Patriot or Politician

I  know its out of season but that's okay.

A POEM WORTH READING AND COMPREHENDING He was getting old and paunchy And his hair was falling fast, And he sat around the Legion, Telling stories of the past.   Of a war that he once fought in And the deeds that he had done, In his exploits with his buddies; They were heroes, every one.   And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors His tales became a joke, All his buddies listened quietly For they knew where of he spoke.   But we'll hear his tales no longer, For ol' Joe has passed away, And the world's a little poorer For a Veteran died today.   He won't be mourned by many, Just his children and his wife. For he lived an ordinary, Very quiet sort of life.   He held a job and raised a family, Going quietly on his way; And the world won't note his passing , 'Tho a Veteran died today.   When politicians leave this earth, Their bodies lie in state, While thousands note their passing, And proclaim that they were great.   Papers tell of their life stories From the time that they were young, But the passing of a Veteran Goes unnoticed, and unsung.   Is the greatest contribution To the welfare of our land, Some jerk who breaks his promise And cons his fellow man?   Or the ordinary fellow Who in times of war and strife, Goes off to serve his country And offers up his life?   The politician's stipend And the style in which he lives, Are often disproportionate, To the service that he gives.   While the ordinary Veteran, Who offered up his all, Is paid off with a medal And perhaps a pension, small.   It is not the politicians With their compromise and ploys, Who won for us the freedom That our country now enjoys.   Should you find yourself in danger, With your enemies at hand, Would you really want some cop-out, With his ever-waffling stand?   Or would you want a Veteran His home, his country, his kin, Just a common Veteran, Who would fight until the end.   He was just a common Veteran, And his ranks are growing thin, But his presence should remind us We may need his likes again.   For when countries are in conflict, We find the Veteran's part, Is to clean up all the troubles That the politicians start.   If we cannot do him honor While he's here to hear the praise, Then at least let's give him homage At the ending of his days.   Perhaps just a simple headline In the paper that might say: "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A VETERAN DIED TODAY."

 

"Just What is Amazing Grace" Part 2

Now that you have heard that Jesus died for you, let me tell you how to attain eternal life. You can't. All the power and riches in all the universe can not even come close to price you would have to pay because it is not bought with money. It has already been bought by Jesus with the blood that
He shed. Even though it came at such a high price, He is offering it to you now. All you have to do it is take it. In God's word it says "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."(Ac 16:31) I don't think I have to tell you what that means. If you believe in your heart that God came to earth in the form of a man, suffered rejection and finally died for your sins and then was raised from the dead in His own power, all that is left is to ask God to forgive you of your sins and come live inside of you as the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter what you have done what crimes you have committed because God's word says Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. (Ro 5:20)
Jesus' blood covers all your sin so that when God looks at you He doesn't see your sin, He sees Christ's blood. If you want you sins forgiven, ask Jesus to forgive you of all your sins and to cover you with his blood. That is God's Amazing Grace.


Salvation

Not what these hands have done
  Can save this guilty soul;
Not what this toiling flesh has borne
  Can make my spirit whole.

Not what I feel or do
  Can give me peace with God;
Nor all my prayers, my sighs, my tears
  Can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
  Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
  Can give me peace within.

        Horatius Bonar

(All verses quoted from the 1611 King James Bible)

