TRINITY - 3 in 1

Welcome to the weekend!
I have received a request to put up some information regarding the Trinity. What a great topic! Here goes...

3 in 1 - A Picture of God

Here are a few definitions of the word Trinity:

1) Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary of American English

n. [L. trinitas; tres and unus, unitas, one, unity.]
In theology, the union of three persons in one Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

2) The following definition is from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1897.

A word not found in Scripture, but used to express the doctrine of the unity of God as subsisting in three distinct Persons. This word is derived from the Gr. trias, first used by Theophilus (A.D. 168-183), or from the Lat. trinitas, first used by Tertullian (A.D. 220), to express this doctrine.
The propositions involved in the doctrine are these: (1.) That God is one, and that there is but one God (Deu_6:4; 1Ki_8:60; Isa_44:6; Mar_12:29, Mar_12:32; Joh_10:30). (2.) That the Father is a distinct divine Person (hypostasis, subsistentia, persona, suppositum intellectuale), distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit. (3.) That Jesus Christ was truly God, and yet was a Person distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit. (4.) That the Holy Spirit is also a distinct divine Person.

3) Catholic Encyclopedia: The Blessed Trinity: (for more go here: Newadvent)

The Trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of the Christian religion -- the truth that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these Three Persons being truly distinct one from another. Thus, in the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God." In this Trinity of Persons the Son is begotten of the Father by an eternal generation, and the Holy Spirit proceeds by an eternal procession from the Father and the Son. Yet, notwithstanding this difference as to origin, the Persons are co-eternal and co-equal: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent.

Today's Music: Holy, Holy, Holy.

So what does the Bible teach about the Trinity?

Answer:
The most difficult thing about the Trinity is that there is no way to adequately explain it. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are, therefore we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also teaches that there is only one God. Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the different persons of the Godhead to one another, ultimately, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean it is not true.

Keep in mind when studying this subject that the word "Trinity" is not used in Scripture. This is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune God, the fact that there are 3 coexistent, co-eternal persons that make up God. Understand that this is NOT in anyway suggesting 3 Gods. The Trinity is 1 God made up of 3 persons. There is nothing wrong with using the term "Trinity". It is shorter to say the word "Trinity" than to say "3 coexistent, co-eternal persons making up 1 God." If this presents a problem to you, consider this: the word grandfather is not used in the Bible either. Yet, we know there were grandfathers in the Bible. Abraham was the grandfather of Jacob. So don't get hung up on the term itself. What should be of real importance is that the concept that is REPRESENTED by the word "Trinity" does exist in Scripture. With the introduction out of the way, verses will be given in discussion of the Trinity.

1) There is one God: Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5. 2) The Godhead consists of three Persons: Genesis 1:1; 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8; 48:16; 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17; Matt 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14. In the passages in the Old Testament, a knowledge of Hebrew is helpful. In Genesis 1:1, the plural noun "Elohim" is used. In Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for "us" is used. That "Elohim" and "us" refer to more than two is WITHOUT question. In English, you only have two forms, singular and plural. In Hebrew, you have three forms: singular, dual, and plural. Dual is for two ONLY. In Hebrew, the dual form is used for things that come in pairs like eyes, ears, and hands. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun "us" are plural forms - definitely more than two - and must be referring to three or more (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

In Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Compare Isaiah 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19 to see that it is the Son speaking. Matthew 3:16-17 describes the event of Jesus' baptism. Seen in this is God the Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God the Father proclaims His pleasure in the Son. Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are examples of 3 distinct persons in the Godhead.

3) The members of the Godhead are distinguished one from another in various passages: In the Old Testament, "LORD" is distinguished from "Lord" (Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:4). The "Lord" has a "Son" (Psalm 2:7, 12; Proverbs 30:2-4). Spirit is distinguished from the "LORD" (Numbers 27:18) and from "God" (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, John 14:16-17 is where Jesus speaks to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit. This shows that Jesus did not consider Himself to be the Father or the Holy Spirit. Consider also all of the other times in the Gospels where Jesus speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself? No. He spoke to another person in the Godhead - the Father.

4) Each member of the Godhead is God: The Father is God: John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2. The Son is God: John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20. The Holy Spirit is God: Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16 (The One who indwells is the Holy Spirit - Romans 8:9; John 14:16-17; Acts 2:1-4).

5) The subordination within the Godhead: Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father. This is an internal relationship, and does not deny the deity of any person of the Godhead. This is simply an area which our finite minds cannot understand concerning the infinite God. Concerning the Son see: Luke 22:42; John 5:36; John 20:21; 1 John 4:14. Concerning the Holy Spirit see: John 14:16; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7 and especially John 16:13-14.

