I AM PASTOR DEB

Last week, I shared how Thanksgiving, as we know it, echoes biblical roots, particularly the Feast of Tabernacles. Leviticus 23 describes a seven-day celebration of gratitude to God. The point of my previous message was to remove the stigma of Thanksgiving being labeled as “pagan.” 

But let’s dive in deeper today.

While the holiday itself isn’t pagan, some of the ways we approach it…  can carry a "paganistic" mindset.

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Good morning! The alarm clock has spoken, the coffee is brewing (hopefully), and the day is yours to conquer. But before you dive into emails, errands, or making calls, let’s take a moment to talk about someone in the bible who get little credit for knowing how to her life around—Mary Magdalene. 

Her story is one of redemption, courage, and bold faith. So let’s take a page from her book—and maybe a sip from our mugs—and see how we can rise to the occasion.

Closing Song: God has smiled on me

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Let’s kickstart the day by drawing inspiration from one of the Bible’s shortest but most profound letters written by Paul, outlined in Philemon, a book of the Bible that only has one chapter.

 It’s a story of forgiveness, reconciliation, and what happens when grace enters the room.

Picture this: Onesimus (O NESS A MUS), a runaway slave with a sketchy track record, under God’s divine covering, guilty as he can be, ends up in jail with Paul, God’s anointed, serving time for spreading and defending the gospel. 

Now, when Onesimus meets Paul, instead of getting a lecture or a life sentence, he gets grace. Paul's grace leads Onesimus to salvation, and then Paul ends up vouching for him, advocating for him, and helping turn his mess into a fresh start.

closing song: Amazing Grace (Live) by Aretha Franklin

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Change is one of the most consistent experiences life has to offer. Whether you ask for it or not, you can try to run from it, but you will find yourself tripping right into it. It's like gravity: you don’t have to like it, but you sure can’t escape it!

Let me set the scene: You come into church, and someone’s sitting in your pew. Don’t play shy; you know exactly what I’m talking about. They don’t know it’s your spot because it doesn’t have your name on it—but in your heart, you know that seat was handpicked by the Lord Himself just for you! Suddenly, you’re left with two choices: either glare at them like you’re Moses calling down a plague, or you can find a new seat and embrace change.

That small moment reflects the larger changes we face in life. Some of us pray for change—"Lord, get me out of this job," "Lord, I need a breakthrough," etc.- but when change shows up, it rarely comes how we expect. It’s like ordering a package from Amazon and realizing you forgot to read the reviews.

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We’ve all felt it—the bittersweet sensation of change. We often struggle with it, resist it, and sometimes outright reject it. And yet, life’s seasons keep shifting around us. We can feel the tension when we hold on too tightly to people, places, or patterns we’ve outgrown. But this tension often means that growth is knocking at our door.

Closing Song: "Changes" by William Murphy

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Don't be fooled into thinking Thanksgiving is just a pagan holiday.  As we embrace this season of gratitude, let’s journey back to the true roots of thanksgiving—not to the Pilgrims' turkey-filled table, but to a celebration ordained by God Himself.  

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God knows how to clear a scoreboard and work a storm. Remember the storm he sent to clean up the wickedness in Genesis 6 -8? When the storm is over, we can expect the exact reset Noah experienced when exiting the ark.  And keep James 1:2 in the front of our minds: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” and know that Psalm 91:1-2 is trueWhoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and fortress, my God, whom I trust.”

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Despite what it looks like, God is still God. Buckle up, get ready for some turbulence, and remember God's promises.  Let me remind you of how many times Satan threw a victory party only to realize he didn't win the battle.

Closing Song: Mary Don't You Weep by Aretha Franklin

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Because of who my heavenly father is and because I am souled out, I can choose my leader based on the integrity and character of a candidate. 

In 1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that God looks at the heart, so call me crazy.if it behooves me to follow the example of God and focus on a person's heart, not the external issues.

Closing Song:  Souled Out by Hezekiah Walker

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All leaders are in positions of power and have the responsibility  to cast vision, guide, direct, teach, encourage, manage, oversee and execute.  Isaiah taught us that leaders walk in humility, not grandeur, not demanding attention, not as a bully.  We also learn from Isaiah that leaders are concerned about the well being of the people they have been called to lead.  A true leader will sacrifice their own pride to assure the best for those they have been appointed to lead.  Isaiah taught us that good leaders choose their associates carefully and finally good leaders strive for righteousness above all.  www.BibleDeliverance.org

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