On the Ulster Revival (1859)

“The revival spread out across the whole land family by family, village by village, and town by town. Within weeks 10′000 were converted. When this Revival hit Ballymena it was dramatic and sudden. One minister who was away for only two days from the town returned to find a great stir. Many families had not gone to bed for two or three days. Everything seemed at a standstill and the noise of people crying for mercy or the singing of praise came from many homes night and day. One Minister said that “The difficulty used to be to get the people into the church, but the difficulty now is to get them out.” Large open air meetings were held everywhere. God was raising up a humble army of new converts ablaze with His Spirit to witness again to Christ’s resurrection.”

What a report! Sounds like real Holy Ghost revival to me. Is it possible for such a thing to happen today? I am convinced it can be because the same God that moved then has not somehow changed and is no longer concerned about souls being saved. I believe  that we could also see a similar move of God. The question is just how much do we want to experience it?

The Ulster Revival was the result of passionate and persistent prayer that began when one man was stirred about the reality of personally knowing God. He wanted to know that he was saved and after seeking God he had a personal revival. After praying and seeking God another joined him in praying and soon there were two more. These four men began to pray every Friday for revival to come to their corner of the world. It took three months of praying for their first convert to come in but in one year’s time 100,000 people came to the Lord to be saved. The revival spread like wildfire across the region.

“The life changing and society changing results were very evident. A great blow came to the drinking houses of the land as drunkards were convicted and saved. Even whole distilleries were closed. Crime dropped by half within months as the land came under the influences of Gods workings.”

This revival moved beyond just the four walls of the church but infected and affected the entire region. What a testimony to what can take place when God’s  people get burdened for the lost and the glory of God. I for one am encouraged to not lose heart but to seek the Lord like never before. Will you join me?

Brother Jesse

My Notes From “Urgent Prayer For Revival”

One of the most powerful prayers recorded in the Bible comes from the lips of Daniel, who confessed his sin without reservation (Dan. 9:1-16) and then boldly urged God to respond. All the ingredients of great and confident praying are found in that cry of Daniel: an honest confession of sin and a total lack of confidence in himself are contrasted with Daniel’s conviction that God must respond to defend His great name and honor.

“In the first month of the first year of his reign, [Hezekiah] opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them” (2 Chron. 29:3). The fact that this was the first recorded action of his reign shows that he made it a priority. Opening the doors of the temple was his way of re-establishing his relationship with God, and that of the people, because the Holy Place was in the temple, and it was there that the high priest brought the prayers of the nation before God.

You cannot read far into the story of a revival without discovering that not only is prayer part of the inevitable result of an outpouring of the Spirit, but, from a human standpoint, it is also the single most significant cause.

Those whom God uses in revival are men and women of prayer. That is their great priority.

If we really want God in revival, we must ask for it.

When the Holy Spirit saturated the 120 on the Day of Pentecost, they had been in desperate prayer. And I use that word “desperate” carefully. Our Lord left them alone for what must have seemed an eternity; they were terrified of the Jews and Romans, and on this particular occasion were locked in the upper room. That was the position God wanted them in. He wanted them at an end of their own devices and without any confidence in themselves. They must have been praying in desperation. This was the moment God came.

Only when we realize and admit our true condition will we long for revival. Praying for revival is not enough: we must long for it, and long for it intensely.

But prayer cannot be left only to the leaders. Churches must pray also. Joel 2:15-17 is a vital passage for us to come to terms with.

It is not always clear when prayer meetings are part of the revival itself or are preceding it. But the distinction does not matter too much. Prayer is both the cause and result of the coming of the Spirit in revival.

Prayer for revival should never be self-centered. If we long for the glory of God then we will be ready to invest prayer time that others too will receive the Spirit of God in revival. We should never be parochial and long for the touch of God only for ourselves; we must pray for those churches that do not pray for themselves, as well as for those that do.

Prayer for revival must surely be one kind of preparation that is never wrong; it is essentially God-centered and not man-centered. It tells God we are at an end of ourselves.

Commenting upon Zechariah 12:10 – “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication…” – the Puritan Matthew Henry remarked, “When God intends great mercy for His people, the first thing He does is to set them a-praying.” Similarly, John Wesley was convinced that “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”

No church can ever expect revival unless it is praying for it.

We say that we long for God to forgive our sin and heal the land, yet we seem to have forgotten that He has set His own conditions for doing just that: “If My people, who are called by My Name, will 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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place” (2 Chron. 7:14-15).

Amen. Pour it out Lord!

WWJD?

