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This day in time we really need to look back and see the Hand of God in our history in this nation. Let’s review a segment of our history that is not commonly known.
While the Pilgrims and Puritans were establishing themselves in New England, a giant step toward human liberty was occurring in Scotland. In 1638 the King of England was trying to force Roman Catholicism on the Scots. For years the Scots had been more and more throwing off this yoke, and they were not about to submit to what they believed were satanic rituals that would plunge them back into the slavery of the “dark ages”.
Thus, they came together in a covenant (which means the meeting of minds) vowing to fight to the death to refuse Catholic tyranny in their churches and civil government. Over 3,200 people signed the original document—many signing it in their own blood—saying we will die rather than live as slaves to a government that won’t submit to the moral law of God.
While the movement was far Continue reading
Why do we remember our fallen military heroes? This was the original purpose for Memorial Day when it was begun during the War Between the States. We remember for two reasons: One, God tells us to remember our past as a nation, so we will see His Providential Hand in it; and thus, He will become more real to us. When we remember His work in the past, it aids our faith in believing Him for miracles now. The Bible commands us to remember our history. It states,
Jim Cymbala, Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, says that prayer is born out of a “felt need”. We felt our need acutely before last fall’s elections. We could see the persecution of Christians rising in this nation; we could see the degrading of our nation by previous administrations; we felt the growing socialist control over our children, especially if they were in a tax-supported school. We cried to God out of hearts which felt the need of a change that we couldn’t work. Many of us believe that God answered those desperate cries and mercifully granted us a President and many other government servants who are, at least, respectful of God, the Bible, and the name of Jesus. They honor our flag and our Constitution. Compared to what we’d had for many years, all this is so wonderful it’s easy to think the crisis has passed. But don’t be deceived!
In the midst of our current crisis, we must remember that it is not up to us, but the Lord Himself, to change our hearts and forms of government. While our part is to work with Him in what He’s doing, our praying will be what ultimately wins this battle. God stirs us to prayer, reminding us,
What convinced him that civil liberty was being born for the world on that day? For twenty years he had been teaching his congregation the principles of civil liberty from the Bible. He believed Biblical teaching, done for decades before this day, had prepared the American people as no nation had ever been prepared for civil liberty. And indeed this day would seem to “…proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof…” (Leviticus 25:10)
“Jesus’ followers had been together a lot during those ten days after He had returned to heaven. They had opened their hearts to each other in a way they had never done before. Somehow, reflecting on Jesus’ different appearances made it easier to bare one’s thoughts – the hopes and the fears. This opening of the heart began to work a oneness, a unity among them that made them feel as if they were a real part of the others: An actual body of believers, joined together by the same thinking, moving in the same direction.
“What Mary didn’t see in that Garden was the host of others who were there. The many believers from the past who were standing around Jesus, waiting for the most triumphant entry ever staged. They were the ‘spirits of just men made perfect.’ (Hebrews 12:22-23) Abel, Noah, Moses, David, Daniel and many, many others. They did not yet have their new bodies, like the one Jesus had. But they knew His was the certain promise that theirs would one day come. (Ephesians 1:14)
“Mary did not want to leave. She stood there a few steps from the entrance to the grave, trying to sort out all that had happened. The angels had said He was alive. Jesus Himself had told them He would come back to life. But could that really be? She moved closer to the entrance. Questions were flying through her mind. Could He really be alive again?
Ireland all heathen and left it all Christian”. And while, no doubt, that statement is not completely true, it, no doubt, has much truth in it because Patrick was used of God powerfully in converting the Irish to Christ and helping them structure their government so that it would protect for centuries the right to share the Gospel of Christ with the next generation. Patrick’s understanding and submission to God brought tremendous power from the Holy Spirit to his life. You hear his understanding of God and this world God created and controls in what is known as