6) The tasks of the individual members of the Godhead: The Father is the ultimate source or cause of: 1) the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11); 2) divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); 3) salvation (John 3:16-17); and 4) Jesus' human works (John 5:17; 14:10). The Father INITIATES all of these things. The Son is the agent through whom the Father does the following works: 1) the creation and maintenance of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17); 2) divine revelation (John 1:1; Matthew 11:27; John 16:12-15; Revelation 1:1); and 3) salvation (2 Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son, who functions as His agent.

The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father does the following works: 1) creation and maintenance of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30); 2) divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21); 3) salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2); and 4) Jesus' works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38). Thus the Father does all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.

None of the popular illustrations are completely accurate descriptions of the Trinity. The egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yoke are parts of the egg, not the egg in themselves. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not parts of God, each of them is God. The water illustration is somewhat better but still fails to adequately describe the Trinity. Liquid, vapor, and ice are forms of water. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not forms of God, each of them is God. So, while these illustrations may give us a picture of the Trinity, the picture is not entirely accurate. An infinite God cannot be fully described by a finite illustration. Instead of focusing on the Trinity, try to focus on the fact of God's greatness and infinitely higher nature than our own. "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" (Rom 11:33-34)

Article from Got Questions

Lessons from 1777

The following is from the first book of the 1777 New England Primer. What does this mean? Well, simply put, it was the "first grade" lesson book for school children. No matter your age, this was the first material you would learn. Take a look and see what you think. As for me, I was impressed with the abundance of praises to God and the obvious reference of Him. I wonder how our nation would be if we were once again allowed to use this type of material in our classrooms...and actually believed and lived as, these verses encourgage us to.

Children, like tender osiers, take the bow,
And as they first are fashioned always grow;
For what we learn in youth, to that alone,
In age, we are by second nature prone

AN ALPHABET OF LESSONS FOR CHILDREN.

A WISE son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

BETTER is a little, with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith.

COME unto Christ, all ye who labor and are heavy hiden, and he will give you rest.

Do not the abominable thing which I hate, saith the Lord.

EXCEPT a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

FOOLISHNESS is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it from him.

GRIEVE not the Holy Spirit, lest it depart from thee.

IT is good for me to draw near unto God.

KEEP thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

LIARS will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brinistone

MANY are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of them all.

NOW is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.

OUT of the abundance of the heart thy mouth speaketh.

PRAY to thy Father who is in secret, and, thy Father who sees in secret will reward thee openly.

QUIT you like men; be strong; stand fast in the faith.

REMEMBER thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

SALVATION belongeth unto the Lord.

TRUST in God at all times, ye people; pour out your hearts before him.

UPON the wicked God will rain a horrible tempest.

WOE to the wicked; it will be ill with him, for the reward of his hand will be given him.

EXHORT one another daily while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

YOUNG men, you have overcome the wicked one.

ZEAL hath consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten the word of God.

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VERSES for Children
THOUGH I am young a little one,
If I can Speak and go alone,
Then I must learn to know the Lord,
And learn to read his holy word.
'Tis time to seek God and pray
For what I want for every day:
I have a precious soul to save,
And I a mortal body have,
Tho' I am young yet I may die,
And hasten to eternity:
There is a dreadful fiery hell,
Where wicked ones must always dwell:
There is a heaven full of Joy,
Where godly ones must always stay:
To one of these my soul must fly,
As in a moment when I die:
When God that made me,
calls me home,
I must not stay I must be gone.
He gave me life, and gives me breath,
And he can save my soul from death,
By JESUS CHRIST my only Lord,
According to his holy word.
He clothes my back and makes me warm:
He saves my flesh and bones from harm.
He gives me bread and milk and meat
And all I have that's good to eat.
When I am sick, he if he please,
Can make me well and give me ease:
He gives me sleep and quiet rest,
Whereby my body is refresh'd
The Lord is good and kind to me,
And very thankful I must be:
I must obey and love and fear him,
By faith in Christ I must draw near him.
I must not sin as others do,
Lest I lie down in sorrow too:
For God is angry every day,
With wicked ones who go astray,
All sinful words I must restrain:
I must not take God's name in vain.
I must not work, I must not play,
Upon God's holy sabbath day.
And if my parents speak the word,
I must obey them in the Lord.
Nor steal, nor lie, nor spend my days,
In idle tales and foolish plays,
I must obey my Lord's commands,
Do something with my little hands:
Remember my creator now,
In youth while time will it allow.
Young SAMUEL that little child,
He serv'd the Lord, liv'd undefil'd;
Him in his service God employ'd,
While ELI's wicked children dy'd:
When wicked children mocking said,
To a good man, Go up bald head,
God was displeas'd with them and sent
Two bears which them in pieces rent,
I must not like these children vile,
Displease my God, myself defile.
Like young ABIJAH, I must see,
That good things may be found in me,
Young King JOSIAH, that blessed youth,
He sought the Lord and lov'd the truth;
He like a King did act his part,
And follow'd God with all his heart.
The little children they did sing,
Hosannahs to their heavenly King.
That blessed child young TIMOTHY,
Did learn God's word most heedfully.
It seem'd to be his recreation,
Which made him wise unto salvation:
By faith in Christ which he had gain'd
With prayers and tears that faith unfeign'd
These good examples were for me;
Like these good children I must be.
Give me true faith in Christ my Lord,
Obedience to his holy word,
No word is in the world like thine,
There's none so pure, sweet and divine.
From thence let me thy will behold,
And love thy word above fine gold.
Make my heart in thy statutes sound,
And make my faith and love abound.
Lord circumcise my heart to love thee:
And nothing in this world above thee:
Let me behold thy pleased face,
And make my soul to grow in grace,
And in the knowledge of my Lord
And Saviour Christ, and of his word.

