Happy July 4th! Celebrating Freedom
Celebrating the 4th of July!
Independence Day in America is a time of celebration of freedom, both spiritual and physical.
May you all have a safe and happy day!
And special thanks and prayers go out to all those who have served and are serving in the military on our behalf; that we may continue to enjoy freedom.
Thank God for all His blessings!
John Adams
2nd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence
“Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God … What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be.”
–Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, Vol. III, p. 9.
“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
–Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.
“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts.”
– Psalm 119:45
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
– John 8:32
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
– John 8:36
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
– Galatians 5:1
“In Him [Christ] and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
– Ephesians 3:12
1861 (July 4), Senate Prayer:
“Almighty and everlasting God, be not angry with us for our sins, which we only confess and deplore; but pardon our offenses and extend to us Thy favor. We thank Thee for Thy goodness on this anniversary of the nation a day tenfold more precious by reason of our present troubles, and sacred to the heart for the ever memorable Declaration of our fathers, in which Thou didst begin more openly to give us a name among the nations of the earth. We thank Thee for all Thy manifold and abundant mercies hitherto to make our nation exceedingly great and glorious; but now disasters have befallen us and darkness broods in the land. And now we ask Thy mercy as the Senate is convening at a most momentous crisis of our history. Give to Thy servants all needed help. Add to their deliberations wisdom and unanimity, and profit and speed to their conclusion. Bless Thy servant, the President of the United States, our veteran Commander-in- Chief, and all that have functions in the civil and military power. May the angel of Thy presence walk in the Cabinet and in the Congress and in the camp, to go before, to purify, and to direct the now greatly and universally-awakened love of country. And we beseech Thee to guide us, to overrule and order all things, and so to cause that nothing shall fail, that the disorders of the land may be speedily healed, that peace and concord may prevail, that truth and righteousness may be established, and that Thy Church and Kingdom may flourish in a larger peace and prosperity, for Thy Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.”
– Rev. Byron Sunderland, D.D.
(Source: Congressional Globe, 37th Congress, first session, new series, 1, 4 July 1861.)
Happy 4th of July!
God bless you always -
Cheers,
Brenda
Happy Earth Day 2010
Thanking God for His Beautiful Creation of Planet Earth!
In an article at ChristianPost.com entitled
“Creation and Man“,
Chuck Colson says…
“…No doubt you’ll be seeing plenty of news coverage about rallies, marches, and activities associated with this major environmental commemoration…
Saving resources and money, ensuring our human habitat is clean and healthy, this is the stuff of good stewardship and common sense-things that especially we Christians should be known for. I say this knowing I’m going to get letters from concerned listeners…
After all, Christians are rightly concerned that extremists have turned Earth Day into ‘Worship-Earth Day’…
Our faith, our Christian worldview, tells us that the earth is good precisely because God created it and declared it good. It is worthy of our care, and indeed, we were commanded to tend it. Wasteful and immoderate use of natural resources is not a Christian virtue.
We must also realize that creation care begins with the care of the crown of creation: man, alone among living things, created in the image of God. In creating a clean sustainable environment, we do so primarily for humanity’s benefit…
Celebrate that God has created such a beautiful planet, populated by humans created in His own image, and that He has called us to tend His creation as His stewards.”
You can read the complete article “Creation and Man” by Chuck Colson at ChristianPost.com
Today is a great day to give thanks to God for His beautiful creation.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.
For He has founded it upon the seas,
and established it upon the waters.Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD
Or who shall stand in His holy place?He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face.”
– Psalm 24:1-6
Happy Earth Day!
Have you thanked God yet today for all His blessings?
Cheers,
Brenda
Happy Good Friday – Investigating Easter
Research into the Death and Resurrection of Jesus
A Happy Good Friday to everyone!
Today and Sunday are especially important days for Christian believers.
I hope you take time to celebrate!
I just read an article in the Washington Post by Lee Strobel called “Investigating Easter.”
I found it interesting and highlighted some things below:
Resurrection… isn’t that the stuff of mythology and legend? We live in the scientific age – belief in the resurrection is simply untenable…
…at least, that’s what Lee thought until checking the facts himself. Using his legal training, he investigated the most audacious claim of history: that Jesus of Nazareth returned from the dead and thus authenticated his claim to being the Son of God.
After a couple years of research he found his atheism cracking after discovering some of the following:
First, there’s overwhelming evidence Jesus was executed.
Second, resurrection accounts date back so early they can’t be legendary – because legends take time to develop.
Third, there’s the empty tomb. If it weren’t empty, it would have been impossible for a movement founded on the resurrection to have exploded into existence in the same city where Jesus had been publicly executed and buried just a few weeks earlier.
Finally, scholars point out nine sources reporting the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples.
You can read the complete article here: Investigating Easter
Again a Happy Good Friday to you!
God bless you,
Brenda
P.S. Image credit thanks to Billy Alexander!
Happy 1st Birthday Growing Prosperity!
Celebrating the 1st Anniversary of GrowingProsperity.com
Today is the 1 Year Anniversary Celebration of Growing Prosperity.com!
Thanks to everyone for your encouragement over the year!
It is much appreciated and it has gone a long way in helping keep this project growing…
I’m looking forward to sharing another year of Growing in the Lord with you and expect it to be better than the one before…
And I pray that God enlightens and moves in your life powerfully over the coming days, months, and year ahead!
God bless you -
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. Image credits and thanks to Billy Alexander
Free Gospel Report – Tim Hawkins Video
Interrupting our regularly scheduled program with this commercial announcement…
Tim Hawkins shares about the Free Gospel Report…
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.”
– John 3:16
Chad Hedrick 2010 Olympian – Speed Skating & Faith Video
In a time when so many are falling away from God -
It is encouraging to hear a great testimony of someone who is pressing into God!
Chad Hedrick 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist was interviewed by his pastor Troy Champ at Capital Church in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 23, 2010. His goal is to inspire people to put their faith in God and that anything is possible. No matter what your past is we do have a forgiving God!
This short interview/video is worth the watch. Enjoy.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:20
May God’s hand of favor continue to be on Chad along with all of God’s ambassadors for Christ!
God bless you,
Brenda
This Year Will Be Different – Skit Guys Video
A humorous but honest look at several people that wrestle with goals and want to get the year started on the right foot.
I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to where these people are coming from in this video… enjoy!
May we present our body a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service. And may we not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. — Romans 12:1-2
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. Feel free to share your comments…
Merry Christmas! What is Christmas All About Anyway?
Without Christ There Would Be No Christmas!
In this video Linus helps out Charlie Brown and explains what Christmas is all about.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”
– Luke 2:17-20
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
God bless,
Brenda
