First From Julie's Keyboard:
As I read David's work on "What kind of People are We?" this week, my thoughts seemed to turn toward 'what kind of people should we be?' Even as we observe all that presents itself in this world, being moral leadership or immoral, there needs to be a place of final authority over such an issue.
Thanks be to God for the foundations and pillars of former governing that established a strong, God fearing nation of people. Yet, we know from our present content, that there's much concern as to how much truth this theology holds for our country anymore.
Now, if I may impose a bit of my "country girl" thinking that's never traveled to far in this world or in her thinker, it would be to turn to the place where my answer can be found. If we belong as citizens in the Kingdom of God, we're given clarifying terms on what manner of people we are. One of my favorite places for making this point is found in I Peter 2:9,10. Even though Peter largely addresses the chosen people of God (the Jews), he also makes it clear that this pertains to "you therefore which believe....."
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
How great to know His mercy. Being an unfit people is no new problem. However, a remedy has been granted. It's called God's love, His mercy, and His grace. If we belong to Him, and He is Lord in our lives, we are this people who once were not, but now by His rich grace and mercy, we are. We are His kind of people!
Have a super blessed week,
Julie
____________________________________________
As I read David's work on "What kind of People are We?" this week, my thoughts seemed to turn toward 'what kind of people should we be?' Even as we observe all that presents itself in this world, being moral leadership or immoral, there needs to be a place of final authority over such an issue.
Thanks be to God for the foundations and pillars of former governing that established a strong, God fearing nation of people. Yet, we know from our present content, that there's much concern as to how much truth this theology holds for our country anymore.
Now, if I may impose a bit of my "country girl" thinking that's never traveled to far in this world or in her thinker, it would be to turn to the place where my answer can be found. If we belong as citizens in the Kingdom of God, we're given clarifying terms on what manner of people we are. One of my favorite places for making this point is found in I Peter 2:9,10. Even though Peter largely addresses the chosen people of God (the Jews), he also makes it clear that this pertains to "you therefore which believe....."
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
How great to know His mercy. Being an unfit people is no new problem. However, a remedy has been granted. It's called God's love, His mercy, and His grace. If we belong to Him, and He is Lord in our lives, we are this people who once were not, but now by His rich grace and mercy, we are. We are His kind of people!
Have a super blessed week,
Julie
____________________________________________
"What kind of a People are We?"
This week I have been reflecting upon the changes I see within the society I live in. One has to sit and ponder the thought, "What kind of a people are we?" A nation is defined I suppose by it's culture, and in turn that culture defines what we are as a people. So for a few moments in thought lets examine what kind of a people we are.
This past century has seen many changes, but lets limit our thought to the cultural changes for the sake of time. The advancements in the sciences and technologies do tend to affect cultural activities, but that is much to broad a subject to cover here. Probably one of the most major factors affecting cultural change is a moral one. A societies morality will not only be influenced by, but set the cultural basis for the nation.
Our Preemblem to our National Constitution says "We The People". But just who are, we the people?
This week I have been reflecting upon the changes I see within the society I live in. One has to sit and ponder the thought, "What kind of a people are we?" A nation is defined I suppose by it's culture, and in turn that culture defines what we are as a people. So for a few moments in thought lets examine what kind of a people we are.
This past century has seen many changes, but lets limit our thought to the cultural changes for the sake of time. The advancements in the sciences and technologies do tend to affect cultural activities, but that is much to broad a subject to cover here. Probably one of the most major factors affecting cultural change is a moral one. A societies morality will not only be influenced by, but set the cultural basis for the nation.
Our Preemblem to our National Constitution says "We The People". But just who are, we the people?
We
are a people who, in 1962 determined it was no longer appropriate for
our children to pray in our schools. Along with that we are a people
who decided the Bible should no longer be read in schools, that the Ten
Commandments should not be placed where our children could read them,
because according to our Supreme Court by doing so they may be
influenced by and obey them and we certainly would not want them to
do that.
We are a people that for the moment have chosen in 10 States of the Union not only to sanction what we once call Sodomy, but changed the definition of marriage to accomodate the union of same sex individuals. Sex between people of the same sex was once considered immoral, sinful, and illegal, but we as a people in a large portion of our nation now view this act as acceptal and even desirable enough to teach our children this socially acceptable for us as a people.
We are a people that for the moment have chosen in 10 States of the Union not only to sanction what we once call Sodomy, but changed the definition of marriage to accomodate the union of same sex individuals. Sex between people of the same sex was once considered immoral, sinful, and illegal, but we as a people in a large portion of our nation now view this act as acceptal and even desirable enough to teach our children this socially acceptable for us as a people.
