Forty years ago today, a large 729 foot, ore-freighter ship sank. No one really knows why the ship sank. All 29 crew members died that day.
The ship was on Lake Superior weathering a severe storm. The ship was named after the president of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee.
A song was written by Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate this event. Here are the words that he wrote along with the song on a video
The ship was on a destination to Detroit.
Sources:
This website has some good pictures of the Edmund Fitzgerald:
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/11/10/fitzgerald-anniversary
http://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald-36/
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
History Of Four Thieves Oil
I thought this was kind of interesting, seeing that essential oils are a hot topic right now. There are many positive qualities in these essential oils and they can do a lot with just a drop or two of oils.
One of the most popular oils is called, Four Thieves Oil. I am going to give a brief overview of the History of how we came up with Four Thieves Oil.
The story comes originally from Wikipedia, and bear in mind that there is a lot of speculation in this story. We actually do not have concrete proof that this event really happened, but it is nice to think it did.
During the time period of the Black Plague, there were these grave robbers who would dig up the graves of the people who died, and those who also died of the Black Plague. But these thieves never got sick. They did get caught though, and were going to go to prison. But something interesting happened which changed the course of events for the Thieves, and which also ended up giving us a recipe using essential oils that can serve as an antiseptic.
So what was the secret of these Thieves that kept them from catching disease and from not getting sick while they dug up the graves of the dead?
In order to make their sentence more lenient, they gave their secret away. They put together a combination of oils and used it to protect themselves from getting sick and dying from disease. So, they got their punishment a little lighter after telling what their secret recipe was.
The oils used were clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary. When combined in the right amounts, you get 'Four Thieves Oil'.
This url actually has the recipe. You can find it on there and make your own. http://www.easy-home-made.com/thieves_essential_oils.html
Of course, if you are looking for a place to buy essential orders from, you can go to my essential oil website and 'shop' for them. http://www.mydoterra.com/susanseifert1
One of the most popular oils is called, Four Thieves Oil. I am going to give a brief overview of the History of how we came up with Four Thieves Oil.
The story comes originally from Wikipedia, and bear in mind that there is a lot of speculation in this story. We actually do not have concrete proof that this event really happened, but it is nice to think it did.
During the time period of the Black Plague, there were these grave robbers who would dig up the graves of the people who died, and those who also died of the Black Plague. But these thieves never got sick. They did get caught though, and were going to go to prison. But something interesting happened which changed the course of events for the Thieves, and which also ended up giving us a recipe using essential oils that can serve as an antiseptic.
So what was the secret of these Thieves that kept them from catching disease and from not getting sick while they dug up the graves of the dead?
In order to make their sentence more lenient, they gave their secret away. They put together a combination of oils and used it to protect themselves from getting sick and dying from disease. So, they got their punishment a little lighter after telling what their secret recipe was.
The oils used were clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary. When combined in the right amounts, you get 'Four Thieves Oil'.
This url actually has the recipe. You can find it on there and make your own. http://www.easy-home-made.com/thieves_essential_oils.html
Of course, if you are looking for a place to buy essential orders from, you can go to my essential oil website and 'shop' for them. http://www.mydoterra.com/susanseifert1
Friday, May 8, 2015
The Native Americans And Early Americans Were Friends
There has been some erroneous teachings that seem to indicate the our country, the United States of America, was founded upon conquest. But that just isn't true.
When my children were in school, I took their subjects very seriously. We learned together about math and science. We learned literature, and we even learned about History. We learned how the Pilgrims got along with the Indians. They were friends with the Indians. Think about the story of Squanto, and also of Samoset. They were Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims, and the Pilgrims in turn, became their friends. I believe it was Samoset who secretly learned how to speak English by watching how the Pilgrims interacted with each other. He surprised them one day by greeting them in their own language! The Pilgrims also invited the Indians to the first Thanksgiving feast in America, which lasted for a couple of days.
One of my favorite people in History was David Brainerd. He was an early American who lived among the Native American people. He truly loved them and he ministered the Gospel to them, in their own language. I believe David Brainerd was going to marry one of Jonathan Edwards' daughters, but he died of tuberculosis when in his late 20s. He died while he was praying for the Indians who were his friends.
Roger Williams* strongly disapproved of those who were trying to confiscate land from the Indians. He believed in fairness in how the Indians were being treated.
Our country was founded upon those who feared the Lord and respected life, even the lives of the Indians. Yet, we have to keep in mind that although the Pilgrims came over here peacefully, the Puritans came over here peacefully, and many others did as well, along with them came the Adventurers, who were looking for gold and wealth. Many of these people were ruthless people who lived crude lives, and didn't regard the lives of others. But they were not the ones who established our country. The ones who established our country had good work ethics. They were fair. They worked hard and built communities. The Adventurers did not do so. Yet, the Adventurers were the ones who brought crime with them and carried out evil deeds against people.
I remember reading in a Johnny Appleseed book about such a man. A slave had run away from his home, and wanted safety. If the slave got caught, his owner was going to rip his tongue out. The slave did get caught and I guess he had to bear the punishment. That does not represent the hearts of those who founded our country. Slave owners like that one should not be allowed to live.