Just What is Amazing Grace

When Adam sinned in the garden six thousand years ago man was separated spiritually from God. There was now a wall there that no human effort can break or climb or go around. The only hope man had was a promise made by God that he would make a great nation from Abraham's descendants and from that nation a Saviour, a Christ. Four thousand years later man is still waiting for the fulfillment to that promise even though they never did anything to deserve it. Then, at God's perfect time, a Saviour came down to man and subjected himself to the worst possible living conditions, His name was Jesus. Now let me tell you what he went through here on earth. When his mother was about ready to give birth they were away from home and could not find a hotel room, if you will, and a citizen of that city was kind enough to let them stay in his barn. That night the baby was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes, which were rags used to wipe down newborn calves I believe, and placed in a manger which was basically a feeding trough. growing up as a carpenters son, he didn't exactly have the best things in life. He had nice sized family with a few brothers and an unknown number of sisters. When twelve years of age he went with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast. After the feast was complete his parents went home guessing he was in the group of people they were traveling with. Once they had gone a days journey they started to look for Him. When they could not find him, they returned to Jerusalem and found him in the temple talking with the priests. He then went home with them and even though he was God in the flesh he submitted himself to their authority and became obedient to them. Once grown he was baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist, and then went into the wilderness for a forty day fast. While fasting he tempted greatly by the devil himself but came out with the victory. During his three and a half year earthly ministry he faced physical hunger and fatigue, was rejected and scorned of all men including friends and family. He was criticized and questioned many times by the hypocritical upper class of religious rulers. Then He was rejected a final time, taken to court illegally and sent around to different royal governors and officials. Finally Pontius Pilate, trying to make himself look good decided to give them their wish and condemned Him to be crucified on a cross. He was then whipped, mocked, slapped, spit on, and had his beard torn off. Then they placed a crown of thistles with thorns 3 inches long on his head and beat them down into his skull. When they finished that they put a cross (three rather large wood beams nailed together) on his shoulder and told him to walk up a hill. when they saw he was just to weak to do it, they called a guy of the street named Simon and told him to carry it up the hill. Once at Golgotha they layed the cross on the ground, put Him on it, and began to secure Him to it. They drove one big spike through one hand and into the wood, another big spike through the other hand and into the wood there, and one big spike through both His feet and He was nailed to the cross. While, then they picked that cross up with him in it and dropped the bottom of it into a 4 foot hole; dislocating every bone in His body. Then they watched, for six, long hours they watched him suffer. Blood pouring out of his wounds. Then He died. After thirty-three years of suffering, He died. After a while the Roman soldiers came by to see if the prisoners were dead. Usually the manner was, to make sure they were dead you broke their legs. They did that to the other two crucified men, but when they got to Jesus they saw he was dead so they they didn't do the normal thing. No, they stabbed him in the side with a spear. Then they took him off the cross and layed him in a borrowed tomb. There He lay. The promised Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of the world in a tomb sealed with tape and guarded by soldiers. But that's not the end. No, not by a long-shot. Three days later he appeared outside the tomb with the keys of death and Hell in his hands. No longer was he a dead man laying in a grave. He was alive! Then He took the blood that He shed on Calvary and placed it on the mercy seat in heaven and I can picture him saying these words of life; "This is the sacrifice for mankind. From this day forward a wicked hell-bound sinner can come to me and receive life eternal in heaven to reign with me forever." That is love untold, ladies and gentlemen. That God did all that for you and me is just unfathomable for the mortal mind. We will never be able to understand just how much He loved his dear creation even though we could never pay him back for it. That is Amazing Grace.

Was it for me He bowed His head,
Upon the cross, and freely shed
His precious blood—that crimson tide
Was it for me the Saviour died?

It was for me...yes all for me...
O love of God.. so great, so free...
O wondrous love...I’ll shout and sing...
He died for me...my Lord and King!
—J. Danson Smith

Are you listening?

1Ki 19:9 ¶ And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
1Ki 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
1Ki 19:13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 

