Two generations past most Americans belonged to healthy families. Generations of families lived in the same home in many cases, and in others lived close together. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles were available, loved, trusted, and experienced wholesome family relationships from the youngest to the oldest. Moms had plenty of help with babies and children grew up with input from a myriad of family members. An extended family existed in the church, where generations worshiped together on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Children had that influence as well. We were connected. Families were strong and healthy.
Pictured above is my brother-in-law Ken Lehman, from Arlington, VA, visiting for a day in sunny Southern California with his family. His wife Joanie and daughter Emma were welcomed into our home with joy and delight. Left, Bristol plays with Brody in our back yard. Bristol and Brody are cousins, children of my sons Jeremy and Jeff. We spent the day catching up, swapping stories, enjoying our family connection. With email, Facebook, Skype, Words with Friends, cell phones, etc. we all stay pretty closely connected, even though Ken and Joanie live in Arlington.
Eldon joined his older sister and cousin Brody in the backyard after his nap. Grandma Cathy, the loveliest woman in the entire world, enjoys her grandchildren. We both do. Jeremy and Jeff usually spend Saturday at our house. We eat together, catch up on all the news, go to church, and enjoy a few hours of leisure afterwards. (We've broken with tradition in that we attend church on Saturday evening!) Cathy and I occasionally keep one or two grandkids overnight to give mom and dad a break. Our families are closely connected and we know that we can depend upon one another in an emergency and work to keep our connection close and healthy.
The lovely Tawny, Savanna, and Cathy watch over the children in the back yard. Even the dogs get along, most of the time. Jeremy often brings his three dogs down if they are staying over night. Ollie Bear and Josh are in the background there. Family is precious. I love my daughters-in-law as I love my own daughter Serena. Serena is in Maryland, staying with family there as she beings her teaching career. She is sorely missed. All of our family on the East Coast is missed. Yet our connections are strong. By the grace of a loving God we are a healthy family unit.
Pictured to the right is the Bennett part of the family. My sons Jeremy and Jeff, daughter Serena, daughters-in-law Savanna and Tawny, grandchildren Bristol, Eldon, and Brody. Eldon is named after Cathy's father, Eldon Lehman, a man of deep and abiding faith in God, a true patriarch in our family, now with his lovely wife Anna Mary in heaven. Both of them were active in keeping our family strong, together, and healthy. I have tried to emulate Dad in that with my own family.
Yes, you knew I would eventually get a picture of turtles in the picture. Three of these turtles belong to my grandchildren, and the other to me. I care for all of them for the family. To hear my granddaughter say "turtle" is a delight, and she always wants to go out and see the turtles. So do Eldon and Brody. Turtles don't have families. They can be solitary or social, and it doesn't seem to matter to them. Sometimes I pity them, because they will never know the joy of a healthy family. Unfortunately, many people in our country today have never known this experience!
Many of the families I see daily are like this one, cut off from the rest of their family, alone, cast adrift, in a world of want and need. I very much wish the people of my church could see what I see daily. To many of these lonely tiny family units the church could become an extended family, offering a wholesome, safe, loving and nurturing bunch of brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. It's not the same as the real thing, of course, but a very real help.
Over the last two generations America has moved away from a strong and unified family. Small family units are isolated from the rest of the family, burning bridges connecting them to their families, leaving behind the base, or foundation, that could be their first haven for help. Think about it. How strong is your family? Do you appreciate them, and let them know how much you appreciate them? As our country slowly erodes from within we will find that our families are very important.
What makes our family strong? Honestly it is our faith in Christ. Most of us follow Jesus. For that reason He blesses our family and increases our love for one another. Think about that, my friend.
By God's design fresh-water turtles, in their natural habitat, have an amazing abundance of food. Eating fish, bugs, worms, clams, snails, and plants their diet is varied and they never go hungry.
Pondering this observable truth I realized that there is no excuse for an America in which anyone goes to bed hungry, especially a child. Yet one out of four children go to bed hungry, and many do not eat for days at a time! In California, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois we grow enough food to feed the entire world!
