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Friday, 03 July 2009
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We Have to Stand Up A Nation Falling Wayward
Our Christian heritiage is under attack.
But as we read in Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is a nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he has choosen for his own inhertiance."
The fact is that America was founded as ONE NATION UNDER GOD, no matter how many times Secularists try to convince people otherwise.
Those of us who are Christians have been facing more and more roadblocks when it comes to walking in Faith.
In a book put out by the Christian Law Assoociation entitled One Nation Under God, these facts come to light.
*Public school students were told they would be expelled if they talked about Jesus in School.
*School Officials planned to place a public school student in detention because she brought her Bible to School.
* One Christian was told that he could not display the ten commandments in front of his trailer at the mobile home park because it may offend atheist residents.
*Senior Citizens were told they could not say grace before eating a common meal in a state run facility.
Aren't secularists pushing it a bit too far.
We can not turn on the television without finding something offensive to those of us who cling to our Christian faith. Something that goes against the very foundation of our nation. Both the Purtians and the Founding Fathers used the Bible as the ultimate source for their view on the nature of man, so imagine how they would feel today seeing what we see.
If our forefathers were here today to see what is happening to this nation I believe they would be sickened, We have tried to shake free from our foundations of faith, to being more politically correct, even if that means killing our children before they are born.
I am in no means saying this nation had an ideal start, we had the Salem withtrials and slavery to disproof that. What I am saying is that in four centuries we have tried every which way to replace our foundation of faith, with a less sturdy one, instead of being Under God, we have tried every which way to illiminate God from the equasion, and when we do that we are destined for trouble.
Despite what secularists would have us to believe, the Seperation of Church and State was not created to keep the church of the goverment, but to stop the goverment from running a state church such as the Church of England.
Whether people admit it or not, the fact of the matter America was founded for religious reasons, the Pioneers and the Pilgrims came to America so they could break away from the Church of England, they wanted to be able to worship as they saw fit, and yes sometimes that freedom went to far, like when they burned people they saw as witches because they did not follow the ways of the Puritans. In many ways we have grown from then, but in some very real ways Christians are being persecuted this day in age, even if the persecution is not physical it does exist here in the United States, our public schools punish children for even brining Bibles to schools, and we can get fined in some cities for putting Nativity scenes on our lawns at Christmas times, so where is our Freedom of Religion?
I know many people disagree with my views and that is their right, but their is no disputing the fact that America was founded on the Freedom of Religion and we are indeed founded Under God, even our money says In God We Trust, so why are we trying to throw that all out of the window in order to be politically correct? What exactly is being politically correct anyway? Different people have different definitions of the meanings of those words.
Gibbs and Newcombe had this to say in there book One Nation Under God "Christianity was the religion that gave birth to religious freedom for everyone." That is why here in America people of every religion are welcome.
William Penn had this to say in his Fame of Goverment
I will not abuse the love Of God...nor act unworthy of his Providence, by defiling what came to me clean. No, let the the Lord guide me by his wisdom to honor his name and serve his truth and people, that an example and a standard may be set up to all nations.Princenton was founded in 1746 and for many, many years it was a strictly Christian Institution and did not become a liberal school until the early decades of the twentieth century.
The school system in New England during Colonial times was set up with a Christian goal. The main purpose was to teach it's students to read so they could read the Bible.
Even colleges like Harvard, Princenton, Yale and Williams and Mary were founded on Christian principes with a Christian Curriculm. Harvard for the first two hundred years was a strictly Christian Instution, but for the past a hundred and fifty years it was a secularists institution.
Princenton was founded in 1746 and for many, many years it was a strictly Christian Institution and did not become a liberal school until the early decades of the twentieth century.
In One Nation Under God it is pointed out that "When modern judges and burecauts promote a secular education, or attempt to shut down church schools that use a Biblical Curriculm, or try to hamstring the homeschool movement, they are making a religious choice, whether or not they choose to acknowledge it. To often today schools have become "religous free" zones." Recent court decissions have to ridicoulous lengths to keep any kind of religious or perhaps we should say Christian expression out of the public schools." Gibbs and Newcombe Pg 79In this nation of spirtual paradoxes it is leagal to utter virtually any conceivable blasphemy in a public place, but it is not legal to mention God at a commencment ceremony or to mention him reverently in the public school classroon...Time Magazine
Washington did not wear his faith on his sleeve, that is not to say that George Washington wasn't a strong Chrsitian though. The fact is Washington was a man of strong faith-faith in God's providence and faith that God was assisting the fledgling new country. America.