In this passage we see Elijah again on the move. I won't go into all the details previous to these verses but what was happening was Elijah was discouraged. The Lord had just shone himself the One, True God on Mt. Carmel (1Ki 18:21-39). Elijah than slew all 400 of the prophets of baal. After the fact, Ahab king of Israel at that time, went and told queen Jezebel all that Elijah had done. When she heard she wrote a message to Elijah that said,basically, I am going to kill you just like you killed my prophets.
When Elijah heard that, he ran. This is where we pick up the story. In our passage Elijah is talking with God. First thing, God did not ask Elijah why he was there because he didn't know. He asked to let Elijah know where he was. God knew, Elijah needed to know that he was not exactly serving any purpose sitting in a cave. God had done great thing for and through him. Why was he hiding from mere humans when he had God Almighty on his side. That was just a side thought, now down to what I wanted to talk about. In the passage we see God showing Elijah just a smidgen of his awesome power. Then we see something strange, we see God using a still small voice to talk to Elijah. Just a small voice so quiet you'd miss it if you weren't listening. All of God's amazing power to create and destroy and change but yet he uses a quiet voice to speak to his servant. God wasn't in the great wind, He wasn't in the earthquake, He wasn't in the fire. He was in the still small voice. God was showing Elijah his method to reach man. God could just make man believe, snap his finger and have the President preaching like D.L. Moody in five minutes, but he doesn't. God made man with a will of his own, he didn't want a couple of robots that would serve him without question. He wanted to make a creature that could make a choice good or bad. We might not always understand God's plan, we just have to have faith and trust his decisions. As humans it is our natural tendency to want to see mighty works of God but that is just not the way it works. The next time man will see God use his power will be when man is being judged. Until then God sees fit to use his still small voice to reach us and convey to us his great love for them. One question, Are you listening?

Thanksgiving

I've always been a early decorator for Christmas but I guess I should get by Thanksgiving first. On that note I leave you with this poem and song. Happy Thanksgiving :)

Thanksgiving
I’ve been countin’ up my blessin’s,
I’ve been summin’ up my woes,
But I ain’t got the conclusion some would naturally suppose:
Why, I quit a-countin’ troubles,
For I had half a score,
While the more I count my blessin’s,
I keep a-finding more and more.
There’s been things that wan’t exactly as I thought they’d ought to be,
An’ I’ve often growled at Providence for not a-peppin’ me!
But I hadn’t stopped to reckon what the other side had been—
How much o’ good an’ blessin’ had been thickly crowded in.
Fer there’s been a rift o’ sunshine after every shower o’ tears,
An’ I’ve found a load o’ laughter scattered all along the years.
If the thorns have pricked me sometimes,
I’ve good reason to suppose
Love has hid’em often from me,
‘Neath the rapture of the rose!
So I’m goin’ to still be thankful fer the sunshine an’ the rain,
Fer the joy that’s made me happy, fer me purgin’ done by pain.
Fer the love o’ little children; fer the friends that have been true,
Fer the guidin’ hand that’s led me every threatenin’ danger through!

Count your Blessings

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
5. * Alternate text.

Ask Away.

I would like to open up my blog to any spiritual questions that my viewers might have. All answers will have bible verses to back them up. If I cannot answer your question I will consult my pastor for the biblical answer. Just put your question in a comment.

No One Ever Cared for me Like Jesus.

No One ever cared for me Like Jesus.

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me,
All my heart was full of misery and woe;
Jesus placed His strong and loving arms about me,
And He led me in the way I ought to go.

Ev’ry day He comes to me with new assurance,
More and more I understand His words of love;
But I’ll never know just why He came to save me,
Till some day I see His blessed face above.

Chorus

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There’s no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.

Charles Weigle

In a life here on earth filled with sorrows and woes, we often feel as if we are all alone. Without any hope in sight people consider many sad alternative paths such as suicide, abortion, drinking, and many other ways that will provide fleshly satisfaction that will only last for a season. Many don't know about Jesus as the only true way to happiness.  "Oh how much He cared for me."

Giveaway!

There's a giveway over at Cowboy Nick's blog! Head over there to enter for some great CD's!

The end of our Missions Conference

Thank you all for praying for our mission conference. We had one saved and our missions giving is twice what it was last year. Pray for our missionaries as they are traveling gathering support for the mission field. Pray also for our church that we would never be slack in providing for God's ambassadors.

In the beginning, God...