Our government has spent millions in addressing the problem of hungry people. Establishing a welfare system (in my opinion) has only exacerbated the problem. Third and fourth generation welfare recipients indicate the failure of the system. Unmarried, unemployable women have multiple children to increase the amount they can receive from the government. Unemployable men, most of whom dropped out of high school in the ninth grade having already established a drug and/or alcohol abuse dependency are a common denominator in welfare recipients. Children are not nurtured and loved and raised to be good and productive citizens.
Are we all so busy with our lives that we simply cannot see the plight of the poor in our nation? Do these "invisible" neighbors go unnoticed because we are living paycheck to paycheck in our narcissistic delirium and feel that we don't have any way to help them? Is it possible that we have become so isolated from others that we are afraid to reach out to help? Perhaps the problem seems too large to know what to do!
Reality check! Psalm 36:5-9 (Living Translation) "Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."
Is it possible that government is not the answer to poverty? I know! All those government jobs, all those government pensions! What am I thinking? Of course we can all afford higher taxes, more government programs, more government employees, more government pensions, more government employee health care programs ad infinitum! Oh! No we can't!
The very reason we have people in poverty is covered in the first four verses of Psalm 36. Words like "blind conceit", "crooked and deceitful", "refuse to act wisely", and "their actions are never good" are there!
The prayer of those who really want to help the poor is in verses 10-12. "Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts. Don't let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around. Look! Those who do evil have fallen! They are thrown down, never to rise again."
Hungry people need people who can offer real help and real answers. You can help. Grace Resource Center helps these people every day. Help us help them.
Out here in Southern California our stream beds are usually empty, dry, hard, cracked surfaces filled with only the memory of cool swift-running delicious water. This Eastern Pennsylvania stream has not stopped running since settlers first discovered it. Flowing down from a spring-fed source the water is crystal clear, swiftly tumbling over rocks, its motion a constant symphony of wondrous delight. The paths on either side are worn smooth by people, bicycles, and animals. Note the contrast between this beautiful stream and the empty beds we see every day.
I do not always walk beside swiftly flowing delightful streams abundant with water. Life often takes me to places where the streams are dry and empty. When I am there I remember the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 104:10: "You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains." Every empty stream bed is an opportunity for God to fill it!
Just as in Autumn the leaves turn and fall, and the trees stand naked against the sky, the promise of spring is there! So is God's promise of abundance. Instead of seeing the abundance of colors in the leaves of Fall I can focus on the fact that the leaves are dying and falling off the trees. If I do that I'll miss all that beauty and all that abundance.
To go a little deeper, the difference in my attitude is the difference between instinct and reason. God has given me the ability to reason, and I know there is a future, I don't have to make all my decisions based on what is going on now and what has happened in the past, acting on instinct like an animal. My turtles can't reason that there will be food for them tomorrow. I feed them every day, but they will kill more fish than they can eat simply because they act on instinct, not reason. They can't see the promise of tomorrow. I can. Jesus said that He came to give me life, and to give it more abundantly! So when the stream bed is empty I know the blessing of water is coming.
Right now where I work the stream beds are empty, dry, cracked, and the promise of water seems far away. Yet I know that the Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. I know He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their plea. I know. Lord, increase my faith.
I feel like this dog looks! By the end of yesterday's work day I'd managed to serve the Lord better than the day before. However! Ashamed as I am to admit it, by the time I got home I was in a foul mood, ready to cry, and very angry. My wife told me I was angry, not in words, but in her body language. And so I became useless to the Lord in the one place where I needed to be the most useful, with my family. How could I fail there? I love my family, and especially my lovely wife more than anything but Jesus!
Burn out! Today I went to work and realized that I was shaking. My physical reserves are wasted. My emotional reserves are wasted. My spiritual reserves are almost completely used up. Worse, I'm responsible for allowing myself to get to this place. You probably never struggle with that. I do.
