In The Name of God

The first thing the Pilgrims did after arriving on land at Plymouth Rock was to kneel in a prayer of thanks to Almighty God.

No one among them was appointed by the king to govern.  Therefore, they created a compact, or contractual agreement, by which they could begin to govern themselves.  The agreement was made “In The Name of God.”  It proclaimed that they were planting a colony to glorify God, advance the Christian faith, and honor the king.

 

Mayflower Compact 1620 

IN The Name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience. In WITNESS whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth and of Scotland, the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620

John Carver	Edward Tilley	Degory Priest
William Bradford	John Tilley	Thomas Williams
Edward Winslow	Francis Cooke	Gilbert Winslow
William Brewster	Thomas Rogers	Edmund Margeson
Issac Allerton	Thomas Tinker	Peter Browne
Myles Standish	John Rigdale	Richard Britteridge
John Alden	Edward Fuller	Georoe Soule
Samuel Fuller	John Turner	Richard Clarke
Christopher Martin	Francis Eaton	Richard Gardiner
William Mullins	James Chilton	John Allerton
William White	John Crackston	Thomas English
Richard Warren	John Billington	Edward Dotey
John Howland	Moses Fletcher	Edward Leister

 

http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1600-1650/mayflower-compact-1620.php

 

 

Get Rid of the Old and Put on the New

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your  life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.   You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

(Colossians 3:1-17 NIV)

https://biblehub.com/niv/colossians/3.htm

 

 

Grave Digging

We are a free people (so far).  We should be aware, however, that when we buy goods made in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), we are digging our own grave.  Each time we buy another item made in China; we dig our grave a little deeper. 

Presently, it is impossible to completely avoid buying Chinese goods.  We may not have much choice if we are buying a new computer or pharmaceuticals, for example, as some types of goods may not be available if they are not made in China.  Please be aware, however, that we cannot depend on the Biden administration to fix the problem by “decoupling” us from trade with China.  Indications are that they have and will continue to surreptitiously engage in economic and political cooperation with the Communist Chinese.[1] 

The country of origin is not always clearly indicated on the goods we buy in stores.  Online merchants often do not provide readily available information about where an item that they are selling was made.  It is, however, incumbent upon each of us to do our research, and to make a good faith effort to find out. 

Nobody said doing the right thing would be easy.  It takes work.  Unfortunately, we cannot rely on our government to do its constitutional duty to protect us.  Further, retailers are compelled for business reasons to sell what the public demands - high quality goods at the lowest price the market allows.  That often means selling goods made in China - because that is what people buy. 

When we buy Chinese products, we are contributing part of the purchase price to the Chinese Communist government.  The PRC is a totalitarian state that oppresses its people and puts its political opponents, racial minorities, and religious devotees into concentration camps.  There they are pressed into forced labor, beaten, starved, and sometimes killed.  The PRC is aggressive.  It has attacked its neighbors, annexed Tibet and Hong Cong, and is threatening Taiwan.  They have occupied the South China Sea against international conventions that govern claims to territorial waters, and they have built military bases there.  They are in the process of militarizing outer space.  The money for all this comes, in part, from their trade with the United States.  We should not continue enable them. 

We can change it.  Vote with your wallet.  Demand goods made in the USA, or at least not made in China, by spending your money on “other than” Chinese goods.  Vote honest people into public office who will look after the interests of Americans as their first priority. 

We owe it to ourselves and to posterity to completely disengage from the PRC as soon as possible.  If we do not, China will reduce the United States to a second-rate world economic and military power.

 

 

---

[1] Moore, Art. (2022, July 7). Biden sending oil from strategic reserves to China. WND. https://www.wnd.com/2022/07/u-s-sending-oil-strategic-reserves-china/

 

WND Staff. (2022, July 8). Hunter Biden tied to Chinese company that bought oil Joe released. WND. https://www.wnd.com/2022/07/hunter-biden-tied-chinese-company-bought-oil-joe-released/

 

 

True Wisdom

 Who is wise and understanding among you?

Let them show it by their good life,

by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,

do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven

but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition,

there you find disorder and every evil practice.

 

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;

then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,

full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

(James 3:13-18 NIV)

 

https://biblehub.com/niv/james/3.htm

 

The Duty to Warn

There are warnings posted all around us.  Signs tell us not to smoke or use a cell phone when pumping gasoline.  Road signs tell us about sharp curves ahead and post advisory speeds.  Stores warn that surveillance cameras are in use and shoplifters will be prosecuted.  In Idaho, some highways have signs that warn of cricket migrations.  That’s right.  Cricket migrations.  If you hit a bunch of migrating crickets at 60 mph, your car can be thrown into a skid and crash because the cricket guts under your tires are slick. 

Seriously, if we were standing on a street corner and your child started to step out in front of a car, you would be grateful if I took the kid by the arm and pulled him out of the way.  Wouldn’t you? 

The Holy Bible admonishes believers to warn people when they are living a sinful lifestyle.  We are told not to be judgmental – not to condemn people.  We are charged, however, to lovingly warn people that there is a God to whom we all must give an account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31 NKJV) 

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/hebrews/10.htm 

We are told that it turns people off to talk about sin and God’s judgement.  Rather, we should talk about all the “warm fuzzies,” that encourage people.  It is true that the Bible is full of examples of God’s love for us, not the least of which is that He gave his only Son so that we can have everlasting life.  These things must be emphasized, over and over. 

It is also true that the Bible says that all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23)  It is difficult for someone to seek a savior if they do not understand that they need one. Don’t you think? 

Christians are called haters, bigots, racists, homophobes, hypocrites, stick in the mud, holy Joe’s and goody two shoes.  We are shouted down on campus and barred from social media.  Some executives and public servants have been forced to resign for speaking out in favor of traditional values.  We have had our businesses targeted with legal proceedings for refusing certain services that conflict with our sincerely held religious beliefs.  The Obama administration even tried to prosecute a group of Catholic nuns for refusing to provide insurance that paid for birth control. 

Yet, we Christians continue to be a voice in the moral wilderness that modern American society has become.  Why? Because God said to: 

Once again, a message came to me from the LORD:  “Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.  When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people.  Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.  They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.  But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’ 

“Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me.  If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.  But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself. (Ezekiel 33:1-9 NLT) 

https://biblehub.com/nlt/ezekiel/33.htm

 

Fourth of July, 2022

Patrick Henry's speech to the 2nd Virginia Assembly was not transcribed.

St. John's Church, Richmond, Virginia

MARCH 23, 1775

MR. PRESIDENT: No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely, and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfil the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. 

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves, and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask, gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free² if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us! 

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. 

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Source: Wirt, William. Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry . (Philadelphia) 1836, as reproduced in The World's Great Speeches, Lewis Copeland and Lawrence W. Lamm, eds., (New York) 1973.

 

https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/learn/deep-dives/give-me-liberty-or-give-me-death/

 

 

Saved by Grace to do Good

We are saved by God’s mercy and favor, which we cannot earn.  It is a free gift provided by God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus paid the death penalty that we deserve for our sins, so that we can live.  We obtain this wonderful salvation by believing in Jesus. (John 3:16) 

Good works are not the cause of our salvation.  They happen as a result of it. God planned it that way.  When we are saved, we become a new creation in Christ; to do what God prepared for us to do from before the beginning. 

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh  and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

(Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV) 

https://biblehub.com/niv/ephesians/2.htm