Today's Music: My Peace.

Grace & TV/Movie Ratings

"And God
is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that in all things,
at all times, having all that you need, you may abound in every good
work." -II Corinthians 9:8 NIV

Quick biblical facts regarding God's grace:
A. The gospel (good news) is a result of God's grace (Gal. 1: 6-9). Grace is presented as sufficient and Christians are called by grace (2 Cor. 12: 7-10, Gal. 1: 15). Man is saved by grace, the heart is established by grace, and we are justified by grace (Eph. 2: 5, 8, Heb. 13: 9, Tit. 3: 7).

B. Moreover, we render acceptable service by grace and grace imparts everlasting consolation (Heb. 12: 28, 29, 2 Thes. 2: 16). God's grace also makes us better people and helps us in time of need (I Cor. 15: 9, 10, Heb. 4: 16).

________________________________________________

TV and Movie ratings, what they REALLY mean...Before the children and teens head off to the theatres this summer I wanted to draw your attention to the ratings, especially "PG".

It's easy to see why entertainment has become such an influence in children's lives: Most school-age kids watch four to six hours of television and videos a day, or about 1,500 hours a year. And that's not counting the number of hours they spend watching movies in a theater.

"It's imperative that parents be involved in making choices about their children's entertainment," says Nell Minow, film critic and author of The Movie Mom's Guide to Family Movies. For more than 30 years, the film industry has had a rating system designed to help parents make informed decisions about what their children may watch. But even a film with a general-audience (G) rating may not be appropriate for a young child.

To help make your choices easier, what follows are basic descriptions of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings, comments from parents who let their children watch movies with those ratings, and experts' views on what the ratings really mean.

G rating (general audience)
What the MPAA says: All ages are admitted. The film contains nothing that most parents would consider offensive, even for young children. There are no scenes containing nudity, sex, or drug use. Violence is minimal; there may be dialog that goes beyond polite conversation, but there is no foul language.

What a parent says: "If it's marketed to children or families, I let my kids see it," says Julie, an Atlanta mother of two boys, ages 5 and 2 1/2. Julie says that some themes in G movies, especially the frequent motif of orphaned children, seem too advanced for her younger child, but so far he hasn't complained of nightmares or shown any other negative reactions.

What the expert says: Julie's approach is a "big mistake, especially now that we know [thanks to a recent Federal Trade Commission study] that movie companies intentionally market inappropriate material to children," says Michael Rich, a pediatrician in Boston and media expert for the American Academy of Pediatrics. While much G-rated material may be harmless viewing for youngsters, some can be disturbing. Many Disney cartoons, for instance, feature a plot element like the death of a parent and other violent content that can be confusing and scary to children.

PG rating (parental guidance suggested)
What the MPAA says: The film may contain material that most parents would consider inappropriate for their young children. There are no scenes with explicit sex or drug use; there may be brief nudity. Horror and violence do not exceed moderate levels.

What a parent says: "I object more to sexual content than to violence. PG movies may have science-fiction violence, but that doesn't bother me," says Anna, a lawyer in Reno, Nevada, and the mother of two boys, ages 5 and 2 1/2. Among the PG-rated films that her boys have seen: The Road to El Dorado, the Star Wars series, That Darn Cat, and Inspector Gadget.