This is more like what Scooby Do would do.

Pistol-Packing Pastor Quits to Work for Gun Rights, Protecting Churches

Real Kingdom work to be sure. This is what happens when preachers watch too much Fox News.

BroJ

Canned Worship

This goes right along with my last blog: Click here for Canned Worship (by David Ruis).

“We’ve refined it, packaged it, branded it, marketed it and made an industry out of it. but is God buying our modern worship?“

Good question. Read the article and let me know what you think.

Brother Jesse

Worship and CCM

Worship is not a response to the opening guitar licks of a song, but a response to God’s revelation and who He is.

I agree with this statement. It comes from an article (see link below) that a former worship leader wrote concerning his departure from contemporary Christian music scene. There is much in the article to think about. There is much to agree with and as much to disagree with but I believe we need to think about what Mr. Lucarini is dealing with.

I personally don’t think that CCM is necessarily a bad thing for churches. I think music is what you make of it. It can be positive and it can be negative for sure but what makes it so? I could care less about the style of music. Well, actually I do have a preference but I don’t frame it that way at all. The key is to ask ourselves a question: Is God being worshiped or are we being entertained? Is God the center of what is going on or is flesh and it’s gratification the issue?

If it is about us – if it’s about giving people music that they can “like” or even “dance to” – then I don’t believe it has a place in church as a worship medium. It has become about man and not God. I have been in “worship” services where it was all about jumping up and down, dancing, and all sorts of other physical activity. If there had been no music I wondered what most of them would have done. I have been to services where people were so worn out after “worshiping” that they went out to the foyer and sat on the floor drinking water to recover. I am not too sure they worshiped. It was more like Dance Party USA or American Bandstand. It was all about putting on a show where people could have a good time and the better they felt the better the worship was supposed to be. Much was made of how good it felt to do all that praising. I often wondered what the elderly or the handicapped were supposed to be doing. They apparently were unable to worship as they defined worshiped.

Maybe this is a way to reach the youth or the world at large, etc. but my problem in those services was what was being said from Pastors and worship leaders. The insinuation was that if you were not participating in the worship as they led it – you know, running, dancing, jumping – then you had not worshiped and that you were dead spiritually. I have also been told by church leaders that if my church wasn’t worshiping this way we were not moving in God and couldn’t have revival.

Now let me add that here at ALF we are Southern Gospel, Country, Bluegrass, Gaither oriented and proud of it. It’s just who we are. We still sing hymns out of the red back hymnal. The most physical we get is to clap and lift our hands and to shout hallelujah and praise the Lord. We don’t need a professional band and we almost never have to practice or rehearse. Yet, we worship and experience the presence of the Lord as much as anywhere else I have visited, even the cutting edge ones. To be told that we were out of the “move” of God and would never have revival was a shock in deed.

What this says to me is that way too much emphasis is being put on music. Here at ALF you worship to worship God and if you have to be directed or have music with a beat so that it is “easy to dance to” (like American Bandstand) so you can worship, well, you are in trouble. It is not about music and if it is contemporary or anything else.  You have to bring your worship with you. We are not perfect but if you need to be pushed and prodded to lift  your heart to God in adoration then I wonder if you really are. If you have to have the latest and greatest cutting edge music to “feel like it” or to get people in the door then I wonder what kind of worship you have been engaged in.

Worship is supposed to be about God – end of story. It is about lifting our hearts to Him and not about whether we feel “good” about it. It has been made about how we feel when we do it. It shouldn’t matter what we feel. He is worthy whether we feel anything or not. Sometimes the Presence of the Lord is such that we do feel something but this can’t be the criteria used to determine if it was “powerful” worship or not.

The issue for me is this: What is the message we are sending? Worship has to be facilitated by the latest music to be genuine? Unless music somehow makes you feel something that it is not worship? That worship has to be like entertainment so that it will appeal to folks? If a church prefers music that is not all that popular with the “in crowd” that it is not really worshiping or can’t win souls?

Worship is about God. Whether it is contemporary or traditional or like ours, Campmeeting style, it needs to be a strictly about pleasing and honoring God. It should be about entertaining only one and that is God.

Brother Jesse

Ex-Worship Leader: Why I Left the CCM Movement | Christianpost.com

Romans 13 Revisited

The following is a op-ed piece from Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party (and a Pastor). I have copy and pasted it so that you will be sure to read it. This is food for thought to be sure. We are not talking anything violent here, just that we are not to take the coming socialism lying down. Christians had better start engaging themselves politically in my opinion. If we don’t start standing up to the Rep/Dem machine soon and demand true conservatism we will be living in an America we never thought would happen.

