Take a few minutes and watch this video…Hopefully you will see how much your vote counts.

I made this a few years ago after I saw the things that he had faced.  I also found out that when it came time to find a speaker for the Gettysburg Memorial christening, they didn’t want to use the President.  They felt he couldn’t pull off such an event, since he was not that great of an orator.  They searched high and low and found a man who’s name was synonymous for great speeches.  He agreed to come.  The place was packed (15,000 or more) and the great orator got up and delivered a two-hour long speech that would make almost any one cry because of its eloquence.  Then the President got up and unfolded a small card in which he had made a short recitation.  It went like this:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

This is the speech and the words that rang out not only that day, but for all these years of history.  No one really remembers the words, or the man who was the great orator, only the words of a humble servant who stepped in.

In Jeremiah 16:12 God says, “You have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one of you follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to ME.”

I wanted to share something that really over took me this morning. I do this because I am just reminded of one of my favorite verses: Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron,and one man sharpens another.”

This morning I was getting ready for work as usual and went into the kitchen to make a protein shake. I got the milk out of the fridge and closed the door. I have kids, so my fridge door has all those things the kids have made on the door held by magnets. Evidently one had fallen off and I put the toe of my shoe on it and slid it out of the way so I could get done with what I was doing, knowing I would come back later and place it back where it goes later. Just after I had moved it I looked down and it was a cross. It was one in which Mercy had made and colored with WWJD on it. Almost immediately I felt the Spirit say something to me. How many times have I moved THE CROSS out of my way or stepped over it in order to get on with my normal life, knowing that I would come back and place it where it should be later on. As tears welled up in my eyes I began to repent and ask God to forgive me and to search my heart and life. I began to realize that there were many times I probably did this throughout my day to day life, instead of keeping the cross in my sight at all times. We need to be everyday “seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and loving God “with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength” (Mark 12:30), or are there other things that we put first, knowing that we can always go back and put them where they go after we finish living for the day.

So I know the cross that “mercy” made doesn’t need to be moved out of the way but needs to be placed solidly in my life because I already know what Jesus did. How about you?

Have a blessed day!

Lee McFatridge : TransparentLiving.com

“What would you attempt to do, if you knew you could not fail?”- Unknown
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”- George Eliot
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.” – Jesus Christ

I just bought myself and a couple of my “brothers” a new English Standard Version of the bible. We have just started studying more together and I thought that it would be good to be on the same page per say. Yes the pun was intended. The chruch in which I go has pew bibles that are the Revised Standard Version which I truly dislike. I think that some one was too over zealous or something and left too much of the real meat out in an attempt to make a better readable text. They strayed way too much and I have recently found out that that version is the highly debated by scholars….well that’s enough for me, and it just makes my case a little stronger. Recently I have become enamored with the truth that is behind the Reformed movement and began searching for a more concise text that read well and followed more closely the original text. Well I came across the ESV and am extremely excited about it. Here is a picture of the one I bought myself:

So this is what I bought myself….isn’t it a great looking Bible!!! I LOVE THE LOOK!

Now I wasn’t as bold with my “brothers” on this and got them more subdued ones…here is what I bought them:

I think they will like them.

Perhaps you should check out Westminster Bookstore. They have great prices on many of the items or Bibles that you may be looking for. I got all three at a really good price and only $4 shipping. Can’t beat that.

There seems to be so much that we just don’t get. We have all this division among Christians today. The fact remains that Christ wants to come back for a unified bride, not a bunch of mixed-up haters. One denomination saying that the other is wrong. The main problem is that “Christianity” threw the baby out with the bathwater and seperated themselves from Israel. Aren’t we after all a wild olive branch grafted in? We don’t become the tree or the vine, but only a branch. Why is there this “lie” of replacing the church with Israel? I ask these questions to get your response…I hope to add more later.

Come on “Church” what do you think?

There has to be something we are missing…there just has to be. Where are the “more than I do” that Christ said would happen? Why are we into “replacement theology” instead of grafting into the Jewish nation? Why are we not making the “Jews jealous”? How come the feasts that God has instituted are no longer taught to our children and subsequent generations? Why? Why? Why? I have so many questions…but also a lot of answers. I hope I can start blogging these thoughts and then get some reactions.

Here is what we have been doing….

It’s no reason we are falling!!!

Well seeing that the Democrats have went off the deep end and the Republicans have taught us they don’t stand for what they used to, it’s time we might want to consider a party for the people and by the people. Give the Constitution Party a look, you might just be surprised!

I am taking a college humanities course. We are discussing all the religions of the past and how they shaped mankind…except christianity. It has come up several times that everyone is wondering why we don’t discuss Christianity however we are discussing Islam, Hinduism, Greek Mythology, etc.

Well I think I have the answer. Yes beyond the fact that Christianity is the only Way and Truth and evidently it scares the “powers” that be. The main reason is that with all those other religions, they all rely on humans to control.

With Hinduism it is dharam and karma. It is your role to fulfill who you are. To enlighten yourself and change what is in you, overcome your desires, so that you can reach moksha. In Greek Mythology it was about man and how god was so much like man…even to the point that we could do what we wanted and they did what they wanted. However, in Christianity it has nothing to do with us. It is all about who Christ was and what He did. There is nothing we can do to reach Him…he must reach to us.

Too much of this world thinks we are IT, however it has nothing to do with us. We are created beings, and created for the sole pupose of worshiping God (Yahweh). He could have chosen the trees, or the rocks…but He chose us to sing His Glory. I think I shall dwell more on this later. Until then….PRAISE GOD!

Well tomorrow is Mother’s Day. It’s going to be somewhat of a sad day. Yesterday marked the 3 month anniversary of my Mom passing away. Peggy was a great mom. Yeah she had her quirks like everyone else I am sure, but I know she cared for her family immensely. Today I bought a “Happy Mother’s Day” balloon and a bouquet of fresh cut flowers and went to her graveside. Yeah, I was tough until I got there and looked at that tombstone. Boy I miss her. Things go through your head like why and what if…but there aren’t any answers to those things. I don’t know (really no one does) what exactly takes place after we die. Do we sleep until the final resurrection? Do we go straight to judgment? Do we walk around this earth until the time comes? No one really knows. I just hope she is safe…knows she is loved and missed…and I hope she likes the flowers. Happy Mother’s Day Mom…I love you!