The beginning...

Ok, so where do we begin then? Who can tell me how and why America was founded? What was the intent of the majority of the original inhabitants of America? What were the first reasons for settlers traveling from Europe, mostly, to inhabit this land? What were the first 'charters' or allowances of the rulers over those settlers as they left their homelands, endorsed by governments for a purpose and 'inked' in documents as their mission, intention in the new land? How did these charters become the original documents by which this land was developed, under law, and became the basis for what America was and was to remain?

Very interesting questions, hmmm?

Most of us learned about these things when we were in gradeschool. I am 57 years old and clearly remember the stories of Christopher Columbus, the Puritans, the Pilgrims, Miles Standish, the Declaration of Indendence, Revolutionary War and 1776 as well as the Constitutional Congress, Federalist Papers, Amendments to the Constitution and the development of our country from the early 1800's to the present day.

However, many of you are not my age and may not even remember your American History from gradeschool. Let's see what meaning this information may have of relevance to our national focus, er, our Godly focus that leads to national focus.....

"The battle today is over lordship. This issue of politics today is the issue of sovereignty. Who is the lord of all of life to whom man must give his total allegiance, Christ or Caersar? The answer to this question is the difference between liberty and slavery, justice and tyranny." Volume 1, God and Government, Gary Demar, page x.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certan unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Declaration of Independence....

This is a good beginning... stay tuned... please contribute your ideas.

Love you

Bill/Dad

A new journey... Christian Reconstuction

Good morning, all. Praise be to God for His providence, mercy and grace for such a one as I!

I hope all is going well for you and I pray that God is showing himself alive and active in your lives.

I am going to take a new journey in this blog, hoping to share what has been going on in my heart and head as I have been doing some reading over the past few years.

The thoughts started several years ago as I went to my place of voting here in Dennis, MA during a MA election. I noticed that for the seat of Senator in my District, there was one name, no opponent, just John F Kerry, D, Senator. I was shocked and immediately got a burr under my saddle and determined to get involved in the process to 'effect change'.

Well, suffice it to say that my journey was quite hectic and harrowed. I chose not to get 'directly' involved in running for office (presently), but my interest was piqued and I began to read some things about our country, the intent of our Founding Fathers and, most importantly, our Christian heritage and governance. Those of you who know me best are now thinking; "Oh, my, here we go, Dad/Bill is now going nuts on something else." and your thoughts are quite correct.... Bill/Dad is now going nuts on something else!!

That is what this blog will now become, an education and call to become active in Christian Reconstuctionism or a similar construct to 'get our country back'.

Come on along on the ride......

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 "4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

Love you;

Bill/Dad

Subject: A little James Taylor Devo. :-)

For the next few days, I thought we’d spend some time concentrating on the Holy Spirit….

James Taylor sings a wishful song of romance and promise entitled You've Got A Friend and the lyrics are below: (sing along if you know the tune)

When your down and troubled, And you need a helping hand And nothing, whoa nothing is going right. Close your eyes and think of me And soon I will be there To brighten up even your darkest nights. You just call out my name, And you know where ever I am I'll come running, oh yeah baby To see you again. Winter, spring , summer, or fall, All you have to do is call And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah. You've got a friend. If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds and that old north wind should begin to blow Keep your head together and call my name out loud And soon I will be knocking upon your door. You just call out my name and you know where ever I am I'll come running to see you again. Winter, Spring, summer or fall All you got to do is call And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?People can be so cold. They'll hurt you and desert you. Well they'll take your soul if you let them. Oh yeah, but don't you let them. You just call out my name and you know wherever I am I'll come running to see you again. Oh babe, don't you know that, Winter Spring summer or fall, Hey now, all you've got to do is call. Lord, I'll be there, yes I will. You've got a friend. You've got a friend. Ain't it good to know you've got a friend. Ain't it good to know you've got a friend. You've got a friend. The only person who can fulfill the hope of these lyrics is the Holy Spirit.

From the Amplified Bible John 14:16 records Jesus as saying, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever”

Reflection: Consider the lyrics once again, this time focusing on the ‘forever’ Holy Spirit as your Friend. Are you in the habit of calling out to God’s Holy Spirit in your times of need? Do you call ‘out loud’? If you know the hymn “What a Friend We have in Jesus”, alternate these songs in your mind now and for the rest of the day.

From Bill in response....

Amen... you wouldn't believe how applicable this is to what I have been reading and meditating about. Read my blog from Monday... (if you dare, lol).

You know that I was a huge James Taylor fan when younger. His songs are very piercing relative to life and love and survival. Many times since becoming a Believer, I have heard his songs in a different light, thinking sometimes that he may have been a Believer as well. Knowing a bit about his life, I believe he was addicted to drugs for awhile and, of course, we know of his divorce from Carly Simon, etc. But, who are we to judge? While he was a drug addict, I was a lustful and uncontrollable youngster only focused on myself, but the redeeming mercy and grace of God through Jesus Christ has saved me and I pray that God has allowed him to see Christ ...

now, life is illuminated through Him and truth is evident in all of life, including songs written by James Taylor back in the 60's and 70's (ions ago, eh).

Indeed it is the Holy Spirit that is our true friend. He will 'brighten up, even our darkest night.' and 'I'll (he'll) come runnin' and 'keep your head together and call my (His) name out loud, soon I'll (He'll) be knockin' on your (our) door.'

This is most poignant; Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend? People can be so cold. They'll hurt you and desert you, they'll take your soul if you let them. Oh yeah, but don't you let them. You just call out my name ....

Isn't this a true observation of life as it is? People are so challenging, they are so needy, they are so influential in our life. We can't depend on all people. Even the closest and most loving of the people we associate with are human beings and can't be depended upon to have our best interests at heart. We know this because we know ourselves. We know this because all of us have been deceived and disappointed by our loved ones. And I have observed that the closest and most revered of our acquaintances can ... 'take your (our) soul if you let them... oh yeah, but don't you let them'.

Just call out His name, Jesus, and you know wherever He is (all around, everywhere as well as in our hearts), He'll come runnin' to see us again, to minister to us again, to comfort us again, to remind us of all things again.........oh, yeah, yeah.... you've got a friend.

Thanks be to God!!!! We've got a friend. You are amazing, God.....

Love you;

Dad

He's baacckkk - again..

Good morning. It has been awhile, but, same old, same old. So much has gone on since my last post, that it would take way too long to catch up, so, instead, I'll just go into what is spiritually on my mind this AM.

We are so blessed to be saved by God through faith in Jesus Christ!! There is no other way and I hope that we are continuously exhibiting this redeemed life and witnessing to the truth of the Gospel message whenever prompted by the Holy Spirit to do so.

Ok, then.... I have been reading for our church Sunday School, the Purpose Filled Life study; "Growing to be Like Christ". We got into Chapter 2 and were discussing the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is a magnanimous study, but just this morning, I was reviewing one of my most pointed scriptures relative to my life in Romans, Chapter 7 and into Chapter 8 as well;

Romans 7:21 “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

5b but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

6b but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace

9 You however are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through this Spirit, who lives in you.

13b but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Now there's alot of spiritual 'MEAT' in these passages, but suffice it to say that we all are struggling with our body's desires and our dedication to be godly. God has given us a way of escape, a way to live for Him and for others, and it is in that last verse up there...

13b but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Self control through the power of the Holy Spirit = VICTORY……

Go figure....

Love you

Bill/Dad

"John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."