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?