250 YEARS AGO

​This year, the USA celebrates the founding of our nation, as starting with the signing of the Declaration Of Independence (250 years ago). 

Most of those courageous signers identified themselves as being Christian.  Of that number, 21 had taken classes (and some even graduated) from schools that were founded as having seminaries.  

This group included some former ministers and a number of preachers kids, of whom 4 were active preachers; with one being a full time pastor. 

The lives of these believers stood for freedom and not for theocracy.  The state churches of Europe had already proved that national religion was ungodly.  

I am reminded of this history because some think today's believers should never say anything that might be considered political. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF WILLFUL UNBELIEF

by John Macarthur

· Willful unbelief sets false standards and ignores real ones.

 

· Willful unbelief claims to want more evidence but never has enough.

 

· Willful unbelievers do biased research with personal agendas.

 

· They will always do their best to reject disliked facts.

JESUS IS A LAMB AND A LION

Jesus is a lamb and a lion.

As a lamb, Christ was our sin offering.

As a lamb, He was born in a place 

where lambs were born.

As a lamb, he was laid in a stone feeding trough, 

where sheep ate.

And as a lamb, He visited by shepherds 

who were in the fields watching sheep 

who would one day be offered as sacrifices. 

WE ALL NEED THE REAL JESUS

We don't need some dumbed down

   Godspell clown, mamby-pamby Jesus!

We need the real deal,

   our life and death shield

Who bruised His heel;

   while crushing satan's head

YOU NEED THE REAL LORD JESUS

Not 'Jesus the baseball player

   but ‘Jesus Cristo

      your hope-giving Savior

You need the real Lord Jesus

I NEED THE REAL LORD JESUS CHRIST

New Jerusalem’s 

   city Light, 

Shining forth 

   the Bread of life

ALL WILL WANT THE REAL JESUS

Our hero Who

   is coming back

His promise sure

His Word not slack

THE TROUBLE WITH TROUBLES

One of the earliest episodes of Startrek was entitled, The Trouble With Tribbles.  The storyline featured little furry creatures – called Tribbles - that were brought on board the USS Enterprize from some (fictitious) planet.  To the crew’’s dismay, these critters began multiplying so fast that eventually they became pests and had to be removed from the Starship.

Have you ever noticed that troubles – like tribbles – can be like just that?

What might be a minor annoyance can eventually become a catastrophe.

Like a snowball rolling across damp snow in winter, problems can attract more problems, resulting in greater difficulty than at first.

"P" ALLITERATION

 In despair, the au-pair despaired disparagingly, "That pair needs some parenting, the skills of which mine do not compare!" Not sparing a moment for parsing participles, the parson parted ways with the pear he was about to pare with his paring knife and imparted a padre's wisdom pointed to the partners in crime; who had so upset their Parisian Nanny.

HUMBLE

I long to be humble,

or is it 'umble?

Yet often I grumble

sometimes stumble

Because of selfish pride