In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth. Gen. 1:1
I like those first words; In the beginning, God... It doesn't say Buddha or other so called gods. It just says, God. Creator God. Everlasting God. The "Alpha and the Omega" God. The "Beginning and the End" God. God the Father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit. The Triune God. The Almighty God.  Yeah, I like that verse a whole lot. It means we did NOT, I repeat, did NOT come from a big boom or an amoeba or a monkey. We came from God. That's it folks. There is no evolution. You are not near as big and bad as you hoped or thought. God says it, that settles it. It's amazing isn't it. I have been to a good number of the fifty states of America. I have driven through deserts, mountains, plateaus, plains, forests, sand dunes, cornfields, and the tropics. I have seen geysers and the Salt Lake, Three of the Great Lakes of Michigan, and I have swam in the Gulf of Mexico. I have been to a number of National Parks and Monuments. I have stood on top of mountains looking down thousands of feet to valleys below and visa-versa. I have seen Old Faithful spout its boiling water from depths below. I have caught bass and hunted deer. I have looked up at night and seen great wonders. I have seen all the great beauty's of America. Yet it seems that many can see all that and say it came from a big bang. Well, let me be the first to say, and I hope you agree, they're wrong. God made the heavens and the earth. Without a question or a doubt, I can say with the Bible as my proof that God created the heavens and the earth.

Missions Conference

I won't start off by telling you how busy its been and why I haven't posted in ages. That would be a lie. Reality is, I'm just lazy. Anyway I'm here now to ask you to pray for my churches Missions Conference Oct. 19-20 Saturday and Sunday. We will have four different missionary/evangelists in to get us fired up for missions. Now, a poem for missions.
             Your Mission
    Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,

Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?
Long and loud the Master calls us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer, gladly saying,
Here am I, send me, send me?

If you cannot cross the ocean,
And the distant lands explore,
You can find the lost around you,
You can help them at your door;
If you cannot give your thousands,
You can give the widow’s mite;
What you truly give for Jesus,
Will be precious in His sight.

If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked,
With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Savior’s waiting arms.

If you cannot be the watchman,
Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven,
Offering life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your bounties
You can do what heaven demands;
You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the prophet’s hands.

If among the older people,
You may not be apt to teach,
Feed My lambs, said Christ, our Shepherd,
Place the food within their reach.
And it may be that the children
You have led with trembling hand,
Will be found among your jewels,
When you reach the better land.

Let none hear you idly saying,
There is nothing I can do.
While the lost of earth are dying,
And the Master calls for you;
Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calls you,

"Here am I; send me, send me!"
                                                Daniel March 

9/11

Three days and twelve years ago our nation was attacked by The Al-Qaeda. They hijacked three planes and flew them into previously targeted buildings. At the time I was only 2 years old, but I was told about it later. How could they be so cruel. The Americans that they killed had done nothing to them but they killed them anyway. I'm not sure whether the victims on the plane knew what their destination was but they knew something was going on. One plane flew into the Twin Towers while another flew into the Pentagon. However, there was a victory won by the true Americans that day. There was a third plane hijacked that day, but it never reached its destination.  All of the sudden, the patriots on that plane knew they were in a war. Even though it was against what they had planned they were fighting for the things they believed in. Freedom, Liberty, Justice no matter what the cost. So they banded together to take back the plane. They succeeded but at the cost of the lives on that plane. It crashed in a field. Lives were lost that day but lives were also saved. Who knows where the Al-Qaeda would have crashed that plane. Now I'm 14 years old and wonder what would have convinced those Al-Qaeda to crash a plane into a building. Was it fear of a superior officers' punishment had they not followed through. How did they feel with the targets in sight, probably very stupid. "Hey I'm gonna crash a plane with people on board into a building on purpose and kill myself willingly while everyone else dies unwillingly all because I wanted to." I'm still amazed that with all the threats and possibilities of death that befell them, that the patriots on that third plane were able to sum up the courage to fight back for their country's sake. The Bible tells us that we as Christians are to stand fast in the faith and be strong for God(1Co 16:13). Even though these patriots were fighting a physical battle they are a great example for our spiritual lives in that this world has been taken by the devil's lure. It is our job as Christians to fight with the Word of God and bring America back to God even if it means our very lives.
1 Corinthians 16:13 ¶ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

The Three Bidders

                 The Three Bidders

                  Author Unknown

     A true incident in the life of Rowland Hill.

