by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Patriotism
National Foundation
Expressing Fear of the Lord
A nation with a firm foundation has Christians who have the heart of the Psalmist who wrote, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.” (Psalm 86:11) A nation that has a healthy foundation has Christians who fear the Lord and see acts of obedience to the Lord as a delight, not a burden. Psalm 112:1 says, “Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who find great delight in His commands.”
The foundation of this county is clearly spelled out in the words of her Founding Fathers. William Bradford who became governor of the Plymouth Colony describes the mission of the Pilgrims, “They cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying a good foundation… for the advancement of the gospel of Christ in the remote parts for the world…” This is the heart beat of the “Great Commission.”
It is very evident that the men who God used to lay the foundation of this nation were men who had a fear of the Lord, men who knew God’s Word and hungered to achieve His will. George Washington said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” In his farewell speech of 1796 he said, “Of all habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. …Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” Thomas Jefferson said, “God… gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only basis… …I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
We all must understand that back in the time of the laying a foundation for this nation, there were men who claimed to be God fearing and were not, just like it was in the time God was building and establishing the nation Israel.” However, there was that remnant whom truly feared the Lord, God honored them and did a mighty work through them. Jesus taught that their will only be a remnant today as well. (Matthew 7:14) Reverently Fear the Lord!
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Patriotism
Knowledge of God’s Word
Psalms 22:28 says, “for dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.” The King James Bibles says, “…He is the governor among nations.”
The University of Houston, Political Science Department researched the sources our Founding Fathers used most frequently in forming our present system of government. From the pool of nearly 15,000 documents from our founding period, the researchers selected 3,154 documents they considered most significant to our Founding Fathers. After 10 years of investigation, the researchers determined that the Founding Fathers quoted heavily from three intellectuals. They were Montesquieu, Blackstone, and Locke.
However, the most interesting conclusion from the research was that the Founding Fathers were even more dependent upon the Bible than they were these three intellectuals. The Bible was quoted 4 times more than Montesquieu, 16 times more than Blackstone or Locke. Ninety-four percent of the quotes of the Founding Fathers were based on the Word of God. Thirty-four percent of those quotes were direct from Scripture and the remaining 60% were taken from quotes where they had used the Bible to arrive at their conclusions. The Book quoted most often by the Founding Fathers was Deuteronomy. The great theme of Deuteronomy is “Love and Obey.” Jesus, based His statement “If you love Me, keep my commandments” from the truths found in Deuteronomy.
So explicit was the Word of God in the lives of men in this nation’s early years, Charles Finney, the Billy Graham of the 1800’s, came to Jesus Christ by reading “Blackstone’s Commentaries on Law.” He unashamedly used Scripture, referring to chapter and verse for every principle of law he cited. For Tax Exemption for Churches our Founding Fathers looked to Ezra 7:24. And for the inscription on the Liberty Bell, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly asked that a portion of Leviticus 25:10 be used.
Medicine for America is Statesmen Who Know and Love God’s Word
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Patriotism
A Vigilant Nation Lives In a Healthy Fear of the Lord
Psalm 33:12,18 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord… the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him.”
A God fearing people can make a powerful difference in God’s dealings with a nation. The Bible gives us powerful truths worth clinging to, “The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:11)
The obvious question is, What is fear of the Lord? The fear of the Lord ranges from terror, (Daniel 5:6) to an awe or reverence (Malachi 2:5) which induces love or worship rather than terror. This is the very awe that every God fearing man should have before the Lord if he is going to be among the remnant that is going to be used of the Lord to maintain a lasting foundation for America. Solomon writes about the practical application of this fear, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) True Christianity produces a fear that induces a love for keeping the Lord’s commands and laws. Deuteronomy 5:29 says, “Oh that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep all My commands always, so that it might go well for them and their children.” Moses, led of the Holy Spirit writes just how a person can walk in reverent fear, “Assemble the people-men, women, and children, and the aliens living in the towns, so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 31:12)
2 Chronicles 26 records the reign of King Uzziah and we see he was a man who can accept instructions from a man of God named Zechariah. The Bible says, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 26:4) Uzziah prospered in civilian and battle pursuits, including building and farming projects. He became a great military leader regaining land taken by hostile nations and he was able to hold off enemy attacks. Uzziah’s reign as king underscored the connection between a king’s and nation’s success with walking in fear of the Lord.
A vigilant nation has men, women and children who fear the Lord!
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Patriotism
Medicine for America
Titus 2:14 says, “[Christ] …gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” The King James Bible says the Lord will purify unto Himself a “peculiar people.”
“Peculiar people” (periousios) are God’s chosen people in whom He has a special interest. The phrase can be translated as “His treasured people.” (The Complete Word Study of the Bible) The Holy Spirit so powerfully expounds this truth in 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
The term “chosen people” which used to apply only to Israel now in this dispensation of grace is applied to all both Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. The term “belonging to God” is literally “obtaining or preserving” a people called to do service unto the King of kings. The ultimate price paid upon the Cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ purchased for God a people who will give praise to Him, do good works for the glory of Christ and enables Christians to offer their bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:15-16; Romans 12:1)
These “peculiar people” are obedient to the exhortation of the Apostle Paul, “I urge… that prayer, intercession …be made for kings and all those in authority…” (1 Timothy 2:14) True Christians are a chosen people, called by the Name of the Lord that have authority in Christ’s name to stand before the throne of grace and petition the Lord to bring a spiritual healing for America, but they must petition the Lord on the basis of confession and with a heart of repentance. All true servants of the Lord in their relationship with God and Christ Jesus are to be consecrated to the Lord’s work of prayer. Medicine for America begins with a peculiar people, Christians who will intercede on behalf of the glory of Christ and God’s will to be done in this nation.
“Are you one of God’s Peculiar People?”
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Christian Living Truth's
Resolutions
Now comes that time of the year when many people make New Year’s resolutions.
There are three powerful enemies that often work together to keep us from fulfilling resolutions: 1.) The flesh, that sinful nature. Paul specifically describes its power, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” We inherited this sinful nature from Adam and Eve and it controls all unbelievers; 2.) The world, or this world’s system, has a lot to draw us away from what is good and right—that is to worship God with all our lives; 3.) The devil. He was cast out of heaven for pride and rebellion, and he led other angelic beings to rebel with him. Peter warns us, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5: 8).
With these three adversaries constantly opposing us, it is easy to understand how most people fail to achieve or accomplish their resolutions and fulfill commitments. Jesus warns us that apart from Him we can do nothing good. Instead, people do what is right in their own eyes bringing grief, disappointment and destruction into their own lives and the lives of their families.
The apostle Paul wrote about struggling with sin and how to overcome it. Sin is overcome only by being born-again, allowing God’s Holy Spirit to live in us and surrendering to Him (Rom. 8: 9). Paul described it best when he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). These words are true for every man, woman and child.
The Bible teaches that Jesus is able to sympathize with your weaknesses. He has been tempted in every way, just as you are, yet He was without sin. Jesus is able to help you overcome sin and set you free from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” However, He also said, “If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.” (John 8:34,36).
The only New Year’s resolution that can withstand the flesh, the world and the devil, is to resolve to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He is waiting to set you free!
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