The JCA basketball Eagles won the A.C.S.A State championship for the fourth year in a row in 2013. The team has also ran a perfect and undefeated record over the same time period.
Www.jca.bbcjax.com
Friday, May 31, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
What Is Truly Precious?
What is Truly Precious ...
"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold."
Proverbs 8:10
The Burro Schmidt Tunnel near Garlock, California, is half a mile long, six feet
tall, and ten feet wide. It was dug entirely by hand through the solid granite of
the El Paso Mountains. William “Burro” Schmidt, a gold miner in the early 1900s,
faced a difficult journey over the mountains to get his ore to the smelter at
Mojave, so he begin constructing a tunnel with a shovel, a pick, and a hammer that
would allow him to avoid the dangerous mountain passes—at least that is what he told
those who enquired.
Even after a modern road was built in 1920, removing the need for Schmidt’s tunnel,
he continued to work on his project. He said that he was obsessed with finishing the
work he had begun, and continued to dig until he finished the tunnel in 1938. In
reality, Schmidt had discovered an incredibly rich vein of gold ore that led back
into the mountain. His story of digging a tunnel was just to ensure that no one
would try to take his gold claim. No one ever found out exactly how much gold ore
Schmidt found during his work.
William Schmidt devoted much of his life to the search for gold. Though gold has
great monetary value, its worth is only temporal—in fact God uses it for pavement!
“…The street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass” (Revelation
21:21). Rather than spending our time acquiring things that will perish, we should
be focused on those things that are eternal. When the tally of our lives is taken,
our net worth will not matter. But whether we acquired and followed God’s wisdom
will matter. The Christian life is meant to be lived with our affections set on
things above. They are truly precious.
From: Pastor Paul Chappell
"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold."
Proverbs 8:10
The Burro Schmidt Tunnel near Garlock, California, is half a mile long, six feet
tall, and ten feet wide. It was dug entirely by hand through the solid granite of
the El Paso Mountains. William “Burro” Schmidt, a gold miner in the early 1900s,
faced a difficult journey over the mountains to get his ore to the smelter at
Mojave, so he begin constructing a tunnel with a shovel, a pick, and a hammer that
would allow him to avoid the dangerous mountain passes—at least that is what he told
those who enquired.
Even after a modern road was built in 1920, removing the need for Schmidt’s tunnel,
he continued to work on his project. He said that he was obsessed with finishing the
work he had begun, and continued to dig until he finished the tunnel in 1938. In
reality, Schmidt had discovered an incredibly rich vein of gold ore that led back
into the mountain. His story of digging a tunnel was just to ensure that no one
would try to take his gold claim. No one ever found out exactly how much gold ore
Schmidt found during his work.
William Schmidt devoted much of his life to the search for gold. Though gold has
great monetary value, its worth is only temporal—in fact God uses it for pavement!
“…The street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass” (Revelation
21:21). Rather than spending our time acquiring things that will perish, we should
be focused on those things that are eternal. When the tally of our lives is taken,
our net worth will not matter. But whether we acquired and followed God’s wisdom
will matter. The Christian life is meant to be lived with our affections set on
things above. They are truly precious.
From: Pastor Paul Chappell
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Greatness Among Us
Over 200 years ago, in the year 1809, the international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was
sweeping through Austria, destroying all who stood in his way. The world was
watching as Napoleon was making his move to dominate the world. Nobody then
was concerned about babies. But the world was overlooking some terribly
significant births.
For example, William Gladstone was born that year. He was destined to become
one of England's finest statesmen. That same year, Alfred Tennyson was born
to an obscure minister and his wife. The child would one day greatly affect
the literary world in a marked manner.
On the American continent, Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge,
Massachusetts. And not far away in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe began his
eventful, albeit tragic, life. That same year produced the cries of a newborn
infant in a rugged log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby's name?
Abraham Lincoln.
