America's Christian Foundation

Sunday, May 16, 2010

How often have you heard or read media reports that tried to convince you that the foundation of our country was not based on religious principles? Did you know that beginning in the 1960s historians began emphasizing the “economic view of American history” instead of the broad or all-encompassing perspective of our country’s founding which had been recognized for three centuries? It is likely that if you were an American high school student in the last few decades, you were never really exposed to the full view of America’s moral, religious, and constitutional foundation.

Historian Dr. David Barton is trying to change that understanding through WallBuilders, an organization designed to provide a positive influence in government, education, and families through educating the nation about the Godly foundation of our country. As a former American Studies teacher, I sat with rapt attention last week at the Chattanooga Leadership Breakfast where Dr. Barton was the guest speaker. Barton took the 1,800 Christian leaders on an historical journey of America’s early roots. His information is based on extensive research from thousands of first-edition works by our Founding Fathers. From these documents he shared with us a rich moral history of our foundation.

Below you will find excerpts from Barton’s speech and other historical facts I found on his website at http://www.wallbuilders.com/.

In the portrait of the signing of the Declaration of Independence posted on this page, how many forefathers can you identify? Benjamin Franklin? Thomas Jefferson? Any others? Most of us do not recognize the names much less the religious backgrounds of these signers. Unfortunately, these two men have the most questionable faith of all signers. Did you know that 29 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence had degrees from seminary or Bible schools? Did you know that most of these men wrote extensively about their Christian faith and belief in God’s divine work in our country’s founding?

From the personal writings of the signers of the Declaration of Independence…
Charles Thomson
"I am a Christian. I believe only in the Scriptures, and in Jesus Christ my Savior."

Samuel Adams
"I . . . [rely] upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins."

Robert Treat Paine
"I believe the Bible to be the written word of God and to contain in it the whole rule of faith and manners."

John Witherspoon
"[T]here is no salvation in any other than in Jesus Christ of Nazareth."

Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration of Independence and ratifier of the U.S. Constitution started the Sunday School program in America. He wrote,
“If we can live by scriptures, we can solve all our social problems.”

In a letter to Benjamin Rush, John Adams said,
"The Holy Ghost carries on the whole Christian system in this Earth. …There can be no legitimate government but what is administered by this Holy Ghost."

The documents of the founding fathers show that one of the most commonly quoted scriptures was Psalm 33:12
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"

James Madison declared that he saw the finished Constitution as a product of
“the finger of that Almighty Hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the Revolution,”

In 1774 the first act of America’s first Congress was to ask a minister to open with prayer and to lead Congress in the reading of four chapters on the Bible.

In 1781 Robert Aitken presented a petition to Congress offering to print
"a neat Edition of the Holy Scriptures for the use of schools."

In 1782 Aitken’s Bible became the first known English-language Bible to be printed in American and the only one to receive Congressional approval.

On religion and government, George Washington wrote in his “Farewell Address,”
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. … reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

By 1815 various state governments had issued at least 1,400 official prayer proclamations.

How fitting in this season of political unrest and conflicts abroad that Barton closed his speech with a call to patriotism and Christianity. He reminded us of Washington’s speech to his beleaguered soldiers at Valley Forge in 1778,
“To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian”
An open promoter of Christianity, Washington saw the value of proclaiming his Christianity. How far we have come from a nation that once extolled Christianity and one whose leaders proudly acknowledged their faith to one that denies the rich Christian heritage of our country!

If we, as Christians, do not stand up for our faith and reclaim the truth of our historical and biblical foundations, then who will? The words of President James A. Garfield ring as true today as they did in 1877…
"Now, more than ever, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. . . . [I]f the next centennial does not find us a great nation. . . . it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces."

It’s time to learn the truth about our past in order to effect a positive future.

In order to learn more about WallBuilders and David Barton, go to http://www.wallbuilders.com/.

