“Patriotism is as much a virtue as justice, and is as necessary for the support of societies as natural affection is for the support of families. The amor patriae (love of country) is both a moral and a religious duty. It comprehends not only the love of our neighbors but of millions of our fellow creatures, not only of the present but of future generations.”
“The great natural law of self-preservation cannot e repealed or superseded or suspended by any human institution. The right of the citizens to bear arms in the defense of themselves shall not be questioned. Every man’s house is deemed by the law to be his castle; and the law invests him with the power and places on him the duty of the COMMANDING OFFICER OF HIS HOUSE.
“The church must take right ground in regard in politics. Politics are part of a religion in a country as this, and Christians must do their duty in their country as a part of their duty to God. God will bless or curse this nation according to the course Christians take in politics.”
“The price of cowardice will only be evil. We shall reap courage and victory only when we dare to make sacrifices.”
“Now, more than ever before, 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 . . . If 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.”
“If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering; but if we and our posterity neglect its instruction and authority, no man can tell how suddenly a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity.”
“A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them CANNOT BE ENSLAVED. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins.”
“I am much afraid that the schools will prove to be the gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraining them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not unceasingly occupied with the word of God must be corrupt.”
Malachi 4:6 says: "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." This Scripture speaks initially of the coming of John the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elijah. This is confirmed in Luke 1:16-17 and fulfilled at the first coming of Jesus Christ.
John, the apostle spoke of Jesus coming from "the bosom of the Father" (John 1:18) This means from the heart of the Father or the lap of the Father. Because Jesus came from the Father's intimate affections, He could speak of His Father more authoritatively and more intimately than any others who had ever spoken about God. What an advantage Jesus had above all others.
We all want our natural trees to be fruitful. Why not our family trees? In John 15:6 Jesus says that He will cut off the branches that do not bear fruit. We all agree that this passage primarily talks about spiritual fruit. However, there is a parallel here. Christ uses a natural vine to illustrate a spiritual point.
Man was made for sacred purposes; trees were not. Of all the myriad of creatures that God created it was only man that was given the sacred and priceless privilege to bear the likeness and image of God. This should never be underestimated. After creating the vegetation and trees, God said that “it was good” but it was the family tree that God blessed and gave the divine commandment to “Be fruitful and multiply.” This commandment has never been revoked and is as important today as in the beginning. Time has not changed this generational mandate.
Here in Tennessee, we live among beautiful hardwoods including oak, walnut, and hickories, etc. We are surrounded with logs and sawmills. My son-in-law owns a sawmill. Many of the hardwoods take years to mature yet the perpetuating of the forest continues. One wonders how the forests could possibly continue to yield such a vast amount of trees year after year, and yet, with God’s help they keep growing.
In Genesis 1:11-12 we read how God created the vegetation on the earth, including all the many varieties of trees and "God saw that it was good."
Every blessing that God gives to us is always for our own good, otherwise it would not be a blessing. The big question we must ask ourselves, and be honest about it, is why do we 21st century Christians accept gratefully from God all other blessings, and yet for whatever reasons, refuse the blessing of children God would bless us with if only we would receive them?
Is this a No. 1 problem or a No. 1 blessing?
Before the fall in the Garden of Eden, it is possible that Adam and Eve had an open channel, unhindered by sin, to reveal the true likeness and image of God. I cannot help but imagine what a magnificent couple they must have been. I wonder whether there was some type of glory covering their bodies because after the fall they knew that they were naked and felt a desperate need to cover themselves.
Some thoughts from Michael Barnett:
1. GOD'S ORIGINAL MANDATE
"If we do not stand up against evil, we are supporting it."
` Colin Campbell
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