If there had been news broadcasts at that time, I'm certain these words would
have been heard: "The destiny of the world is being shaped on an Austrian
battlefield today." But history was actually being shaped in the cradles of
England and America. Similarly, everyone thought taxation was the big news
when Jesus was born. But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of
all-the birth of the Saviour.
Today’s concerns have us mindful of the politician or leader “ruining the country” or the athletes who are poor examples to every child. But I wonder if we should instead be mindful of the student in the classroom and who he/she could be. Who is it, that sits in our Sunday School or in our JCA classroom as a child, that will do something wondrous for God if we train him/her right? Few knew of Abe Lincoln’s greatness until adulthood. Few knew of Jesus’s greatness until the end of His earthly life.
How many great adults sit in our midst as children? We don’t know, so we must teach them as if greatness Is before us each day.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Americas Christian Roots
Vote for Our Nation
“Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.”
God never intended for the Government of Nations to be separated and void of Him and His leadership. He said, rather, that all rulers are ordained by Him. It is Satan’s device and not God’s, that would have Nations being ruled by self and its own will … men deciding for men what is right to do and not right to do. The devil’s plan is that “every man do that which is right is his own eyes”. A vote cast for our nation, is one cast by doing right according to what God says.
(1) Psalm 33:12 ”Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
(2) Psalm 144:15 “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”
(3) Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”
1. To cast a vote for our nation means to cast a vote FOR GOD, and AGAINST our FLESHLY DESIRES. (Deut. 11:1) “Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.” READ Deut. 11:1-5
To “vote for our nation”, means to desire that we get what is best for us. The above mentioned verses tell us that a Nation is (1) Blessed and (2) Happy when our God is The Lord, and that we are headed for destruction when (3) our god is our belly.
2. America’s founding fathers stated That we need God, as they set up our country. (John 15:5) “ … For without me ye can do nothing.” (Ps 127:1) ”Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
A. Andrew Jackson said, “The Bible is the Rock on which our republic rests.”
B. President John Adams said of the Constitution, “…we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
C. Daniel Webster said, “Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”
3. America’s founding fathers knew that “righteousness exalteth a nation.”
Pr 14:34 “ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
A. George Washington said in his farewell address, after serving the nation for 45 years (the last 8 as President) “ Of all the habits and dispositions which lead to political prosperity, RELIGION and MORALITY are indispensable supports.”
He continues to talk of those who would later remove these from politics … “In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars.”
(removing religion and morality from public life is unpatriotic, according to our 1st President.)
B. After “4 or five weeks” of “small progress” at the Constitutional Congress on July 28, 1887, Ben Franklin (considered to be one of the least spiritual of the Founding Fathers ) said, “ I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”
Prov. 14:34 “ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Prov. 15:6-9 “ … but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.”
It is not an economy that lifts us up, it is living in righteousness.
**ILLUSTRATION** We are trying to export democracy around the world and wondering why it fails. It fails because we must export God, salvation and right living, in order to bring blessings to the country we are trying to change. The USA has been blessed because of her Godly Heritage, not her economic organization. (examples of our Godly Heritage are listed at the end of the lesson also)
C. A Vote for An Exalted Nation - through righteousness - means ….
Voting for the preservation of Life as created by God, not man’s choice (Ge 2:7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Job 12:10) “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 33:4) “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.”
Voting for the preservation of Marriage as created by God (Gen. 5:2) “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” (Ge 1:27) “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Voting for the preservation of the Church as created by God (Mt 16:18) “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Voting for freedom as Given by God and spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. This verse describes how it is supposed to be -(Romans 13:3) “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:” We have right now a propensity amongst our government to be a terror unto good works and the people’s rights. Sometimes by the courts, and sometimes by our elected officials.
Voting for the preservation and expansion of our missions program, by giving faithfully and keeping our commitments. (2 Cor. 8:7-10) 2Cor. 8:7 says “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.”