One of the reasons that many do not believe Washington was a Christian was because he kept slaves, but that was true of many southern men in his time, and he was one of the few sounterns who took steps to have his slaves freed upon his death, the same could not be said for Thomas Jeferson who is generally acknowledged as a Deist.
Every Christian should also know that Christianity played a large role in the development of the Declaration of Independence.
Samuel Adams paved the way for the proposal to open in prayer by saying: "I am no bigot. I can hear the prayer of any man of piety and virtue, who is at the same time a friend to the country."
Another thing that every Christian should know about the founding of America is that the Biblical understanding of the sinfulness of man was the guiding principle behind the United States Constitution. The framers of the Constitution drew their inspiration from the Bible. They intended America to be One Nation Under God. They had no intention of establishing an agnostic or athestic state. Gibbs and Newcombe 146
Alexander Hamilton wrote these words to his friends James Baynard:
In my opinion, the present constitution is the standard to which we are to cling. Under it's banner bona fide must we combat our politcal foes, rejecting all changes, but through the channel itself provided by the amendments. By these general views of the subject have many reflections been guided. I now ofer you the outline of the plan they suggested. Let an association be formed to be denominated. "The Christian Constitutional Societry," it's object to the first: the support of the Christian Religion and the second the support of the United States.
Hamilton's premature death in 1804 in a dual which he was reluctant to participate in and which he choose not to shoot his opponent Aaron Burr ended any plans for establishing "The Christian Constitutional Society. Perhaps one day God will raise up someone to establish what Hamilton only dreamed. Gibbs and Newbcombe.
Bold Passages From
One Nation Under God
Dr David C Gibbs JR
Jerry Newcombe
The Christian Law Assocation
Copyright 2003
http://www.christianlaw.orggoogle_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
Saturday, 13 June 2009
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Like A Band Aid Over a Gaping Wound
"To go around putting Cartoon Band Aids on the gaping wounds of the world is denial. There is nothing more unattractive than a happy face that has been pasted over a grimace of pain." (Johnson 57)
I just finished reading this great book by Nicole Johnson called Keeping A Princess Heart and the book has been speaking to me in great ways. As a society we kind of have a distorted view like what a princess is. We look to Movie stars, or woman in high postions, seeing the fame, but perhaps not seeing that many of them have a Gaping wound in their very souls.
"We are most in touch with our deepest desires when we are closest to their fullfilment." (Johnson 35)
There are times though that we seem to desire that which is not good for us. We see the things of the world and are blinded by the glitz and glammer of it all not realizing that it is going to come with a price. We become so obsessed with achieving our desires, that we forget to look for God's plan in it all. We become like a child who throws a tantrum because they can't have the Chocolate Cake before the meal.
"We may take good things and pervert them, but that doesn't mean they are not good. It means that what we've done wiuth them isn't good, like eating so much Healthy Choice Ice Cream that it's no longer a healthy choice." (Johnson 42)
Hope is a postive thing, it is one of our gifts. We are driven by our hopes and our dreams, but hope is only as strong as we allow it.
"Hope is only as strong as that which it hopes." (Johnson 43)
No matter how hard we hope, and dream, their is one simple fact that must be taken in. This world is not perfect, we were not told it would be, when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the "perfect world ended" yet so many times Hollywood, and others try to create a fairytale world in which everything turns out perfect.
"Thinking we can live in the perfect world is perfect in one simple way; It's the perfect lie." (Johnson 47)
We not only try to live in an unperfect world, sometimes we try to cover our imperfections in sentimentality, being sentimental is not necessary a bad thing, but sentimentality can not always help in the deeper issues.
"Sentimentality might help a bad hair day, but for the deeper issues of life, it falls miserably short." (Johnson 51)
As Women we often not only desire good things, but we seek out Happily ever afters. We are often drawn to love stories or movies where the characters live Happily Ever After. We can not begin to imagine the Happily Ever After we will be given when we are called home to the Lord though.
"God is keeping an eye on the time that we will be give us the grandest happily ever after we can imagine." (Johnson 55)
There are times when we try to paint a mask of happiness over the deep sorrow that is in our soul. We think we need to hide our sorrow from the world, and let it only be seen in the privacy of our homes. We want the world to think we are happy, that we are somehow living that fairytale life, when inside we are in emotional turmoil.
"To go around putting Cartoon Band Aids on the gaping wounds of the world is denial. There is nothing more unattractive than a happy face that has been pasted over a grimace of pain." (Johnson 57)
If we try and cover up the sorrow, the hurt, we are in a sense covering up the darkness. We can not go around pretneding the hurt and pain away, we can not pretend that the darkness does not exist."We have to deal with the darkness inside, or it will deal with us." (Johnson 77)
At times we tend to let those dark thoughts come into our hearts, and we feel nothing but shame and guilt. We wear the burden sometimes inwardly sometimes on the outside. Maybe we snap at others, or just let the shame and the guilt sink us into depression. We begin to let ourself feel unloved.