This
is not to say we should be teaching our children to be hateful and
uncaring toward people who possess such passions, for these passions are
as real as any other passion that would lead us into an undesirable
vice.
Being unfaithful to one's spouse is a vice to be avoided in marriage, though a person could possess a passion to do so. But we should not sanction it by law and teach our children it is a socially acceptable behavior, even though the passions may be real.
We try to undergird marriage, strengthen it, by doing so we do not cast out struggling people who have such issues with vices that are distructive, but we love them, all the while standing firm on the vitrues of truth to secure that our society is healthy and virtuous.
Building a caring society, yet one which upholds to virtuous standards and time proven principles.
Being unfaithful to one's spouse is a vice to be avoided in marriage, though a person could possess a passion to do so. But we should not sanction it by law and teach our children it is a socially acceptable behavior, even though the passions may be real.
We try to undergird marriage, strengthen it, by doing so we do not cast out struggling people who have such issues with vices that are distructive, but we love them, all the while standing firm on the vitrues of truth to secure that our society is healthy and virtuous.
Building a caring society, yet one which upholds to virtuous standards and time proven principles.
We
are a people since 1972 that have decided through our laws that the
killing of our children through the process of abortion is legal and
desirable over continuing the pregnancy in a situation where the
children are not wanted by the parents. This is done at the rate of
some 9 million children annually. To put that in more common terms, it
means we are a people where 3 of every 4 children are killed by their
parents while still in the womb, and this is legal and desirable by our
laws being determined by the United States Supreme Court. And least we
should not feel responsible, these are judges who were appointed by the
people we voted for and determined qualified to lead our nation and
uphold our values. This is not to say we are to be cold and indifferent
to indiviuals who find themselves in very difficult situations, but the
answer does not lie in the killing of the unborn.
Mr.
Dwight, being the president of Yale University as well as an
influential author and educator, you were very involved in the teaching
of our children and establishing virtue in the lives of our people.
How would you respond to the moral issues we are facing in our society
today?
"Religion and liberty are the meat and drink of the body politic. Withdraw one of them and it languishes, consumes, and dies . . . Without religion we may possibly retain the freedom of savages, bears, and wolves, but not the freedom of New England. If our religion were gone, our state of society would perish with it, and nothing would be left." 1.
"Where there is no religion, there is no morality . . . . With the loss of religion . . . the ultimate foundation of confidence is blown up; and the security of life, liberty and property are buried in ruins."
2.
Mr. Dwight, I think I understand what you are saying, all the issues we are facing are rooted in our departure from the founding principles that were laid in the faith and precepts of our Founders. That being the cause what do we now do? It seems the Church is helpless, our education processess seem useless, and our political fortitude non existent! It seems we are at our wits end! Yes, Mr. Eisenhower, you may speak:
"Religion and liberty are the meat and drink of the body politic. Withdraw one of them and it languishes, consumes, and dies . . . Without religion we may possibly retain the freedom of savages, bears, and wolves, but not the freedom of New England. If our religion were gone, our state of society would perish with it, and nothing would be left." 1.
"Where there is no religion, there is no morality . . . . With the loss of religion . . . the ultimate foundation of confidence is blown up; and the security of life, liberty and property are buried in ruins."
2.
Mr. Dwight, I think I understand what you are saying, all the issues we are facing are rooted in our departure from the founding principles that were laid in the faith and precepts of our Founders. That being the cause what do we now do? It seems the Church is helpless, our education processess seem useless, and our political fortitude non existent! It seems we are at our wits end! Yes, Mr. Eisenhower, you may speak:
"There
comes a time when you've used your brains, your training, your
technical skill, and the die is cast and the events are in the hands of
God, and there you have to leave them." ~
Dwight David Eisenhower.(July 10, 1943, he saluted his men, bowed his
head in prayer, then turned to the officer next to him and commented.)
May God bless each of you,
David
1. Timothy Dwight, July 4th, 1798, as president of Yale Colege delivered an address entitled, The Duty of Americans, at the Present Crisis.
2. Timothy Dwight, Travels; in New England and New York (New Haven, 1921-1822), Vol. IV, pp. 403-404.
May God bless each of you,
David
1. Timothy Dwight, July 4th, 1798, as president of Yale Colege delivered an address entitled, The Duty of Americans, at the Present Crisis.
2. Timothy Dwight, Travels; in New England and New York (New Haven, 1921-1822), Vol. IV, pp. 403-404.
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