So, the point of what I am writing is this; America was not founded upon conquest. America was founded by people who worked hard to build healthy, strong communities. Other people lived among them as well, who did harm to other people, but they were not the ones who established America. Early Americans did not conquer the Native Americans and steal their land. Many of the Native Americans sold the land to the early Americans at a cheap price. Not all Native Americans trusted the early Americans either. Some of them were ready to fight at a moment's notice.
When learning about the Pilgrims, a story I remember was one of where they found the Indians food in a tent. They stole it and ate it. Then they felt bad because of what they did, and they tried to make restoration for it.
Yes, America became a great nation and was founded upon good principles. Many would lie and teach that America was founded by those who stole from the Indians. That is not true, and I would challenge anyone who thinks so, to go back to some old History books and read them. Some of the newer ones have been revised with the intention of rewriting History.
*http://www.history.com/topics/roger-williams
Note: In early America, 'separation of church and state' had primarily to do with what happened while the Pilgrims and other groups who migrated to America lived in England. They were under the rule of a king who legally had the right to run the church. The king was not a true believer in Jesus Christ, yet, he was the one to make the rules and call the shots when it came to the church. That was the main reason why many came over to America. They did not want to have a church run by a king. That is how 'separation of church and state' came into existence. Separation of church and state does not mean that religion cannot be in the government. It simply means that the government cannot rule the church. That is why separation of church and state is important.
When my children were in school, I took their subjects very seriously. We learned together about math and science. We learned literature, and we even learned about History. We learned how the Pilgrims got along with the Indians. They were friends with the Indians. Think about the story of Squanto, and also of Samoset. They were Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims, and the Pilgrims in turn, became their friends. I believe it was Samoset who secretly learned how to speak English by watching how the Pilgrims interacted with each other. He surprised them one day by greeting them in their own language! The Pilgrims also invited the Indians to the first Thanksgiving feast in America, which lasted for a couple of days.
One of my favorite people in History was David Brainerd. He was an early American who lived among the Native American people. He truly loved them and he ministered the Gospel to them, in their own language. I believe David Brainerd was going to marry one of Jonathan Edwards' daughters, but he died of tuberculosis when in his late 20s. He died while he was praying for the Indians who were his friends.
Roger Williams* strongly disapproved of those who were trying to confiscate land from the Indians. He believed in fairness in how the Indians were being treated.
Our country was founded upon those who feared the Lord and respected life, even the lives of the Indians. Yet, we have to keep in mind that although the Pilgrims came over here peacefully, the Puritans came over here peacefully, and many others did as well, along with them came the Adventurers, who were looking for gold and wealth. Many of these people were ruthless people who lived crude lives, and didn't regard the lives of others. But they were not the ones who established our country. The ones who established our country had good work ethics. They were fair. They worked hard and built communities. The Adventurers did not do so. Yet, the Adventurers were the ones who brought crime with them and carried out evil deeds against people.
I remember reading in a Johnny Appleseed book about such a man. A slave had run away from his home, and wanted safety. If the slave got caught, his owner was going to rip his tongue out. The slave did get caught and I guess he had to bear the punishment. That does not represent the hearts of those who founded our country. Slave owners like that one should not be allowed to live.
So, the point of what I am writing is this; America was not founded upon conquest. America was founded by people who worked hard to build healthy, strong communities. Other people lived among them as well, who did harm to other people, but they were not the ones who established America. Early Americans did not conquer the Native Americans and steal their land. Many of the Native Americans sold the land to the early Americans at a cheap price. Not all Native Americans trusted the early Americans either. Some of them were ready to fight at a moment's notice.
When learning about the Pilgrims, a story I remember was one of where they found the Indians food in a tent. They stole it and ate it. Then they felt bad because of what they did, and they tried to make restoration for it.
Yes, America became a great nation and was founded upon good principles. Many would lie and teach that America was founded by those who stole from the Indians. That is not true, and I would challenge anyone who thinks so, to go back to some old History books and read them. Some of the newer ones have been revised with the intention of rewriting History.
*http://www.history.com/topics/roger-williams
Note: In early America, 'separation of church and state' had primarily to do with what happened while the Pilgrims and other groups who migrated to America lived in England. They were under the rule of a king who legally had the right to run the church. The king was not a true believer in Jesus Christ, yet, he was the one to make the rules and call the shots when it came to the church. That was the main reason why many came over to America. They did not want to have a church run by a king. That is how 'separation of church and state' came into existence. Separation of church and state does not mean that religion cannot be in the government. It simply means that the government cannot rule the church. That is why separation of church and state is important.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
He Is Risen!
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
Recorded in the Holy Scriptures in the book of Luke, chapter 24, verses 1-12 English Standard Verseion.
Recorded in the Holy Scriptures in the book of Luke, chapter 24, verses 1-12 English Standard Verseion.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman - Missionaries in Early America
Today, I want to share the story of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. Both Marcus and Narcissa were born in New York State in the early 1800s. Marcus studied to be a doctor, and Narcissa helped out at home with her many siblings.
At age 11, Narcissa has a conversion experience and at some point later in her life, she wanted to be a missionary. Marcus also wanted to be a missionary, as well. Narcissa wanted to be a missionary, but the missions board did not allow single women to be sent off as Missionaries. It was at this time that Marcus and Narcissa met, and both had the same vision to be missionaries, so, two weeks later, they were married.
