STUDIES FROM BRETHREN IN CHRIST

3/1/2020 ~ Presidential Quotes 31

♔   PresidentialQuotesPM31.mp3 (22m 19s)   PresidentialQuotesAboutGod31.pptx Darkness drops past a pit to nowhere. Pursuing the ways of God establishes all that is good. 38. Gerald Ford (1974-1977) “Without God there could be no American form of government, nor an American way of life.” “The Declaration [of Independence] was not a protest against government, but against the excess of government. It prescribed the proper role of government, to secure the rights of individuals and to effect their safety and happiness. In modern society, no individual can do this alone. So government is not a necessary evil but a necessary good.” For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, ... ~ Romans 13:3-4 “A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.” ... heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ~ Matthew 23:4 “This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts.” “I do believe, with all my heart and mind and spirit, that I, not as President but as a humble servant of God, will receive justice without mercy if I fail to show mercy.” For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. ~ James 2:13 “Now, therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974.” "... Who can forgive sins but God alone?" ... ~ Luke 5:20-23 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- ... ~ Luke 5:24-26 “I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together, not only our Government but civilization itself. That bond, though strained, is unbroken at home and abroad. In all my public and private acts as your President, I expect to follow my instincts of openness and candor with full confidence that honesty is always the best policy in the end. My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule. But there is a higher Power, by whatever name we honor Him, who ordains not only righteousness but love, not only justice but mercy.” “America now is stumbling through the darkness of hatred and divisiveness. Our values, our principles, and our determination to succeed as a free and democratic people will give us a torch to light the way. And we will survive and become the stronger - not only because of a patriotism that stands for love of country, but a patriotism that stands for love of people.” If in fact a fundamental of our freedom is claimed under one God, when this is outlawed or pushed aside as obnoxious or unfair, as an impingement upon the freedom of those that choose not to believe, our freedom is then subjugated under what is not free, but dominated by arrogance, mistrust, prejudice, and human elitism without humble hearts. To reject God is to curse our children and the land upon which we plant. Unholiness has been timelessly registered as the defeat of all that builds a people into the greatest they can be. “It feels like getting a back massage from the Grim Reaper: one must get comfortable with the most horrifying things in the world.” And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. ~ Ephesians 5:11 When governmental laws dominate a people’s ability to be free with instances of over taxation and unfair exemptions for the elite, those god given public pursuits of ownership and security with legacies for their children are stolen. A true republic dissolves into a oligarchy democracy where greed overtakes the people. Said such government removes the greatest widest burgeoning beacon of inspiration and entrepreneurship for its people. Organized hidden dictatorships (crime) can be masked under the guise of a protective democracy. History reveals how good leadership for the benefit of the people is more the oddity than the norm. Leaders often misuse power to benefit their own interests rather than reinforcing public structure. “We cannot stand still or slip backwards. We must go forward now together.” But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." ~ Luke 9:62   PresidentialQuotesPM31.5.mp3 (26m 42s) “History and experience tell us that moral progress comes not in comfortable and complacent times, but out of trial and confusion.” “For millions of men and women, the church has been the hospital for the soul, the school for the mind and the safe depository for moral ideas.” Freedom without responsibility is perversion   The church:      ● Hospital for the soul      ● School for the mind      ● Safe depository for moral ideas   “There are no adequate substitutes for father, mother, and children bound together in a loving commitment to nurture and protect. No government, no matter how well-intentioned, can take the place of the family in the scheme of things.” Laws negating Biblical morals defeat social order and decency. “It's the quality of the ordinary, the straight, the square, that accounts for the great stability and success of our nation. It's a quality to be proud of. But it's a quality that many people seem to have neglected.” What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered. ~ Ecclesiastes 1:15 “In the two centuries that have passed since 1776, millions upon millions of Americans have worked and taken up arms when necessary to make that dream a reality. We can be extremely proud of what they have accomplished. Today, we are the world's oldest republic. We are at peace. Our Nation and our way of life endure. We are free.” “For nearly two hundred years, our nation has derived its strength from the diversity of its people and of their beliefs. That strength has been greatly enhanced by [the Islamic] religious heritage.” “My commitment to the security and future of Israel is based upon basic morality as well as enlightened self-interest. Our role in supporting Israel honors our own heritage.” Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. ~ Galatians 6:10 “Let us remember that our national unity is a most priceless asset.” “But the separation of church and state, although a fundamental principle to which I fully subscribe, was never intended in my view to separate public morality from public policy. “I believe that prayer in public schools should be voluntary. It is difficult for me to see how religious exercises can be a requirement in public schools, given our Constitutional requirement of separation of church and state. I feel that the highly desirable goal of religious education must be principally the responsibility of church and home. I do not believe that public education should show any hostility toward religion, and neither should it inhibit voluntary participation, if it does not interfere with the educational process.” “The length of one's days matters less than the love of one's family and friends.” ... And years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone."~ Proverbs 9:10-12 “I remain convinced that pardoning Nixon was the right thing to do.” Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ... ~ Romans 12:17-18 Hearts ache as stones are heavy. Feelings of obscurity are natural in times of insecurity and turmoil, which perhaps have been since the dawn of human existence. We live in wild screaming times where distrust and contempt consume the children. Will we live to pass the hate of the past where flowers replace fists? Living has always been tough in understanding sorrows that drive a people to madness. Murder, corruption, and swords have drawn the wisdom that falls before us. Walking on toes pierce the glass nerves that lead to nowhere. To find what we seek a return to His ways is crucial to our very survival. Time wanes where inspiration is challenged ● God forms the foundation for American life ● Pain exposes endurance where mercy questions ● Only God can truly forgive sins ● Without honest truth no hope could endure ● Only in the light of His love darkness is defeated ● Darkness cannot be overcome if ignored ● Establishing good character takes extreme effort ● Nations only find might in the godly over rebellious ● It is our duty to stand with faithful God fearing souls ● Without moral social consensus unity is all but lost ● Dooming is public policy absent of public morality ● Love is the one breath that is remembered ● Forgiveness is what emboldens a people Troubled times call for honest hearts Darkness can only understand nothing.