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”

St. Patrick‘s Breastplate–a hymn written by the Saint–This beautiful prayer is supposed to have been composed by Saint Patrick in anticipation of the victory over Paganism.  It is also known as the “The Lorica of Patirck”, and “The Deer’s Cry”. 

I bind unto myself today–The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity,  I believe the Trinity in the Unity.  The Creator of the Universe.  

I bind to myself today–The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,  The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,   The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension, The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind unto myself today–The virtue of the  love of the seraphim,  In the obedience of angels,  In the hope of resurrection unto reward,  In prayers of Patriarchs, In predictions of Prophets,   In preaching of Apostles,  In faith of Confessors,  In purity of holy Virgins,  In deed of righteous men. 

I bind unto myself today–The power of Heaven,  The light of the sun,  The brightness of the moon,  The splendour of fire,  the flashing of lightning,  The swiftness of wind,  The depth of sea,  The stability of earth,  The compactness of rocks.  

I bind unto myself today–God‘s Power to guide me,  God’s Might to uphold me,  God’s Wisdom to teach me,  God’s Eye to watch over me,  God’s Ear to hear me,  God’s Word to give me speech,  God’s hand to guide me,  God’s Way to lie before me,  God’s Shield to shelter me,  God’s Host to secure me,  Against the snares of demons,  Against the seductions of vices,  Against the lusts of nature,  Against everyone who meditates injury to me,  Whether far or near,  Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues–Against every hostile merciless power–Which may assail my body and my soul,  Against the incantations of false prophets,  Against the black laws of heathenism,  Against the false laws of heresy,  Against the deceits of idolatry,  Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,  Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today–  Against every poison, against burning,  Against drowning,  Against death-wound,  That I may recieve abundant reward.

Christ with me,  Christ before me,  Christ behind me,  Christ within me,  Christ beneath me,  Christ above me,  Christ at my right,  Christ at my left,  Christ in the fort,  Christ in the chariot seat,  Christ in the poop,  Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,  Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,  Christ in every eye that sees me,  Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today–The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,  I believe the Trinity in the Unity–The Creator of the Universe.

17.  And it was there of course that one night in my sleep I heard a voice saying to me:  ‘You do well to fast: so you will depart for your home country.’  And agian, a very short time later, there was a voice prophesying: “Behold, your ship is ready,’  And it was not close by, but, as it happened, two hundred miles away, where I had never been nor knew any person.  And shortly thereafter I turned about the fled from the man with whom I had been for six years, and I came, by the power of God who directed my route to advantage (and I was afraid of nothing), until I reached that ship.

18.  And on the same day that I arrived, the ship was setting out from the place, and I said that i had the wherewithal to sail with them; and the steersman was displeased and replied in anger, sharply: ‘By no means attemp to go with us.’  Hearing this l left them to go to the hut where I was staying, and on the way I began to pray, and before the prayer was finished I heard on of them shouting loudly after me:  ‘Come quickly because the men are calling you.’  And immediately I went back to them and they started to say to me : ‘Come, because we are admitting you out of good faith; make friendship with us in any way you wish.’  (And so, on that day, I refused to suck the breasts of these men from the fear of God, but nevertheless I had hopes that they would com to faith in Jesus Christ, because they were barbarians.)  And for this I continued with them, and forthwith we put to sea.

19.  And after three days we reached land, and for twenty-eight days jouneyed through uninhabited country, and the food ran out and hunger overtook them; and one day the steersman began saying: ‘Why is it, Christian? You say for God is great and all-powerful; then why can you not pray for us?  For we may perish of hunger; it is unlikely indeed that we shall ever see another human being.’  In face, I said to them, confidently: ‘Be converted by faith with all your heart to my Lord God, because nothing is impossible for him, so that Today he will send food for you on your road, until you be sated, because everywhere he abounds.’  And with God’s help this came to pass; and behold, a herd of swine appeared on the road before our eyes, and they slew many of them, and remained there for two nights, and the men were foll of their meat and well restored, for many of them had fainted and would otherwise have been left half dead by the wayside.  And after this they gave the utmost thanks to God, and I was esteemed in their eyes, and from that day they had food abundantly.  they discovered wild honey, besides, and they offered to share to me, and one of them said: ‘It is a sacrifice.’  Thanks be to God, I tasted none of it.