They ended up at Waiilatpu in Oregon, starting their new life together as missionaries. Those who were living there were the Cayuse Indians, and they were the ones whom the Whitmans served, at least during that time.
Narcissa had a baby girl, but the life of this little girl was short, for she drowned in the Walla Walla River at the age of 2. After this, Narcissa stayed more to herself and continued to write letters to her family back home.
The Whitmans took in the children of a family who lost their parents. At this time, many white people were coming also to live in this area. Unfortunately, the white people brought diseases with them, such as the measles. The Whitmans seemed to be resistant to the measles, so they helped the Indians who were suffering and dying. But the Cayuse Indians were suspicious of them because they were not getting sick. They may have assumed that the Whitmans were really trying to kill them, and as a result, the Whitmans were killed by the Cayuse. Both Marcus and Narcissa's lives ended in 1847 at the hands of the Indians they were trying to help.
Sources:
http://www.nps.gov/whmi/historyculture/narcissa-biography.htm
http://www.whitman.edu/alumni/be-connected/whitman-traditions/marcus-and-narcissa-whitman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Whitman
At age 11, Narcissa has a conversion experience and at some point later in her life, she wanted to be a missionary. Marcus also wanted to be a missionary, as well. Narcissa wanted to be a missionary, but the missions board did not allow single women to be sent off as Missionaries. It was at this time that Marcus and Narcissa met, and both had the same vision to be missionaries, so, two weeks later, they were married.
They ended up at Waiilatpu in Oregon, starting their new life together as missionaries. Those who were living there were the Cayuse Indians, and they were the ones whom the Whitmans served, at least during that time.
Narcissa had a baby girl, but the life of this little girl was short, for she drowned in the Walla Walla River at the age of 2. After this, Narcissa stayed more to herself and continued to write letters to her family back home.
The Whitmans took in the children of a family who lost their parents. At this time, many white people were coming also to live in this area. Unfortunately, the white people brought diseases with them, such as the measles. The Whitmans seemed to be resistant to the measles, so they helped the Indians who were suffering and dying. But the Cayuse Indians were suspicious of them because they were not getting sick. They may have assumed that the Whitmans were really trying to kill them, and as a result, the Whitmans were killed by the Cayuse. Both Marcus and Narcissa's lives ended in 1847 at the hands of the Indians they were trying to help.
Sources:
http://www.nps.gov/whmi/historyculture/narcissa-biography.htm
http://www.whitman.edu/alumni/be-connected/whitman-traditions/marcus-and-narcissa-whitman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Whitman
Monday, September 8, 2014
Moravians Settle In America!
On September 10th, it will be the anniversary of some Moravians who came to America in 1752 to settle the land in North Carolina. The came over to America to build a land they could thrive in. They also came over as missionaries to serve people already here.
With all the hype of current thinking that America was founded upon others coming over to this land and taking away the land from the Natives, we need to look at what really took place, and what were the reasons for people coming over here in the first place.
What is interesting, is that there were many who did come to America to conquer and take over the land, but somehow, in God's providence, they never were successful. Some came over to find gold and become rich. Many of these people did not know how to live in a civilization and they either went back to their homeland, or onto another place to explore. If they stayed in America (or what was to become America) many died off. They didn't understand the value of working hard. They were like children looking for candy at an Easter egg hunt and when they found what they wanted, they didn't have what it took to continue to strive as a people group. They were here just for the good time and what they could find.
There were different Christian groups which had come over to America from Europe, mainly. We have the Pilgrims who originally came over in 1620, and lived peacefully with the Indians around them. The Puritans came a little while later, and today I read about the Moravians coming over.
The people who were successful in building Early America, were hard workers. They were not those who gambled or just took a chance of coming to the new land with the hopes of striking it rich. Many who came to America for gold did not find what they were looking for. Many of those people were not even trained to take care of themselves. For example, when John Smith was settling the area of America that he was in (Jamestown), there was a group of men who came over from England who were known as 'Gentlemen'. These Gentlemen did not understand about cause and effect. They did not know how to garden, for example. While they lived in England, they were rich and had other people doing things for them. But in the new land, there were no people to hire to serve them. No one was there to grow their food, or to prepare it for them. They learned the hard way that they were going to have to work hard if they were going to stay here and be part of the society. John Smith established a rule that came right out of the Bible! He said to the 'Gentlemen' (and everyone else) "He who does no work shall not eat.". Now the Gentlemen had no choice but to either go to work in order to survive and become part of society, or they could go back home.
I am not going to print this story of the Moravians, but I will take an excerpt from it here:
"Having staked out their land, the Moravians settled it the next year, sending a team of fifteen unmarried men to the region. Among these men were represented all of the essential professions and skills of the day: minister, surgeon, shoemaker, cooper (barrel maker), seive-maker, business manager, carpenter and so forth. One secret of Moravian success was their practicality."
This is how the Early Americans built this country. If you look at old census records, you will find an interesting assortment of occupations people held during those years when America was being formed. For example, I have a great grandfather who had two occupations. One of them was a hat maker. He also worked with the railroad. My grandmother and her family worked for Thomas Edison. They lived within walking distance from the factory. Another great grandfather was a musician and played a brass instrument in a musical group for a living. Another great grandfather, who came over to America from Austria, ran a concession stand on the beach. One of the things that helped his success was to fry up onions so that the area around the concession stand would have a scent that would make people hungry and stir up their appetites! This idea worked well and helped them be successful in their business. My great grandmother was a seamstress and had a thriving business as well, both while she was in Europe and when she came here and became an American citizen.