"The scalding bridle of shame and guilt has been broken and destroyed. You are loved. Your worth is not determined by your deeds; it is granted by your father. Your guilt is cleansed by forgiveness. The chains of envy can be melted away by gratitude. Her heart can be free, able to grow strong once again. (Johnson 78)
Copyright Michelle R Kidwell
Jan.18.2009Quotes From
Keeping a Princess Heart
Nicole Johnson
Copyright 2003
Thomas Nelson
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Let's Not Tiptoe Around the Truth
Imagine we are standing before God, in the literal sense right now, what are we going to tell him? What are we going to have to account for, what sins do we think we can hide?
As I find myself getting ready for Bible Study, I once again catch myself reading one of my favorite Christian Authors Joyce Meyers, her book the Secrets to True Happiness is rich in the things of the Lord, and the importance of finding hapiness in him.
As I was reading a quote caught my attention, and perhaps becomes the focus of this weeks bible study:
"I have to stand before God and give an account of my life, and the gift God has put in me and so do you. God is not going to want to hear we disobeyed him because we did not want to make anyone angry." (Meyers, 200)
Another words lets not tip toe around the truth because we think we are sparing someone's feelings, because feelings are fickle, and they are not as important as sharing the truth with others, sharing what we know the good Lord wants us to share.
We are called to witness to those with a doubtful heart, and not to tip toe around the issue.
Romans 14:23 says:
23But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
As believers we are called to walk in faith, and in so doing we may find oruself in a situation that may not feel comfortable in the flesh, but is completely natural if we are walking in the Spirit.
We are also called as Christians to wait on the Lord, the Lord has perfect timing, but sometimes we feel the need to rush things, when in reality everything comes about in God's perfect timing.
Psalms 27:13-14
13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
"Faith is the postive view of God, and the ability to and willingness to help us, and faith always expects something good to happen."(210)
Faith is not in any way shape or form waiting for the shoe to drop to borrow a cliche, it is not looking for the dark cloud in a clear sky, but it is the believe that things will get better, that the bad times are not permanent, it is not being pessimistic, but having an optimistic view of life.
When we have faith we realize that God is in control of all the moments of our lives:
"God does not only speak to us in the urgent or important matters in life. He also guides us in the most seemingly insignificant situations." (Meyers 220)
Sometimes the Lord can use the smallest most insignifacnt gestures, to ignite a soul for Christ.
It was the spark of a friendship with my friend Amy that led me to the Lord, that led me away from a path that would have no doubt led to destruction.
Martin Luther King Junior summed up the path of faith well ...
"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
Powerful truth right?
Many have taken that first step, but how many have started on the journey and froze in the same place?
Remember Christ will spit us out if we are lukewarm!
Copyright Michelle R Kidwell
July.15.08 -
Let the Walls Of Self Pity Crumble
Why is it so often in society we tend to look more at our physical health than our emotional? We tend not to take the emotional aspects of our life seriously, or we become so wrapped up in them we find ourselves being one of those people we want to avoid, You know the type the one's who can never have a word of praise on their lips, instead it is a complaint.
"When we make up or minds to take our emotional health seriously, we will do whatever is necessary to take care of ourselves." (Clairmont 11)
I do not believe taking care of our emotional health involves sitting around in a constant state of self pity. It does not involve always looking at your situation and seeing it as worse than someone elses. The truth is you do not want to go there, because you are always going to find someone who has more reason to complain than you do. Yet they are often the greatest vessels.
"More times than I would like to admit, I've emotionally slammed on the brekaes of my frustruatiion in front of a loved one in an attempt to get him to hear me. I've tried to force that person off his road with a barage of complaints and accusations so he would stop and pay attention, or I've done so as an act of retaliation," (18-19)
The fact is as believers we are going to have people react in any given situation, and though there is a time for every thing under the sun, as the good book says, it does not mean we live in a place of perpectual sorrow or of perpectual bliss. We have a heart overflowing with joy because of all the Lord has done for us, but that does not mean we do not face sorrow and it does not mean we are perfect either. It just shows that we are saved by a perfect Savior. There are going to be times when we get angry, but that does not make us any less of a Christian. It is the way we react in anger that is going to be a testament to our faith.
"anger needs boundaries, which don't include using four wheel vehicles or ranting to make a point." (19)
When we feel the emotion of anger, that is a good time to sit back and filter our words.