Faith as a Tool

Monday, May 10, 2010

Have you ever received a small appliance that you never put to use? Over the years I have had many domestic devices that I thought looked handy and that I would use frequently. However, I used them a time or two and then stored them in the farthest corner of the pantry never to be seen again. Oh, I’d run across them occasionally and put them in a yard sale or give them away. I readily recall finding new homes for a wok, crepe maker, fancy roaster, and cappuccino machine. They each had a purpose, but I failed to put them to use on a regular basis.

Sometimes our faith is like those gadgets. Some people have faith but rarely use it for its intended purpose. Some call on faith when it’s convenient. Sometimes we shelve our faith instead of exercising it every day. Faith is not just a set of ideas that we think about. An active faith requires action. Faith is living out our God-given beliefs in relation to God and others. Faith is not just something we put on for Sunday mornings in worship services. It is something to be used every day as we study God’s word, worship God, and serve others.

I recently read a story about missionaries in Africa that illustrates this point. Some missionaries were looking forward to working with a primitive tribe in a remote part of Africa. Unsure of how they would be received, the missionaries decided to send a goodwill gift to the tribe. They arranged for a shiny new plow to be dropped by parachute into the village. When the missionaries arrived a few days later, they encountered something unexpected. The natives, who had never seen a plow and had no concept of how to use one, put the mysterious equipment to an unusual use. They put it on a pedestal and worshipped it!

Instead of using the plow as a tool, the natives used it as a reverent ornament. Like the plow, our faith is an active tool. Our faith can revolutionize our lives and the lives of others. We have to put it to use!

Faith is an active tool. Use it in service for Him!

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” Philippians 1:27

Life is good

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Life is good. When brothers Bert and John Jacobs wanted to do something creative to make money, they didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Brought up in a family of eight in very modest means, the sons give their mother Joan credit for her positive outlook and encouragement. Joan saw the bright side of life even in bleak financial circumstances. At dinner each night, Jean cheerfully asked the family, “What good thing happened today?”

Through their highly successful t-shirt company, Life is good® the brothers promote their mission: to spread the power of hope. They have chosen to live a life of optimism. They focus on what’s right in the world, not what’s wrong. People connect with their message, Life is good, and as a result their profits have been very good too. The Life is good® corporation has reached sales of over $100 million a year through nearly 5,000 retailers in 29 countries. Sharing their success, the Jacobs are enthusiastic philanthropists and support the development of at-risk children through their non-profit organization, Project Joy. Their influence doesn’t stop there. The Life is good® company employs productive team members who enjoy their work, have fun, and deliver great customer service. The brothers used three simple words to make a difference in the world.

The story of these men and the choice they made to focus on hope and optimism is inspirational and there are many examples of encouragement.

• Their mother Joan made a lasting impression on her family by choosing to focus on the sunny side of life.
  Bert and John used three words to spread a message of hope.
  They share their good fortune with the less fortunate.
  They provide a workplace that enables employees to be productive and enjoy their work at the same time.

We all have the same opportunity to make a choice about how we view the world. We, as Christians, can reflect on the message we send to the world by asking these questions. Have I made a choice to reflect the hope of Christ to the world? What three words would I use to describe life? Do I share my good fortune with the less fortunate? Do I provide a loving, positive environment for those that work with and for me?

Hebrews 10:24, "So let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds."

Do I spur on one another toward love and good works? Life is truly good. Let us spread that good news in our words and deeds today.

Access Point

Sunday, April 25, 2010

I heard a story recently about thieves who broke into the same house twice. The troubled homeowner asked the police why thieves would return to her house for a second robbery. The officer told her the robbers checked to see if their access point was still open. It was, so they entered for a second time. He warned her, “The thieves will come back as long as the access point is open.”

Negative thoughts are like those thieves. As long as we leave open the access point in our mind, they’ll keep coming. We can close off the access point by filling our mind with positive thoughts so there is no room for negativity.

Research indicates that an individual thinks approximately 50,000 thoughts per day. Since we tend to recycle our thoughts by repeating the same ones we had yesterday and the day before, we need to make sure we’re filling our minds with positive thoughts. Pessimistic, downbeat, or gloomy thoughts rob us of our joy and can affect our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

How often in a day do we say aloud or silently these kinds of off-putting comments:

I am just hopeless.
It is a terrible day.
I feel awful.
I will never get this job done.
Nothing ever works out right.
I’ve always been this way. I’ll never change.
I feel miserable.
Bad things always happen to me.
Why can’t I ever catch a break!
Business is terrible.
Woe is me!

