12/30/13

From Ben Fronczek.... The Epistle of James Part 2 Do you need Wisdom?


The Epistle of James  Part 2
Do you need Wisdom?

By: Ben Fronczek

This past week I thought about James and his brothers and sister growing up with Jesus; who was their big brother. I could not help but wonder what that was like. Imagine growing up with a sibling who was perfectly sinless, someone who never did anything wrong or evil. What would that have been like?

In scripture we read over and over that Jesus was without sin. He never, ever, ever sinned.

In 2 Cor. 5:21 we read,   

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”

And in 1 John 3:5 it says, 

“And in Him there is no sin” (NKJV)

In 1 Peter 2:21-23 it says 

“Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Never once did Jesus lie, take anything that did not belong to Him, gossip, cheat, lust, retaliate, or do anything else wrong. While growing up with Him, His brothers and sister must have thought He was the ultimate ‘goodie two shoes’.

He was tempted throughout those years, but He was wise enough not to act on those temptations. 

In Hebrews 4:15 it says

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin” That was Jesus!

I know that Jesus was the Son of God, but He was still a man, and if push came to shove His brothers and sisters probably admired how good, honest, mature and wise their big brother was as they grew up. At times He may have even seemed too wise and mature for his age.

Even at that age of 12 we read that people were amazed at His understanding. 

In Luke 2:41-47 it says, 

“Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.42 When He was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.(By this time Jesus could have had 5 or 6 brothers and sisters)  43 After the Feast was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.  
Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When His parents saw Him, they were astonished.”

Now this boy was the one who James, and Jude, and Simon, and Joseph, and all his sisters grew up with. I can’t help but think that when they had a problem, they would turn to Him for advice.

So when James wrote about needing good advice or needing wisdom, he probably wrote with his brother Jesus in mind.  In all those years he spent growing up with Jesus and observing Him, James must have learned something from Him.

And so James writes 

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”  1:5-8

I am sure that in all the years he lived with Him, Jesus probably never made fun of him or any of his siblings when it came to them needing help or advice. And I can’t help but believe that when Jesus Himself needed an extra measure of help, advice or more wisdom, James and the rest of the family saw Who He turned to; and of course that was His Father in Heaven. I’m sure Jesus came across as stable, and sure of Himself, not doubting what God’s will was.

And so James and his other brother and sisters had someone strong to look up to and show them how to get thru this life when they weren’t quite sure how to do it; and that was to turn to God and sincerely ask Him for help and believe that He would give them the help and wisdom they needed.

James probably saw others who talked the talk, those who seem so religious and pious, but because of their lack of faith and doubts they would seem like waves or a small boat being tossed about every time a strong wind blew. So James tells those who seek God’s help and wisdom that they MUST believe and not doubt.

Life is full of choices and we make decisions every day. Someone once said, “The decisions that we make – make us!” I believe this to be a true statement. As I look back on my own life – the decisions that I have made have had an immense impact on my life. So have yours. The quality and direction of your life has been determined by the decisions you have made. Some of them you feel good about. Some of them you regret. It’s important to make the wisest decisions possible.

As humans, we can all make mistakes. We wait too long. We pay too much. We say the wrong thing. We open our mouths and insert our foot. All of us do stupid things. But the wise man learns from the mistakes he makes. I hope and pray that we all learn from what James says here; that there is a place to go and someone to turn to if we want to become wiser.

Maybe today you unsure about something. Maybe it’s your life, your direction, maybe you don’t know how to help or advise another. I believe that James is giving us the same advice he learned from His brother Jesus when he was unsure and needed help. He instructs us to turn to God and ask Him for the wisdom we need. James wrote that God is generous when it come giving us this kind of help.

But there are some conditions; we must ask, and we must believe.

We need to believe in God.

We need to believe in His willing us to help us.

We need to believe enough to open ourselves up to His wisdom.

And believe enough to act on such wisdom.

If you really don’t believe, and waver back and forth between listening to God and/or doing what you or your friend think is right, verse 7 says that such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Yea that’s right; many times we think we want God’s help and He puts the answers right out in front of our face in one way or another; either in His Word, thru good advice from a Christian friend, or in a sermon we read or listen to. He may even put a thought in your conscious, but we don’t listen because we are stubborn, or the advise is not what we want to hear.  No wonder we get so confused.

James tells us ask and believe!  So don’t act like someone who is wishy-washy, double-minded or unstable.

Where do you need wisdom right now? What’s the big decision in your life? Is it a career decision? Is it about retirement decision? Are you thinking about making a large purchase, making an investment, or helping someone financially, how to serve Jesus better, or even how to start a special ministry for our Lord.

God is there to give you wisdom – if you just ask Him in faith, and believe. 

Proverbs 2:6 makes a promise and says,  

”For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”


Do you believe that?

If the Lord gives wisdom we need to ask Him for it. We need to pray to Him for it. We need to ask Him to give us some.

Here we read that God wants to give you wisdom. He is eager to give it to you. He is ready to give you wisdom. He wants to give you the best things He can – but you need to ask. You need to accept His counsel and believe.

I want to talk to you right now about the greatest decision you can make in your entire life. The greatest decision you’ll ever make in this life is this: Are you going to follow God or not? Am I going to live for myself or am I going to live my life for God and listen to Him, and follow His advise the best I can?

Let me tell you, following God is the only thing that will produce stability in your life. Following God is how you can live in peace with Him and yourself. Here is how you do that – ask Him now to guide you and direct you through life – and to give you wisdom in the decisions that you need to make.

And you may say, “Well Ben I’ve been doing that. I have been praying and praying and asking God about a certain situation but I still don’t know what to do”  The question I have for you is this, ‘Have you been listening for God’s response? Or are you listening with your ears and eyes closed?’

