A Prayer Request

Hello!

I have a prayer request.

Yesterday at my grandfathers birthday, I heard Mom, and two friends of my grandparents talking about "religion" and what they believed and so forth. I went over to listen and it was very interesting.

     One out of the two Friends called herself a Christian, and seemed to take the same side we did. The other, who's name was Robert, said he was raised Roman Catholic, but then was talking about reincarnation. He told us he doesn't read his bible much, though he thinks it should be taught more in schools. Basically, what he told us was, he doesn't think that you should follow any specific religion. As he put it: The Jew will say there's is right, and the Christian will say there's is right. So who is right ? The Jew, or the Christian?

     Robert is a very sweet man, but he needs Jesus. He lost his wife about two months ago. He said that , she didn't follow a specific religion, but she believed in God, and was a good person. He also said he wasn't a very religious man himself. Mom and I were able to tell him that it isn't religion that "buys" your way to heaven, but Jesus Christ. I also told him that it wasn't by good works that we are saved by. (Though that is important) If it was, why then, did Jesus have to die? He seemed to have an answer for almost everything we said, but he did have to stop and think a moment after he heard that.

Thank-you for taking the time to read this! God can work in this man's heart. Let's pray that He does!

A Bit On Child Training

By Kelsey A.H. 


America has gone backwards in the child training aspect.

An infant is born and immediately wants what he wants, when he wants it. That's because we (the people) have all been born with a sin nature. It has been like this ever since the fall. Instead of training our children to obey and love God, and their parents at a young age, they get away with being rebellious and think it's OK!


The infant: He is usually fed by demand. He will get his will by a cry, and/or show that he is upset. Yes, in most cases, this is OK, and, of course, essential that the infant gets what he needs. I don't disagree with that. It's just that we don't stop at needs...

By two: We are told the display of disobedient is just a "stage" called the "terrible two's"

At three: This -(not so) -"new stage" of rebellion is called the "tiring threes"

Age Four: Now at four years old, we are in charge of a child in the "fearsome fours" "stage"


(Psalm 127.3-5)


Teenage Years: By this time, we expect our kids to be rebellious, angry, disrespectful, and disobedient. As we hear from the "experts" out there, "it's just another stage your child will eventually work through".

We then send our children out to the world, considering them ready to be able to deal with all the sin out there, as well as assuming they don't take on any new bad habits, or that they won't get even deeper into sin themselves.

We consider this normal!!?? Is America this blind, that we don't see why there are so many criminal reports, and terrible things going on in our world? Can't we see this?

It's because training starts at the home. The home- a place where America today has been the most negligent.

It is the home, where the foundation of America will stand. What will happen if we continue to leave our family to themselves and their sin? Matthew 12.25 "And Jesus... said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."


May God have mercy on our country.


*Inspiration taken from the Book Child Training Tips,by Reb Bradley*

Dinner With the President, A Parable.....

