REMEMBER WILLIAM PENN [QUOTE OF THE FORTNIGHT ~ SUNDAY 21 JULY 2013 TO SATURDAY 3 AUGUST 2013]

AUTHOR: William Penn (14 October 1644 – 30 July 1718) was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, early Quaker and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful treaties with the Lenape Indians. Under his direction, the city of Philadelphia was planned and developed.

In 1681, King Charles II handed over a large piece of his American land holdings to William Penn to satisfy a debt the king owed to Penn's father. This land included present-day Pennsylvania and Delaware. Penn immediately sailed to America and his first step on American soil took place in New Castle in 1682. On this occasion, the colonists pledged allegiance to Penn as their new Proprietor, and the first general assembly was held in the colony. Afterwards, Penn journeyed up river and founded Philadelphia. However, Penn's Quaker government was not viewed favorably by the Dutch, Swedish, and English settlers in what is now Delaware. They had no "historical" allegiance to Pennsylvania, so they almost immediately began petitioning for their own Assembly. In 1704 they achieved their goal when the three southernmost counties of Pennsylvania were permitted to split off and become the new semi-autonomous colony of Lower Delaware. As the most prominent, prosperous and influential "city" in the new colony, New Castle became the capital.

As one of the earlier supporters of colonial unification, Penn wrote and urged for a Union of all the English colonies in what was to become the United States of America. The democratic principles that he set forth in the Pennsylvania Frame of Government served as an inspiration for the United States Constitution. As a pacifist Quaker, Penn considered the problems of war and peace deeply, and included a plan for a United States of Europe ("European Dyet, Parliament or Estates") in his voluminous writings.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK [SUNDAY 21 JULY 2013 TO SATURDAY 27 JULY 2013]

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. - Philippians 4 verse 8 (NKJV)

THE GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE [DEVOTION OF THE WEEK ~ SUNDAY 14 JULY 2013 TO SATURDAY 20 JULY 2013]

NOTICE: The following article is written by the author itself and not by me, I am not trying to violate their copyright. I will give some information on them.

PAGE TITLE: CBN Daily Devotional

ARTICLE TITLE: The God of a Second Chance

DATE: 1998

AUTHOR: Terry Meeuwsen

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Terry Meeuwsen co-hosts The 700 Club with Pat Robertson, a daily broadcast from the CBN studios in Virginia Beach, VA. A native of Wisconsin, she attended St. Norbert College; and sang and traveled with the New Christy Minstrels for two years. In 1973 Terry was crowned Miss America. She began her broadcast career co-hosting a daily talk show in Milwaukee called A New Day at NBC affiliate WTMJ-TV. Meeuwsen has also authored four books.

Terry and her husband, Andy, have seven children. Five of their children are adopted. The adoption of their three daughters from Ukraine opened her eyes to the plight of millions of children around the world who are alone and in desperate situations. Out of that concern, a ministry called Orphan’s Promise was birthed and now is at work in over 40 countries around the world. The passion and purpose of Orphan’s Promise is to touch as many of these children’s lives as possible, both physically and spiritually.

To find out more about Orphan’s Promise, visit OrphansPromise.org

URL: http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Meeuwsen-second-chance.aspx

I began working in television in Milwaukee in 1978. While I'd never set out to do talk TV, I felt at home from the beginning, and being in the public eye gave me many opportunities to share my faith. Because it was fairly common knowledge in the community that I was a Christian, the publicity of going through a divorce was difficult. That winter, I went home at the end of each day to a cold, silent house. Emotionally depressed and grieved, I would then climb into bed with my hat, coat, and boots still on and sleep till morning.

I'm not sure when that heavy veil of grief and emptiness began to lift. But sometime that spring, I became aware of the sweet smell of the wet earth beginning to thaw, the songs of promise that were being sung with such abandon from every nest and perch. I began to move on. I had no intention of dating and no interest in pursuing a new relationship. Though I loved children, I had accepted that there would be none in my first marriage. I was in my thirties, and the prospect of marriage and a family seemed remote and unlikely. Yet God had other plans.