Today, I want to serve the Lord. But I feel so empty I know that if one person pushes my buttons the wrong way I could explode. On top of that things have to change drastically where I work. It makes me afraid to know that it will be painful and difficult for all of us. Won't it be great when the Lord comes to get us? I know! Do not grow weary of doing good! I get it! The paycheck hasn't been issued yet! So this weekend I'm going to make sure I get the proper amount of rest and relaxation. Even doing that can be painful! Stupid Adam!
Eastern Box Turtles are fascinating reptiles. Unless you know what you're looking for, they are very difficult to spot on the floor of a forest. Called a box turtle because it can pull in its head and close the front portion of the plastron to protect itself this amazing turtle is a perfect example of intelligent design by our incredible Creator. Eating berries and plants, grubs, worms, and bugs, this beautifully decorated turtle thrives in its natural habitat.
Thinking this morning upon my morning portion of God's word I realized that all too often I was like this shy turtle, pulling in my head and closing the door, hiding behind my shell of protection. In fact, often I am useless to the Lord! That hurts. Involved in a rescue mission ministry I need to be fully available to the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit to touch the lives of those in need. I can't be useless!
In my journal I asked the question: What makes me useless? Any time that I am not serving the Lord with my whole heart I become useless. You probably never have difficulty with this, but I often want people to approve of me, and to recognize the work that I've done, to hear accolades from others. Unfortunately, when I have this attitude I'm serving myself, and like the Pharisee of Jesus' example, I'm going to receive my full reward. But it won't be the reward He wants to give me! So I added another question: What makes me useful?
This is probably another area you don't struggle with, but I often have difficulty being absolutely honest with myself in my journal. I don't like reading about my real faults and shortcomings. So this morning I determined that I would be brutally honest in answering both of those questions. It hurt.
When I give myself wholly to Jesus in service He gets the glory. Should I live in such a way that my service to other people gives them a clear view of what Jesus is like, and draws them to Him, I'm getting it right. Even more difficult is the concept that serving the Lord Jesus this way is not done for reward. Service itself is our reward!
Knowing that one day I will stand before Him and look into those eyes filled with love and devotion, fills me with anticipation and fear. Seeing Him has got to be the most awesome moment of my life! I know He loves me, and that I'm forgiven. But what if Jesus puts his arms around my shoulder and says, "Bill, Bill, Bill! Let Me show you what you could have accomplished if only you'd trusted Me more!" Certainly, like you, I would prefer "Well done good and faithful servant." Honesty.
Do I really want people to know Jesus? Is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the testimony of God, and the resurrection my soul focus when I talk to people? All to often my focus is me! Any time my eyes wander from my Lord I become useless. Today I want people to see Jesus so clearly in me that they are drawn to Him through my service. Please, Jesus, help me!
James Madison, co-author of The Federalist Papers, and writer of the Constitution of the United States of America made this statement: "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." Ah! How foolish of me! Today it is, of course, unconstitutional (?) to post the ten commandments in our schools and public buildings. What a foolish thing for one of the writers of our constitution to say!
John Quincy Adams, first Vice President, and Second President of the country said it this way: "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." Of course Mr. Adams was ignorant of the first amendment's true intent to bar anything Biblical or Christian from schools and government. Mayhap he was simply uninformed?
We all remember the powerful words of Patrick Henry: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Less quoted are these words from that great patriot: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." I rather like Mr. Henry, but he seems to have missed the point of the first amendment, doesn't he? What was he thinking when he said those words?
John Witherspoon was a member of Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence–and a top educator. As President of Princeton University, (Perhaps those of you from Princeton today should skip this section, it will just upset you!) he trained nearly seventy of the Founding Fathers–including one President, one Vice President, three Supreme Court justices, ten cabinet members, twelve Governors, twenty-one Senators, and thirty-nine Congressmen–all under the Princeton philosophy which once declared: "Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ." (I did warn those from Princeton today!) Of course this group of seventy did not even include those that Witherspoon trained for state, local, and municipal office. He too seems rather out of touch with the purpose of the first amendment! Notice how John Witherspoon identified an American patriot: "He is best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down on profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not (That's 'would not hesitate' to those of you who attend Princeton today.) to call him an enemy to this country." (Wait! Was he suggesting censoring bad language? Was he suggesting immorality of every kind was bad? This guy obviously was not an American!