The Moravian group came over here in 1752, and settled the land, which is now known as North Carolina. They were industrious people and knew how to make a living, not by exploiting other people groups, but by settling the land and working hard and using the talents they had to make their little community work for them. When people work together and use their 'jobs' to serve other people with, society comes together and grows together. People are relational and become responsible for one another. There is a bigger picture here than just going to college in order to get a good job so that one can make a lot of money during his or her lifetime. No man is supposed to be an island. We all work together, but not because we are forced to do so, but because we see the cause and effect of how we were intended to live. If we are totally selfish, we will not fit into society very well. Community requires give and take. The problem with communities today, is that we live very selfishly, and we have to work together to serve others as well as ourselves and our own families.
Here is another excerpt from the article on the Moravians:
"The little band created their first settlement at a place they named Bethabara. They cut two and a half miles of road, cleared land, planted crops, made furniture, imported livestock, constructed an oven for baking, built homes, and even opened a mill. Within six years, there were seventy Moravians living at Bethabara."
This is the way society is built. This is the only successful way that societies are built. Throughout History, lands were always being conquered by others who were stronger than they. This started in the early Bible days and continues through today, as we see wars around the world going on, and stronger people groups controlling those who are weaker. That didn't happen though in Early America. This country was founded upon different people groups who wanted to work hard to build a land where we could have freedom and peace. Unfortunately, with the allowance of freedom, came others into the land who have violated the freedom that we have and have used it to destroy other people's freedoms. With so many people coming in, and now even people who are not citizens of this country, and who are not required to work, we can see the nation beginning to crumble. Many are not here because of the freedom promised to them. They are here to abuse the land and by their misuse of good work ethics, we will lose this land, and by default, we will need a bigger government to take over and rule the people. That leads to tyranny though, and is that what we really want?
One more little thing I want to say. Those who wrote the Constitution wanted as little government as possible. We were intended to govern ourselves, but today we have a society that is seriously affected by the breakdown of the family unit. In some cases, moms have to work a couple of jobs to feed her children and shelter them. Where's the dad? The dad is gone in search of pleasure instead of responsibility. Do you realize how many dead beat dads live in America today? The answer is not to have an abortion. The answer is found in the Bible, but no one fears God anymore and many scorn the Bible and have doubts about it's authenticity thanks to Skeptics who are in our colleges teaching students false things about the Bible. Many today do not even own a Bible, and many are unaware of what the Bible says about life.
People are surprised to find out that committing adultery is a sin. Many are unaware of the fact that one day, they will face a holy God, not to be welcomed into heaven, but to be sent to hell. Many laugh at the idea today, but they won't be laughing on That Day. We think we can use people as sex objects and get rid of any evidence by going to an abortion clinic. God sees what is going on. The cry of the babies that are being murdered goes up. He hears their cries. He sees men who beat up their wives. He sees people who live from one drink to the next. Friends, God never intended for anyone to be a slave to alcohol or sex. God never intended for people to bully other people around. This is most serious. When we do these things and tell others that God is ok with them, we are fooling ourselves.
Today in America, as well as in other countries, we have parents that actually sacrifice their children to the devil. In the Bible days, God forbade people from doing this. Any normal parent would ask themselves, how can anyone in their right mind do such a thing? Today, we have a society that has such people in it, those who are not 'normal' but would consider themselves normal, and society would also consider them normal. Normal people do not offer their children to be sacrificed to the devil. No one in their right mind would do that. But the Bible says that when we sin, and we continue to defy God when He tells us not to sin, God eventually leaves us and turns our minds over to depravity. Friends, this is what our society is made up of today, and it is very sad. It is not only sad, but it is scary. What will life be like for our children or grandchildren? If Heather has two moms and no dad to raise her, how will she look at the world when she grows up? How will the child grow up who sees those being abused by Satanic Ritual Abuse? How will the little girl who is being raped by her dad or big brother going to grow up? It is not a safe world for her. Of course, the dad will say that it's fine. That was how he was treated when he was a boy, and he thinks he turned out fine. What about the little boy who never sees his mom because she has to work all day and into the night because mom got pregnant by a man she wasn't married to, and now he is hidden somewhere looking for the next one night stand. Or how about the little girl whose mommy is not happy with her daddy and is seeing another man. All these things are contributing to the fall of a society. And we think that no one will be affected by it (based on some quotes by 'authorities'). We have billboards up which advertise 'men's divorce' (whatever that is). Is making money really so much more important than building and repairing the family unit?
Friends, this is not how Early Americans lived. Sure, there were those who were here for gold and pleasure, but they didn't last. The laws of the land were made to protect people, but sadly today, many disregard these rules and do what they want, not what is best for everyone. We need to get back to the Bible, and fear God once again. Only when we are a nation that knows the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness, and truth and error, will we be able to grow together as a healthy society once again.
The Bible talks about loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (which, by the way, all of us already do love ourselves). Early Americans knew the value of this principle and lived it out. We should do the same. If we want our country to be successful again, this is what we will need to do.
For the whole article on the Moravians coming over to America, go to this link: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/moravians-settled-north-carolina-11630260.html
I highly recommend this article!
