The Wilkes Team

The great Seal of the United States is a symbol that signifies America’s Sovereignty.

It was after the signing of the Declaration of Independence  on July 4, 1776, that congress in Philadelphia organized a committee to design an official seal for the United States. This was to symbolize the sovereignty of America. on June 20,1782, congress adopted the design, submitted by William Barton and Charles Thomson. By 1789, this design was made an official Seal of the United States. The meaning behind this seal is fascinating:

The Front of the Seal is called the Obverse.

The Crest- the Circular design above the eagle’s head –pictures our nation as a new constellation in the sky. The thirteen stars represent the originals colonies. the ring of light breaking through the cloud symbolizes God’s guidance of the nation.

The Eagle — the United States emblem — depicts national self-reliance, strength, and pride. In the eagles’s right talon is an olive branch bearing thirteen leaves and thirteen olives, In its left talon is a bundle of thirteen arrows signifying that although our nation prefers to live in peace, it is prepared to wage war to defend the principles America stand for.

The shield on the eagle’s breast symbolizes the unity of the nation; the blue bar symbolizes all branches of Government The red and whites stand for the original 13 colonies. Congress assigned the following meanings to the colors on the shield, Red- hardiness and courage; White - purity and innocence; Blue- Vigilance, perseverance, and Justice. Also, these are often said to be the significance behind the colors of the national flag.

The scroll coming from the eagle’s beak bears the Latin inscription, E pluribus unum, which means one (nation) out of many (states).

Now the reverse side of the Seal

The pyramid represents the strength and stability of the Government. The date of the nation’s birth, “1776,” is inscribed in Roman numerals at the pyramid’s base.

The eye, called the eye of providence, depicts the watchful eye of God. The light all around the eye shows His Glory.

Two Latin mottos appear on the back of the seal. The upper motto, Annuit coeptis, means He (God) has favored our undertakings. The lower motto, Novus ordo seclorum, means the new order of the ages, referring to the founding of America’s unique system of self-government.

I hope you find this as encouraging and insightful as it has been to me. While reading about the Great Seal, it gave me goose bumps thinking about the fact that we live in a Nation that has put God as supreme authority over everything, but is now turning away. Though we as a nation are beginning to move away from the foundation of Jesus Christ who came and died for us so that we could be sealed in Him forever, the question must be asked, will you turn away from a God that loved you so much that he gave his life for you? Will you go the way of the many who think Christ is unneeded?

“….for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:13-14).” The decision as to whether we will follow Christ or not, is one we each must make. Have you given Him your life?

Romans 10:9 says “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.” This is the only way we can be saved from the punishment of our sins and have our eternal destiny sealed forever.

1 Comment » | posted in HIS-story

As the sun has now set on the year 2008 with promises of a glorious year ahead, we look forward with great anticipation to the great things Christ will be doing while calling to remembrance the promise of God, “…that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).”

Happy New Year from the Wilkes Team - Good night all!

3 Comments » | posted in Family News, Tid Bits

A season of joy, a time for giving, a reason for remembering!What a wonderful Christmas season it twas.

This Christmas Grandpa & Grandma had joy that was evident to all. Why? Because joy comes through giving. Whether working on the Christmas meal, setting up a basketball hoop, or helping us decorate ginger bread houses, smiles beamed from the faces of Grandpa & Grandma as they, with great pleasure, watched their children and grandchildren.

Joy comes through serving! While we were saddened over the move of some dear friends, great joy came as numerous families converged on their home only days after Christmas for a day of packing, lifting, and loading. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity (Ps. 133:1).”

Joy also comes from being together with those loved so dearly. Often the greatest gift one can give, is the gift of time. Let us remember that… “For God so loved the world that He gave… (John 3:16).” “…for the joy that was set before him (Christ) endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2).”

What will the joy of the Lord within motivate you and I to give as we enter the year 2009?

Merry Christmas to all! God’s richest blessings on you as we enter this New Year! May joy abound in your midst.

