Is This The Man? January 5, 2026 Newsletter

Both Christians and non Christians need to realize who it is that controls their hearts and minds; who you listen to influences your course. The Battlefield is the Mind. I would call your attention to the Bible for any answer you seek. In 1st Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned." This means if you are not a Christian and have not accepted Jesus Christ you will not have understanding of scripture because it is the Holy Spirit that teaches you. In 1st Corinthians 2:13 the Apostle Paul states, "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." In 1st John 2:27 "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

Get in the Bible and study. Start with the Book of John and read through Revelation first, then go to Genesis and read the whole Bible. The King James Version 1611 is the only authorized Bible. The other versions take away from God's Word.

 

Everyone needs to know who the real enemy is in this world. Many will conjure up an image of the Devil with a red suit and a pitchfork. This is far from the truth. The Bible says Satan was a created being. In Ezekiel 28:13 "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created." Satan was an anointed cherub, a beautiful and powerful being. Ezekiel 28:15 "Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." Satan allowed PRIDE to enter his heart and ever since that day he is the enemy of God along with you and me. Isaiah 14:16 states, "They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee, [saying, Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;" Jesus defeated Satan on the Cross of Calvary and shed his precious blood for the whole world. He died for you and me; he took our sin and gave us an opportunity to accept him. He arose from the dead on the third day and sits at the right hand of God on his Throne. Have you made a New Years wish? Why not call on Jesus and accept his free gift of salvation. Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

 

Christmas Letter December 22, 2025 Christmas a FREE gift.

Here we are it is again the Christmas season. I decided to wait until after the Winter Solstice, the day with the shortest hours of sunlight. It is officially winter now. Most people are starting to travel for Christmas, gathering with family and friends and purchasing gifts. Where did this gift giving begin in earnest you ask?

It began about two thousand years ago in a little manger in Bethlehem. The very day our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, was born to Joseph and Mary. The birth was announced by an Angel in the Bible found in: Luke 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

As you gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus ponder what you think makes a good Christmas gift to those you love. One way our family started the season was a week or so after the Thanksgiving holiday about December 6. We would go out to a real Christmas Tree farm in our county and for about $20 pick out a Douglas Fir tree and the owner would saw it down and net it for transport. The tree was about seven feet high. We got home and prepared water in a Christmas tree stand to keep the tree hydrated. Then my mother, dad, and my brother and I would put on holiday music as we decorated the tree. Usually the drink was egg nog that day.

Are you aware the preceding is in the Bible? It is found in Jeremiah 10: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Then about two days before Christmas we watched two old movie classics. The first was "The Bishop's Wife" starring Cary Grant a movie that promotes many traditional customs and life lessons. The second was "Holiday Inn" starring Bing Crosby that delves into the many traditions and holidays we all celebrate. I recommend both. Then on Christmas Eve we would attend a special service at church, hearing from the pastor the real meaning for celebrating Christmas. On Christmas Day us boys would be up early to see what the presents under the tree contained as we exchanged gifts.

The above is how I remember our traditional family Christmas. I am now sixty-seven and my family members have all passed on. There may be many people reading this who are alone at Christmas just like me. With Jesus you are never alone. What do you believe is the very best gift a person could ever give or receive? Would you like to have a FREE gift that will last an eternity? A gift that you don't have to do anything to get, just accept it.

Well my friend let me tell you about Jesus. About two thousand years ago Jesus was born of a virgin young lady being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. God became a man his name Emanuel meaning God with us. Found in Luke 1: 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

There are irrefutable proofs throughout the historical timeline showing Jesus was real. Jesus was born to die for you and me. He had approximately three and a half years in his ministry with the apostles traveling the Middle East preaching salvation through the atonement of Jesus blood on the cross at Calvary. Salvation is that free gift you can have by simple faith in who Jesus said he was and the Word he gave concerning his death, burial, and resurrection. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.

Do you feel like the whole world is on your shoulders? Do you want peace that only Jesus can give? 1 Peter 5:7 KJV — Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Jesus loves you no matter where you are at or what you have done.

This Christmas only believe. Romans 3:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans10:10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The Lord has been patiently waiting for you to call on him. The gift is yours Jesus paid the price for you. John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Merry Christmas to you. Let me know if you accepted Jesus.

