A l l P r a i s e B u l l e t i n
“DISPATCHING THE TRUTHS OF THE WORD OF GOD”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace…”
“…A Time for God”
By Chaplain Dave Purdle, Founder, Ministry 9-1-1
When Solomon became king of Israel, he asked God for wisdom. That wisdom was shown in his life and penned in his writings. In these verses, Solomon implies there must be some profit in seeking to establish stability in a person’s life. What he concludes is that God keeps the world in order. God causes all things to happen in their “seasons” and gives everything a “purpose.” He knows the end of everything, and all that is done is controlled by His providential hand. All the events of history have been fitted into God’s timetable. The only way that Solomon could find true happiness was in knowing that in God’s divine intervention all events would be worked out according to His purpose.
As I compose this newsletter on Independence Day, I think the above thoughts could apply to the United States. I think of how our country was founded, the law of our land (i.e. the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights) that are in place, as well as the people who composed these documents. Our forefathers fought for our freedoms that we enjoy today, and thus our freedom came with a price. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” We have freedom of speech and freedom of religion. God is not mentioned in the Constitution, but we have evidences of God, the Bible, and Christianity in many quotes, written and verbal, by our country’s founders.
I think of the message I heard Sunday, July 1st preached by Pastor Ken Burdett from Galatians 5 (specifically verses 13-15), which talks about the liberty we have in our Christian lives. It is not a liberty in which we do as we choose, because liberty has boundaries. Pastor illustrated liberty by asking the question: “What if there were no foul lines in a baseball game? What if there were no boundaries in a football game or a basketball game? There would be chaos.” Thus, we have the elements of law (i.e. rules, ordinances, statutes), and love (i.e. care and concern for others). But law without love becomes legalism; and love without law is liberalism. There has to be a balance.
I also think of a recent Sunday School lesson about Jesus being brought to Pilate before He was sentenced to die on the cross. In John 18:38, Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Truth is part of our judicial system…I swear to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Truth is used objectively signifying the reality placed at the basis of an appearance; and subjectively, truthfulness is not merely verbal, but sincerity and integrity of character. There is no “in between” with the truth. It is either the truth or it is a lie. We know that every word of the Bible is true because Psalms 119:160 says, “Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.”
Freedom, liberty, and truth are important to us as Americans. Yet we have forgotten the most important part of the equation: God. In the birth of our country, our forefathers looked to God and His Word for guidance and direction. Like Solomon’s thoughts from Ecclesiastes 3, God keeps our country and our lives in order. This month, I found a couple of articles that I wanted to share with you. Both articles look back on how God was included in the United States “in the day.” The wonderful reality of the United States is that you, and you alone, have the freedom to decide and choose your beliefs. But I would ask you to pray for our nation. Ask God to direct you to the truth. With an open mind and heart, read the Bible and see what it says and decide for yourself its meaning and content. Whatever you choose, I believe the time is now…it is “a time for God.” I pray that is your goal and objective.
(Ministry 9-1-1 thanks the management from “ThumbPrint News” and “Baptist Bible Tribune” for permission to use these articles in our newsletter. I found “Thumbprint News” at a restaurant in Shelby Twp. recently. My family and I have always enjoyed vacationing and visiting the Thumb area of Michigan and I wanted to see what the latest news was. I enjoyed the paper and would recommend it to anyone that wants news and information about Michigan’s Thumb area. The church I attend, First Baptist Church of Washington, Michigan, is a part of Baptist Bible Fellowship. The magazines have some good articles on topics in the Bible as well as news about their ministry. I would also recommend it to you for your reading enjoyment.)
Was Mrs. Smith Wrong?
By David Gillis, “ThumbPrint News” Columnist
March 2012 “ThumbPrint News”
(Used with permission)
Like many other Americans today, the spiritual aspects of my life and the principles this country was founded on are tremendously important to me. I sincerely believe they blend well together. Allow me to explain.
Although it is almost 60 years ago, I can still remember the day when I gained a new understanding of the promise I made each weekday for more than one-half of my life. I began each school day by reciting, along with classmates, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. In fact, we also devoted a moment to silent prayer, but that’s another story to be told at another time. My grandchildren would not even comprehend that being done in a public school classroom today.
At the beginning of the day that’s still vivid in my mind, my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Florence Smith, explained that our Pledge had been altered by Congress and that President Eisenhower had sign it into law. She explained that the modification was brought about to more fully express the intent of this country’s Founding Fathers and that it was consistent with the text of the Constitution of the United States. The amendment added just two words, “under God.” Well, that wasn’t too complicated and, at age eleven, I could remember that. So, that day I recited the Pledge of Allegiance with the new emphasis on God.