Voting for A Good Economy (prosperity) means voting for Free Enterprise and Personal Responsibility. Both are Biblical. (1Thess. 4:11) “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” (2Thess. 3:10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. - Acts 20:35; Eph. 4:28; 2Thess. 3:7-8,11-12; 1Peter 4:15- (Genesis 3:19) “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; …”
Voting for national blessing and not a curse means Voting to Keep God, and references to Him, in Private life and National display (we better choose to keep God on our money, motto, pledge, school walls, courtrooms, etc. or He promises a curse on the nation) (Deut. 11:28) “And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”
More References to blessing/curse - Deut. 28:15, Josh. 1:8, Deut. 30:19, Psalms 109:17
A Vote for our Nation MUST include a vote For Israel. God says in Gen. 12:3 “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Our National Blessings are contingent upon our National Support of Israel. (Numbers 24:8,9) “God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee. Genesis 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 27:29; Exodus 23:22; Psalms 72:17; Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8
4. God Puts responsibility on Reviving America on the Christians getting right, not the Heathen getting right.
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
**ILLUSTRATION** (from Ark. Democrat- Gazette, Sept. 7, 2012 – page 1a and 4a)
This summer, while most States still hold same-sex marriage as illegal, the Christ Episcopal church of Little Rock “blessed the union” of 2 men. A Little Rock lawyer, and a professor at Hendrix College travelled to NY to have a same-sex marriage performed. While The State of Arkansas does not recognize the “marriage” in any way, a “church” and its denomination – does recognize and celebrate it. Leading the way into sin … is the church. One of the men said, “Arkansas does not recognize homosexual marriages, but it is just a matter of time.” He may be correct about that, but if it does happen … it is the fault of the church. While Governor Mike Beebe stands against his political party’s platform (stated priorities), the Episcopal church stands against God and His Word (our stated priorities). God commands His people to turn from this and to Him. “If My people … then will I” , God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14
All through the Old Testament God’s people are admonished to turn to God, call upon Him or Cry Out to Him when they were in tough, or backslidden times.
A few Little known facts about our Christian Heritage in National History
1. The US House of Rep. Building was used for a Church Building starting with Congressional decree on Dec. 4, 1800. It was the largest church in America in 1857. Thomas Jefferson attended that church for 8 years as president. He even ordered the Marine Corps band to play in some services.
2. The U.S. Congress commissioned and funded the first English Bible printed in America in 1782. The purpose stated by Congress was “for the use of our schools.” They printed 20,000 copies, and only 29 are left. Making it one of the rarest books in the world.
3. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 29 held seminary or Bible School degrees.
4. 8 Paintings appear in the Capitol Building Rotunda, and were commissioned by Congress in 1830. 4 of them were to “depict our religious origin and heritage”. The “Landing of Columbus in 1492” shows them landing and first praying, around a cross, and naming the place “San Salvador” or Holy Saviour. Another is of the 1st Native American convert to Christianity - “The Baptism of Pocahontas” in January of 1613. Next, the “Embarkation of the Pilgrims 1620” displays the Bible and Prayer.
5. Each state placed 2 statues of Famous people in the Capitols Statuary Hall. ¼ of the 100 statues are of Ministers of the Gospel. Most of them are depicted holding some form of the scriptures.
6. In every major memorial in Washington DC, God is mentioned, thanked and carved into the Marble.
7. Our 20th president, James A. Garfield was a preacher in the 2nd Great Awakening. In a letter he wrote in 1858, he recounts details of a revival in which he preached 19 times. His services resulted in 34 salvation decisions, 31 of which followed in baptism.
8. Our Nation’s First session of the First US Congress was on Sept. 6, 1774. It opened in prayer, or a prayer meeting that many records say was close to 3 hours long. Acc. to a letter from John Adams to Abigail, his wife, It resulted in a prayer and fasting declaration given to all the colonies (1st of 15 Congressional prayer proclamations)
9. The Bible, which started as the main textbook for the Public Schools, was use as such in public schools for 320 years. It was removed by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 17, 1963.
