Saturday, November 26, 2011 "Christian Nation" Part VII

Saturday, November 26, 2011

"Christian Nation" Part VII

First From Julie's Keyboard:

Let Love Have It's Perfect Work

In the middle of this special season of "Thankfulness," my thoughts have gone to those hurting over missing family members from their tables this year.  Maybe life has dealt such a blow that it may seem impossible to repair.   Relationships change, people move, people pass on from this world, and people have a parting of the way over disagreements.  Whatever the issue, this can make times that were intended to be so special and warm for families a time of heartache.

There's really only one place for the hurting to go and know that hope that is sincere will be the result.  Our aches, pains, disappointments and failures, can only be truly resolved by the One who loves us the most.  Yes!  It's none other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He's the One who knows the pain and how to direct it to the Father in Heaven for help.

The Scriptures teach us that He's not such a High Priest that He doesn't know the things we contend with in this life.  However, He's made provision for us to successfully navigate the walk through these clouded moments of our existence here on earth.

You may feel today that your friends in this world are few.  You may feel that family sees you as some "black sheep" to their precious little fold, but these notions should all pale in light of the Truth we have in Christ.

It may seem challenging but when those difficult moments arise we should praise Him anyway.  We should be thankful anyway.  We should love anyway.  Most of the time we may realize that this is what we are to do but our flesh opposes us so that we want to cater to how we feel instead.  May we press through emotions and the pains of this world and focus on the One in Whom all our love and honor belong.  He's faithful to bless us even when we seem to hurt inside.

Love those family members anyway.  Christ is worthy of this obedience from us.  Who knows?  These actions may just be what needs to transpire before He can do His great work of love in us.

In Him we can love anyway,

Julie

Scripture References:

Hebrews 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

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"Christian Nation" Part VII

As we continue our trek across our nations history, we have established by definition defined by the United States Supreme Court of 1892 that at least up to the last blog posting we could consider this nation a Christian Nation. 

I want to began this week with John Hancock.  Three days before Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott would make their famous ride, John Hancock would call Massachusetts to a day of prayer and fasting.  On April 15, 1775, John Hancock stated:

"In circumstances dark as these, it becomes us as men and Christians to reflect that whilst every prudent measure should be taken to ward off the impending judgments . . . all confidence must be withheld from the means we use and reposed only on that God who rules in the armies of heaven and without whose blessing the best human councils are but foolishness and all created power vanity.

It is the happiness of his church that when the powers of earth and hell combine against it . . . then the throne of grace is of the easiest access and its appeal thither is graciously invited by that Father of mercies who has assured it that when His children ask bread He will not give them a stone. . . .

That it be, and hereby is, recommended to the good people of this colony . . . as a day of public humiliation, fasting and prayer . . . to confess their sins . . . to implore the forgiveness of all our transgressions . . . and especially that the union of the American colonies in defence of their rights, for which, hitherto, we desire to thank Almighty God, may be preserved and confirmed. . . . . and that America may soon behold a gracious interposition of Heaven." - - - - Journals of . . . Massachusetts, pp. 144-145, proclamation of John Hancock from Concord, April 15, 1775. David Barton. Original Intent, the Courts, the Constitution, & Religion, pp. 96-97.

So at this point in our history it was not improper to call the name Christian in referencing our people, nor was it offensive to call the people to prayer, fasting and repentance.  Mr. Hancock also used the term "interposition of Heaven" Webster's 1828 dictionary defines interposition as

INTERPOSI'TION, n. [L. interpositio.]

1. A being, placing or coming between; intervention; as the interposition of the Baltic sea between Germany and Sweden. The interposition of the moon between the earth and the sun occasions a solar eclipse.

Mr. Hancock therefore was expecting Heaven itself to stand between America and it's foes, all of which would be characteristic of a Christian Nation.

Late in the evening of May 9, 1775, Colonel Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys approached Ticonderoga, a British stronghold in New York.  The unsuspecting garrison was quietly captured and secured, Allen then pushed on to camp headquarters and roused the commandant, Captain De La Place.  Allen himself described what happened next:

"The Captain came immediately to the door with his small clothes in his hand, when I ordered him to deliver to me the fort, instantly.  He asked by what authority I demanded it. I answered him, 'In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.'" - - - - Hugh Moore, Memoir of Col. Ethan Allen (Platts

This action by Colonel Ethan Allen sheds some light on the mind set and view that the American colonist had concerning their faith and purpose, as it defined their cause and the authority behind it.

The actions and events described above provide enough evidence to establish at least to this point we can again define America as a Christian Nation.  For the events mentioned above are only a small glimpse into the overall objective and understanding of the American people at that time.

May God bless each of you,

David