"When we put our words through the filters of kindness and truth, anger won't have a chance to exact a greater price from everyone involved. If our motive is to reconcile differents and not to offend our offender or to prove her wrong, then we will have a heart resolve that leaves us feeling settled and holds the potential for restoration of the relationship." (20)
The simple fact is that because we are creatures of the Flesh, even though we are reborn in the Spirit we are going to have times in our lives when we hurt others. We are going to have times when we are not going to have to focus so much on who was right or wrong, but more importantly we are going to have to restore broken friendships. Our Father does not want to see us sulking in anger no more than a Mother wants to see her children sulking after a fight.
"I'm leanring to ask God first ot lead and guide me into the truth before I go speeding off, shaking my fists at innocent bystanders." (24)
Often in the heat of our anger we end up hurting others in the process, whether or not we realize it. It does not even have to be the person we felt offended us, often it is the person who is closest to us in the moment of anger.
2Peter 1:2-9
2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.Making One's Calling and Election Sure
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.Another thing I believe the Lord frowns on is Self Pity. I certainly know that when I am around a person who can do nothing but think about every ache and pain they have, I want to get a far away from them as possible. I have experienced people in my life, who are so blinded to the good things in their life that all they can do is see the negative. I find myself thinking what a sad way to live. I am not saying I am perfect and I never have moments of self pity, I believe anyone who is honest with themselves will have to admit that at some point or another they do. I just choose not to wallow in it, self pity is not a pretty shade on anyone.
"Self pity is a road block to maturity not to mention that it keeps joy and potential friends at bay. Pity is tricky because once we fall down that deep well of anguish, we lose our ability to stop it's momentum. (29)
Some of the strongest people I know are the ones who have been drawn to their knees in moments of weakness and still came out of it with songs of praises on their lips.
Phillipians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."Living in self pity is a shortcut to depression, and who wants to go there. (29)
Whether or not we are parents, we are going to have those watching us, if we are leading the right example we do not have to worry, but if we are just talking the talk and not walking the walk that is when we get into trouble.
"Demonstrate your faith in the midst of hardship, and they will remember your steriling example during their hardships." (32)
Another words when we are going through a struggle if we show an attitude of praise despite the hardships we will have no reason to worry about what kind of example we are being.
Ruth 1:16-20
16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"
20 "Don't call me Naomi, [a] " she told them. "Call me Mara, [b] because the Almighty [c] has made my life very bitter.
Ruth had been willing to leave eveything she knew, to be with her Mother in law. Even when her Mother in law told her she did not have to go, Ruth knew what was right in her heart, and unselfishly pulled up her roots and followed her Mother in law Naomi.
Psalm 40:2-3
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.Helen Keller was a woman who could have had alot of reason to complain, born healthy, at the age of nineteen month, an illness called acute congestion of the head and stomach, nearly took her life, but though she survived, it took her hearing and her sight. Yet as she learned to communicate, as she learned to express herself with the loving hands of Teacher Anne Sullivan guiding her, she did not use her disability to seek out self pity, instead she used it to educate others. A quote by Helen Keller sums her feelings up well.
"I thank God for my Many handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work, and my God." Helen Keller
Bible verses
http://www.biblegateway.comPatsy Clairmont Quotes
I Second ThatEmotion Untangling Our Zany Feelings (c) 2008 Patsy Clairmont
Copyright Michelle R Kidwell
Jan.22.2009
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Letting Go Of Offenses, Nurturing Our Souls
This week as I prepare for Bible Study I find myself drawn to two subjects, the first being Letting Go of Offesnses and the second being a Nurturing Heart, the books that I am studying this week are Bait of Satan by John Bevere and the Second Nurture by Lisa Bevere, the Lord has been speaking to my heart and letting go of Offenses, from the time I was still a baby in Chrsit, now a dozen years later I find myself once again realizing the importance of letting go of Ofeenses. One of the scriptures is from Matthew 24:10-13
10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Letting go of offenses is a scripural mandate, but in this day and age we tend to hold on to grudges until it hurts, and truthfully when we hold on to grudges who are we hurting more ourselves or the one we perceived to have offended us.
IN Galatians 6:8-9 it says:
8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
How does letting go of Offenses and Nurting tie together, I believe it does in the sense that if we Nurture ourselves daily in the Lord's word we will not be so easy to hold on to the offenses that hurt us, we will have an easier time forgiving.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 it says
14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
When I think of the time we spend on Nurting our body, I wonder why we don not spend as much time Nurturing our Soul, because perhaps if we did, we would not be so quick to offend.
Michellereneewrites4Christ
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