The 44th President of The United States

History has once again been made in our great land and liberty has prevailed. I watched the Inauguration of the Barack Hussein Obama this morning at a few minutes after 10:00am Idaho time, and I have to admit that I was filled with pride at much of what I watched. It was something like watching the Space Shuttle take flight for the first time, I knew that what I was watching was big and truly historic.

Some forty-four years ago in a press interview, Martin Luther King Jr. predicted that our nation would see, as he put it, a "Negro" president within forty years and possibly within twenty-five years. We are a little later than he thought, but we have lived to see that day come to pass.

Does this mean that our country is bigot free? Do we live in a land that is no longer plagued by discrimination? Unfortunately no, however we do live at a time in history that God has chosen to allow you and I to witness such an historic event. Nonetheless the job of our president remains the same as for all those who have led before him: To honorably represent the best interest of an entire nation.

There are not many nations in either our modern history or the past that one can observe both current and former and potential leaders leaders co-mingle and honor each other in a peaceable manner as we saw our former presidents today. It was refreshing to see Bush' H. & W. as well as Carter and their wives embrace each other.

We have clearly taken a crossroads in our American history. Indeed there is much that needs be done and said about the economic conditions and financial challenges with which we are faced, however, as with anyone who takes the mantle of leadership at any time in history is thrust the great burden of guidance.

It is my prayer that our new president will take advantage of the great value of coming on his knees in earnest prayer before a mighty God; as to our duty: to Christians who claim the freedoms and responsibilities of this great nation also fall the task of sincere prayer for those who lead.

I recall in the days that followed the inauguration of President George W. Bush, there was a ground swell of believers who pledged to pray for our president. I believe there should be a commitment among believers once again to pray for our president as he leads and has influence on the lawmakers and impact on the short and long-term history of our nation.

Take time to lift him and his administrative staff in earnest prayer; bring him before the God who has Soverignly allowed him to take the office of the greatest nation on earth.

-John

God Bless America?

I was sent this interesting poem from my Friend Dennis Bortz today:

Thanks Dennis, I will pass it on in the form of my BLOG-posting for the week:


Some of you may be wondering what Judge Roy Moore has been doing since he was removed from the bench for refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom wall. Please read the poem he wrote.


The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama . Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama ! The judge's poem sums it up quite well.

America the beautiful, or so you used to be. Land of the Pilgrims' pride; I'm glad they'll never see. Babies piled in dumpster's, Abortion on demand, Oh, sweet land of liberty; your house is on the sand. Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain From sea to shining sea, our Nation turns away From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown. When earth is but His footstool, and Heaven is His throne. We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core, Appointing Godless Judges; who throw reason out the door, Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb, But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb. You think that God's not angry, that our land's a moral slum? How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes? How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide? What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide? If we who are His children, will humbly turn and pray; Seek His holy face and mend our evil way: Then God will hear from Heaven; and forgive us of our sins, He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within. But, America the Beautiful, If you don't - then you will see, A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from Thee.

~~Judge Roy Moore~~


Let's lift Judge Moore up in Prayer. He has stood firm and needs our support.

IN GOD WE TRUST!

This Word Will Change You

In the ministry God has allowed me to share, (about 25 years) I have not preached as many sermons as some pastors with only a fraction of the time; mostly because I have served in a support staff role all those years. However, after I teach a lesson, sing a song, or during one of those few sermons (probably less than 25 ever) I have had a few people come back to me and tell me that something I said or sang really spoke to them.

I am reminded of a story I read in a guideposts publication one time about a man who heard a pastor preach a sermon one Sunday that changed his life. He admitted remembering nothing about the sermon except for one verse, that he continued to repeat over and over to himself. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The Word of God however little it may be has the power to transform lives. I have to admit to you that My mother constantly repeated that very same verse to me as I was growing up. I remember her verbally telling me that verse, I remember finding the verse written on cards, letters, and sometimes scratched out on a piece of paper in a lunch sack.

My mom understood something of the power of the Word of God as well. The Word of God is different from anything else. Simply because it is Truth. Truth transforms.

We are urged to memorize God's Word because it will get us out of tight spots and keep us from sinning as well. Psalm 119:11 says "I have hidden Thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against Thee."

Repeating verses is so much different than "Positive Thinking", because of the nature of God's Word. Positive thinking attempts to put you in a frame of mind to reap benefits of being positive. A verse like Phil. 4:13 focuses you mind and heart on Christ as the souce of our transformation, not our ability to think something into being.

So, with that in mind (pardon the pun) "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16