20.  The very same night while I was sleeping Satan attacked me violently, as I will remember as long as I shall be in this body; and there fell on top of me as it were, a huge rock, and not one of my members had any force.  but from whence did it com to me, ignorant in the spirit, to call upon ‘Helias’?  And meanwhile I saw the sun rising in the sky, and while I was crying out ‘Helias, Helias’ with all my might, lo, the brilliance of that sun fell upon me and immediately shook me free of all the weight; and I believe that i was aided by Christ my Lord, and that his Spirit then was crying out for me, and i hope that it will be so in the day of my affliction, just as it says in the Gospel: ‘In that hour’, the Lord declares,  ‘it is not you who speaks but the Spirit of your Father speaking to you.’

21.  And a second time, after many years, I was taken captive.  On the first night I accordingly remained with my captors, but I heard a divine prophecy, saying to me: “You shall be with them for two months.’  So it happened.  On the sixtieth night the Lord delivered me from their hands.

22.  On the journey he provided us with food and fire and dry weather every day, until on the tenth day we came upon people.  As I mentioned above, we had journeyed through an unpopulated country for twenty-eight days, and in fact the night that we came upon people we had no food.

23.  And after a few years I was again in Britain with my parents (kinsfolk) and they welcomed me as a son, and asked me, in faith, that after the great tribulations I had endured I should not go anywhere else away from them.  And, of course, there, in a vision of the night, I saw a man whose name was Victoricus coming as if from Ireland with innumerable letters, and he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: ‘The Voice of the Irish’: and as I was reading the beginning of the letter I seemed at that moment to hear the voice of those who were beside the forest of Foclut which is near the western sea, and they were crying as if with on voice; ‘We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.’  And I was stung intensely in my heart so that I could read no more, and thus I awoke.  Thanks be to God, because after so many years the Lord bestowed on them according to their cry.

24.  And another night–God knows, I do not, whether within me or beside me–. . . most words + . . .+which I heard and could not understand, except at the end of the speech it was represented thus: ‘He who gave his life for you, he it is who speaks within you.’  And thus I awoke, joyful.

25.  And on a second occasion I saw Him praying within me, and I was as it were, inside my own body, and I heard Him above me–that is, above my inner self. He was praying powerfully with sighs.  And in the course of this I was astonished and wondering, and I pondered who it could be who was praying within me.  But at the end of the prayer it was revealed to me that it was the Spirit.  And so I awoke and remembered the Apostle’s words: ‘Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we know not to pray as we ought.  But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for utterance.’ And again: ‘The Lord our advocate intercedes for us.’

26.  And then I was attacked by a goodly number of my elders, who (brought up) my sins against my arduous episcopate.  That day in particular I was mightily upset, and might have fallen here and for ever; but the Lord generously spared me, a convert, and an alien, for his name’s sake, and he came powerfully to my assistance in that state of being trampled down.  I pray God that it shall not be held against  them as a sin that I fell truly into disgrace and scandal.

27.  They brought up against me after thiryt years an occurrence I had confessed before becoming a deacon.  On account of the anxiety in my sorrowful mind,  I laid before my close friend what I had perpetrated on a day–nay, rather in one hour–in my boyhood because I was not yet proof against sin.  God knows–I do not–whether I was fifteen years old at the time, and I did not then believe in the living God, nor had I believed, since my infancy; but I remained in death and unbelief until I was severely rebuked, and in truth I was humbled every day by hunger and nakedness.

28.  On the other hand, I did not preceed to Ireland of my own accord until I was almost giving up, but through this I was corrected by the Lord, and he prepared me so that today I should be what was once far from me, in order that I should have the care of–or rather, I should be concerned for–the salvation of others, when at that time, still, I was only concerned for myself.