.

Thanksgiving Letter November 4, 2025

Today it was fifty-eight degrees a stiff wind is blowing about eleven mph from the south. First day for me that feels like fall is here transitioning to winter. Leaves are yellow and brown falling everywhere. Not much foliage color change this year, frost in the mornings. This is my favorite time of year sharing with family the sights, sounds, and smells brings thoughts of Thanksgiving. If you are in your fifties and sixties you remember a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving film shown on network television each year around this time. A boy named Charlie, his friends, and his dog Snoopy discussing what Thanksgiving means. I have a question for you to ponder, "What are you most thankful for?"

 

I would like to state as a Baptist pastor what one scripture in the KJV Bible says, Psalm 100:4 (KJV) "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name." So we start thinking about Thanksgiving by thanking our creator. I turn to the book of John.

John 1:1-4 (KJV) 1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men." We can reference the Old Testament in Genesis.

 

Genesis 1:26 (KJV) "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Clearly the Bible shows empirical evidence that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit made man. The phrase, " Let us make man" denotes more than one person. The Lord also makes a charge to man. Genesis 1:27-28 (KJV) 27 "So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

 

So we can be thankful to God as he states, Genesis 1:31 (KJV) "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." If you were born healthy you have much to be thankful for.

 

Now here we are over thousands of years to 2025. Each of us born into a family, raised by two parents (some households there is just one parent) , to grow up, get married, and have children of our own. Each family has its own traditions based on where (including other countries) you were raised. And families usually pass on their traditions to children.

Our own United States founding involved the Pilgrims coming from Europe to escape religious persecution. The Pilgrims under their second governor William Bradford established a colony at Plymouth Massachusetts. "By autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims had much for which to be thankful. After the harvest, Massasoit and about ninety other Indians joined the Pilgrims for the great English tradition of HARVEST FESTIVAL. Citation: ushistory.org. (n.d.). William Bradford and the first Thanksgiving [ushistory.org]. https://www.ushistory.org/us/3b.asp

Our Thanksgiving day lasts but one day. In 1621, it lasted several days. "The participants celebrated for several days, dining on venison, goose, duck, turkey, fish, and of course, cornbread, the result of a bountiful corn harvest. This tradition was repeated at harvest time in the following years." Citation: ushistory.org. (n.d.). William Bradford and the first Thanksgiving [ushistory.org]. https://www.ushistory.org/us/3b.asp You can see how traditions are established.

 

I would like to briefly look at our Founding Father President George Washington. In America, President Washington proclaimed a day of National Thanksgiving. From Mount Vernon's Organization website, "On October 3, 1789, George Washington issued his Thanksgiving Proclamation, designating for "the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving" to be held on "Thursday the 26th day of November," 1789, marking the first national celebration of a holiday that has become commonplace in today's households." Citation: Washington, G. (1789, October 9). George Washington led the charge to make this Day of Thanks a truly national event. Mountvernon.org. Retrieved November 4, 2025, from https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-first-president/thanksgiving

 

What did President Washington have to say, "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." Citation: University of Virginia Press. (n.d.). Founders online: Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-04-02-0091

 

Therefore Congress finally made it a legal holiday in 1941. Our country was founded on celebrating Thanksgiving by acknowledging the Lord and his faithfulness to us. Many families gather around a table of food and fellowship each year on our Thanksgiving holiday.

We have looked at the historical aspect now consider a doctrinal approach. There is much to discover about being thankful from God's Word. Colossians 3:15 (KJV) "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Additionally, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV) "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Are you thankful?

 

I would be remiss if not looking at the Spiritual aspect of thankfulness. Concerning you personally, are you a born again person? If you are you have accepted Jesus' free gift of Salvation and have much to be thankful for. If you are not born again, you should be thankful for the opportunity to accept Jesus shedding his precious blood on the Cross of Calvary for your sin. He was raised from the dead by God the third day and is alive forever more.

 

He has provided the only way to Heaven for you. You can accept his FREE gift by Faith believing who he is and what he said. Believing in your heart is key. To truly be thankful you call on his name. Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." If you called on Jesus let me know so I can be thankful with you. Happy Thanksgiving. Pastor Paul

.