10. Founding father and signer of the Constitution Francis Hopkinson, creator of our American Flag design, put all the Psalms to music.
11. The only Founding Father to sign all four Founding Documents is Roger Sherman. He also authored the Denominational Creed for his denomination. It was his custom to read the Bible through every year. He would purchase a new one at the start of each Congress, read it through and make notes in it that year, and present it to one of his children. (he had 15)
12. Most armies of the world would be outnumbered by the registered hunters in just one state. For instance, Wisconsin had over 600,000 registered hunters. The hunters in the 4 states of WI, PA, MI, WV outnumber the world’s largest armies.
13. There is a Congressional Prayer Room adjacent to the main Capitol Rotunda in our U.S. Capitol building. It was opened in 1954, same year that “Under God” was added to our pledge. It has a stained glass portrait of George Washington praying with the words “This Nation Under God” above his head, and Psalm 16:1 surrounding him. “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.”
Suggested Reading or Viewing
1. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Indep., Benson J. Lossing (orig. 1848)
2. One Nation Under God, David C. Gibbs, Jr. at www.Christianlaw.org
3. Video – Our Godly Heritage, David Barton at Wallbuilders.com
4. Video – Is America a Christian Nation, David Barton at Wallbuilders.com
5. Video -Spiritual Heritage, a Tour of the U.S. Capitol Building at wallbuilders.com
“Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.”
God never intended for the Government of Nations to be separated and void of Him and His leadership. He said, rather, that all rulers are ordained by Him. It is Satan’s device and not God’s, that would have Nations being ruled by self and its own will … men deciding for men what is right to do and not right to do. The devil’s plan is that “every man do that which is right is his own eyes”. A vote cast for our nation, is one cast by doing right according to what God says.
(1) Psalm 33:12 ”Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
(2) Psalm 144:15 “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”
(3) Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”
1. To cast a vote for our nation means to cast a vote FOR GOD, and AGAINST our FLESHLY DESIRES. (Deut. 11:1) “Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.” READ Deut. 11:1-5
To “vote for our nation”, means to desire that we get what is best for us. The above mentioned verses tell us that a Nation is (1) Blessed and (2) Happy when our God is The Lord, and that we are headed for destruction when (3) our god is our belly.
2. America’s founding fathers stated That we need God, as they set up our country. (John 15:5) “ … For without me ye can do nothing.” (Ps 127:1) ”Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
A. Andrew Jackson said, “The Bible is the Rock on which our republic rests.”
B. President John Adams said of the Constitution, “…we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
C. Daniel Webster said, “Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”
3. America’s founding fathers knew that “righteousness exalteth a nation.”
Pr 14:34 “ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
A. George Washington said in his farewell address, after serving the nation for 45 years (the last 8 as President) “ Of all the habits and dispositions which lead to political prosperity, RELIGION and MORALITY are indispensable supports.”
He continues to talk of those who would later remove these from politics … “In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars.”
(removing religion and morality from public life is unpatriotic, according to our 1st President.)
B. After “4 or five weeks” of “small progress” at the Constitutional Congress on July 28, 1887, Ben Franklin (considered to be one of the least spiritual of the Founding Fathers ) said, “ I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”
Prov. 14:34 “ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Prov. 15:6-9 “ … but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.”
It is not an economy that lifts us up, it is living in righteousness.
**ILLUSTRATION** We are trying to export democracy around the world and wondering why it fails. It fails because we must export God, salvation and right living, in order to bring blessings to the country we are trying to change. The USA has been blessed because of her Godly Heritage, not her economic organization. (examples of our Godly Heritage are listed at the end of the lesson also)
C. A Vote for An Exalted Nation - through righteousness - means ….
Voting for the preservation of Life as created by God, not man’s choice (Ge 2:7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Job 12:10) “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 33:4) “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.”