What the expert says: "It's difficult to know what kinds of material a PG film might include, since [that rating] encompasses too much," says Peggy Charren, founder of Action for Children's Television, an organization that worked to ensure quality and diversity in television programming for children and to limit advertisements. Indeed, PG movies often contain jokes about bodily functions, some foul language, and sexual innuendo. "At least this parent has decided what kind of content she thinks is appropriate instead of just allowing any PG movie into the house," Charren says.

PG-13 rating (parents strongly cautioned)
What the MPAA says: Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13, and parents should be "especially careful" about letting children younger than 13 attend. There is no persistent violence, meaning that there may be one punch thrown but not an elaborate fight; sexually oriented nudity is generally absent; some scenes of drug use may be present; and one use of a "harsher sexually derived word" may be present.

What a parent says: "My boys love action movies, but I don't like them to see violence," says Kathi, the mother of two boys, ages 8 and 5, who lives in Los Angeles. "My oldest wanted to see the latest Jackie Chan movie and I wasn't sure if it was appropriate, so I went to see it alone. His dad took him to see it after I'd screened it and decided it was okay."

What the expert says: "Bravo! This mom is obviously concerned about what her children are exposed to," Minow says. Screening a movie before your kids see it is a good idea for any rating, but particularly PG-13. "This rating is the no-man's-land of the rating system," Minow says. "Some PG-13s have fairly innocuous material, but others manage to avoid an R only by using sound-alikes — like Austin Powers's 'frikkin.' Or there's vulgarity that manages to come in under the MPAA's radar," such as a transvestite in an Adam Sandler movie who moans as he massages his nipples.

R rating (restricted: under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian; the age may vary in some locations)
What the MPAA says: The film contains adult material. Parents are urged to see the film before allowing their children to see it. This rating may be assigned for one or more of the following: language, sex, drug use, or violence.

What a parent says: "As long as it looks like there's not too much sex or violence, I take my child with me to see movies that I want to see," says Andrea, the mother of a 4-year-old boy in Sausalito, California. Andrea reads reviews and uses ads on television to help her make decisions about what her child may watch. Sometimes her choices backfire. "My son was 3 when we took him to see South Park, a show we all watch on television, and he swore like a sailor for a few weeks afterward," she admits. "It was a mistake." (Even the teenager at the ticket window told Andrea that the movie was inappropriate for her young son.) "Now that he's getting older, if it's really questionable, we get a sitter," she says.

What the expert says: "I know a lot of parents who take their kids to see movies they have no business seeing because the parents don't want to pay a sitter," says Minow. "But a babysitter is cheaper than psychoanalysis!" Of course, not every child who is exposed to violence or overt sexuality in entertainment will be troubled by it later, but a large body of research suggests that some children who are repeatedly exposed to violence in entertainment are more likely to be aggressive and exhibit other negative behavior. The point is, Minow says, that parents need to consider carefully the potential effects of some movies on their children. "And if you're willing to let your kids view such sophisticated movies, you should be willing to discuss with them the issues the movie brings up — like sex."

Violence in PG...any different than R?
A recent study conducted by researchers at the UCLA School of Public Health and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that there may not be much difference between PG- and R-rated movies when it comes to violence. After analyzing 100 top-grossing movies, researchers concluded that while MPAA ratings may convey the degree of violence in movies, they do a lousy job of indicating the number of violent acts. The PG films observed included anywhere from one to 97 acts of violence, while the R-rated movies ranged from one to 110—only a slight difference, though the average number of violent acts did increase with harsher ratings. The study surveyed movies that were all released in 1994.

Reuters, 5/2/05; physorg.com, 5/3/04
Today's Music:

As the Deer.

Lunch & Love... "The Golden Rule"

LUNCH...
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew
it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies
and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he
met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a
drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he
offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled
at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he
offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was
delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said
a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how
tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few
steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own
house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his
face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?

"He replied, "I had lunch with
God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what?
God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant
with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his
face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so
happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the
park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You
know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a
touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the
smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

LOVE..."The Golden Rule"

Our Saviour's Golden Rule.
BE you to others kind and true,
As you'd have others be to you:
And neither do nor say to men,
Whate'er you would not take again.

Matthew 22:37-39 ..."Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Mark 12:28-31 ..."Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one, " answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 'Love the Lord your God will all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'. There is no commandment greater than these."

1Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Don't Steal & Amazing Grace

"I was blind but now I see!" John 9:25

"You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15 (8th Commandment)

It seems that this command is perfectly clear and doesn't permit misinterpretation, except perhaps for the word "steal." In case there should be any doubt in anyone's mind what the word "steal" encompasses, here is the definition from Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition:

steal vb stole; stolen; stealing [ME stelen, fr. OE stelan; akin to OHG stelan to steal] vi (bef. 12c)

1 : to take the property of another wrongfully and especially as an habitual or regular practice

a : to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or use wrongfully (stole a
car)
b : to take away by force or unjust means (they've stolen our
liberty)
c : to take surreptitiously or without permission (~ a kiss)
d : to appropriate to oneself or beyond one's proper share …

syn STEAL, PILFER, FILCH, PURLOIN mean to take from another without right or without detection.
STEAL may apply to any surreptitious taking of something and differs from the other terms by commonly applying to
intangible as well as material things (steal jewels) (stole a look at the gifts). PILFER implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts (pilfered from his employer). FILCH adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously (filched an apple from the tray). Purloin stresses removing for
one's own use or purposes (printed a purloined document).

I do accept Your will, O God, And all Your ways adore; And every day I live I'll seek To please You more and more. -Anon.

In His will is our peace. -Dante

In times of difficulty or loss, we should seek God's help and deliverance. But we must still trust Him if He does not answer our prayers the way we want Him to.
Have we learned to take no for an answer? -Albert Lee

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"I was blind but now I see!" John 9:25
Today's Music: Amazing Grace.

AMAZING GRACE

Words: John Newton, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779). Exception: the last stanza is by an unknown author; it apeared as early as 1829 in the Baptist Songter, by R. Winchell (Wethersfield, Connecticut), as the last stanza of the song "Jerusalem My Happy Home."

This is probably the most popular hymn in the English language--a television documentary was even made about it. Perhaps it is because its words so well describe the author: John Newton was a slave trader before coming to Christ. It was sung at the funeral of American President Ronald Regan.

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Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

Fun & Faith

The grass withers
the flower fades,
But the Word of our God
stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8

FUN QUIZ - as you can see I'm 75% All American!

Just click on the link to find your style...

Your Linguistic Profile:

75% General American English

20% Yankee

5% Dixie

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

FAITH - 'COME NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL COME NEAR TO YOU...' James 4:8

Christian leader John Bisagno says, 'Faith is at the heart of life. You go to a doctor whose name you cannot pronounce, he gives you a prescription you cannot read, you take it to a pharmacist you don't know, he gives you medication you don't understand - and you take it.' That's faith! What could be worse than not having faith in God? When something good happens, who would you give thanks to? When something bad happens, who would you run to? If you wait until you can explain God, you'll never turn to Him. F.B. Mayer before he went to be with the Lord said, 'Unbelief puts our circumstances between us and God. But faith puts God between us and our circumstances.' Who wouldn't like to have the Creator of the universe helping them!

'But I haven't got a Christian family. None of my friends are particularly interested in God. How do I find faith?' A famous old preacher called DL Moody said, 'I prayed for faith and thought that some day it would come down and strike me like lightning, but faith did not seem to come. Then one day I read the tenth chapter of Romans, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." I closed my Bible and prayed for faith. Then I opened my Bible and began to study - and faith has been growing ever since.' You might still be a bit stuck, thinking, 'But I don't know how to pray.' Just kneel and say, 'Jesus, I accept You as my friend, AND my boss too.' Go ahead, do it now - it's a prayer you'll never regret!

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from Word for Today

Dedicated to Mother's Day

"The noblest calling in the world is that of mother. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece or who can write a book that will influence millions deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose immortal souls will be exerting an influence throughout the ages long after painting shall have faded, and books and statues shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give."- David O. McKay

A Godly Mother
prays with and for her children
reads the Scriptures to and with her children
teaches her children to live a Christian life
prays for the salvation of her family
manages the home
worships the Lord
has a song in her heart
comforts and disciplines her children sings "Jesus" songs to her children

The Influence of a Mother

"The mother, more than any other, affects the moral and spiritual part of the children’s character. She is their constant companion and teacher in formative years. The child is ever imitating and assimilating the mother’s nature. It is only in after life that men gaze backward and behold how a mother’s hand and heart of love molded their young lives and shaped their destiny."- E.W. Caswell

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"Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined."- John S.C. Abbott

"The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world."– W. R. Wallace

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."- Abraham Lincoln

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her."- George Washington

"The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom."- Henry Ward Beecher

"I cannot tell you how much I owe to the solemn word of my good mother."- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearing of little children tends towards the formation of character."- Hosea Ballou