29.  Therefore, on that day when I was rebuked, as I have just mentioned, I saw a vision of the night a document before my face, without honour, and meanwhile I heard a devine prophecy, say to me: ‘We have seen with displeasure the face of the chosed one divested of (his good) name.’  And he did not say ‘You have seen with displeasure’, but ‘We have seen with displeasure’ )as if He included Himslef).  He said then:  ‘He who touches you, touches the apple of my eye.’

30.  For that reason, I give thanks to him who strengthened me in all things, so that I should not be hindered in my setting out and also in my work which I was taught by Christ my Lord; but more, from that state of affairs I felt, within me, no little courage, and vindicated my faith before God and man.

31.  Hence, therefore, I say boldly that my conscience is clear now and hereafter.  God is my witness that I have not lied in these words to you.

32.  But rather, I am grieved for my very close friend, that because of him we deserved to hear such a prophecy.  the one to whom I entrusted my soul!  And I found out from a goodly number of brethren, before the case was made in my defence (in which I did not take part, nor was I in Britain, nor was it pleaded by me), that in my absence he would fight in my behalf.  Besides, he told me himself: ‘See, the rank of bishop goes to you’–of which I was not worthy.  But how did it come to him, shortly afterwards, to disgrace me publicly, in the presence of all, good and bad, because previously, gladly and of his own free will, he pardoned me, as did the Lord, who is greater than all.

33.  I have said enough.  But all the same, I ought not to conceal God‘s gift which he lavished on us in the land of my captivity, for then I sought him resolutely, and I found him there, and he preserved me from all evils (as i believe) through the in-dwelling of his Spirit, which works in me to this day.  Again, boldly, but God knows, if this had been made know to me by man, I might, perhaps, have kept silent for the love of Christ.

34.  thus I give untiring thanks to God who kept me faithful in the day of my temptation,so that today I may condifently offer my soul as a living sacrifice for Christ my Lord; who am I, Lord/ or, rather, what is my calling? that you appeared to me in so great a divine quality, so that today among the barbarians I might constantly exalt and magnify your name in whatever place I should be, and not only in good fortune, but even in affliction?  so that whatever befalls me, be it good or bad, I should accept it equally, and give thanks always to God who revealed to me that I might trust in him, implicitly and forever, and who will encourage me so that, ignorant, and in the last days, I may dare to undertake so devout and so wonderful a work; so that I might imitate one of those whom, once, long ago, the Lord already pre-ordained to be heralds of his Gospel to witness to all peoples to the ends of the earth.  So are we seeing, and so it is fulfilled; behold, we are witnesses because the gospel has been preached as far as the places beyond which no man lives.

35.  But it is tedious to describe in detail all my labours one by one.  I will tell briefly how most holy God frequently delivered me, from slavery, and from the twelve trials with which my sould was threatened, from man traps as well, and from things I am not able to put into words.  i would not cause offence to readers, but I have God as witness who knew all things even before they happened, that, though I was a poor, ignorant waif, still he gave me abundant warnings through devine prophecy.

36.  Whence came to me this wisdom which was not my own, I who neither knew the number of days nor had knowledge of God?  Whence came the so great and so healthful gift of knowing or rather loving God, though I should lose homeland and family?

37.  And many gifts were offered to me with weeping and tears, and I offended them (the donors), and also went against the wishes of a good number of my elders; but guided by God, I neither agreed with them nor deferred to them, not by my own grace but by God who is victorious in me and withstands them all, so that I might come to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure insults from unbelievers; that I might hear scandal of my travels, and endure many persecutions to the extent of prison; and so that I might give up my free birthright for the advantage of others, and if i should be worthy, I am ready (to give) even my life without hesitation; and most willingly for His name.  And I choose to devote it to him even unto death, if God grant it to me.

38.  I am greatly God’s debtor, because he granted me so much grace, that through me many people would be reborn in God, and soon a after confirmed, and that clergy would be ordained everywhere for them, the masses lately come to belief, whom the Lord drew from the ends of the earth, just as he once promised through his prophets:  ‘To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, “Our fathers have inherited naught but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.”‘  and again: ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles that you may bring slavation to the uttermost ends of the earth.’

