While in Turkey, President Barack Obama said: "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values." So, is we is, or is we ain't?
I found this very interesting. Do you know the Preamble for your state? . ..
Alabama 1901, Preamble We the people of the State of Alabama , invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution..
Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska , grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land. Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona , grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...
Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas , grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...
California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...
Colorado 1876, Preamble We, the people of Colorado , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe...
Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.
Delaware 1897, Preamble Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences....
Florida 1885, Preamble We, the people of the State of Florida , grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...
Georgia 1777, Preamble We, the people of Georgia , relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution....
Hawaii 1959, Preamble We , the people of Hawaii , Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution.
Idaho 1889, Preamble We, the people of the State of Idaho , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.
Illinois 1870, Preamble We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil , political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana , grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.
Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the St ate of Iowa , grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution.
Kansas 1859, Preamble We, the people of Kansas , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.
Kentucky 1891, Preamble.. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...
Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana , grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.
Maine 1820, Preamble We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity .. And imploring His aid and direction.
Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...
Massachusetts 1780, Preamble We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction
Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution.
Minnesota, 1857, Preamble We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
Mississippi 1890, Preamble We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.
Missouri 1845, Preamble We, the people of Missouri , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness . Establish this Constitution...
Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution ..
Nebraska 1875, Preamble We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . Establish this Constitution.
Nevada 1864, Preamble We the people of the State of Nevada , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution...
New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.
New Jersey 1844, Preamble We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
New Mexico 1911, Preamble We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty..
New York 1846, Preamble We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.
North Carolina 1868, Preamble We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...
North Dakota 1889, Preamble We , the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...
Ohio 1852, Preamble We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common.
Oklahoma 1907, Preamble Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this
Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences
Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance....
Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing...
South Carolina, 1778, Preamble We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
South Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties ...
Tennessee 1796, Art. XI..III.. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...
Texas 1845, Preamble We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.
Utah 1896, Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.
Vermont 1777, Preamble Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man ...
Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other
Washington 1889, Preamble We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution
West Virginia 1872, Preamble Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ...
Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility...
Wyoming 1890, Preamble We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution...
Friends, that doesn't leave much room for wondering or debate. After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong! The question then isn't really whether or not we're a nation founded on God's principles. The question is are you with Him, or against Him?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Interesting Read
Many preachers (including Bro. Rodney) correlate our culture with the one of the early church. We are watching more and more each day as our culture not only accepts but actually embraces an immoral lifestyle and mistankenly calls it "freedom". That's a scary statement when you start thinking about the Holiness of God - sin is, well its just sin. It crawls all over me just as it does everyone else. It bothers me because I really do like to do what I want to do but that is not what God wants, commands, me to do and just conveinently changing what God wants will eventually spell disaster. I have heard the "art of politics" called the "art of lying" and I think that statement rears it's head more everyday. In my opinion this country has sold its soul to keep from being accountable for the sin that we have committed. We found the first smooth talking guy that would tell us, in a profound "sounding" way, "why don't we all just get along" and we gave him one of the most powerful offices in our culture today. His clan is about to pass a law that will legally punish you for calling sin a sin and according to the article below it really isn't even being passed to protect any of the "innocents" from the "hypocrits" as they say but it is an invention born of greed. The song "Dearly Loved" by Jimmy Needham says:
I found this article and just thought I'd share. It surprises me that even the lefties are starting to notice the hidden agendas that have been all packaged and prettied up and are handed out on a neat little platters. Enough rambling, here is the article:
To the slaughters you are being led
Being told that it's a party
That this God is in your head
And every single lie
Sounds just like the greatest truth
But the one truth you're not hearing
Is that he died for you.
Being told that it's a party
That this God is in your head
And every single lie
Sounds just like the greatest truth
But the one truth you're not hearing
Is that he died for you.
Isn't that so true? Isn't that what we've done? I don't think, never mind what I think, the bible says that for those that embrace this lie that's being sold, the party isn't going to be any fun.
I found this article and just thought I'd share. It surprises me that even the lefties are starting to notice the hidden agendas that have been all packaged and prettied up and are handed out on a neat little platters. Enough rambling, here is the article:
A surprising revelation from a homosexual activist over the purpose of the "hate crimes" bill is drawing kudos from at least one pro-family spokesman.