These thoughts make us feel sad, anxious, guilty, depressed, inferior, and angry. They also move us farther away from right living in Christ.
Every thought we have either moves us closer to God or farther away. Negative thoughts move us away from a close relationship with God. In Matthew 16:23 Jesus said, “You are a stumbling block to me. You think as men think, not as God thinks.” Author and pastor, A.W. Tozer said, “We have all found that God will not dwell in spiteful and proud and selfish thoughts. He treasures our pure and loving thoughts, our meek and charitable and kindly thoughts. They are the thoughts like His own!”

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul tells us to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The Message version of this verse says that we have “powerful God tools” available to help us tear down barriers against God’s truth. Negative thoughts are barriers against God’s truth. The good news is that we can replace negative thoughts with positive ones, but it takes mental discipline. Every time a negative thought tries to enter the access point of our brain, we must switch it. We must use “powerful God tools” in order to think like God thinks and close off the access point to negative thoughts.

Ta-da!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Last weekend I went with 18 women from my Bible study groups to the Women of Joy Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. What a joy-filled, Spirit led experience of renewal we had! We lifted our voices in praise with Charles Billingsley, Michael W. Smith, and Steven Curtis Chapman. Four joyful women of God shared their inspirational and often humorous stories of faith. Each one lifted our spirits and encouraged us to move forward in our faith journey with hope and perseverance.

Sarah Palin urged us to find the desire of our heart, our God-given passion. Reminding us to use our passions, she said to look for sign-posts that encourage us. Then she shared that as she trained for a marathon, her teenage son Track left notes of encouragement every few miles. “You can do it!” “Way to go, Mom!” These “signposts” kept her going forward.
“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
She also shared that her special needs son Trig changed her world and taught her real compassion. As Trig wakes up each morning, he rubs his sleepy eyes and applauds. Sarah noted that’s what our Lord wants from us. We should begin each day and applaud God. “Thanks for this day! Whatever is to come, you’ll be with me!”
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Becky Tirabassi, an author, speaker, and Life Coach, shared how the power of prayer has affected her. Becky described prayer as God’s Stimulus Package. Let’s think on that. A stimulus is something external that encourages activity. Prayer is an internal stimulus that encourages us to act. What a marvelous takeaway message! Sober for 32 years, Becky has spent one hour a day in prayer for the last 26 years and for many years has read the Bible through each year. She shared story after story of how these spiritual practices changed her life and made her a new creature in Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! “ 2 Corinthians 5:17

Anita Renfroe kept us in stitches of laughter as she shared the humor of being a mom. Described as “this generation’s Erma Bombeck,” Anita laughingly told of her life as a pastor’s wife and the day-to-day issues facing women today. Her William Tell version of everything a mom says to children in the course of one day is a classic! Check it out on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ZpuA8_YYk.

Liz Curtis Higgs, a favorite of my Bible study groups, provided the culminating talk of the weekend. Author of the Bad Girls of the Bible series, Liz brought a message of love and acceptance. She reminded us that God loves us as we are. He made us in the same way he made creation; he made us and said, “It is good!” He has lavished his love on us.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1
He made us unique, in his image, and for his pleasure. God thinks we are each beautiful and he desperately wants us to agree with him. Liz encouraged us to jump in front of the mirror each morning and say, “Ta-da!” In the United Kingdom “ta” is a thank you and “da” is short for Father. When we say, “Ta-da!, we are really saying, “Thank you, Father!”

We left home as 18 friends and returned as 18 closer friends in Christ inspired and energized (and I must say well-fed! Is it wrong to want Kentucky Derby pie every day of your life!)

I hope you too will be inspired to begin each day with prayer, Bible reading, applause to God, and a hearty “Ta-da!”