39.  And I wish to wait then for his promise thich is never unfulfilled, just as it is promised in the Gospel:  ‘Many shall come from east and west and shall sit at  table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’  Just as we believe that believers will come from all the world.

40.  So for that reason one should, in fact, fish well and diligently, just as the Lord foretells and teaches, saying, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,’  and , again, through the prophets: ‘”Behold, I am sending forth many fishers and hunters,” says the Lord, ‘ et ceters.  so it behoved us to spread our nets, that a vast multitude and throng might be caught for God, and so there might be clergy everywhere who baptized and exhorted a needy and desirous people.  Just as the Lord says in the Gospel, admonishing and instructing:  ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them ot observe all that i have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the end of time.’  And again he says: ‘Go forth into the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.  He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be condemned.’  And again: ‘This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached through the whole world as a witness to all nations; and then the end of the world shall come.’  And likewise the Lord fortells through the prophet: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days (sayeth the Lord) that i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy.’  and in Hosea he says: ‘Those who are not my people I will call my people, and those not beloved I will call my beloved, and in the very place where it was said to them,  “You are not my people,” they will be called ‘Sons of the living God.”‘

41.  So, haw is it that in Ireland, where they never had any knowledge of God but, always, until now, cherished idols and unclean things, they are lately become a people of the Lord, and are called children of God; the sons of the Irish (Scotti) and the daughtersof the chieftains are to be seen as monks and virgins of Christ.

42.  And there was, besides, a most beautiful, blessed native-born noble Irish (Scotta) woman of adult age whom I baptized; and a few days later she had reason to come to us to intimate that she had recieved a prophecy from a divine messenger (who) adivsed her that she should become a virgin of christ and she would draw nearer to God.  Thanks be to God, six days from then, opportunely and most eagerly, she took the course that all virgins of God take, not with their fathers’ consent but enduring the persecutions and deceitful hindrances of their parents.  notwithstanding that, their number increases, (we do not know the number of them  that are so reborn) besides the wodows and those who practise self-denial.  those who are kept in slavery suffer the most.  They endure terrors and constant threats, but the lord has given grace to many of his handmaidens, for even though they are forbidden to do so, still they resolutely follow his example.

43.  So it is that even if I should wish to separate from them in order to go to Britain, and most willingly was I prepared to go to my homeland and kinsfolk–and not only there, but as far as Gaul to visit the brethren there, so that I might see the faces of the holy ones of my Lord, God knows how strongly I desired this–I am bound by the Spirit, who witnessed to me that if I did so he would mark me out as quilty, and I fear to waste the labour that I began, and not I, but Christ the Lord, who commanded me to come to be with them for the rest of may life, if the Lord shall will it and shield me from every evil, so that I may not sin before him.

44.  So I hope that I did as I ought, but I do not trust myself as long as I am in this mortal body, for he is strong who strives daily to turn me away from the faith and true holiness to which I aspire until the end of my life for Christ my Lord, but the hostile flesh is always dragging one down to death, that is, to unlawful attractions.  And I know in part why I did not lead a perfect life like other believers, but I confess to my Lord and do not blush in his sight, because I am not lying; from the time when I came to know him in my youth, the love of God and fear of him increased in me, and right up until now, by God’s favour, I ahve kept the faith.

45.  What is more, let anyone laugh and taunt if he so wishes.  I am not keeping silent, nor am I hiding the signs and wonders that were shown to me by the Lord many years before they happened, (he) who knew everything, even before the beginning of time.

46.  Thus, I should give thanks unceasingly to God, who frequently forgave my folly and my negligence, in more than on instance so as not to be violently angry with me, who am placed as his helper, and I did not easily assent to what had been revealed to me, as the Spirit was urging; and the Lord took pity on me thousands upon thousands of times, because he saw within me that I was prepared, but that I was ignorant of what to do in view of my situation; because many were trying to pervent this mission.  They were talking among themselves behind my back, and saying: ‘Why is this fellow throwing himself into danger among enemies who know not God?’  Not from malice, but having no liking for it; likewise, as I myself can testify, they perceived my rusticity.  And I was not quick to recognize the grace that ws then in me; I now know that I should have done so earlier.