Actually, sarcasm aside, no one understood better that government in this nation was merely a reflection of its citizens; if the citizens were profane and immoral, the government would become profane and immoral.
Noah Webster is considered the Father of Education in America. I find it a significant commentary on our current interpretation of the Constitution that educational material authored by Framers of the Constitution would be considered unconstitutional today because of its emphasis on the Bible. Webster wrote: "The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All of the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from despising and neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible." No, Webster was not a prophet, looking forward to today. He was a student of Scripture, where the downward spiral of civilization is imprinted time and again.
So here's the bottom line: It was the people of America who began to tolerate bad language and immorality that allowed the government, reflecting that people, to take the Bible, prayer, and the Ten Commandments out of our schools. Now, fifty years later, we are reaping the harvest that we sowed. I went to school from late 1950 through 1971. By the time I entered college there was a national movement away from education to indoctrination to erase our Christian foundation. In my high school days I could count the trouble-makers on the fingers of one, and finally two hands. Nobody brought guns to school. I could count the girls who were immoral on the fingers of one hand. By the year I graduated that changed. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now.
What we have done, as a nation, is cast our children into a sea of storms, to be driven and tossed by every wind of fancy without an anchor. I say we, because our government systems reflect the citizens of our country. In shame do I look at our culture without Christ, without God, without morals or decency.
Perhaps it is time for us to launch a search and rescue mission for those who are lost in this modern Sea of Storms. Let those of us who know the Word of God live in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called! Let us together seek the Lord, consider the lost, and sacrifice all to reach them with the Gospel! We are not powerless. Should the church decide to march into Hell itself, Satan can do nothing to stop us! Let's not stop ourselves! Our children need the Lord, the people of our culture need the Lord, and we are His light to this world! We are the salt of the earth! Best of all, in the middle of this Sea of Storms the Lord Jesus can say "Peace! Be still!" and give us the power to walk upon the water as though it was solid ground!
I know it is discouraging to many today to look around. Remember Habakkuk? He felt the same way. Judgment is coming. Let the Lord find us busy in the fields when it comes!
Often I feed my turtles live fish. Minnows, goldfish, anything I can get for fairly cheep not excluding clams and snails go in the tank. When it comes to feeding a turtle's intent is easily seen. Jaws open, necks snapping forward, legs propelling that amazing shell through the water at speeds matching those of the fleeing fish all work together for one purpose. In a way it is ruthless.
One does not often associate ruthlessness with something good. Ruthlessness is a trait that is usually an indicator of psychopathic behavior. When my Western Painted Turtle feeds she is ruthless in the way nature is ruthless when it comes to killing. What is her intent? I have no idea! Nor do I really want to know. Animals act by instinct, not by reasoning. I know! Your dog is so smart he or she thinks things through! Really? Put your dog with another and offer some food. What happens? Both dogs will act like this is the first piece of food they've seen for days, and devour it quickly because instinct tells them it may be the last for days. I keep a full bowl of dog food for my dogs in the family room, more than enough food for all three, yet they will still fight over it. Josh eats first! He may be the smallest but he rules the roost! Cookie and Sophie eat together but will still nip at one another. Why? Instinct. Not reason.
Each day I put a fresh bowl of water on the porch for the dogs. Cookie drinks out of the turtle tank. Josh can't reach it or he would too. Sophie is the same. The water in the dish is much cleaner and clearer than the water in the turtle tank! Why does she drink from the turtle tank? I have no idea! Her instinct is to drink water from any source available, including our toilet! Ew! She, like my turtles, is a creature of instinct, not reason.
I, on the other hand, am able to reason. Therefore I do not act by instinct, but by reason. Yet watching the turtles and the dogs eat is a good lesson for one who wishes to elevate his or her intent. With the same eagerness that my turtles go after fish or other food, and my dogs eat food and treats I can devour God's Word. Realizing almost immediately that to elevate my intent required this kind of hunger for God's Word I evaluated myself.
