Thursday, May 7, 2020

Thursday in the Fourth Week of Easter

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER-COSMO-FULL FLOWER

Jeremiah, Chapter 30, verse 10-11

¹⁰But you, my servant Jacob, do not FEAR! —oracle of the LORD—do not be dismayed, Israel! For I will soon deliver you from places far away, your offspring from the land of their exile; Jacob shall again find rest, secure, with none to frighten him, ¹¹ for I am with you—oracle of the LORD—to save you. I will bring to an end all the nations among whom I have scattered you; but you I will not bring to an end. I will chastise you as you deserve, I will not let you go unpunished.

Secularist and pagans still tremble with fear because of God. Why? People fear what they do not understand or have to compete with. Every person is born with the spirit of God within them; it is the spirit of truth which they have lost or suppressed.

Christ referred to this when he told the parable of the sower. The seed is the spirit of truth (spirit of God) that the sower sows’ Christ tells us, “A sower went out to sow. and as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Mt. 13:3-9)

God Punishes with Bad Leaders, Rewards with Good Ones[1]

Jeremiah declares that God’s way of punishing His people is to give them bad leaders, (Jer. 30:10-11) while His way of rewarding them is to give them good leaders (Jer. 30: 21-22). Everything rises and falls on leadership. As the leader goes, so go the people. Why is this true?

· Leaders represent the people they lead.

· People reflect the leader they follow.

· Leaders are the most influential individuals among the people.

· When God starts a movement, He uses one person to spearhead it.

· People look to leaders for models

National Day of Prayer[2]

National Day of Prayer is an annual holiday that serves to encourage Americans to pray, meditate and repent. It is also used to draw awareness to prayer and religious beliefs. The origins of National Day of Prayer date back to 1787. Benjamin Franklin asked President George Washington to open each day with prayer, and to realize that prayer is deeply intertwined in the fabric of the United States. However, it was not until February 1952 during the Korean War that Reverend Billy Graham petitioned support of Representative Percy Priest to observe a National Day of Prayer. On April 17, 1952 President Harry Truman signed a bill proclaiming National Day of Prayer, to encourage Americans to turn to God in prayer and meditation. National Prayer Day is celebrated every year on the first Thursday of May.

National Day of Prayer Facts & Quotes

· 2020 marks the 69th Anniversary of the National Day of Prayer

· According to the Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study of 2015, 23% of Americans have indicated that they are not part of any religion. The survey is based on responses of more than 35,000 Americans.

· On October 3, 2008, The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sued President George W. Bush and staff to challenge the designation of a National Day of Prayer. On April 14, 2011, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the National Day of Prayer did not cause harm and a feeling of alienation cannot suffice as injury.

· According to the Pew Research Center, more than 55% of Americans pray every day. 60% of older Americans are likely to pray every day, compared to 45% of young Americans.

· Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart. - Mahatma Gandhi, Civil Rights and Freedom Activist

National Day of Prayer Top Events and Things to Do

· Attend a religious service at your place of worship on the National Day of Prayer.

· Offer a prayer for your loved ones and for those who are serving at the frontlines to protect America.

· Attend a spiritual retreat that appeals to your beliefs.

· Practice mindfulness by focusing upon the internal and external experience of each moment of life. Mindfulness creates awareness and encourages one to be grateful for their blessings.

· Attend a prayer event on Prayer Day. There are many local events, some religious based, others meditation oriented.

Cosmo Day[3]

Cosmopolitans are probably one of the most famous cocktails out there, where people can go out at night and enjoy and fun night dancing, laughing, and singing in clubs. If you love cosmos, then you’ll love Cosmopolitan Day. This drink has been making the rounds for a while, and it highlights the 90’s as one of the best drinks of its time. Let’s check out Cosmopolitan Day! Although the day itself is coined by freelancer writer, Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, who writes about non-traditional holidays, the history of the Cosmo itself is very murky. According to Vinepair.com, the first tracked origins of the cosmo go back to the late nineteenth century, where a cocktail known as the Daisy emerged as a drink with a recipe that called for spirit, sweetener and citrus. Although this isn’t exactly a cosmo, a more direct line for its origins comes from 1968, when Ocean Spray wanted to advertise cranberry juice to adults. They named the drink “The Harpoon” and it called for an ounce of vodka, an ounce of cranberry and a squeeze of lime, which was close to the Cosmo recipe but missed the Cointreau and/or Triple Sec.

Although legends differ that the Cosmo came from the gay subculture of Miami Beach, Florida and Provincetown, Massachusetts, the formal invention of the drink is credited to a bartender named Toby Cecchini, who made the drink while working at the famous Odeon in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood in 1987. Its popularity spread into celebrity culture, where it ended up in The Rainbow Room, where Madonna is pictured drinking it at a Grammy after party. However, it was brought into mainstream culture by the famous Tv Show Sex and the City, where it appeared multiple times throughout the show, creating a cultural impact on the U.S.

How to Celebrate Cosmopolitan Day

Want a Cosmo? Here’s an amazing recipe you can easily make at home. In a cocktail shaker, mix 1 1/2 ounces vodka (or citrus vodka), 1-ounce Cointreau orange liqueur, 1/2-ounce lime juice (fresh), and 1/4-ounce cranberry juice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass dipped in sugar, then garnish with an orange peel and voila! Cosmo’s can be as strong or tame as you like it, but because it has vodka in it, it isn’t exactly the most innocent drink out there as far as cocktails go. You can also hashtag #CosmopolitanDay on your social media and share you drinking your fancy cocktail with your friends.

Full Flower Moon

Today according to the almanac is a Full Flower Moon; bring flowers to all the women in your life. Christ always brought His mother Lilies of the Valley.