47.  Now I have put it frankly to my brethren and co-workers, who have believed me because of what I have foretold and still foretell to strengthen and reinforce your faith.  I wish only that you, too, would make greater and better efforts.  This will be my pride, for ‘a wise son makes a proud father’.

48.  You know, as God does, how I went about among you from my youthj in the faith of truth and in sincerity of heart.  As well as to the heathen among whom I live, I have shown them trust and always show them trust.  God knows I dod not cheat any one of them, nor consider it, for the sake of God and his Church, lest the Lord’s name be blasphemed because of me, for it is written:  ‘Woe to the men through whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed.’

O Thou Most High,  Creator of the ends of the earth, Governor of the universe, Jodge of all men, Head of the church, Savior of sinners;

thy greatness is unsearchable, thy goodness infinite, thy compassions unfailing, thy providence boundless, thy mercies ever new.

We bless thee for the words of salvation.  How important, suitable, encouraging are the doctrines, promises, and invitations of the gosple of peace!

We are lost: but in it thou hast presented to us a fell, free and eternal salvation; weak: but here we learn that help is found in one that is mighty  poor: but in him we discover unsearchable riches  blind: but we find he has treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

We thank thee for thy unspeakable gift.

Thy Son is our only refuge, foundation, hope, confidence;

We depend upon his death, rest in his righteouosness, desire to bear his image;

May his glory fill our minds, his love reign in our affections, his cross inflame us with ardour.

Let us as Christians fill our various situations in life, escape the snares to which they expose us, discharge the duties that arise from our circumstances, enjoy with moderation their advantages, improve with diligence their usefulness,

And may every place and company we are in be benefited by us.

Genesis 12:3 (NIV)  “I will bless those who bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Matthew 1:1 (NIV) A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Acts 3:25 (NIV) And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers.  He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’

Galatians 3:16 (NIV) The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.  The Scripture does not say “And to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Also see Galatians 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  John 1:12

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8,9

For God sent not his Son into the world to comdemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  John 3:17

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.  John 3:36

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  Revelation 3:20

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  I John 5:11-13

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 10:32

But what saith it?  The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shat be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  Romans 10:8-10

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  Romans 5:12

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

Moreover, Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures;  I Corinthians 15:1-4

Love

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.    Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlsting life.    John 3:16

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God: and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his onlly begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.    I John 4:7-12

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  We love him, because he first loved us.    I John 4:16, 19

As the Fther hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commndments, and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is my commandment.  That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  these things I command you, that ye love one another.    John 15:9-13, 17

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullenss of God.    Ephesians 3:17-19

I love them that love me; and those that see me early shall find me.    Proverbs 8:17

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.    Jeremiah 31:3

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.    Hosea 2:19

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is tht loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and i will love him, and will manifest myself to him.    John 14:21

Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.    Psalm 42:8

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these if charity.    I Corinthians 13:13

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.    Romans 8:38,39

We are doing a study with our High Schoolers this year.  We are going through the book of Hebrews.  I am enjoying it so much I want to share it with you.  I will also be adding some info from other resourses.  I will name them as I go.  Hope you enjoy and the Lord opens your eyes and mine to new understanding of his word.  Please feel free to write and share what you have learned.  We should all comfort, encourage and support each other in our Christian walk.

By: John Alfred Hultman (1861-1942)

Thanks, O God, for boundless mercy, From Thy gracious throne above; Thanks for every need provided, From the fullness of thy love!  Thanks for daily toil and labor, and for the rest when shadows fall; Thanks for love of friend and neighbor, And thy goodness unto all!

Thanks for thorns as well as roses, Thanks for weakness and for health; Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine, Thanks for poverty and wealth!  Thanks for pain as well as pleasure–All Thou sendest day by day; And Thy Word, our dearest treasure, Shedding light upon our way.