Voting for the preservation of Marriage as created by God (Gen. 5:2) “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” (Ge 1:27) “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Voting for the preservation of the Church as created by God (Mt 16:18) “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Voting for freedom as Given by God and spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. This verse describes how it is supposed to be -(Romans 13:3) “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:” We have right now a propensity amongst our government to be a terror unto good works and the people’s rights. Sometimes by the courts, and sometimes by our elected officials.
Voting for the preservation and expansion of our missions program, by giving faithfully and keeping our commitments. (2 Cor. 8:7-10) 2Cor. 8:7 says “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.”
Voting for A Good Economy (prosperity) means voting for Free Enterprise and Personal Responsibility. Both are Biblical. (1Thess. 4:11) “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” (2Thess. 3:10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. - Acts 20:35; Eph. 4:28; 2Thess. 3:7-8,11-12; 1Peter 4:15- (Genesis 3:19) “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; …”
Voting for national blessing and not a curse means Voting to Keep God, and references to Him, in Private life and National display (we better choose to keep God on our money, motto, pledge, school walls, courtrooms, etc. or He promises a curse on the nation) (Deut. 11:28) “And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”
More References to blessing/curse - Deut. 28:15, Josh. 1:8, Deut. 30:19, Psalms 109:17
A Vote for our Nation MUST include a vote For Israel. God says in Gen. 12:3 “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Our National Blessings are contingent upon our National Support of Israel. (Numbers 24:8,9) “God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee. Genesis 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 27:29; Exodus 23:22; Psalms 72:17; Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8
4. God Puts responsibility on Reviving America on the Christians getting right, not the Heathen getting right.
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
**ILLUSTRATION** (from Ark. Democrat- Gazette, Sept. 7, 2012 – page 1a and 4a)
This summer, while most States still hold same-sex marriage as illegal, the Christ Episcopal church of Little Rock “blessed the union” of 2 men. A Little Rock lawyer, and a professor at Hendrix College travelled to NY to have a same-sex marriage performed. While The State of Arkansas does not recognize the “marriage” in any way, a “church” and its denomination – does recognize and celebrate it. Leading the way into sin … is the church. One of the men said, “Arkansas does not recognize homosexual marriages, but it is just a matter of time.” He may be correct about that, but if it does happen … it is the fault of the church. While Governor Mike Beebe stands against his political party’s platform (stated priorities), the Episcopal church stands against God and His Word (our stated priorities). God commands His people to turn from this and to Him. “If My people … then will I” , God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14
All through the Old Testament God’s people are admonished to turn to God, call upon Him or Cry Out to Him when they were in tough, or backslidden times.
A few Little known facts about our Christian Heritage in National History
1. The US House of Rep. Building was used for a Church Building starting with Congressional decree on Dec. 4, 1800. It was the largest church in America in 1857. Thomas Jefferson attended that church for 8 years as president. He even ordered the Marine Corps band to play in some services.
2. The U.S. Congress commissioned and funded the first English Bible printed in America in 1782. The purpose stated by Congress was “for the use of our schools.” They printed 20,000 copies, and only 29 are left. Making it one of the rarest books in the world.
3. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 29 held seminary or Bible School degrees.
4. 8 Paintings appear in the Capitol Building Rotunda, and were commissioned by Congress in 1830. 4 of them were to “depict our religious origin and heritage”. The “Landing of Columbus in 1492” shows them landing and first praying, around a cross, and naming the place “San Salvador” or Holy Saviour. Another is of the 1st Native American convert to Christianity - “The Baptism of Pocahontas” in January of 1613. Next, the “Embarkation of the Pilgrims 1620” displays the Bible and Prayer.
5. Each state placed 2 statues of Famous people in the Capitols Statuary Hall. ¼ of the 100 statues are of Ministers of the Gospel. Most of them are depicted holding some form of the scriptures.
6. In every major memorial in Washington DC, God is mentioned, thanked and carved into the Marble.
7. Our 20th president, James A. Garfield was a preacher in the 2nd Great Awakening. In a letter he wrote in 1858, he recounts details of a revival in which he preached 19 times. His services resulted in 34 salvation decisions, 31 of which followed in baptism.
