A neat old Johnny Cash thing... I stumbled upon this old video. It brought tears to my eyes and I just had to share! I don't remember Johnny Cash doing this but I love him even more for writing it! God Bless America!

 

https://www.facebook.com/ chizzel/videos/1156247044095/? fref=gs&dti=132404619750&hc_ location=group

Dan Webster www.facebook.com I stumbled upon this old video. It brought tears to my eyes and I just had to share! I don't remember Johnny Cash doing this but I love him even more for writing it! God Bless America!

Inheritance of freedom is rooted in the Reformation

Robert Fain

The beginning is always a good place to start, and our republic begins on July 4, 1776, with those familiar words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Thomas Jefferson was tasked by the Continental Congress with the work of setting out the grievances against the king of Great Britain that had made it necessary to dissolve the political bonds that had, until that moment, connected the American colonies to England. In drafting the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson drew heavily from the work of John Locke, whose book, Two Treatises of Government (1689), could not have been written without the Reformation, which had started less than two centuries earlier in 1517.

Locke’s First Treatise attacks the understanding that civil society is founded on a beneficent patriarchalism justified by an appeal to the divine right of kings to rule. His Second Treatise articulated a theory of civil society that is based instead on the equality of persons and on the mutual rights and obligations implied in a contract between the ruler and subjects to protect their lives, liberties and property. These foundational ideas of the equality of persons and of government by leaders whose authority is derived from the free consent of those governed are direct consequences of the religious convictions that inspired and sustained the Reformation.

The Reformation began with concerns about how the Church was managing its life and relationship with the faithful and with the state. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door for discussion, the internet of his day, he had no idea how far-reaching his actions and those of his fellow reformers would be, for they were not only addressing issues of teaching and doctrine, but setting into motion revolutionary ideas about person-hood and society.

When Luther challenged the abuses in the church’s life and practice he did so from the position that flawed humanity can only be made right with God and with each other through God’s own reconciling initiative that we call grace. The reformers believed that every individual had equal access to the liberating freedom from sin and death and to the life of love and service that Christ offered to all, because every person was created by and could be redeemed by God.

Every person then, was deemed competent to engage these important truths without mediation by king, bishop or priest. The Church was a gathered community of free persons choosing to associate on the basis of shared beliefs and commitments, creating a priesthood not of individuals but of all believers.

Luther’s personal courage in the face of great pressure to abandon his challenge to the church’s status quo centralized the sanctity and liberty of individual conscience, as he famously said “I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.”

The understanding of the individual as the primary building block of civil society and moral community, and of freedom as a component of the religious, political and social identity of human beings would create the social and political structures that over time would become the foundation of the modern democratic traditions on which the free societies of Europe and North America would rest.

(Robert Fain is pastor of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta.)

Asunto: Fw: : The Sermon... NEHEMIAH in the OLD TESTAMENT compared with TRUMP

A MUST READ.....very interesting comparison..... 

TRUMP'S SERMON.

Before attending the inauguration ceremony, President Trump attended a private religious service at St. John's Episcopal Church, across the street from the White House, as part of a modern Inauguration Day ritual.

The service was led by the Rev. Robert Jeffress, a Southern Baptist who campaigned hard for Trump during the closing months of the election.

Here is an exclusive transcript of Jeffress™ sermon, which drew on the story of Nehemiah, a historical figure described in the Old Testament for rebuilding Jerusalem .

President-elect and Mrs. Trump, Vice-President-elect and Mrs. Pence, families and friends, it's an honor to be with you on this historic day.

President-elect Trump, I remember that it was exactly one year ago this weekend that I was with you on your Citation jet flying around Iowa before the first caucus or primary vote was cast. After our Wendy's cheeseburgers, I said that I believed that you would be the next President of the United States . And if that happened, it would be because God had placed you there.

As the prophet Daniel said, it is God who removes and establishes leaders.

Today, one year later, God has raised you and Vice-President-elect Pence up for a great, eternal purpose.