With all the hype of current thinking that America was founded upon others coming over to this land and taking away the land from the Natives, we need to look at what really took place, and what were the reasons for people coming over here in the first place.
What is interesting, is that there were many who did come to America to conquer and take over the land, but somehow, in God's providence, they never were successful. Some came over to find gold and become rich. Many of these people did not know how to live in a civilization and they either went back to their homeland, or onto another place to explore. If they stayed in America (or what was to become America) many died off. They didn't understand the value of working hard. They were like children looking for candy at an Easter egg hunt and when they found what they wanted, they didn't have what it took to continue to strive as a people group. They were here just for the good time and what they could find.
There were different Christian groups which had come over to America from Europe, mainly. We have the Pilgrims who originally came over in 1620, and lived peacefully with the Indians around them. The Puritans came a little while later, and today I read about the Moravians coming over.
The people who were successful in building Early America, were hard workers. They were not those who gambled or just took a chance of coming to the new land with the hopes of striking it rich. Many who came to America for gold did not find what they were looking for. Many of those people were not even trained to take care of themselves. For example, when John Smith was settling the area of America that he was in (Jamestown), there was a group of men who came over from England who were known as 'Gentlemen'. These Gentlemen did not understand about cause and effect. They did not know how to garden, for example. While they lived in England, they were rich and had other people doing things for them. But in the new land, there were no people to hire to serve them. No one was there to grow their food, or to prepare it for them. They learned the hard way that they were going to have to work hard if they were going to stay here and be part of the society. John Smith established a rule that came right out of the Bible! He said to the 'Gentlemen' (and everyone else) "He who does no work shall not eat.". Now the Gentlemen had no choice but to either go to work in order to survive and become part of society, or they could go back home.
I am not going to print this story of the Moravians, but I will take an excerpt from it here:
"Having staked out their land, the Moravians settled it the next year, sending a team of fifteen unmarried men to the region. Among these men were represented all of the essential professions and skills of the day: minister, surgeon, shoemaker, cooper (barrel maker), seive-maker, business manager, carpenter and so forth. One secret of Moravian success was their practicality."
This is how the Early Americans built this country. If you look at old census records, you will find an interesting assortment of occupations people held during those years when America was being formed. For example, I have a great grandfather who had two occupations. One of them was a hat maker. He also worked with the railroad. My grandmother and her family worked for Thomas Edison. They lived within walking distance from the factory. Another great grandfather was a musician and played a brass instrument in a musical group for a living. Another great grandfather, who came over to America from Austria, ran a concession stand on the beach. One of the things that helped his success was to fry up onions so that the area around the concession stand would have a scent that would make people hungry and stir up their appetites! This idea worked well and helped them be successful in their business. My great grandmother was a seamstress and had a thriving business as well, both while she was in Europe and when she came here and became an American citizen.
The Moravian group came over here in 1752, and settled the land, which is now known as North Carolina. They were industrious people and knew how to make a living, not by exploiting other people groups, but by settling the land and working hard and using the talents they had to make their little community work for them. When people work together and use their 'jobs' to serve other people with, society comes together and grows together. People are relational and become responsible for one another. There is a bigger picture here than just going to college in order to get a good job so that one can make a lot of money during his or her lifetime. No man is supposed to be an island. We all work together, but not because we are forced to do so, but because we see the cause and effect of how we were intended to live. If we are totally selfish, we will not fit into society very well. Community requires give and take. The problem with communities today, is that we live very selfishly, and we have to work together to serve others as well as ourselves and our own families.
Here is another excerpt from the article on the Moravians:
"The little band created their first settlement at a place they named Bethabara. They cut two and a half miles of road, cleared land, planted crops, made furniture, imported livestock, constructed an oven for baking, built homes, and even opened a mill. Within six years, there were seventy Moravians living at Bethabara."
This is the way society is built. This is the only successful way that societies are built. Throughout History, lands were always being conquered by others who were stronger than they. This started in the early Bible days and continues through today, as we see wars around the world going on, and stronger people groups controlling those who are weaker. That didn't happen though in Early America. This country was founded upon different people groups who wanted to work hard to build a land where we could have freedom and peace. Unfortunately, with the allowance of freedom, came others into the land who have violated the freedom that we have and have used it to destroy other people's freedoms. With so many people coming in, and now even people who are not citizens of this country, and who are not required to work, we can see the nation beginning to crumble. Many are not here because of the freedom promised to them. They are here to abuse the land and by their misuse of good work ethics, we will lose this land, and by default, we will need a bigger government to take over and rule the people. That leads to tyranny though, and is that what we really want?
One more little thing I want to say. Those who wrote the Constitution wanted as little government as possible. We were intended to govern ourselves, but today we have a society that is seriously affected by the breakdown of the family unit. In some cases, moms have to work a couple of jobs to feed her children and shelter them. Where's the dad? The dad is gone in search of pleasure instead of responsibility. Do you realize how many dead beat dads live in America today? The answer is not to have an abortion. The answer is found in the Bible, but no one fears God anymore and many scorn the Bible and have doubts about it's authenticity thanks to Skeptics who are in our colleges teaching students false things about the Bible. Many today do not even own a Bible, and many are unaware of what the Bible says about life.