Will you listen, kind friends, for a moment,
While a story to you I unfold;
A marvelous tale, of a wonderful sale,
Of a noble lady of old;
How hand and heart, at an auction mart,
Soul and body she sold.

'Twas on the broad "king's highway."
Near a century ago,
That a preacher stood, whose heart overflowed,
Telling the fallen and low
Of a saviour's love and a home above,
And a peace that they all might know.

All crowded 'round to listen;
And they wept at the wondrous love
That could wash their sin, and receive them in
His spotless mansion above;
While slow through the crowd, a lady proud,
In her gilded chariot drove.

"Make room," cried the haughty outrider,
"You are closing the king's highway;
My lady is late, and their Majesties wait;
Give way there, good people, I pray."
The preacher heard, and his soul was stirred,
And he cried to the rider, "Nay!"

His eye like the lightening flashes;
His voice like a trumpet rings --
"Your grand fete-days
And your fashions and ways
Are all but perishing things.
'Tis the king's highway, but I hold it today
In the name of the King of kings."

Then -- bending his gaze on the lady,
And marking her soft eye fall --
"And now, in His name, a sale I proclaim,
And bids for this fair lady call.
Who will purchase the whole --
Her body and soul.
Coronet, jewels and all?

"I see already three bidders --"
The world steps up as the first;
"I will give her my treasures
And all the pleasures
For which my votaries thirst;
She shall dance each day, more joyous and gay,
With a quiet grave at the worst."

But out speaks the Devil boldly --
"The kingdoms of earth are mine.
Fair lady, thy name, with an envied fame,
On their brightest tablets shall shine;
Only give me thy soul, and I'll give the the whole.
Their glory and wealth to be thine."

"And pray, what hast Thou to offer --
Thou Man of Sorrows, unknown?"
And He gently said, "My blood I have shed,
To purchace her for Mine own.
To conquer the grave, and her soul to save,
I bore the judgement alone.

"I will give her my cross of suffering,
My cup of sorrow to share;

But with endless love, in My home above, 
All shall be righted there; 
She shall walk in light, in a robe of white,
And a radiant crown shall wear."

"Thou hast heard the terms, fair lady,
That each hath offered thee.
Which wilt thou choose, and which wilt thou lose, 
This life, or the life to be?
The fable was mine, but the choice is yet thine,
Fair lady! Which of the three?"

Nearer the stand of the preacher
The gilded chariot stole, 
And each head was bowed, as over the crowd
The thundering accents roll;
And every word, as the lady heard,
Burned in her very soul.

"Pardon , good people," she whispered,
As she rose from her cushioned seat. 
Full well, they say, as the crowd made way,
You could hear her pulses beat;
And each head was bare, as the lady fair 
Knelt at the preacher's feet.

She took from her hands the jewels,
The coronet from her brow. 
"Lord Jesus," she said, as she bowed her head, 
"The highest bidder art Thou.
Thou gav'st for my sake Thy life, and I take
Thy offer -- and take it now.

"I know the world and its pleasures, 
At best they weary and cloy;
And the Tempter is bold, but his honors and gold
Prove ever a fatal decoy.
I long for thy rest--- Thy bid is the best;
Lord I accept it with joy.

"Give me Thy cup of suffering, 
Welcome earth's sorrow and loss,
Let my portion be to thank and praise Thee
For taking my place on the cross. 
I Gladly lay down this coveted crown,
And count the World's glory but dross." 

"Amen!" said the earnest preacher;
And the people wept aloud.
Years have rolled on -- and they all have gone 
Who formed that awe-struck crowd.
Lady and throng have been swept along 
On the wind like a morning cloud.

But the Saviour has claimed His purchase,
And around His radiant seat,
A mightier throng, in an endless song,
The wonderous story repeat.
And a form more fair is bending there, 
Laying her crown at His feet.