The activist is Andrew Sullivan, one of the movers and shakers in the international homosexual movement. "The real reason for hate crime laws is not the defense of human beings from crime. There are already laws against that," Sullivan writes on his blog, "and Matthew Shepard's murderers were successfully prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in a state with no hate crimes law at the time." Sullivan continues: "The real reason for the invention of hate crimes was a hard-left critique of conventional liberal justice and the emergence of special interest groups which need boutique legislation to raise funds for their large staffs and luxurious buildings. Just imagine how many direct mail pieces have gone out explaining that without more money for [Human Rights Campaign], more gay human beings will be crucified on fences. It's very, very powerful as a money-making tool -- which may explain why the largely symbolic federal bill still hasn't passed." Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel read the blog entry and offers this take on Sullivan's comments on Senate Bill 909. "He is to be commended for his candor," says Barber. "He has admitted publicly now that the hate crimes bill...is, among other things, simply a money-making scheme drummed up by the organized homosexualist lobby." S. 909 is called the Matthew Shepard Act to honor a young homosexual man who was tortured and killed in 1998 not because of his sexual orientation, but during the course of a robbery. As Barber notes, the murder has been used as a money-raiser, too. "Andrew Sullivan points this irony out and points out how ridiculous it is that they are using [Shepard's] name, exploiting this poor young man's horrible death to try to push a money-making scheme...a social ponzi scheme," says Barber. "The cat's out of the bag," he continues. "Sullivan's admission...is both refreshing and stunning at the same time." The hate crimes bill, which has already passed the House, would add sexual orientation to other protected classes.
Friday, May 15, 2009
A Hidden Blessing.....
Yesterday I attended a funeral......in Millerville, AL. I had never met the man that the funeral was for. I'll get to that later in the story.
Have you ever heard someone say "I don't go to funerals" or "I don't visit funeral homes, I just don't like them." Do you ever wonder why someone might make that statement? I think it is because a funeral is actually, to some extent, a hellfire and brimstone sermon in action. Funerals force people to consider their own mortality, at least in this life. It makes them think about things that they would otherwise just rather put on the backburner for another time.
I am 31 years old and I have been to my share of funerals. I have been to funerals that, in my opinion, more closely resembled a circus than the "celebration of some one's life". I wonder what causes that? I assume, though I am no judge and nor do I want to be, that it is a lack of the knowledge of the things of God (see Matthew 7:24-27) that causes the circus effect at funerals. For the record, the one I attended yesterday was conducted in right reverence and respect for a man that was loved by many, many people and in respect for God and His ways.
Now, I went to this funeral in support of my friend and sister in Christ, Traci Morrow, who had lost her dad. This is what we are supposed to do. In 1st Corinthians 12:25-26 Paul says "....there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." So I went to comfort my friend. Little did I know that God had a Tremendous Blessing waiting on me in that little church in Clay County, AL. The things that I saw during this funeral were amazing to me and I don't know if I'll ever forget them.
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Apparently Roy Carr (Traci's father) understood this passage in the Bible or maybe he didn't, I'm not sure. He did seem to live out his life with respect to those commandments though. A couple of things stood out to me about this man yesterday that led me to believe that Mr. Carr understood the very intentions of Jesus when he spoke those words.
Allow me to backtrack just a little to get to the heart of the matter. When I arrived at the little church for the funeral I was told by a mutual friend who had been at the visitation on Wednesday night that "there was standing room only there. You had to wait in line outside the funeral home to see the family. There must have been 250 - 300 people there. " Shrugging my shoulders I thought "wow, you see that a lot when a child passes away but not a 56 year old man." I casted it off to the fact that Millerville must just be a small, close knit community. I am sure that it is but that wasn't the only reason, nor the major factor, that caused all of these people to come out that night to the funeral home. When the funeral started I quickly found out that Mr. Carr had upwards of 30 pallbearers (I didn't count, that's just a guess - there were alot). These people were hurt at the loss of their friend and you could see it on their faces. You see, Mr. Carr was deeply rooted in his community, he invested most of his life into those around him. He was the chief at Millerville Volunteer Fire Dept. for 15 years. Gathering from what I heard at the funeral though Mr. Carr didn't just love the building that housed the VFD he loved and invested in the people that served with him and those that they served. I saw this in the faces of the people that Mr. Carr loved yesterday. Traci even told those that were there from the community yesterday that "my dad loved you" and "he tried to teach you and take care of you." The preacher spent time talking about how Mr. Carr loved the church and told stories about how he lived that love on a daily basis. What type of man is a man that doesn't try to improve what he has and the lives of those around him? I have only been to Millerville once and through it a hand full of times in my life but I can say with the utmost assurance that Millerville, AL is a better place today because Roy Carr chose to make it his home. I can only hope that someone says that about me some day.