8. Our Nation’s First session of the First US Congress was on Sept. 6, 1774. It opened in prayer, or a prayer meeting that many records say was close to 3 hours long. Acc. to a letter from John Adams to Abigail, his wife, It resulted in a prayer and fasting declaration given to all the colonies (1st of 15 Congressional prayer proclamations)
9. The Bible, which started as the main textbook for the Public Schools, was use as such in public schools for 320 years. It was removed by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 17, 1963.
10. Founding father and signer of the Constitution Francis Hopkinson, creator of our American Flag design, put all the Psalms to music.
11. The only Founding Father to sign all four Founding Documents is Roger Sherman. He also authored the Denominational Creed for his denomination. It was his custom to read the Bible through every year. He would purchase a new one at the start of each Congress, read it through and make notes in it that year, and present it to one of his children. (he had 15)
12. Most armies of the world would be outnumbered by the registered hunters in just one state. For instance, Wisconsin had over 600,000 registered hunters. The hunters in the 4 states of WI, PA, MI, WV outnumber the world’s largest armies.
13. There is a Congressional Prayer Room adjacent to the main Capitol Rotunda in our U.S. Capitol building. It was opened in 1954, same year that “Under God” was added to our pledge. It has a stained glass portrait of George Washington praying with the words “This Nation Under God” above his head, and Psalm 16:1 surrounding him. “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.”
Suggested Reading or Viewing
1. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Indep., Benson J. Lossing (orig. 1848)
2. One Nation Under God, David C. Gibbs, Jr. at www.Christianlaw.org
3. Video – Our Godly Heritage, David Barton at Wallbuilders.com
4. Video – Is America a Christian Nation, David Barton at Wallbuilders.com
5. Video -Spiritual Heritage, a Tour of the U.S. Capitol Building at wallbuilders.com
Friday, September 7, 2012
God Got "BOOO"ed by Democrats ... Literally
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_AmCSpVxBA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Saw this live yesterday ... A must watch...
The Democratic Party took the only mention of God out of the party platform. Took out the only mention of Jerusalem as the cap of
Israel. These had one mention in 2008 , and just 3 in 2004.
Then they boo - loudly - at the platform committee putting God back into the official platform statements, after a one day
nightmare of relentless political pressure!
Anyone ever seen booing at God? !!!
They put in official support of sodomite marriage, further support of partial birth abortion, weaker support of Israel ... is anybody booing that???!!!
All qualities that God calls "abomination"!
Amazing any Christian can support that mess.
Joe
Friday, December 9, 2011
Explain That!...unless He is who He said He was.
President Ronald Reagan once commented on the earthly ministry of Christ:
"Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can't
help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of
all and which is recorded in history. No one denies there was such a man,
that He lived and that He was put to death by crucifixion. Where...is the
miracle I spoke of? Well consider this and let your imagination translate the
story into our own time-possibly to your own home town.
"A young man whose father is a carpenter grows up working in His father's
shop. One day He puts down His tools and walks out of His father's shop. He
starts preaching on street corners and in the nearby countryside, walking
from place to place, preaching all the while, even though He is not an
ordained minister. He does this for three years. Then He is arrested, tried,
and convicted. There is no court of appeal, so He is executed at the age 33
along with two common thieves. Those in charge of His execution roll dice to
see who gets His clothing-the only possessions He has. His family cannot
afford a burial place for Him so He is interred in a borrowed tomb. End of
story? No, this uneducated, propertyless young man who...left no written word
has, for 2,000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers,
kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars,
scientists and philosophers who have ever lived-all of them put together. How
do we explain that?...unless He really was who He said He was."
As President Reagan noted, Jesus has had more impact on the world than any
ruler or philosopher who has ever lived. He changed history by His birth and
is still changing the world today. But imagine what would have happened had
no one known about Jesus' birth. What if the shepherds didn't tell others
about the babe in the manger? How would they have known their Messiah had
come?
