UTOPIA

July 6, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.–Epesians 1:9-10

What a day that will be! Having recently preached on these verses, my heart was stirred as I was reminded that God’s eternal purpose will be fulfilled just as He planned–regardless of how things now appear. Living in the light of that promise brings great comfort to the heart of God’s children. They know the best is yet to come!

Commenting on this truth David Jeremiah wrote: Utopia is a fictional land conceived by Thomas More for his Latin novel, On the Best State in a Republic. This near-perfect society was discovered by a traveler on an island in the Atlantic, and it seemed to possess ideal social, political, and legal structures. It had few laws and no lawyers. Instead of fighting wars, it hired mercenaries. Instead of personal property, everything was held communally. Everyone was free to worship as they wished, and all appeared happy and whole.

But it exists only in fiction.

Ever since Adam and Eve lost their lease on Eden, humanity has been looking for Utopia. But we live in a world blighted by sin, selfishness, death, and destruction.

One day the times will reach fulfillment, Christ will return, the spiritual and physical realms will be merged, the New Earth will appear, the City of God will descend from heaven, and the dwelling place of God will be with men. He will be our God and we will be His people. It won’t be Utopia. It’ll be heaven!

In the truest sense, Christian pilgrims have the best of both worlds. We have joy whenever this world reminds us of the next, and we take solace whenever it does not.–C.S. Lewis

PRECIOUS PROMISES

July 5, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This verse is important, informational, and inspirational. To escape “the corruption that is in the world” is wonderful, but to be “partakers of the divine nature” is even more glorious. It staggers the mind to think about it. It’s something that is far beyond the reach of man’s natural abilities. It is possible because the great God “that cannot lie”(Titus 1:2) has given us “exceeding great and precious promises.”

Although we are weak and helpless,”his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue”(2 Peter 1:3). God’s children are not short-changed in any sense whatsoever! Notice, he said,”all things”. Everything we need for “life and godliness” is freely supplied by the grace of God. We need only claim what He has already given.

Seeing that all this is true, how can you say that the Bible is a boring book or that you don’t have time to read it? I urge you today to plunge into its depths, discover what He has promised, and claim what He has provided. Do this and you will find that for every need there is a promise. Search for them like they were precious jewels. In doing so you will discover that these gems of grace are exactly what you need.

AMERICA’S BIBLICAL HERITAGE

July 3, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”–Genesis 12:1-3

Despite what many people want you to believe today, America is a Christian nation. America was founded on the principles of God’s Word and many of the early leaders of our land recognized the importance of the Bible in founding the nation. Notice a few quotes from early American leaders:

“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

“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”—John Quincy Adams

“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”—John Jay

“Do not let anyone claim the tribute of American patriotism if they ever attempt to remove religion from politics.”—George Washington

The biggest tragedy of our day is the act of overlooking the spiritual base of our nation. Overlooking our biblical heritage leads to the election of leaders who have no respect for God, the Supreme Ruler of our nation.

While our nation is not perfect, I praise the Lord for its spiritual heritage. No other nation in the world has a history so based on the Bible as America does. No other nation can point to a spiritually moral foundation like we can. Praise God for that!

God has greatly blessed America because our Founding Fathers established our nation on biblical principles. Never forget in this day of compromise that God blesses those who follow the principles of His Word. Our nation is great because throughout history Americans have blessed God.

As you celebrate our national Day of Independence, take time to thank God for His blessings on our nation. We would not be the great nation we are today were it not for God. Also, remember God promises to bless those who follow Him and His Word. Renew your commitment today, like our forefathers did with the founding of America, to base your life on the principles of God’s Word.(By Paul Chappell)

THE ONLY GOOD AMERICAN

July 2, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

Any sensible person can see that our nation is deeply divided and therefore in grave danger. In this day when there are so many conflicting opinions about what it means to be an American, we need to examine our hertiage, consider our constitution, acquaint ourselves with our founding fathers, and take a good hard look at ourselves.

In 1915 President Thedore Roosevelt made a statement that touches one of the problem areas that we need to think about today. He said:

“There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. … The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic. … There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.” Think about it!

I AM AN AMERICAN

July 1, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

I was born with many blessings, privileges, and opportunities, unknown to many. I’ve never known what it’s like to be hungry or to not be able to get medical treatment when it was needed. I was afforded the privilege of being able to get an education. I was raised in a neighborhood that was safe, where I could roam and play without fear of being harmed. I knew nothing about forced labor, unless you consider normal chores as such, and there is a big difference. Dad and mom provided everything I needed, so I never had to resort to begging or eating out of dumpsters. I could indulge myself in pleasurable activities such as hunting, fishing, and playing little league baseball, while children elsewhere had to live in squalor. Indeed I have been blessed far beyond what I am able to describe, blessings not enjoyed by most people in the world, blessings totally undeserved.

In addition to all this, I had security. Not only the security of a loving family, but the security that comes from being protected by the greatest fighting force on earth, the United States Armed Forces! My favorite song in grade school was the “Halls of Montezuma”. It still sends chills down my spine when I hear it.

As an American I’ve had countless opportunities. I was told at an early age, “This is America. You can be what you want to be.” Compared to the rest of the world my life was relatively trouble free. When I failed I had nobody to blame but myself. I was free and just about everyone was urging me to be the best that I could be. I didn’t always listen, but I had the opportunity because I’m an American. I’m free!

I am an American! I am a red-blooded, true blue, stand tall American and proud of it.Joy floods my soul when I see Old Glory wave in the breeze. My heart beats faster when we sing the National Anthem. Tears come to my eyes I hear the pledge of alligence. Wonder overwhelms me when I read the constitution. Gratitude springs up within me when I see those in uniform. Admiration is felt in every fiber of my being when I see our veterans. And my bloods boils with anger when I see disrespect for the flag and hear disparaging remarks about our country. I am an American and proud of it. If you don’t love it leave it!

Because I am an American I will not give up, shut up, or tone down. My days on earth are limited and may be few. My duty is clear. I will do what I can, while I can, as long as I can, the best I can, to preserve liberty and justice for the next generation. Not only am I an American, I am a Christian and I will not give up hope, nor cease praying that God will continue to bless America.

UTOPIA

PRECIOUS PROMISES

AMERICA’S BIBLICAL HERITAGE

THE ONLY GOOD AMERICAN

I AM AN AMERICAN

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