******************************************************************
Dear Friend :
These bidders three, still bid for thee,
Their terms remain the same.
Which wilt thou choose, and which wilt thou lose,
This life or the life to be?
Author Unknown
******************************************************************

Faith

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Faith is real. Faith is something we can't feel, taste, see, hear, or smell; but it is real.  Webster gives the following definition for faith: "In theology, the assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed. Simple belief of the scriptures, of the being and perfections of God, and of the existence, character and doctrines of Christ, founded on the testimony of the sacred writers, is called historical or speculative faith; a faith little distinguished from the belief of the existence and achievements of Alexander or of Cesar."  The Bible says that faith is a substance. I looked up the word substance in Websters 1828 dictionary and came up with this;  "In a general sense, being; something existing by itself; that which really is or exists; equally applicable to matter or spirit. It also says "Body; corporeal nature or matter." Substance is the make of something. So if faith is a substance and substance is a make of something, then faith is the matter or make of things hoped for. Also faith is evidence of things not seen. Webster gives the following definition for evidence: "To elucidate; to prove; to make clear to the mind; to show in such a manner that the mind can apprehend the truth, or in a manner to convince it. The testimony of two witnesses is usually sufficient to evidence the guilt of an offender. The works of creation clearly evidence the existence of an infinite first cause." So faith is proof that something that we can't see does exists. So faith is proof that God exists. Its that simple. The faith that has carried believers through trials from the day time began is convincing and convicting proof that there is a God that would not fail them. Tell me, would you suffer for something that you had no faith in? Would you be burnt at the stake, with the cries of your family ringing in your ears, would you do that for someone you don't have any faith in? I wouldn't. That's the difference. Saints of God died like that only because they had faith, they had PROOF that the Great I AM cared for them.

(All Scripture quoted from the King James Bible and all definitions taken from Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

First Junior Camp

My church just finished its first annual junior camp! God blessed us with one saved and several decision's to follow Him. Praise to God! We hope to be able to do this as a yearly ministry.

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

I love this song.

1. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free,
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

2. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost;
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

3. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God's dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven,
For all eternity;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

Chorus:
Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
All sufficient grace for even me;
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame;
O magnify the precious Name of Jesus,
Praise His Name!

Lyrics: Haldor Lillenas

America The Beautiful

The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama. Judge Moore was recently sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments his courtroom.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

America the Beautiful, or so you used to be.
Land of the Pilgrims' pride; I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters, Abortion on demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty, your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine,
Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain.

From sea to shining sea, our Nation turns away
From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray.

So many worldly preachers tell lies about our Rock,
Saying God is going broke so they can fleece the flock.

We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown.
When earth is but His footstool, and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless Judges who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry, that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children, will humbly turn and pray;
Seek His holy face and mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful, if you don't then you will see,
A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from Thee.

Judge Roy Moore

This is where our government is today. Are we proud of ourselves? Are we still able to call ourselves Americans without shame? I AM GLAD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I am glad that God has provided a means of living in freedom. America is not just another piece of land that can be bought or sold. Nor is it just a place where Satan can spread his deadly disease of sin. America is a divine providence from God to satisfy man's cries for liberty and justice and more importantly to spread His blessed salvation plan. America is not yet so far gone that a few men of God cannot turn it from the path it is on and bring it back to Himself.