As I walked to school the next day, I thought about the change. I guess it kept going through my mind because I was concerned about remembering to say the right words when I recited the Pledge. But, as I thought more about it, I began to gain a different perspective of what the Pledge really meant.
Not only was I making a promise of loyalty to my country and the flag that represents it, I was doing so with the understanding that God was an important part of making my country all that it was and all that it was intended to be. Now, I not only found a patriotic pride of country, which existed for almost everyone in the mid-1950’s, I could also couple it with the significance of spirituality, which my mother had taught me. My thoughts were not that profound at that time, but I know now that the understanding was clear.
Mrs. Smith was a special teacher, dedicated to a profession that she treated as a calling. She was the teacher I respected probably more than any other. Each morning she would point to the United States flag and simply say, “please stand.” Out of respect for her and our nation, we would then recite the Pledge and now, with these new words, with a different focus. Her very special effort to explain the reasons for the modification in our Pledge made this change easier to understand in 1954 and is greatly appreciated almost six decades later. But, was Mrs. Smith wrong?
Since 1940, our Pledge has been challenged. However, none has been as great as that presented a few years ago by a California attorney who argued against the two words added in 1954 and to prevent his daughter’s teacher from leading her class in reciting the Pledge. Although his argument was successful before a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, it didn’t do very well when Congress decided to deal with it. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill that affirmed the action of Congress in 1954. The House of Representatives followed the Senate’s action and President George W. Bush signed it into law.
So, was Mrs. Smith wrong when she explained the importance of the words “under God” originally considered in the formation of our nation and their inclusion in our promise of loyalty to it? No, I don’t think so! I only wish we had more Mrs. Smiths today to provide an explanation and understanding of why those two words need to be recited with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Oh, Mrs. Smith, how I miss your ability to instill values and ideals in all aspects of life. No, you certainly were not wrong.
"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." – Patrick Henry
In the News of the Week
Original Article by R. O. Woodworth
60 years ago in the “Baptist Bible Tribune” – March, 2012
(Used with permission)
“The City of Detroit, Michigan is called the industrial center of the world. Working in the numerous giant plants of this city are men and women from all walks of life.
A tremendous visitation and a mighty evangelistic program is carried on by the Temple Baptist Church among the multiplying thousands of workers, in these factories. Up until March 9, the Sunday school attendance had been averaging over 3,500. But a later snowstorm cut March the ninth’s attendance to 3,311. The number of additions to the church, however, were not affected by either the snowstorm or the slight drop in attendance. Among the 53 who accepted the proposition of the pastor, G. Beauchamp Vick in the morning and Bro. Stanley Kruse in the evening to meet Christ at the altar, 43 united with the church…”
"Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers." – John Jay, the first Supreme Court Justice
Bible/U.S. Trivia
1. Which Bible verse is etched on the Liberty Bell?
2. Which Bible verse is on the Spirit of Detroit?
3. What does the phrase Laus Deo on the capstone of the Washington Monument mean in English?
4. As you sit inside the Supreme Court courtroom, what is displayed on the wall right above where the Supreme Court judges sit?
5. Are the words “separation of church and state” found in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution?
6. Which U.S. president offered a prayer for the nation via the radio following the successful D-Day landings on the coast of Normandy, France during World War II? What was the date?
"We have staked the whole of all 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." – James Madison, the fourth President, known as “The Father of our Constitution”
Little Andy was at his first day of school. Mrs. Whyte, his teacher, advises the class that each school day starts with the “Pledge of Allegiance” and instructs them to put their right hand over their heart and repeat after her.
As Mrs. Whyte starts the recitation she looks around the room, “I pledge allegiance to the flag…” when her eyes are drawn to Andy who has his hand over the cheek of his bottom.
“Andy, I cannot continue until you put your hand over your heart,” she demands.
Andy looks up and replies, “It is over my heart.”
After several more attempts to get Andy to put his hand over his heart, Mrs. Whyte inquires, “Why do you think that is your heart?”
“Well,” answers Andy, “Every time my Grandma comes to visit she pats me there and says, ‘Bless your little heart.’”
(Used by permission of the “ThumbPrint News”)
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As a representative of your agency, thank you for allowing us to send this newsletter to you. Please read and enjoy; feel free to pass it along to other dispatchers in your department. Ministry 9-1-1 is a non-profit, volunteer evangelistic and counseling outreach specifically for 9-1-1 telecommunicators. Call or write if we can be of any assistance to you or your agency.
Bible/U.S. History Trivia Answers: 1) Leviticus 25:10; 2) II Corinthians 3:17; 3) “Praise be to God”; 4) The Ten Commandments; 5] False; 6] President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 6, 1944