First I identified the principle that would bring the results I wanted. Devour God's Word voraciously! Second I recognized that I needed help to create this hunger, this change in me, and I sought it. Whole hearted desire is the key and my mind went immediately to Scriptures I know and love, even though they often convict me. Deuteronomy 6:5–Love the Lord your God with your whole heart! Mind, body, soul! Psalm 119:2–How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart. Proverbs 3:5–Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Jeremiah 29:13–You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with your whole heart. Joel 2:12–"Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning. James 4:7-10–Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and week; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James tells us what wholehearted devotion looks like.)
Last, I realized that I need to behave my way into the person I want to be. When I became diabetic I had to change my diet and lifestyle. To lose weight I need to change my diet and lifestyle. Exercise is necessary! To elevate my intent I need to change my disciplines to include more of God's Word, more time for prayer and especially for contemplation. My passion must become knowing Christ intimately so that I may act accordingly.
I've known men and women who have sacrificed everything to gain a position in a company, or succeed in business. How many, I wonder, in the church would sacrifice everything to become the person Christ intended! Do I, because I am afraid, seek a safe life, instead of live life fully in His service? All too often! Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 7:24-8:1)
These missionaries died for their Lord. They had rifles and could easily have defended themselves against the people attacking them. It was more important for them that those very people have a chance to come to know Christ than for them to live. So they chose to die. Their love for God, and therefore for their mission to that tribe (for the lost) was so great that their love for family paled in contrast. Living safely wasn't an option for them. Living wholeheartedly for God was everything to them. I was inspired by their testimony as a young man, and read all the books written by Elizabeth Elliot. Does my intent toward my Lord match that devotion? It should. I pray that it will.
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| Desert Tortoise |
Pictured on the right is a turtle we still see out here in the Antelope Valley, or could see if we ventured out into some of the more remote areas of the desert. Living in dens under the ground these massive reptiles sit at the top of a slide, enjoying our cloudless skies, hot temperatures, and desert plants, always ready to propel themselves forward, tuck in their legs, and slide down into the protection of their den if threatened. Like many of the reptiles that live in this part of the country they are fascinating.
My tortoise friend and I would like to invite everyone to participate in this year's Antelope Valley Fair. The theme, as you can see, is Cherry Jammin'! Displays, crafts, animal husbandry, concerts, rides, great food and great fun can be had by all. Yet there is something very special about this event I would like to share. The Antelope Valley Fair is participating in A "Fair" Way to End Hunger, an effort to help feed the hungry people that live in our fair valley. $1 of every $6 Pre-Fair Admission Ticket sold will be given to Grace Resource Center. You may not be aware that Grace Resource Center feeds 1,500 people a week through four hot family style meals and emergency grocery programs. Because Grace Resource Center also now operates the Lancaster Emergency Shelter we feed an average of 90 people a day 2 hot nutritious meals, adding up to 1,260 meals per week! This program will help us feed the hungry in the Antelope Valley, and we are grateful for help!
If you purchase the pre-fair admission tickets you save $3 per ticket, because starting the day of the fair (8/17) the tickets will cost $9 at the gate! Plus, if you buy two $6 Pre-Fair Admission tickets you can get one free Fair Coupon Book (while supplies last) with over $55 in savings on food, carnival rides, and games! Albertsons, Vallarta, and Vons Supermarkets are selling the tickets. Tickets are also on sale at the AV Fair cart at the AV Mall and at the AV Fair Box office. Grace Resource Center has tickets for sale as well! Here at Grace Resource Center we are very excited to participate with the AV Fairgrounds in this endeavor. Would you like to know a little secret? One out of every four children in the Antelope Valley go to bed hungry! It costs Grace Resource Center a little over $100,000 a month to keep our doors open and provide the services we provide for those who are homeless, near homeless, the working poor, and families struggling financially on a daily basis. We need your help.