1 Comment » | posted in Family News

On Christmas morning, Dad surprised us with a powerful series of testimonies from around the world as told by Morgan Jackson, International Director of a ministry called, “Faith Comes by Hearing.” This ministry has as its primary goal to record the Bible in an audio format for people of varying languages so that, regardless of whether they can read or not, the powerful truths of God’s Word may be heard. The following testimony set the tone for our Christmas day as we saw what Christmas truly is all about: the love of Jesus.

Years ago, Faith Comes by Hearing took the opportunity to do a dramatized recording of the Bible into the Ketchua language. Working with Wycliffe Bible Translators, ‘Faith Comes by Hearing’ completed and distributed the recordings throughout Bolivia.

Some time later, Morgan Jackson traveled down to visit some of the churches where the recordings had been given. He questioned the Pastors on what the response of the people had been. One pastor shared with him how the people were being drawn to tears through listening to the Bible. Morgan asked which particular stories or passages were causing this response. It was the story of the woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34). He visited another church and once again heard the impact the audio Bible was having and how the congregation was drawn to tears. Which story? The healing of the woman with an issue of blood. While Morgan recognized the amazing miracle Christ did in this story, he couldn’t quite figure out why the natives were drawn to tears. After hearing several more similar accounts across the countryside, Morgan sought to find out why.

The answer came through understanding the history of the Ketchuas. In years prior, the Shining Path guerilla group had murdered a majority of the pastors in Bolivia. With a desire to not forsake the assembling of the body of Christ, the Ketchua believers approached Spanish churches in the area and requested the use of the Spanish church for a Tuesday or Wednesday service. However, for some 500 years the Spanish have had grave prejudice against the Ketchuas. The Spanish reviled the Ketchuas, stating that God does not speak the Ketchua language and that the Ketchuas are animals and bugs. The Ketchuas request was disdainfully denied.

Because the Ketchuas are an oral based people, when a story is heard they will relate to the characters in a story and actually hear the story as if they were the very characters being described. Upon hearing the story of the woman with an issue of blood, the indigenous people quickly associated with the woman. When she reached out and touched the garment of Jesus, shouts of fear echoed throughout the church as the congregation braced for rejection. After all, this is all they knew.

But with love and kindness, Jesus turns to the woman and says, “Thy Faith hath made thee whole.” Tears would begin pouring down the faces of the congregation as they realized Jesus turns none away and that Jesus, the Son of God, did indeed speak their language. The people would begin sobbing and saying how much their heart hurt. The pastors opened up the church altar and lovingly invited the weeping natives to come give their life to Jesus. Many came to Christ - the One who speaks their language and loves each one.

If you would like your own CD from which we heard this powerful testimony along with many other similar ones, you can obtain a copy through “Sonlight Curriculum.” It is entitled, “God speaks my language.”

4 Comments » | posted in HIS-story, Ministry Reports

Though Christ indeed is risen, this phrase may seem a little out of place this time of year since we are celebrating the birth of Christ and will not be celebrating his resurrection until March or April.

Over the course of the year, our church fellowship has been ardently working on learning to sing in four part harmony. The progress by each member has been remarkable.  We learned 3 hymns, one of them being “I Serve a Risen Savior.” Then over the Christmas season everyone worked hard on, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

When the time came to go Christmas caroling (last Sunday), a suggestion was made to sing “I Serve a Risen Savior.” After all, Christ is risen and offers salvation to all who will call upon Him.

This brings to mind what is the real reason for the season - proclaiming, as did the Shepherds in Luke 2 (v. 20), that Jesus is born and has come, as said Isaiah (Is. 61:1), to bring liberty to the captives (of sin)!

The idea quickly caught on and the decision then made to add “I Serve a Risen Savior” to our Christmas caroling list. And so amidst the traditional carols, we also sang the wonderful news of our risen Lord. No better gift could be received this Christmas than the free gift of salvation.

7 Comments » | posted in Family News