The second reason that led me to believe that Mr. Carr understood Jesus' answer to the Pharisees' question is what I heard the preacher and good friend of Mr. Carr's say about him as he preached his funeral. He made the statement several times that "we are not here to mourn for Roy but we are here to mourn for ourselves. I know he's in a much better place now, kicking gold dust up as he walks along the streets of Heaven." This served as a singular statement that intertwined throughout his sermon as he switched back and forth between the Gospel of Christ and various stories about Mr. Carr's faith that seemed both to confort to those that were suffering in the room and offer hope to those that might otherwise be hopeless in their own confrontation with the mortality of this life. He spoke about his love for certain passages of scripture, in particular Psalm 23. The preacher moved through arguably one of the most famous passages in the bible as you would expect to hear at a funeral but one thing was different about this time. I've heard preachers correlate verse 4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil", with the family and suffering friends at a funeral service as a comforting passage obviously because of the end of the verse "for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me", as a reminder that God loves us and is with us when we suffer the loss of a loved one. This preacher did not do that however. When he arrived at this part of the passage he stopped and told a story about spending time with Mr. Carr as he suffered at the hospital. He talked about how they had conversations about Psalm 23 and how Mr. Carr showed no fear about walking through the valley of the shadow of death. What faith does a man have to have in something that makes him look death in the eye and hold his chin up? That's not playing church! I think that what the preacher was trying to say was that Mr. Carr KNEW that God loved him and would take care of him and he loved God for it - his reaction to the reality of what was coming soon was a testament to this. What a powerful statement to those of us that now talk about his life!
I never had the privledge of meeting Mr. Carr but I now wish that I had. I cannot tell you that I have ever walked away from a funeral saying that about someone but there is something real about Mr. Carr's life that I cannot ignore, something tangible. Mr. Carr invested his life in the things that mattered. He made his time count for something and those that knew him and "did life" with him understand that the most. When I think about the things that I saw and heard yesterday I am inspired to be a better father to my two boys, a better employee at work, to put the needs of others in front of my own and to share the Gospel of Christ to those that might not know.
What kind of man can inspire those things in someone that never met him just by attending his funeral? I would say a man that lived life touched by the purpose of God. We should continue to pray for those that loved Mr. Carr and have been deeply touched by his death but we should also celebrate his life daily by removing our selfish ambitions and loving those around us more - a trait that Roy Carr seemed to know all too well.
I created this post in response to a request that I have asked God for recently. I asked God that He would be real to me today. I think that, at least in part, God answered my question with this situation. Watching how Traci Morrow and her family responded during her father's funeral, seeing how grounded they were, listening to the preacher speak of Mr. Carr's unwavering faith even in the face of death was amazing to me. This must be the faith that the Bible speaks about. This must be the real deal.
What power and strength must lie in actually knowing the I AM? Seeing and hearing what I saw and heard yesterday only makes me more thirsty for the real God of the Heavens and I hope it does for you also.
God Bless,
Matt
Have you ever heard someone say "I don't go to funerals" or "I don't visit funeral homes, I just don't like them." Do you ever wonder why someone might make that statement? I think it is because a funeral is actually, to some extent, a hellfire and brimstone sermon in action. Funerals force people to consider their own mortality, at least in this life. It makes them think about things that they would otherwise just rather put on the backburner for another time.
I am 31 years old and I have been to my share of funerals. I have been to funerals that, in my opinion, more closely resembled a circus than the "celebration of some one's life". I wonder what causes that? I assume, though I am no judge and nor do I want to be, that it is a lack of the knowledge of the things of God (see Matthew 7:24-27) that causes the circus effect at funerals. For the record, the one I attended yesterday was conducted in right reverence and respect for a man that was loved by many, many people and in respect for God and His ways.
Now, I went to this funeral in support of my friend and sister in Christ, Traci Morrow, who had lost her dad. This is what we are supposed to do. In 1st Corinthians 12:25-26 Paul says "....there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." So I went to comfort my friend. Little did I know that God had a Tremendous Blessing waiting on me in that little church in Clay County, AL. The things that I saw during this funeral were amazing to me and I don't know if I'll ever forget them.
Matthew 22:34-40
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Apparently Roy Carr (Traci's father) understood this passage in the Bible or maybe he didn't, I'm not sure. He did seem to live out his life with respect to those commandments though. A couple of things stood out to me about this man yesterday that led me to believe that Mr. Carr understood the very intentions of Jesus when he spoke those words.