Romans 13 Revisited
by Chuck Baldwin

It seems that every time someone such as myself attempts to encourage our Christian brothers and sisters to resist an unconstitutional or otherwise reprehensible government policy, we hear the retort, “What about Romans Chapter 13? We Christians must submit to government. Any government. Read your Bible, and leave me alone.” Or words to that effect.

No doubt, some who use this argument are sincere. They are only repeating what they have heard their pastor and other religious leaders say. On the other hand, let’s be honest enough to admit that some who use this argument are just plain lazy, apathetic, and indifferent. And Romans 13 is their escape from responsibility. I suspect this is the much larger group, by the way.

Nevertheless, for the benefit of those who are sincere (but obviously misinformed), let’s briefly examine Romans Chapter 13. I quote Romans Chapter 13, verses 1 through 7, from the Authorized King James text:

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 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: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

Do our Christian friends who use these verses to teach that we should not oppose America’s political leaders really believe that civil magistrates have unlimited authority to do anything they want without opposition? I doubt whether they truly believe that.

For example, what if our President decided to resurrect the old monarchal custom of Jus Primae Noctis (Law of First Night)? That was the old medieval custom when the king claimed the right to sleep with a subject’s bride on the first night of their marriage. Would our sincere Christian brethren sheepishly say, “Romans Chapter 13 says we must submit to the government”? I think not. And would any of us respect any man who would submit to such a law?

So, there are limits to authority. A father has authority in his home, but does this give him power to abuse his wife and children? Of course not. An employer has authority on the job, but does this give him power to control the private lives of his employees? No. A pastor has overseer authority in the church, but does this give him power to tell employers in his church how to run their businesses? Of course not. All human authority is limited in nature. No man has unlimited authority over the lives of other men. (Lordship and Sovereignty is the exclusive domain of Jesus Christ.)

By the same token, a civil magistrate has authority in civil matters, but his authority is limited and defined. Observe that Romans Chapter 13 clearly limits the authority of civil government by strictly defining its purpose: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil . . . For he is the minister of God to thee for good . . . for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

Notice that civil government must not be a “terror to good works.” It has no power or authority to terrorize good works or good people. God never gave it that authority. And any government that oversteps that divine boundary has no divine authority or protection. This is a basic principle of Natural Law (and all of America’s legal documents–including the U.S. Constitution–are founded upon the God-ordained principles of Natural Law).

The apostle clearly states that civil government is a “minister of God to thee for good.” It is a not a minister of God for evil. Civil magistrates have a divine duty to “execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” They have no authority to execute wrath upon him that doeth good. None. Zilch. Zero. And anyone who says they do is lying. So, even in the midst of telling Christians to submit to civil authority, Romans Chapter 13 limits the power and reach of civil authority.

Did Moses violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he killed the Egyptian taskmaster in defense of his fellow Hebrew? Did Elijah violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he openly challenged Ahab and Jezebel? Did David violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he refused to surrender to Saul’s troops? Did Daniel violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he disobeyed the king’s command to not pray audibly to God? Did the three Hebrew children violate God’s principle of submission to authority when they refused to bow to the image of the state? Did John the Baptist violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he publicly scolded King Herod for his infidelity? Did Simon Peter and the other Apostles violate God’s principle of submission to authority when they refused to stop preaching on the streets of Jerusalem? Did Paul violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he refused to obey those authorities who demanded that he abandon his missionary work? In fact, Paul spent almost as much time in jail as he did out of jail.

Remember that every apostle of Christ (except John) was killed by hostile civil authorities opposed to their endeavors. Christians throughout church history were imprisoned, tortured, or killed by civil authorities of all stripes for refusing to submit to their various laws and prohibitions. Did all of these Christian martyrs violate God’s principle of submission to authority?

So, even the great prophets, apostles, and writers of the Bible (including the writer of Romans Chapter 13) understood that human authority–even civil authority–is limited.

Plus, Paul makes it clear that our submission to civil authority must be predicated on more than fear of governmental retaliation. Notice, he said, “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” Meaning, our obedience to civil authority is more than just “because they said so.” It is also a matter of conscience. This means we must think and reason for ourselves regarding the justness and rightness of our government’s laws. Obedience is not automatic or robotic. It is a result of both rational deliberation and moral approbation.

Therefore, there are times when civil authority may need to be resisted. Either governmental abuse of power or the violation of conscience (or both) could precipitate civil disobedience. Of course, how and when we decide to resist civil authority is an entirely separate issue. And I will reserve that discussion for another time.