"Once upon a time, I was invited to the White House for a private dinner with the President. I am a respected businessman, with a factory that produces memory chips for computers and portable electronics. There was some talk that my industry was being scrutinized by the administration, but I paid it no mind. I live in a free country. There's nothing that the government can do to me if I've broken no laws. My wealth was earned honestly, and an invitation to dinner with an American President is an honor.
I checked my coat, was greeted by the Chief of Staff, and joined the President in a yellow dining room We sat across from each other at a table draped in white linen. The Great Seal was embossed on the china. Uniformed staff served our dinner.The meal was served, and I was startled when my waiter suddenly reached out, plucked a dinner roll off my plate, and began nibbling it as he walked back to the kitchen."Sorry about that," said the President. "Andrew is very hungry.""I don't appreciate..." I began, but as I looked into the calm brown eyes across from me, I felt immediately guilty and petty. It was just a dinner roll. "Of course," I concluded, and reached for my glass. Before I could, however, another waiter reached forward, took the glass away and swallowed the wine in a single gulp."And his brother Eric is very thirsty." said the President.I didn't say anything. The President is testing my compassion, I thought. I will play along. I don't want to seem unkind. My plate was whisked away before I had tasted a bite."Eric's children are also quite hungry."With a lurch, I crashed to the floor. My chair had been pulled out from under me. I stood, brushing myself off angrily, and watched as it was carried from the room."And their grandmother can't stand for long."I excused myself, smiling outwardly, but inside feeling like a fool. Obviously I had been invited to the White House to be sport for some game. I reached for my coat, to find that it had been taken. I turned back to the President."Their grandfather doesn't like the cold."I wanted to shout, 'That was my coat! " But again, I looked at the placid smiling face of my host and decided I was being a poor sport. I spread my hands helplessly and chuckled. Then I felt my hip pocket and realized my wallet was gone. I excused myself and walked to a phone on an elegant side table. I learned shortly that my credit cards had been maxed out, my bank accounts emptied, my retirement and equity portfolios had vanished, and my wife had been thrown out of our home.Apparently, the waiters and their families were moving in. The President hadn't moved or spoken as I learned all this, but finally I lowered the phone into its cradle and turned to face him."Andrew's whole family has made bad financial decisions. They haven't planned for retirement, and they need a house. They recently defaulted on a sub-prime mortgage. I told them they could have your home.. They need it more than you do.
"My hands were shaking. I felt faint. I stumbled back to the table and knelt on the floor. The President cheerfully cut his meat, ate his steak and drank his wine. I lowered my eyes and stared at the small grey circles on the tablecloth that were water drops."By the way," He added, "I have just signed an Executive Order nationalizing your factories. I'm firing you as head of your business, I'll be operating the firm now for the benefit of all mankind. There's a whole bunch of Eric's and Andrews out there and they can't come to you for jobs groveling like beggars."I looked up. The President dropped his spoon into the empty ramekin which had been his Crème Brulee. He drained the last drops of his wine. As the table was cleared, he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair. He stared at me as I clung to the edge of the table as if it were a ledge and I were a man hanging over an abyss.I thought of the years behind me, of the life I had lived. The life I had earned with a lifetime of work, risk and struggle. Why was I punished? How had I allowed it to be taken? What game had I played and lost? I looked across the table and noticed with some surprise that there was no game board between us.What had I done wrong?As if answering the unspoken thought, the President suddenly cocked his head, locked his empty eyes to mine, and bared a million teeth, chuckling wryly as he folded his hands."You should have stopped me at the dinner roll," he said."

Author is Currently Unknown

Happy Fourth of July!

As we spend time with friends and family July 4th, why don't you take a moment to remember what we are celebrating.


May America remain A Nation Under God forever.


America's Defenders
By: Kelsey A. Hoppman

7/09


Here in our comfort zone, happy we stand,

Shopping and working, lending a hand,

But something we know and some try to forget-

Is that the solders are fighting none looks back, no regret.


Training as warriors, so mighty they'll be

Soldiers are working, for they bravely see

The future of liberty with God's guiding hand

As they seek to defend our dear country and land.



This is the land that more than once stood-

Anxious of shackles creeping up over good.

But the combatants have stood, and now they again

Remember the past-and where others have been.



It is they who remember, and they who can tell

It's for freedom their fighting, and so they fight well.

God bless our bold solders who for our name

Call freedom to America, so liberty shall reign.



Down on their knees soldier's fighting their foe;

Trudging through mud, and marching through snow.

Loyal they shall defend for all to the death,

Lives thrown down for you to the very last breath.



Lifting their eyes to the gun's stealthy aim

If they're taken down, it is our country's gain.

For once again, a great hero is gone

But forever will remain, this soldiers valiant song.



May God bless you this forth of July, and may God Bless the United States of America!

God Save The Flag!

Since we are coming close to Fourth of July, I thought a would Re-post a poem, since it went with the theme of Independence Day.

By Oliver Wendell Holmes

Washed in the blood of the brave and the blooming,
Snatched from the altars of insolent foes,

Burning with star-fires, but never consuming,

Flash its broad ribbons of lily and rose.

Vainly the prophets of Baal would rend it,

Vainly his worshippers pray for its fall;

Thousands have died for it, millions defend it,
Emblem of justice and mercy to all;

Justice that reddens the sky with her terrors,

Mercy that comes with her white-handed train,

Soothing all passions, redeeming all errors,

Sheathing the saber and breaking the chain.

Born on the deluge of all usurpation's,

Drifted our Ark o’er the desolate seas,

Bearing the rainbow of hope to the nations

Torn from the storm-cloud and flung to the breeze!

God bless the Flag and its loyal defenders,

While its broad folds o’er the battle-field wave,

Till the dim star-wreath rekindle its splendors,

Washed from its stains in the blood of the brave.