Allow me to backtrack just a little to get to the heart of the matter. When I arrived at the little church for the funeral I was told by a mutual friend who had been at the visitation on Wednesday night that "there was standing room only there. You had to wait in line outside the funeral home to see the family. There must have been 250 - 300 people there. " Shrugging my shoulders I thought "wow, you see that a lot when a child passes away but not a 56 year old man." I casted it off to the fact that Millerville must just be a small, close knit community. I am sure that it is but that wasn't the only reason, nor the major factor, that caused all of these people to come out that night to the funeral home. When the funeral started I quickly found out that Mr. Carr had upwards of 30 pallbearers (I didn't count, that's just a guess - there were alot). These people were hurt at the loss of their friend and you could see it on their faces. You see, Mr. Carr was deeply rooted in his community, he invested most of his life into those around him. He was the chief at Millerville Volunteer Fire Dept. for 15 years. Gathering from what I heard at the funeral though Mr. Carr didn't just love the building that housed the VFD he loved and invested in the people that served with him and those that they served. I saw this in the faces of the people that Mr. Carr loved yesterday. Traci even told those that were there from the community yesterday that "my dad loved you" and "he tried to teach you and take care of you." The preacher spent time talking about how Mr. Carr loved the church and told stories about how he lived that love on a daily basis. What type of man is a man that doesn't try to improve what he has and the lives of those around him? I have only been to Millerville once and through it a hand full of times in my life but I can say with the utmost assurance that Millerville, AL is a better place today because Roy Carr chose to make it his home. I can only hope that someone says that about me some day.
The second reason that led me to believe that Mr. Carr understood Jesus' answer to the Pharisees' question is what I heard the preacher and good friend of Mr. Carr's say about him as he preached his funeral. He made the statement several times that "we are not here to mourn for Roy but we are here to mourn for ourselves. I know he's in a much better place now, kicking gold dust up as he walks along the streets of Heaven." This served as a singular statement that intertwined throughout his sermon as he switched back and forth between the Gospel of Christ and various stories about Mr. Carr's faith that seemed both to confort to those that were suffering in the room and offer hope to those that might otherwise be hopeless in their own confrontation with the mortality of this life. He spoke about his love for certain passages of scripture, in particular Psalm 23. The preacher moved through arguably one of the most famous passages in the bible as you would expect to hear at a funeral but one thing was different about this time. I've heard preachers correlate verse 4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil", with the family and suffering friends at a funeral service as a comforting passage obviously because of the end of the verse "for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me", as a reminder that God loves us and is with us when we suffer the loss of a loved one. This preacher did not do that however. When he arrived at this part of the passage he stopped and told a story about spending time with Mr. Carr as he suffered at the hospital. He talked about how they had conversations about Psalm 23 and how Mr. Carr showed no fear about walking through the valley of the shadow of death. What faith does a man have to have in something that makes him look death in the eye and hold his chin up? That's not playing church! I think that what the preacher was trying to say was that Mr. Carr KNEW that God loved him and would take care of him and he loved God for it - his reaction to the reality of what was coming soon was a testament to this. What a powerful statement to those of us that now talk about his life!
I never had the privledge of meeting Mr. Carr but I now wish that I had. I cannot tell you that I have ever walked away from a funeral saying that about someone but there is something real about Mr. Carr's life that I cannot ignore, something tangible. Mr. Carr invested his life in the things that mattered. He made his time count for something and those that knew him and "did life" with him understand that the most. When I think about the things that I saw and heard yesterday I am inspired to be a better father to my two boys, a better employee at work, to put the needs of others in front of my own and to share the Gospel of Christ to those that might not know.
What kind of man can inspire those things in someone that never met him just by attending his funeral? I would say a man that lived life touched by the purpose of God. We should continue to pray for those that loved Mr. Carr and have been deeply touched by his death but we should also celebrate his life daily by removing our selfish ambitions and loving those around us more - a trait that Roy Carr seemed to know all too well.
I created this post in response to a request that I have asked God for recently. I asked God that He would be real to me today. I think that, at least in part, God answered my question with this situation. Watching how Traci Morrow and her family responded during her father's funeral, seeing how grounded they were, listening to the preacher speak of Mr. Carr's unwavering faith even in the face of death was amazing to me. This must be the faith that the Bible speaks about. This must be the real deal.
What power and strength must lie in actually knowing the I AM? Seeing and hearing what I saw and heard yesterday only makes me more thirsty for the real God of the Heavens and I hope it does for you also.
God Bless,
Matt
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