Beyond that, we in the United States of America do not live under a monarchy. We have no king. There is no single governing official in this country. America’s “supreme Law” does not rest with any man or any group of men. America’s “supreme Law” does not rest with the President, the Congress, or even the Supreme Court. In America, the U.S. Constitution is the “supreme Law of the Land.” Under our laws, every governing official publicly promises to submit to the Constitution of the United States. Do readers understand the significance of this distinction? I hope so.

This means that, in America, the “higher powers” are not the men who occupy elected office; they are the tenets and principles set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Under our laws and form of government, it is the duty of every citizen, including our elected officials, to obey the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, this is how Romans Chapter 13 reads to Americans:

“Let every soul be subject unto the [U.S. Constitution.] For there is no [Constitution] but of God: the [Constitution] that be [is] ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the [Constitution], resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For [the Constitution is] not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the [Constitution]? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For [the Constitution] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for [the Constitution] beareth not the sword in vain: for [the Constitution] is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for [the Constitution is] God’s minister, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

Dear Christian friend, the above is exactly the proper understanding of our responsibility to civil authority in these United States, according to the teaching of Romans Chapter 13.

Furthermore, Christians, above all people, should desire that their elected representatives submit to the Constitution, because it is constitutional government that has done more to protect Christian liberty than any other governing document ever devised by man. As I have noted before in this column, Biblical principles and Natural Law form the foundation of all three of America’s founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

(See: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2005/cbarchive_20050630.html)

As a result, Christians in America (for the most part) have not had to face the painful decision to “obey God rather than men” and defy their civil authorities.

The problem in America today is that we have allowed our political leaders to violate their oaths of office and to ignore–and blatantly disobey–the “supreme Law of the Land,” the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, if we truly believe Romans Chapter 13, we will insist and demand that our civil magistrates submit to the U.S. Constitution.

Now, how many of us Christians are going to truly obey Romans Chapter 13?

The Heresy of Conversion?!?

Read this: The Bishop Discovers Heresy?

“…the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church openly lamented a focus on evangelization that would seek conversions for such a focus would divert the attention of her church from ecological, economic, and other political imperatives.”

And they wonder why people are leaving the Episcopal church (and all the other liberal ones as well) in droves. If the Bible doesn’t matter to these people why even pretend to believe in it. I say they should merge with the Unitarians.

BroJ

In God We Trust

Ps 33:12

What does it mean? To say it requires that we mean it. I believe it implies that we should do at least three things as a nation.

1. Reverence God

This nation was founded on Biblical principles. Listen to what our founding fathers said:

John Adams wrote:  “Statesmen, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.”

Benjamin Franklin: “God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel”

Andrew Jackson said, “That book, sir, {the Bible} is the rock on which our republic rests.”

George Washington put it this way: “It is impossible to righteously govern the world without God and the Bible. . . .”

Our coins say “In God We Trust.”  In our pledge of Allegiance we say we are  “One nation under God.”  Our Constitution expresses our belief in God.  Our fathers founded this nation: (1) For the glory of God.  (2) Based on rights given to them by God.  (3) Seeking the blessing of God.  America inaugurates its presidents with a hand on the Bible and asks them to pledge “So help me God.”  You simply cannot remove the God of Judaism and Christianity from the institutions of this nation. 

We are a nation of free people because we are a people who believe the Bible.  Consider what living in Saudi Arabia, China, Afghanistan is like. Islam, Buddhism nor Hinduism work because they lead to enslavement and intolerance in a nation.

Today we are getting away from our founding faith.  If we believe this nation was founded on distinctly Judeo-Christian principles, how can it prosper if those principles are ignored or rejected? Consider these recent legal decisions:

1. Prohibited the reading of Scripture in public school.

2. Prohibited prayer in public school.

3. Prohibited a Christian manger scene during Christmas in public places.

4. Prohibited the posting of the 10 Commandments (Alabama State Court House).

5. Prohibited the teaching of Creation in public schools along with evolution.

America is turning away from recognition of Christian holidays, Christian worship and Christian symbols.  America is turning away from recognition of God as Creator and embracing atheistic  evolution.  America is turning away from recognizing our Christian heritage, while turning to those who are re-writing history to exclude any reference to the influence of God or the Bible in our past.

How can we say In God We Trust if we outlaw the expression of Christianity in our public life?

