I am really enjoying finding out more about our founding fathers and the roots of our country.  I am finding great strenght, peace and encouragement from reading about them.  I feel it is important to stay up with the news of the world so I can be a smarter voter, and also lift up in prayer events that the Holy Spirit prompts me to share with my Heavenly Father.  I hope you enjoy this and it touches your heart.

Samual Adams: Father of the American Revolution, Signer of the Declaration of Independence–  “I…recommend my Soul to that Almightsy Being who gave it, and my body I commit to the dust, relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.”

Charles Carroll: Sighner of the Declaration of Independence–  “On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts.”

William Cushing: First Associate Justice Apppointed by George Washington to the Supreme Court–  “Sensible of my mortality, but being of sound mind, after recommending my soul to Almighty God through the merits of my Redeemer and my body to the earth . . .

John Dickinson:Sinner of the Constitution–  “Rendering thanks to my Creator for my existence and station among His works, for my birth in a country enlightened by the Gospel and enjoying freedom, and for all His other kindnesses, to Him I resign myself, humbly confiding in His goodness and in His mercy through Jesus Christ for the events of eternity.”

John Hancock:Signer of the Declaration of Independence–  “I John Hancock,…being advanced in years and being of perfect mnd and memory-thanks be given to God-therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die (Hebrews 9:27), do make and ordain this my last will and testament…Principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it: and my body I recommend to the earth…nothing doubting but as the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mercy and power of God…”

This man was an American Puritan.  He was a stimulator of the religious revivial “Great Awakening.”  I was reading some of his quotes and thought I would share some.

“A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness”

“Many pray with their lips for that for which their hearts have no desire”

“The best, more beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music

“Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life”

“Resolution One: I will live for God.  resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will”

“The happiness of the creature consists in rejoicing in God, by which also God is magnified and exalted”

To the extent that we allow God‘s love to be manifest in us we are obeying Christ‘s command. 

To that extent we are remaining in Him and His words are remaining in us. 

And to that extent we can expect to have our prayers answered.–Wentworth Pike, contemporary author and Bible teacher.–The Presidential Prayer Team Website

John 15:7–”If you remain in Me and My word remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

“there is not one inch of creation of which Christ doesn’t say ‘Mine,’”

–Theodore Roosevelt:

Every thinking man, when he thinks, realizes that the teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and entwined with our whole civic and social live that it would be literally–I do not mean figuratively, but literally–impossible for us to figure what that loss would be if these teachings were removed.  We would lose all the standards by which we now judge both public and private morals; all the standards towards which we, with more or less resolution, strive to raise ourselves.

–Calvin Coolidge

If American democracy is to remain the greatest hope of humanity, it must continue abundantly in the faith of the Bible.

–Ronald Reagan

We’re blessed to have (the Bible’s) words of strength, comfort, and truth.  I’m accused of being simplistic at times with some of the problems that confront us.  But I’ve often wondered:  Within the covers of the single Book are all the answers to all the problems that face us today, if we’d only look there. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever.”  I hope Americans will read and study the Bible in (the coming year).  It’s my firm belief that the enduring values, as I say presented in its pages have a great meaning for each of us and for our nation.  The bible can touch our hearts, order our minds, refresh our souls.

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November 19, 1863–Gettysburg Address

That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God, and that government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

Image by Grant MacDonald via Flickr

“I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.”

Comment:  After I read this, I sat and reflected.  So many days pass me by that I have wasted time, given in to weariness, and let an opportunity to share my Lord and Savior and more.  I have lived almost half a century and I am telling myself–Now is the time to finish the race Strong!! 

Make today a Great day in the Lord.  Let’s do our best with were we are in life and share the Gospel when we have the chance. 

Today might be our last.

A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend.  His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it si He himself we have.

A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian. . . and most of all, his family ought to know.

Character is what you are in the dark.

Faith makes all thing possible…love makes all things easy.

Give me a man who says this one thing I do, and not those fifty things I dabble in.

God never made a promise that was too good to be true.

I have more trouble with myself that with any other man.

I know the Bible is inspired because it inspires me.

If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of me.

The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.

There’s no better book with which to defent the Bible than the Bible itself.

We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity, for in prosperity we forget God.

Preparation for old age should begin not later tahn one’s teens.  A life which is empty of purposes until 65 will not suddenly become filled on retirement.

We are told to let our light shine, and if it does we won’t need to tell anybody it does.  Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to theri shining–they just shine.

We talk of heaven being so far away.  It is within speaking distance to those who belong there.  Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant.  It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest.

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The Bible will keep you from Sin,

OR–Sin will keep you from the Bible!

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Commemoration of Albrecht Durer, artise, 1528.

Oh God in heaven, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus Christ, interecede for your people, deliver us at the opportune time, perserve in us the true genuine Christian Faith, collect your scattered sheep with your voice, your divine Word as Holy Writ calls it.  Help us to recognize your voice, help us not to be allured by the madness of the world, so that we may never fall away from you, O Lord Jesus Christ.  Author: Albrecht Durer.

Albrecht Durer, the great German artist of the Northern Renaissance and friend of Erasmus and Martin Luther, was sympathetic toward the Reformation.  His realistic style reveals an evident appreciation of the Scriptures.  Although he was a master painter, he achieved popularity in his lifetime for his engravings.  many believe that his engravings are his greatest contributions to Western art.  Prints were made from these engravings, and for the first time in history men and women of ordinary means were able to purchase these prints and have great art in their own homes.

1707-1788–English clergyman, poet and hymn writer

“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

At all the times you can

To all the people you can!”

“Best of all is, God is with us.”

“You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.”

“The longer I live, the larger allowances I make for human infirmities.  I wxact more from myself and less from others.”

“Christ the Lord is risen to-day,” –Sons of men and angels say.–Ranise your joys and triumphs high;–Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply.  (Easter)a

“Hark the herald angels sing,–Glory to the new-born king.”–Peace on earth, and mercy mild,–God and sinners reconciled.!  (Christmas)

Lo! on narrow neck of land,–’Twixt two unbounded seas, I stand.–Secure, insensible  (Life)

A charge to keep I have,–A god to glorify:–A never-dying sould to save,–And fit it for the sky.  (soul)

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(1483-1546)

At night alwasy carry in your heart something from Holy Scriptures to bed with you, meditate upon it like a ruminant animal, and go softly to sleep; but this must not be too much, rather a lkittle that may be well pondered and understood, that you may find a remnant of it in your ming when you rise in the morning.

The human heart os like a ship on a stormy sea driven about by winds blowing from all four corners of heaven.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.

Here stand I.  I can do no other.

I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is nither right nor safe.  Here I satand, I can do no other.  God help me.  Amen              (in front of his inquisitors at the Diet of Worms)

Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience.  Here I stand.  I can do no other.  God help me. Amen.

Music is a discipline, and a goo mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable.

My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.