Weed Killing

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Have you done any weed killing lately? Last week I took on the dreaded task of cleaning out the flower planters on my porch and deck. It was time to get them ready for spring planting. Removing the debris of old plants is key to the long term success of new plants. Donning my garden gloves, I dug into each bed yanking out the scrawny leftovers of last summer’s vegetation. For the most part, I was able to remove the clods of dirt, dead flowers, and their roots with ease, but for some I had to use my trowel to work through the soil and release the scraggly roots. However, in each of my seven planters, I had centered a plant called a “Dracaena Spike” that served as the showcase of the container. Last summer they stood tall and spread out like a shady fan over the other flowers in the planter. But after the neglect of the winter, the spike had taken deep roots that ran throughout the planter creating a tough web of strands. In every planter as I attempted to pull out the spike, I broke it off at the root and no matter how hard I pulled, I couldn’t remove the root. I was having a showdown with the showcase! I was beginning to understand the meaning of the plant’s name: “dracaena” is a derivation of “dragon!” I had to trace the stubborn core loosening the “legs” a few at a time. Then I used the trowel to finally yank out the root. It took a lot of effort, but I finally had planters with fresh, loose soil ready for new growth.

While going through this process I was reminded of how strongholds take root in our lives. These strongholds begin as thoughts and emotions that turn into actions and soon become spiritual obstacles that settle into the patterns of our lives. They eventually spread and choke out the beautiful seedlings. They become rooted in our character overtaking the good soil. In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-28) we see that the abundant crop comes from the “good ground.” In the parable, the stones and weeds choked off the seed (the word of God) planted by the sower (Jesus). “Good ground” is clear of debris and can bear fruit. Jesus described weeds as worries and deceitfulness that prevent us from growing in our faith. He said the “evil one” snatches away the good seed. Removing the weeds in our life is hard and often requires help. We must persevere in getting to the root of sin, to the stubborn core, until we finally have fresh, loose soil ready for new growth in Christ. Do you need to do some spiritual weed killing?

"The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." Matthew 13:23

Living Hope

Sunday, April 4, 2010

He is risen! He is risen indeed! How do we know this? Let’s look at the record, the facts. Let's see how living witnesses shared the living hope!

Jesus of Nazareth, who claimed to be the Messiah, preached throughout Israel, in Galilee, Samaria, and Jerusalem. He was arrested, tried, and crucified. His body was wrapped in linen cloth following Jewish burial customs. Then his body was placed in a solid rock tomb with an extremely large stone rolled against the entrance. A Roman guard was stationed to guard the tomb, and then the tomb was sealed with the Roman seal to prevent vandalism. Three days later when some women went to the tomb, they found the body was gone. In the following weeks, his disciples claimed that God had raised Jesus from the dead and that he appeared to them at various times before ascending to heaven. Beginning with the testimony of living witnesses, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and the Good News has continued to spread through the centuries. No credible evidence of hostile witnesses has ever been proved.

For Consideration
The empty tomb could have been proved false if that were the case. Both Jewish and Roman sources admit there was an empty tomb.

In the Roman military guards could be put to death for the smallest infraction. They surely fled in fear of their lives when they discovered the stone had been removed and Jesus’ body was no longer there.

The burial clothes remained in the tomb and appeared in the same position.

Jesus appeared to…

First to Mary Magdalene. (John 20:14, 16, 18; Mark 16:9)
Then to the other women. (Matthew 28:9)
To Peter. (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5)
To Cleopas and the other disciple on the way to Emmaus. (Luke 24:15)
In the closed room, to ten disciples. (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19, 20)
To the eleven. (John 20:26, 29)
In the mountains, to the eleven. (Matthew 28:10, 17)
At the sea, to Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two
other disciples. (John 21:1, 14)
To five hundred brethren at once. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
To James, and to all the apostles. )Acts 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:7)
To Paul. (Acts 9:3-6; 22:17-21; 23:11; 1 Corinthians 15:8)

Scripture records they talked with him, ate with him, and touched him. According to the Apostle Paul, Jesus appeared to over 500 followers over a period of 40 days after the resurrection and before ascending to heaven.

Yes, He is risen! He is risen indeed! Living witnesses and a living hope!

“In his great mercy he had given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” 1 Peter 1:3