Even today, how will others know about the Saviour if no one tells them? Like
the shepherds, we are sent to tell everyone we know about the birth of our
Saviour 2,000 years ago and the free gift of salvation He offers them today.
The Christmas season is here, and the hope of salvation is still alive in
each of us if we know Him. Take time each day to share God's Good News with
someone. Keep the Christmas spirit alive by sharing the spirit of Christ
today.
"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see
this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And
they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds."
Luke 2:15-18
Christ's birth changed the world when the shepherds spread the word.
"Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can't
help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of
all and which is recorded in history. No one denies there was such a man,
that He lived and that He was put to death by crucifixion. Where...is the
miracle I spoke of? Well consider this and let your imagination translate the
story into our own time-possibly to your own home town.
"A young man whose father is a carpenter grows up working in His father's
shop. One day He puts down His tools and walks out of His father's shop. He
starts preaching on street corners and in the nearby countryside, walking
from place to place, preaching all the while, even though He is not an
ordained minister. He does this for three years. Then He is arrested, tried,
and convicted. There is no court of appeal, so He is executed at the age 33
along with two common thieves. Those in charge of His execution roll dice to
see who gets His clothing-the only possessions He has. His family cannot
afford a burial place for Him so He is interred in a borrowed tomb. End of
story? No, this uneducated, propertyless young man who...left no written word
has, for 2,000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers,
kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars,
scientists and philosophers who have ever lived-all of them put together. How
do we explain that?...unless He really was who He said He was."
As President Reagan noted, Jesus has had more impact on the world than any
ruler or philosopher who has ever lived. He changed history by His birth and
is still changing the world today. But imagine what would have happened had
no one known about Jesus' birth. What if the shepherds didn't tell others
about the babe in the manger? How would they have known their Messiah had
come?
Even today, how will others know about the Saviour if no one tells them? Like
the shepherds, we are sent to tell everyone we know about the birth of our
Saviour 2,000 years ago and the free gift of salvation He offers them today.
The Christmas season is here, and the hope of salvation is still alive in
each of us if we know Him. Take time each day to share God's Good News with
someone. Keep the Christmas spirit alive by sharing the spirit of Christ
today.
"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see
this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And
they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds."
Luke 2:15-18
Christ's birth changed the world when the shepherds spread the word.
Monday, October 24, 2011
3 Prayer Stories
Just this past Friday, I drove the bus for our sports teams to a set of games with a school in our School Association. The pastor at this Church and School ministry related to me a wonderful story of answered prayer during our conversation. I have added 2 more to it that I hope will be a blessing to all readers.
Story #1...
Evangelist Don Green is known the world over as a prayer warrior. While he was one of the preachers in a meeting this past year for Dr. Keith Gomez, in between services Dr. Gomez introduced Dr. Green to his son and daughter in law. During the conversation, Dr. Gomez brought out the fact that his own boys would be the end of the Gomez line as far as his family was involved. His male children have no boys to continue the family name. Dr. Green stopped the dialog and asked, "Wait a minute, would you two like to have a boy?"
You can imagine that their response was hesitant and reluctant. "Um, yes."
"Now..." he said, "I am not being trite, but I want to know... will you raise him for God, and do your best to see that he serves God with his life? I am going to pray and ask God to give you a boy, but I am just asking you to make sure you are going to do your part to rear him for God."
Dr. Green prayed for that young couple, and immediately after the prayer, Mrs. Green said, "honey, if I were you I would start picking up items for a baby boy."
Just here recently, at Dr. Keith Gomez's church, he had Dr. Green speaking at another meeting. While introducing him to the crowd, Dr. Gomez told that story and then announced....
"...today at noon, a baby boy was born to my son and daughter in law. And I can't think of a better was to introduce a speaker to you than that!"