When I think of you, President-elect Trump, I am reminded of another great leader God chose thousands of years ago in Israel . The nation had been in bondage for decades, the infrastructure of the country was in shambles, and God raised up a powerful leader to restore the nation. And the man God chose was neither a politician nor a priest. Instead, God chose a builder whose name was Nehemiah.

And the first step of rebuilding the nation was the building of a great wall. God instructed Nehemiah to build a wall around Jerusalem to protect its citizens from enemy attack. You see, God is NOT against building walls!

And the Old Testament book of Nehemiah records how Nehemiah completed that massive project in record time, just 52 days.

Why was Nehemiah so successful in building the wall and rebuilding the nation?

I. Nehemiah Refused To Allow His Critics To Distract Him

Someone has said there are three guaranteed ways to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.

Any true leader is going to face criticism.

President-elect Trump, you have had your share of critics from the day you announced you were running for President, but you've confounded them at every turn. First, they said you couldn't win the nomination, but you ended up garnering the most votes of any Republican in history. Then they said that was a fluke, but you couldn't win the election. And you handily defeated your opponent. And now your critics say you can't possibly succeed in your agenda.

Nehemiah had his own share of critics. Two of his chief antagonists were named Sanballat and Tobiah. They were the mainstream media of their day. They continued to hound and heckle Nehemiah and spread false rumors while he and the Israelites were building the wall.

At one point, they said, Nehemiah, you need to stop the project and come down from the wall and have a meeting with us.

Nehemiah's response was classic: "I'm doing a great work . . . why should I stop the work and come down to you?" (Nehemiah 6:3)

President-elect Trump, you, Vice President-elect Pence, and your team have been called by God and elected by the people to do a great work. It is a work far too important to stop and answer your critics.

Il. Nehemiah Refused To Allow Setbacks To Stop Him

As you read through Nehemiah's journal, you'll find that he faced tremendous obstacles as he attempted to rebuild the nation: an economic recession, terrorist attacks from enemies, and discouragement among the citizens.

But none of those setbacks was enough to stop Nehemiah.

Some years ago two sports commentators on television were discussing the late Hall of Famer Walter Peyton, the running back for the Chicago Bears. One commentator said, "Can you believe that during his career Peyton has run more than nine miles with a football?" 

The other commentator replied, "What's even more amazing is that every 3.8 yards of those nine miles Peyton got knocked down by a guy twice his size! But he got back up every time and kept moving forward in spite of those bruising hits and hard knocks." 

President Trump, you, your team and your families are going to face some bruising setbacks. But remember . .

The true measure of a leader is what it takes to stop him. And knowing you, I believe it's going to take a lot to stop you.

(Finally)

III. Nehemiah Sought God's Help To Empower Him

Nehemiah was a gifted leader, but he knew he could not succeed without God's divine help. And that is why as he began the great work, Nehemiah knelt before God and prayed:

"O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant who delights in revering your name. Give your servant success today . . "  (Nehemiah 1:11)

Mr. President-elect, I don't believe we have ever had a president with as many natural gifts as you. As you know, the reason I endorsed you within weeks of your announcement that you were running was because I believed that you were the only candidate who possessed the leadership skills necessary to reverse the downward trajectory of our nation.

And beginning with Vice President-elect Pence, a great and godly man you've assembled an unbelievably talented group of advisers around you.

But the challenges facing our nation are so great that it will take more than natural ability to meet them. We need God's supernatural power.

The good news is that the same God who empowered Nehemiah nearly 2500 years ago is available to every one of us today who is willing to humble himself and ask for His help.

God says in Psalm 50:15 "Call upon Me in the day of trouble I shall rescue you and you will honor Me." 

When President Ronald Reagan addressed the Republican National Convention in my city of Dallas in 1984 he said, " America needs God more than God needs America . If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

President-elect Trump, you had a campaign slogan that resonated with tens of millions of Americans because it spoke to their heartfelt desire: "Make America Great Again." 

Psalm 33:12 gives us the starting point for making that happen: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." 

May God bless President-elect Trump, Vice-President-elect Pence, their families and advisers. And may God truly bless the United States of America .