People are surprised to find out that committing adultery is a sin. Many are unaware of the fact that one day, they will face a holy God, not to be welcomed into heaven, but to be sent to hell. Many laugh at the idea today, but they won't be laughing on That Day. We think we can use people as sex objects and get rid of any evidence by going to an abortion clinic. God sees what is going on. The cry of the babies that are being murdered goes up. He hears their cries. He sees men who beat up their wives. He sees people who live from one drink to the next. Friends, God never intended for anyone to be a slave to alcohol or sex. God never intended for people to bully other people around. This is most serious. When we do these things and tell others that God is ok with them, we are fooling ourselves.
Today in America, as well as in other countries, we have parents that actually sacrifice their children to the devil. In the Bible days, God forbade people from doing this. Any normal parent would ask themselves, how can anyone in their right mind do such a thing? Today, we have a society that has such people in it, those who are not 'normal' but would consider themselves normal, and society would also consider them normal. Normal people do not offer their children to be sacrificed to the devil. No one in their right mind would do that. But the Bible says that when we sin, and we continue to defy God when He tells us not to sin, God eventually leaves us and turns our minds over to depravity. Friends, this is what our society is made up of today, and it is very sad. It is not only sad, but it is scary. What will life be like for our children or grandchildren? If Heather has two moms and no dad to raise her, how will she look at the world when she grows up? How will the child grow up who sees those being abused by Satanic Ritual Abuse? How will the little girl who is being raped by her dad or big brother going to grow up? It is not a safe world for her. Of course, the dad will say that it's fine. That was how he was treated when he was a boy, and he thinks he turned out fine. What about the little boy who never sees his mom because she has to work all day and into the night because mom got pregnant by a man she wasn't married to, and now he is hidden somewhere looking for the next one night stand. Or how about the little girl whose mommy is not happy with her daddy and is seeing another man. All these things are contributing to the fall of a society. And we think that no one will be affected by it (based on some quotes by 'authorities'). We have billboards up which advertise 'men's divorce' (whatever that is). Is making money really so much more important than building and repairing the family unit?
Friends, this is not how Early Americans lived. Sure, there were those who were here for gold and pleasure, but they didn't last. The laws of the land were made to protect people, but sadly today, many disregard these rules and do what they want, not what is best for everyone. We need to get back to the Bible, and fear God once again. Only when we are a nation that knows the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness, and truth and error, will we be able to grow together as a healthy society once again.
The Bible talks about loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (which, by the way, all of us already do love ourselves). Early Americans knew the value of this principle and lived it out. We should do the same. If we want our country to be successful again, this is what we will need to do.
For the whole article on the Moravians coming over to America, go to this link: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/moravians-settled-north-carolina-11630260.html
I highly recommend this article!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Conquest Or Being Industrious - Which is America's True Foundation?
If you have any idea of American History, you will have learned the stories of Columbus, the Pilgrims, the Thirteen Colonies, DeSoto, Ponce De Leon, Native Americans, Pocahontas, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere, and a bunch of other people, some good and some bad.
Centuries before America was actually founded, it had been explored by those who were searching for gold. These people were explorers, but maybe a better word for them would be 'Adventurers'.
There are two ways that people take over a land and build their own communities. One way, the most common way, is by conquest. The other way is by being industrious and working hard at the tasks God has given us to do, and by using the skills and talents He has provided.
Conquering other people groups is very selfish. People use their strength and terror to conquer others and take over their lands in order to build their own kingdoms. But this is not God's way of building a land. Although many tried to conquer America through the years, no one actually was successful in doing this.
Out of all the people groups who came to America, for whatever reason, it was the Pilgrims who began the roll of establishing a society, not based upon conquest, but build upon hard work. The work was done to provide for families, but also as a service for others. Other groups came in, some to conquer and others to escape the oppressive government which restricted their religious freedoms and beliefs.
When the Pilgrims came over, they made up half of the group of people who were aboard the Mayflower. The other group was known as the 'Adventurers'. The Adventurers and the Pilgrims did not get along well while together on the ship, but they all made it to the New World. Both groups had a different standard for life. After all the hardships of the rough voyage, and landing in the New World, no one wanted to go back to England.
The Pilgrims (or Strangers, as they were called) had great faith in God. They lived their lives in such a way that represented God well. But the Adventurers were here to explore and find gold. Over time, the Pilgrims settled in, and during the first winter, because of the cold, at least half of the Pilgrims died. But they continued to work together to build a community made from a good work ethic. They were not here to find gold or to conquer other people. But, even among the good, there is always some bad.
Other groups came to America, some to find gold and to conquer, others to live peaceably in the community they would build by doing hard work. Hard work is a good thing for people to do. Today, we are afraid of hard work because we have been trained to make life as easy and as comfortable as we can. We don't have a vision for the future. We don't even have a vision for tomorrow. Having a vision for the future is like having an eternal perspective. Whatever we do today, will affect many things down the road. The Pilgrims knew this and that is how they lived.
Another group that came in was the Puritans. They also had a deep faith in God and the Bible. They had a high standard of living, meaning that they strove to stay on the narrow path. Their work ethic, like the Pilgrims, was also very good. They built their communities, and they even built each other's houses! They worked the land and developed whatever careers were available back then. One of them, David Brainerd, took it upon himself to translate the Bible in the language of the Indians (native Americans) that were around him. He loved the Native Americans and they knew it. David Brainerd died from tuberculosis while praying. He was only 28, I think.