Very few people realize all that goes on at Grace Resource Center. We are busy targeting the root causes of hunger, poverty, child abuse, domestic violence, and crime. Through the grace and mercy of our loving Savior and Lord Jesus we meet real needs with a touch of grace.
Our POWER class is a free life-management course based on the acronym Personal growth, Order, Wisdom, Ethics, and Relationships. Graduates of this class know how to set healthy boundaries, to use their gifts, talents, and abilities, organize their lives through budgeting money and time, and exhibit good anger management skills.
POWER 2 is A Guide to Linear Thinking, Writing, and Learning, a free job and education readiness course. Graduates understand the five registers of every language, and especially how to communicate in formal register, the language of business and education. They build vocabulary, write complete sentences, and correctly use the 8 parts of speech. Those who complete this course also identify their social style and how they relate with the other three social styles. A section on becoming a good and productive citizen borrows wisdom from our Founding Fathers. Writing poetry and paragraphs is a skill developed during the class.
We also offer a free computer class that is a two-part curriculum. Part one is beginning keyboarding, concentrating on getting students up to speed on the keyboard and basic operating system commands and controls of an office PC. Part two is all about computers in the office and graduates are skilled and proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and other office applications. They learn how to edit text, format, manage files, manipulate office documents and spreadsheets, create a resume and cover letter and much more!
Grace Resource Center is the lead agency in the Child Abuse Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project, working with 45 partner agencies (faith-based, community-based, and government agencies) to prevent child abuse in the Antelope Valley. We also were asked to spearhead efforts to create Family Visitation Centers and a Safe Child Custody Exchange. Thirty families who are working hard to reunite with their children are in our program. Family Court has ordered monitored visits, and those parents meet their children in a Neighborhood Impact House with our trained and certified family coaches for visits up to three hours in length, free of charge.
This month we gave out 200 backpacks loaded with school supplies to needy families. In the winter we have our Warm Hearts Warm Coats program giving out gently used used coats, hats, mittens, and gloves. Our Graceful Christmas program hands out toys to hundreds of needy families, and we do that at our Christmas in July fundraiser too. Last year we passed out 2,200 Thanksgiving baskets feeding nearly 10,000 people a complete Thanksgiving dinner. We also served Thanksgiving dinner here at Grace, and Christmas dinner on Christmas day. And the list goes on!
Now many people, when it comes to the poor and hungry in the Antelope Valley are a little like my Desert Tortoise friend. They tend to tuck in their heads and feet and slide into a safe place where they don't have to see the reality of the need. Many others come here daily to volunteer to help feed the hungry and meet real needs with a touch of grace. If every member of my church volunteered just four hours a month, one hour a week, imagine what we could do! Imagine what we could do if people from every evangelical church in the Antelope Valley showed up to volunteer one hour a week! Wow! It's true, we need financial support. But we also need bodies, and not just any body. We need people who know how to love other people with unconditional love, just like Jesus. Think about it.
John Witherspoon was a great patriot. A member of Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence–and a top educator he served as president of Princeton University, where he trained nearly seventy of the Founding Fathers–including one President, one Vice President, three Supreme Court Justices, ten cabinet members, twelve Governors, twenty-one Senators, and thirty-nine Congressmen–all under the Princeton Philosophy which had declared: "Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ." Too bad Princeton lost that vision! Looking at that list I realized that we haven't included those he trained for state, local, and municipal offices! And the list is already at 70!
So what? I'd like to share this quote from this famous and outstanding patriot and identifying an American Patriot: "[H]e is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down on profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not [would not hesitate] to call him an enemy to this country!" For "religion" read "Christianity" and God, of whom he speaks so reverently, is the God of the Bible.
Remember the Princeton Philosophy in those early days of our history! "Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ!" No one understood better that government, in this nation, is merely a reflection of its citizens. If the citizens are profane and immoral, the government will be profane and immoral. Surprise! Surprise! Our corrupt government of today is a reflection of a nation that has abandoned God, the Bible, the Ten Commandments, Prayer, and everything that is pure and holy. Are we having fun yet?
