Purpose Newsletter - November 2025

2 Timothy 3:1-5

¹ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The apostle Paul cites nineteen characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes that people will display during the last days, which by the way are here right now. If you are wondering why humans seem to be a little more evil than usual now adays it is because they are the fulfillment  of scripture as foreseen by the inspired apostle. Prevalent in our society is the mystery of iniquity Paul spoke about elsewhere that is at work in the devil’s crowd. 2 Thessalonians 2:7. Truly these are perilous times. That is, hard to do, to take, to approach, hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage, grievous, according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon.

Contributing to that perilousness are men (not excluding the only other gender, that of the female kind), who are clearly described in our scriptures.

Now we could wax eloquent, if we were speaking, concerning all the troublesome types of end time  people, but since we are writing, we could prolifically address the many not so nice citizens of earth we will have to contend with in these eschatologically significant days. BUT, this being a special month I am directed to focus on one of the nineteen categories of sinners contributing to the detriment of our global community. It is the one that can be found among saints and sinners alike. It is seventh on the list

Unthankful

Now, unthankfulness, on the surface, doesn’t appear  to be a high level offense. As a child I was taught to say Thank You as one of the five polite phrases, together with, Please, Excuse me, I’m sorry, and You’re welcome. That was a long time ago in elementary school. I wonder if that is still being taught today. The apostolic inference is that it would’ve ceased being a necessary lesson. Unthankful is included early with a list of unfavorable even sinful acts. It is in really bad company.

Unthankfulness is not only an end time phenomenon. By revelation the apostle Paul takes us way back to early human history to point out that not being thankful was part of the mindset that led men and women to all sort of wicked endeavors which are part of the societal debacle in our day. The alphabet deviancy was rooted in a community of unthankful despisers of God.

Paul describes the downward spiral of human nature in Romans 1:22-28.

²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

²⁵ Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

²⁶ For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷ And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

As one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, so one bad attitude can ruin a whole society. Being unthankful can cause a lot of damage.

This month being a special month, as I have mentioned, we want to be sure to accent the opposite of that which we have spoken about. We want to truly make Thanksgiving not just a holiday, and a day to gather and over indulge, but rather a time we set our minds on looking up first of all and then looking beside us and around us to that for which we can be thankful. Not just for 24 hours but more so for 24/7 and as a lifestyle. Thanksgiving living is a worthy goal and one with which God is pleased.

Let us begin at home and habituate thankfulness toward those we at times take for granted and forget to thank for all the acts of kindness they perform on a daily basis making our life more pleasant. I speak especially of marital thankfulness in place of bickering and complaining and then being silent when they favor us with their love. Husbands need to study gratefulness and exercise it in a greater measure toward the wife. Wives can look beyond a faulty mate and be thankful for his good qualities. These feelings of thankfulness should be expressed regularly and sincerely. Children should learn to say thank you when served and cared for. And finally, let’s all look up and give thanks to our creator, our God, for the gift of his Son, the Cross, and our redemption  Amen. -PJF-

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And now a word from Pastor Shirley…

Choose Peace

Genesis 13

3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

After their trip to Egypt, Abram and Lot returned to the land between Bethel and Hai. The land was able to sustain them before the famine that sent them into Egypt. Now, with all their newly acquired livestock and servants, the land is no longer big enough for both Abram and Lot to remain together. Abram comes up with the idea to part ways. He allows Lot to choose where he wants to go first, and then Abram will go the other direction. He could have pulled rank and picked the best location and had Lot go the other way, but he didn’t. Why?

Peace is defined as freedom from disturbance; tranquility. I think Abram’s main reason for giving Lot first pick was peace. Peace among family members. Peace among neighbors. Peace with God. Abram had a reputation of being in good standing with those around him. He did not come in with force, trying to tell people what to do or where to go. He came and made friends, who would later become allies. He did not need a family feud going on in this new area. He did not want to give Lot a reason to rise up against him. He wanted peace. 

Romans 12

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

If there is a way to live in peace with people, do it. In the words of my husband, “life is too long.”   What’s so good about living a long life if it’s full of strife? Find peace. Receive peace. Pursue peace. Be at peace, even if it means separating yourself from someone or something.  -SAF-   

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  Celebrating Our

15th

Wedding Anniversary

November 7, 2025

We are thankful!

PJ and Shirley    

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Purpose! Ministries Inc.

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Clermont, FL 34714

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Pastors PJ and Shirley Flores

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