We have a group which came over in 1607 and settled Jamestown. Although these people, to my knowledge, were not Christians, they had a good work ethic. There were also some 'Gentlemen' from England who came over for exploration of gold, and were not trained on how to do farming or any of the necessary things that were needed for survival. John Smith got angry with them and made them work! John Smith quoted the Bible where it says, 'Whoever does not work, shall not eat'.
Our Founding Fathers actually did not approve of slavery or conquest. The Constitution guarantees equality among all people. Slavery began in Europe and came to America as people started coming over to the New World. On the one hand, we had revivals in America, when people like George Whitefield came over to America to preach. Jonathan Edwards had a big impact as well in the Northeast. America was a free country to anyone who wanted to come in, but that was not without risk.
People who worked hard and had a vision to build a society based upon good work ethics lived throughout this land. But, those who owned slaves and who were mean to Indians also were coming into this land. On top of that, England was trying to make America become one of its colonies. Up to this point, really no one controlled America, for it was not a country yet. It was an area of land which was becoming inhabited by a variety of people, some good, some bad.
With all the pressures from England, some of the key people in America decided to unite together to form a strong community that would protect itself from being claimed by England. It all came to a head when the American Revolution took place. Young men, farmers, dads, businessmen all made themselves ready to fight if necessary, in a minute's notice. So, if the call for battle came at 4am, they would be ready to fight in an instant. That is what happened in the American Revolution, and that is why our country is not under England's rule today. After the War, men rose up to create a Constitution by which the people in this country would live by. The rules are very fair, and there are many references to God.
No one came in and conquered America. That is not why we are a nation today. People came to build a safe community for their families and loved ones. The Early Americans bargained with the Indians rather than stealing from them. Yes, there were those who treated the Indians unfairly. There were those who brought slaves over. There were those who sold liquor illegally and those who were violent. But those people were not the ones who founded our country.
Our Forefathers fought for us so that we could live in a land of freedom. Not a land where our freedoms hurt other people though. We are not free to kill people if we don't like them, nor do we have a right to steal. The laws of the land are made to protect us from being harmed by others.
Although we do not really know if our Forefathers were truly Christians, we do know that they feared and respected God and His word. They were fully aware that if we remove God from our lives, we are doomed. They were not perfect examples of people who loved God, but they did respect Him, and they did base this country on the principles out of God's word.
America was not founded on conquest. Conquerors came and went. Our Forefathers were not conquerors, despite the fact that certain authority figures, such as our current president, would like you to believe. Unfortunately, there are several college professors who would teach that America was founded by conquest and America deserves to be punished for it. While it is true that bad people were living in America, before America became America, they did not found our nation. They deserve to be punished, and if they escaped punishment while they were alive, they certainly will be facing a harsh judgment on That Day.
America really is one of the few nations that has been built, not out of conquest, but on good work ethics. But our nation is slowly eroding due to the fact that the Bible is being removed from the government and all governmental places, and people are proudly defying God in our governmental platforms. This is scary because it will bring about God's anger on our nation. No longer will we be prosperous due to hard work and God's blessing on work, but we will be a nation that will no longer have all the nice things we have today. Life will become difficult, and we are in danger of being added to the number of Third World countries pretty soon.
Will God protect us if a plague breaks out? How about if the stock market crashes? We laugh at God today, but He can turn all that around in a moment and laugh at us by taking away everything we have, and all that our Forefathers have worked so hard for us to have. Yes, we are laughing now and thinking we are defying God, but the tables will soon be turned and God will pull the rug out from underneath us if we don't repent and turn away from our arrogance.
If our Forefathers were alive today, they would be turning over in their graves. (They are alive today, but whether they can see what is happening in America or not, is unknown to us). They fought for freedom, not for conquering. The fought because life is beautiful and a gift from God. They weren't out to take anyone else's life away from them.
Why would God protect us from the tyranny of Islam? Are you ready to be forced to say, "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet" or to have your head chopped off? If you reject God today, there will be no help for you tomorrow when the time of severe difficulties come.
Centuries before America was actually founded, it had been explored by those who were searching for gold. These people were explorers, but maybe a better word for them would be 'Adventurers'.
There are two ways that people take over a land and build their own communities. One way, the most common way, is by conquest. The other way is by being industrious and working hard at the tasks God has given us to do, and by using the skills and talents He has provided.
Conquering other people groups is very selfish. People use their strength and terror to conquer others and take over their lands in order to build their own kingdoms. But this is not God's way of building a land. Although many tried to conquer America through the years, no one actually was successful in doing this.
Out of all the people groups who came to America, for whatever reason, it was the Pilgrims who began the roll of establishing a society, not based upon conquest, but build upon hard work. The work was done to provide for families, but also as a service for others. Other groups came in, some to conquer and others to escape the oppressive government which restricted their religious freedoms and beliefs.
When the Pilgrims came over, they made up half of the group of people who were aboard the Mayflower. The other group was known as the 'Adventurers'. The Adventurers and the Pilgrims did not get along well while together on the ship, but they all made it to the New World. Both groups had a different standard for life. After all the hardships of the rough voyage, and landing in the New World, no one wanted to go back to England.