I met Andy Friedrich at a retirement celebration for a coworker. He had gone through a divorce a number of years before that, and after much floundering and searching, a friend had led him to Christ. But no one had discipled him, so he had little knowledge of the Scriptures and wasn't in a church or study group of any kind. Initially we met to talk about the Lord. In time, I grudgingly conceded to a date, but not without apprehension.

Even though Andy was ready for a relationship, I was still gun-shy -- so he simply waited. With tenderness and kindness and an incredible amount of patience, he broke down any barriers I'd put up. He was faithful, trustworthy, and committed to the Lord and to me. We were married a little more than a year after we'd begun dating. 

The Lord used Andy in many ways to help heal old wounds in me. He offered both of us a new beginning, a clean slate, a hope, and a future. And I'm now a mom -- not one, not two, but seven children, each a precious, unique gift from the Lord. God has surely given me more than I could hope for or ask. 

The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is one of my favorites. Sold by his brothers into slavery, taken to a foreign land, unfairly accused and imprisoned, and with little hope or expectation of ever seeing his family again, Joseph was in what seemed an impossible situation. Despite all that, the Bible says, "The Lord was with him."

God allowed the testing to build character in Joseph. Joseph went through years of waiting and suffering before he saw God's plan in it all. God used Joseph to save Egypt, the surrounding nations, and Joseph's own family. God's plans and purposes are so much bigger and greater than our own.

At the end of his story, Joseph says, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day" (Genesis 50:20). That same truth is reconfirmed in the book of Romans in the New Testament. "All things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). God is indeed, the God of second chances.

Thank You, Lord for the constant message of restoration that runs throughout Your Word. Thank You for the glimpse of Your handiwork that is so much bigger and more beautiful than I could have imagined. Help me to be faithful in times of testing. Align my life with Your will. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. 

Excerpted with permission from Near to the Heart of God, by Terry Meeuwsen ©1998

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK [SUNDAY 14 JULY 2013 TO SATURDAY 20 JULY 2013]

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Galatians 2 verse 20 (NKJV)     

TAMING THE TONGUE [DEVOTION OF THE WEEK ~ SUNDAY 7 JULY 2013 TO SATURDAY 13 JULY 2013]

NOTICE: The following article is written by the author itself and not by me, I am not trying to violate their copyright. I will give some information on them.

PAGE TITLE: CBN Daily Devotional

ARTICLE TITLE: Taming The Tongue

DATE: 1999

AUTHOR: J. Stephen Lang

URL: http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/CBNTeachingSheets/promises_taming_tongue.aspx

CBN.com -- It doesn't require an outright lie to harm another person. A little insinuation, a "hint," is often enough. Once a bit of "information" starts on the gossip grapevine, it rarely improves.

The Bible has much to say about our use -- or abuse -- of the tongue. We write gossip off as a relatively minor sin, but the Word of God takes a different view. 

Does any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. 

The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.

Psalm 34:12-15 

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

Proverbs 12:18 

I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride.

Psalm 101:5 

As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!

Proverbs 25:23 

Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

Proverbs 26:20 

Jesus had much to say about the tongue. He was aware that people who are outwardly "religious" could abstain from the "big" sins like adultery and drunkenness. Yet these same people could do immense harm through their speech. 

"A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."

Matthew 12:33-37 

"Evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you."

Matthew 15:18-20 

The classic passage on controlling the tongue is in James's letter. It ought to be posted on every Christian's bathroom mirror so that we could read it every morning before ever opening our mouths. 

Those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 

People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 

James 3:2-10 

How much gossip and verbal cruelty goes under the name of "constructive criticism"? In his letter, James makes it plain that criticizing fellow Christians -- either to their face or behind their back -- is unChristian behavior. 

Don't speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God's law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it. God alone, who made the law, can rightly judge among us. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to condemn your neighbor? 

James 4:11-12 

The Book of God's Promises -- Copyright, 1999 by J. Stephen Lang. All rights reserved, used with permission.