Story # 2...
"William Horst gave this testimony to E.M. Bounds of answered prayer: "One
evening I left my office in New York with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I
had with me (as I thought) my thick warm muffler, but when I proceeded to
button up against the storm, I found that it was gone. I turned back, looked
along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized that I must
have dropped it, and I prayed to God that I would find it; for such was the
state of the weather that it would be running a great risk to proceed
without it. I looked again up and down the surrounding streets, but without
success. Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out
something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler.
He handed it to me saying, "It was blown to me by the wind." He who rides
upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer."
--William Horst
Story #3...
A. C. Dixon tells the following story of a friend of his: "A dear friend of
mine who was quite a lover of hunting, told me the following story. 'Rising
early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the barking of a number of dogs
chasing deer. Looking at a large open field in front of me, I saw a young
fawn making its way across the field and giving signs that its race was
almost run. It leaped over the rails of the enclosed place and crouched
within ten feet of where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came
over, and the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs.
I lifted the little thing to my breast, and swinging round and round, fought
off the dogs. Just then I felt that all the dogs in the West could not and
would not capture that fawn after it weakness had appealed to my strength.'
So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. I remember well,
when the hounds of sin were after my soul, that at last I ran into the arms
of Almighty God."
--A.C. Dixon
James 1:5-6
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed."
John 14:12-14
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go
unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in
my name, I will do it."
Story #1...
Evangelist Don Green is known the world over as a prayer warrior. While he was one of the preachers in a meeting this past year for Dr. Keith Gomez, in between services Dr. Gomez introduced Dr. Green to his son and daughter in law. During the conversation, Dr. Gomez brought out the fact that his own boys would be the end of the Gomez line as far as his family was involved. His male children have no boys to continue the family name. Dr. Green stopped the dialog and asked, "Wait a minute, would you two like to have a boy?"
You can imagine that their response was hesitant and reluctant. "Um, yes."
"Now..." he said, "I am not being trite, but I want to know... will you raise him for God, and do your best to see that he serves God with his life? I am going to pray and ask God to give you a boy, but I am just asking you to make sure you are going to do your part to rear him for God."
Dr. Green prayed for that young couple, and immediately after the prayer, Mrs. Green said, "honey, if I were you I would start picking up items for a baby boy."
Just here recently, at Dr. Keith Gomez's church, he had Dr. Green speaking at another meeting. While introducing him to the crowd, Dr. Gomez told that story and then announced....
"...today at noon, a baby boy was born to my son and daughter in law. And I can't think of a better was to introduce a speaker to you than that!"
Story # 2...
"William Horst gave this testimony to E.M. Bounds of answered prayer: "One
evening I left my office in New York with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I
had with me (as I thought) my thick warm muffler, but when I proceeded to
button up against the storm, I found that it was gone. I turned back, looked
along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized that I must
have dropped it, and I prayed to God that I would find it; for such was the
state of the weather that it would be running a great risk to proceed
without it. I looked again up and down the surrounding streets, but without
success. Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out
something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler.
He handed it to me saying, "It was blown to me by the wind." He who rides
upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer."
--William Horst
Story #3...
A. C. Dixon tells the following story of a friend of his: "A dear friend of
mine who was quite a lover of hunting, told me the following story. 'Rising
early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the barking of a number of dogs
chasing deer. Looking at a large open field in front of me, I saw a young
fawn making its way across the field and giving signs that its race was
almost run. It leaped over the rails of the enclosed place and crouched
within ten feet of where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came
over, and the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs.
I lifted the little thing to my breast, and swinging round and round, fought
off the dogs. Just then I felt that all the dogs in the West could not and
would not capture that fawn after it weakness had appealed to my strength.'
So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. I remember well,
when the hounds of sin were after my soul, that at last I ran into the arms
of Almighty God."
--A.C. Dixon
James 1:5-6
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed."
John 14:12-14
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go
unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in
my name, I will do it."
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