The Pilgrims (or Strangers, as they were called) had great faith in God. They lived their lives in such a way that represented God well. But the Adventurers were here to explore and find gold. Over time, the Pilgrims settled in, and during the first winter, because of the cold, at least half of the Pilgrims died. But they continued to work together to build a community made from a good work ethic. They were not here to find gold or to conquer other people. But, even among the good, there is always some bad.
Other groups came to America, some to find gold and to conquer, others to live peaceably in the community they would build by doing hard work. Hard work is a good thing for people to do. Today, we are afraid of hard work because we have been trained to make life as easy and as comfortable as we can. We don't have a vision for the future. We don't even have a vision for tomorrow. Having a vision for the future is like having an eternal perspective. Whatever we do today, will affect many things down the road. The Pilgrims knew this and that is how they lived.
Another group that came in was the Puritans. They also had a deep faith in God and the Bible. They had a high standard of living, meaning that they strove to stay on the narrow path. Their work ethic, like the Pilgrims, was also very good. They built their communities, and they even built each other's houses! They worked the land and developed whatever careers were available back then. One of them, David Brainerd, took it upon himself to translate the Bible in the language of the Indians (native Americans) that were around him. He loved the Native Americans and they knew it. David Brainerd died from tuberculosis while praying. He was only 28, I think.
We have a group which came over in 1607 and settled Jamestown. Although these people, to my knowledge, were not Christians, they had a good work ethic. There were also some 'Gentlemen' from England who came over for exploration of gold, and were not trained on how to do farming or any of the necessary things that were needed for survival. John Smith got angry with them and made them work! John Smith quoted the Bible where it says, 'Whoever does not work, shall not eat'.
Our Founding Fathers actually did not approve of slavery or conquest. The Constitution guarantees equality among all people. Slavery began in Europe and came to America as people started coming over to the New World. On the one hand, we had revivals in America, when people like George Whitefield came over to America to preach. Jonathan Edwards had a big impact as well in the Northeast. America was a free country to anyone who wanted to come in, but that was not without risk.
People who worked hard and had a vision to build a society based upon good work ethics lived throughout this land. But, those who owned slaves and who were mean to Indians also were coming into this land. On top of that, England was trying to make America become one of its colonies. Up to this point, really no one controlled America, for it was not a country yet. It was an area of land which was becoming inhabited by a variety of people, some good, some bad.
With all the pressures from England, some of the key people in America decided to unite together to form a strong community that would protect itself from being claimed by England. It all came to a head when the American Revolution took place. Young men, farmers, dads, businessmen all made themselves ready to fight if necessary, in a minute's notice. So, if the call for battle came at 4am, they would be ready to fight in an instant. That is what happened in the American Revolution, and that is why our country is not under England's rule today. After the War, men rose up to create a Constitution by which the people in this country would live by. The rules are very fair, and there are many references to God.
No one came in and conquered America. That is not why we are a nation today. People came to build a safe community for their families and loved ones. The Early Americans bargained with the Indians rather than stealing from them. Yes, there were those who treated the Indians unfairly. There were those who brought slaves over. There were those who sold liquor illegally and those who were violent. But those people were not the ones who founded our country.
Our Forefathers fought for us so that we could live in a land of freedom. Not a land where our freedoms hurt other people though. We are not free to kill people if we don't like them, nor do we have a right to steal. The laws of the land are made to protect us from being harmed by others.
Although we do not really know if our Forefathers were truly Christians, we do know that they feared and respected God and His word. They were fully aware that if we remove God from our lives, we are doomed. They were not perfect examples of people who loved God, but they did respect Him, and they did base this country on the principles out of God's word.
America was not founded on conquest. Conquerors came and went. Our Forefathers were not conquerors, despite the fact that certain authority figures, such as our current president, would like you to believe. Unfortunately, there are several college professors who would teach that America was founded by conquest and America deserves to be punished for it. While it is true that bad people were living in America, before America became America, they did not found our nation. They deserve to be punished, and if they escaped punishment while they were alive, they certainly will be facing a harsh judgment on That Day.
America really is one of the few nations that has been built, not out of conquest, but on good work ethics. But our nation is slowly eroding due to the fact that the Bible is being removed from the government and all governmental places, and people are proudly defying God in our governmental platforms. This is scary because it will bring about God's anger on our nation. No longer will we be prosperous due to hard work and God's blessing on work, but we will be a nation that will no longer have all the nice things we have today. Life will become difficult, and we are in danger of being added to the number of Third World countries pretty soon.
Will God protect us if a plague breaks out? How about if the stock market crashes? We laugh at God today, but He can turn all that around in a moment and laugh at us by taking away everything we have, and all that our Forefathers have worked so hard for us to have. Yes, we are laughing now and thinking we are defying God, but the tables will soon be turned and God will pull the rug out from underneath us if we don't repent and turn away from our arrogance.
If our Forefathers were alive today, they would be turning over in their graves. (They are alive today, but whether they can see what is happening in America or not, is unknown to us). They fought for freedom, not for conquering. The fought because life is beautiful and a gift from God. They weren't out to take anyone else's life away from them.
Why would God protect us from the tyranny of Islam? Are you ready to be forced to say, "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet" or to have your head chopped off? If you reject God today, there will be no help for you tomorrow when the time of severe difficulties come.
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