2. Depend On God

Our forefathers depended on God’s help. Time after time. The following story is one example:

In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, British commander William Howe took 30,000 veteran British soldiers to take New York. Gen. George Washington only had 18,000 inexperienced troops to resist him. The British troops outflanked Washington in their attack and threatened to surround him. Washington lost 1,000 men and two top Generals and his troops were discouraged. Without  any reason British halted their troops and began to dig in for a seige. Had they kept on pressing in they would have destroyed Washington and troops. Yet still the Americans were trapped on Long Island. Their only route of escape was the treacherous East river. The weather was very bad and it seemed impossible to cross. What did Washington do? He called for a prayer meeting to ask for God’s guidance and help. It was decided to attempt to cross the river even in the storm.  Then suddenly at 11 pm the wind died and the rain stopped. The river was as smooth as glass. They started crossing and a gentle breeze came up behind them to push them along. Even with this miracle it still seemed that it would be impossible to get all the troops across to Manhattan Island before daybreak but just before daybreak, thick fog draped over them and hid them from British troops. When the fog lifted British commander Howe was shocked. Washington’s troops had escaped. Washington and his men recognized that God had delivered them.

No doubt this is why as Washington resigned his commission as Commander of the Continental Army on December 23, 1783 he said, “I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God and those who have the superintendence of them into His holy keeping.”

3. Hope In God

I believe that to say that In God We Trust implies that our hope would be in God. Our nation faces enemies from within and without. We should be looking to God like never before. We need Him to help us because I don’t believe we will find it anywhere else. 

2 Chronicles 7:14
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

During the Civil War, Senator James Harlan of Iowa, whose daughter later married President Lincoln’s son Robert, introduced this Resolution in the Senate on March 2, 1863. The Resolution asked President Lincoln to proclaim a national day of prayer and fasting. The Resolution was adopted on March 3, and signed by Lincoln on March 30, one month before the fast day was observed.

By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation.

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.

And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.

And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

We should get back to that kind of hope in God and His ability to help us. Our greatest need today is a revival because I still believe that Jesus is the answer. He is the answer to crime… race problems… immorality.

A French political philosopher visited our nation to uncover the secret of why we were so great. He traveled from town to town in this nation and interviewed hundreds of people. When he returned to France, he wrote: “I searched for America’s greatness. I found it, not in her fields and forests. I found it not in her mines and factories. I found it no in her Congress or tribunals..” “It was only when I entered her churches and heard her pulpits thundering against sin and preaching righteousness, that I discovered the secret of her greatness.” Then, he added, “America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

America is a great nation because of a great God. Let us never forget it. He is the hope of this nation. And not only is He the hope of a nation He is your hope. Do you now the Savior?

Freedom isn’t free. The red that we see on the flag represents the blood of those who have paid the ultimate price for it. When we see the Cross let us remember it represents a price paid for our spiritual freedom. Jesus Christ our Savior was crucified on Calvary’s Cross so that you and I could be free from our sins. He has purchased our freedom and let us be thankful today for it.

Living In The Light of Eternity

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT)
For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

You have a lot of choices to make in this life. There are only two when it comes to eternity. With God or without Him. Heaven or hell. If you choose to live without Him on this earth you will live without Him in eternity. If you will not be bothered with Him here, then you will not be bothered by Him there. There are two kinds of people in this world… those who say to God “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “Thy will be done.”

Once you become aware that this life is not all there is you will live differently. As you come to the realization that life here is preparation for the life there, you will deal with everything differently. This is called living in the light of eternity. What was once considered unimportant becomes all important and what once seemed important now is unworthy of attention.

Philippians 3:7-8 (NLT)
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 
8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 

Living in the light of eternity will cause your values to change. Relationships and character become of greatest importance.

How you face circumstances…
What goals we have…
What we do with time…
How we spend our money…
…will all be markedly different because of our understanding of eternity.

If this life on earth is all there is then you really have no reason to do anything to stop you from “living it up.” You would not have to worry with consequences. Selfish, self centered living would be completely acceptable.

But this life is not all there is. Death is not your termination but is a transition. There are eternal consequences to everything you do. What you do here will be faced there.

1. How does knowing that you will live forever change the way you approach life now?

2. How are you preparing for eternity?

What the Heck Is Wrong With This Guy?

Check this out: Missing U.S. governor was on private Argentina trip | U.S. | Reuters

Here is a guy who I thought a lot of. He seems to be a true blue conservative. He refused to take stimulus money. Man of principle to be sure. Possible candidate for Prez. Now this. What was he thinking? I sure hope he can explain this. He could be toast.

Jesse