The Last Chapter

Last night my church went up to a great tent meeting at Parker Memorial Baptist Church to hear Dr. Phil Kidd. He preached on what the last chapter of your life will say and it was amazing! He took us to four deaths in the Bible and what their deaths were said about them. Abner died a fool, Demus died a  failure, Judas died a fake, and the sinner on the cross died a forgiven man. He used the story of one winter he came home from college for Christmas break. When home he got a phone call from a person he hadn't heard from in years and she asked him to come talk to her son, who was dying and he knew it, about God. The reason, she said, was because even though no one knew it her and boys father had long ago gotten saved and had started serving God. Then they began to be very successful  in work. She was making money and he was making money and they were having children and eventually they were to busy making money to go to church and serve God! One disappointing thing is that they had forgotten how tell someone how to get saved. So he said he'd come. He gets there and goes to the boy and tells him how to get saved. The boy  listens and when Dr. Kidd asks him if wants to get saved the boy answers "That's a nice story Mr. Kidd but I don't believe a word of it." Dr. Kidd  asks "Well why not? " The boy answers "Because my mom and dad love me to much to not tell me if there was a real concern over where I will go when I die." Then the dad, who was standing right there, just collapsed and cried out to God. That is very sad. Can you imagine how the parents felt when they heard their son say that? That it was their fault that their son didn't believe. Well there was no point in staying so Dr. Kidd went home. In the morning he got a call from the mother of the boy. She said that her son had died in the night and all that Br. Kidd could imagine was the boy lifting his eyes up in hell and scream " WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME MOM AND DAD." Then the lady said that she had sat with her son through the night and had dozed off. In the middle of the night she was awakened by a tug on her arm. She looks around theirs nobody there, she looks at the couch where her son was laying and he was gone. She looks on the ground and she asks him why he was down there. He says " I was to weak to wake you so I fell on the floor to wake you up. I did that so I could tell you that I got saved." That boy never said another word on this earth. He didn't even get off the ground before he died. Wouldn't that be sad? Wouldn't that be horrid to think that your failure as a christian might have caused a hell-bound sinner to continue on the path he was on instead of getting saved? It happens every single day of life on this earth. Some people don't even care or notice! What will the last chapter of your life say?

Truly "Under God"

  In July of 1776, 56 men signed a declaration that would be the groundwork for this beautiful country called America. There is no way that I could begin to describe what the mood in the air might have been at that fateful moment. One of frustration, of anger, of wonder, of nationalism, of plain old democracy. Could it be that it was one of a perfect, devotion and love for the Almighty God? Could it be that they were signing this document to preserve a people's wonder and amazement towards their Ultimate Origin. What if they were signing this document to preserve freedom and liberty that was planned long before we thought about a land across the blue. This document I believe was a part of God's will for not just you or me, not for just America, but for the world. That country's around the world would look at America and say "This is a nation truly under the one and only Great I AM."

Down From Heaven

This was some of my own work. Its probably not the best you have ever seen but its a start. I also wrote "The Christmas Story" to go with it and used it as a christmas card.

Down From Heaven

Down from heaven the Gift he gave
Down from heaven my soul to save
Down from heaven man's flesh he wore
Down from heaven my burden he bore.

Down from heaven to be born in a stable
Down from heaven to a world unstable
Down from heaven to be weary and worn
Down from heaven to be beaten and torn.

Down from Heaven to die for me

Down from Heaven to rise for me

Up to Heaven to give God the blood

Of the ever living, crucified One.

Here on earth to tell His story

Here on earth to give Him the glory

Here on earth tell them of Him

The One that would cleanse and keep them within.

Written by Dakota L. Covey

Tell Me The Story Of Jesus

1. The sweet story of Jesus.
2. 
   
3. Tell me the story of Jesus,
   Write on my heart every word;
   Tell me the story most precious,
   Sweetest that ever was heard.
   Tell how the angels in chorus,
   Sang as they welcomed His birth,
   “Glory to God in the highest!
   Peace and good tidings to earth.”
   • Refrain:
     Tell me the story of Jesus,
     Write on my heart every word;
     Tell me the story most precious,
     Sweetest that ever was heard.
4. Fasting alone in the desert,
   Tell of the days that are past,
   How for our sins He was tempted,
   Yet was triumphant at last.
   Tell of the years of His labor,
   Tell of the sorrow He bore;
   He was despised and afflicted,
   Homeless, rejected and poor.
5. Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
   Writhing in anguish and pain;
   Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
   Tell how He liveth again.
   Love in that story so tender,
   Clearer than ever I see;
   Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
   “Love paid the ransom for me.”

  

 Frances J. Crosby