Thanks, O God, for home and fireside, Where we share our daily bread; Thanks for hours of sweet communion, When by Thee our souls are fed! Thanks for grace in time of sorrow, And for joy and peace in Thee; Thanks for hope today, tomorrow, And for all eternity!

Image via Wikipedia

By: George J. Elvey (1816-1893)

 Come, ye thankful people, come–Raise the song of harvest-home: All is safely gathered in Ere the winter storms begin. God, our maker, doth provide, For our wants to be supplied: come to God’s own temple, come-Raise the song of harvest-home.

All the world is God’s own field; Fruit unto His praise to yield: Wheat and tares together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown. f]First the blade and then the ear, Then the full corn shall appear: Lord of harvest, grant that we Wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God own field, And shall take His harvest home: from his field shall in that day, All offenses purge away–Give His angels charge at last, In the fire the tares to cast, But the fruitful ears to store, In His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come to Thy final harvest-home; Gather Thou Thy people in, Free from sorrow, free from sin; There, forever purified, In Thy presence to abide; Come, with all Thine angels, com-Raise the glorious harvest home.

NOW STAY WITH ME . . .

I was helping out in the junior high school youth group and this was the message.  I had never looked at these verses in this way before.  Look at them with me and see what the Holy Spirit teaches you.  Lets go to 1 John 2:18-29

18  Children, it is the last hour! (John is talking about the last days, the time between Christ‘s first and second coming)  As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now MANY antichrist have come. (antichrist=is someone who is against or puts them selves in the place of Christ. Selfcenteredness)  From this we know that it is the last hour.  19  They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. (The antichrists were not total strangers to the church; they once belonged to it, but they did not comtinue.  Some people may call themselves Christians for less than the best reasons.  Perhaps going to church is a family tradition, or they like the social and business contacts or a long standing habit.  They never stopped to ask themeselves why they do it.  What is your main reason for being a Christian ??  Unless it is a Christ centered reason, you may not really belong.)  But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us.  20  But you have been anointed by the Holy One and all of you have knowledge. (Anointed is when you put your faith in Christ and then the Holy Spirit dwells within you.  Anoint means to rub or smite.)  21  I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth.  22  WHO IS THE LIAR BUT THE ONE WHO DENIES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST??  THIS IS THE ANTICHRIST, THE ONE WHO DENIES THE FATHER AND THE SON. 

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.

24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.  If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and Father.  25  And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.

26 I write these things to you concerning those who would decieve you.

27 As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him.  (Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit to teach his followers and remind them of all that he had taught.  Christians have the Holy Spirit within them (anointing) to keep them from going astray.  They also have the God inspired Scriptures.  To stay true to Christ, we must follow his word and his Spirit.  Let the Holy spirit help you discern truth from error)

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming. 29  If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him.

Those ten verses are amazing when you look at them.  So, anytime I am not Christ centered I am anti-christ.  That is quite a thought.  That bible study has really stuck with me and I have been meditating on it and really trying to stay in prayer and the presence of Christ.  I really wanted to share it and hope that you also could grow and turn again to your “first love,” Christ our Savior.  Our all in all.

Thanks for joining.

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.”

COMPLETE UPDATE FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL PRAYER TEAM: (you can check this on a daily basis !!  www.presidentialprayerteam.org

Psalm 5:1-3 (NIV)

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing.  Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.  In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.

This is from a letter by John Adams.

Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.  The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue; and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty.  They will only exchange tyrants and tyrannies.

Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  I John 4:7,8

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiationfor our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  I John 4:10-12

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.  John 15:9,10

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  John 14:21

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  These things I command you, that ye love one another.  John 15:12-14, 17

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these.  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.  Mark 12:30,31,33

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  And this commandment have we from him.  That he who loveth God lvoe his brother also.  I John 4:16, 21

The Lord hath, appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:  therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.  Jeremiah 31:3

For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have love me, and have believed that I come out from God.  John 16:27

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38,39

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  John 13:34,35