmar Christians are now openly persecuted and some are killed, in Pakistan many are persecuted for blasphemy. There are now more Christian martyrs than ever in history, and even our own State Department considers evangelical Christians our greatest threat, greater than Taliban.

Pray for a worldwide revival of God’s people and an even greater awakening of Biblical Proportion!

Day 254 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Ephesians 4:1-16. The Apostle Paul urged the believers to walk in unity, because there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God, even though there are different spiritual gifts.

Isaiah 53. No other chapter in the Bible has so many prophesies fulfilled in the New Testament. Because of this it had been “proven” that it must have been written and added to the book of Isaiah around 400 A.D. As proof for this was cited that the rabbis used to read Isaiah 53 in synagogues, but after the chapter caused “arguments and great confusion” the rabbis of the 17th century decided that the simplest thing would be to just take that prophecy out of the Haftarah readings in synagogues. (Haftarah consists of selections of the prophets, read after segments of the Torah.) That’s why today when they read Isaiah 52, they stop in the middle of the chapter and the week after jump straight to Isaiah 54. See! That is proof enough that it is a later addition to fit with Christian tradition! Then around 1947 the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by some Arab Bedouins, and in them was a complete scroll of Isaiah and chapter 53 was in it, word for word identical with the Masoretic text! The find was announced in April 1948, right before the formation of the State of Israel. This had many years later a profound impact on me after having swallowed bible critical “truth” for many years. I came to realize that if all the book of Isaiah had been written centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ and has well over 50 fulfilled prophecies, both the book of Isaiah is true, and Jesus Christ, his death, burial and resurrection is true, and that changes things. Read it, think about it, and let it sink in!