God has not only provides us with His word which provides us with His will on so many matters. His Spirit has also entered those of us who are Christians, and is described as a Helper, a teacher. We not only have His word and the Holy Spirit, and the avenue of prayer, we also have other Christians that we can talk to. Maybe God has provided you with an answer to your dilemma, but maybe it not the answers you want to hear, and so you are in a standoff.

And if that is the case, it may not be that we need to pray for more wisdom, instead it may be more of a matter of humbling our self and learning to accept the answers or direction which God has provided and are right before us.

For more lessons click on the following 

From Jim McGuiggan... BOOZE, BOOZE, BOOZE

BOOZE, BOOZE, BOOZE

The booze industry use to issue warnings to “binge” drinkers; they addressed the “Jekkyl and Hyde” women that “binge” drink. This is another one of the buzzwords. The booze problem is always laid at the feet of someone else—never the booze industry that makes the stuff that “binge” drinkers are made of. You understand that they’re not talking about the girls and fellows who stagger home quietly several times a week, usually over the weekend, drunk but not troublesome. They’re happy with such people so long as they don’t hurt the booze business’ reputation. No, they’re talking about those that stagger home drunk and on the way create problems, beat the blood out of one another in the street, lie in the gutter or smash up things and abuse or neglect whoever is at home.

[“Binge” language is no longer popular with the booze industry. It’s a bit too crass and, in addition, they’re assaulting some of their best customers. Besides, that kind of talk only generates images that the booze industry wants to keep out of the public eye.]

If you bring their reputation as sellers of poison into question they call you names, like “binger” or “Jekkyl & Hyde”. The most abused drug in the world—alcohol! The first thing the booze hits is your power to discriminate—but the booze-makers hold you responsible for not discriminating. Everybody is to be blamed for the havoc in society in general and in the home in particular—everybody, that is, except the booze industry! I’ve had more than one person tell me that the problem lay in those who couldn’t and wouldn’t control their booze intake. I had a woman tell me the same thing about marijuana. And why not—if booze is fine why isn’t marijuana? [This same lady argued in favor of the responsible use of cocaine.]

The booze people feverishly promote and sell the poison and the government spends multiplied millions of dollars trying to keep up with the social carnage.

In light of the statistics on planetary deaths, maiming, abuse, deprivation, crime, destruction of families, and whatever else that comes with booze, isn’t it almost laughable to still hear the serious announcements about passive smoking? Is it not astonishing that there’s a law against driving without a seat belt and no law against the sale of booze thatnecessitates laws for fear of mayhem on the roads? Do you know what keeps this from being humorous? It’s the tragedy that those in power are serious!

Though it’s true that the HIV = AIDS scam no longer grabs headlines and good sense is in some areas prevailing and needy people are being fed, given clean water, offered medical treatment that truly does help [antibiotics and such]—though all that’s true, governments are still pouring millions into paying for anti-viral meds that the pharmaceutical companies now have a phenomenally difficult time selling in America or in the West. 

No one anywhere has proved that the (alleged) HIV virus has a functional/physical link to any disease of any kind much less the “marker diseases” of what’s called AIDS. (The “marker” diseases are common medical problems that have been around long before AIDS was invented. If you die of TB but aren’t known to be HIV positive your death certificate has TB as the cause. If you’re known to have the HIV antibody and you die of TB the death certificate shows AIDS as the cause. Isn’t it marvelous?)  

Serious war is declared against the still [after thirty years of massively funded research] unproven HIV theory while the open and before-our-eyes truth about the booze industry’s product is grandly ignored. Worldwide, it’s involved in death, maiming, killings, child and spouse and parental abuse, the destruction of marriages, health problems, cost to society, police presence and court time—it’s involved in all that and more beyond calculation. It swallows up multiplied billions of dollars that could be used to create jobs, further medical research, fund housing construction, or whatever! 

“It pays taxes!” It pays taxes? That’s what the tobacco industry said! “It creates jobs!” That’s what the tobacco industry said! “Tobacco is physically linked with disease.” Yes, and booze is socially linked with more agony and death than tobacco ever was or could be. If tobacco has physically killed its thousands the booze industry socially [and otherwise] has killed its tens of millions.
Arrrrgggghhhhh!


Western governments spend millions of dollars urging drivers not even to take one drink because it’s too risky. It’s too risky because the drinker might drink more and maybe even go over the legal limit. Is that not revealing? Booze is a thief and a robber! Why is a legal limit set? Because booze is booze and it does what everyone knows it does.

Then the hypocritical booze industry promotes its drug with beautiful young women and handsome young men partying, deliriously happy. Then for a few seconds they add a tiny worded appeal, “Enjoy our product responsibly.”

The tobacco industry has felt the power of opposition but the booze industry bosses and stockholders? They must laugh all the way to the bank as they’re driven in their big Mercs or smile at their sizeable retirement money—they laugh at what they get away with. No smoking adverts on television but booze and great sex, booze and elegance, booze and “the great life”, booze and humor, booze and holding on to your dreams, booze and happy family life—all over the screen, day in and day out.
If society was peopled only with people as strong as Michael the Archangel or as pure as Mary the mother of Jesus or as uncompromising as Daniel who stared down the lions and Gentile kings—if the world was populated with that sort of people booze wouldn’t be a problem.

“I enjoy a beer [and I suppose a vodka or some such thing if he feels he needs something stiffer] when I choose,” one preaching type told me; “It’s a matter of drinking responsibly,” he said.

And the booze industry smiles at such a wise man—a wise Bible teacher who shapes his congregation.

If you think sexual predators groom children you need to remember that the booze industry does the very same thing with its fruit juices and pop drinks with low levels of alcohol in them. [“We’re teaching them to handle alcohol responsibly.” They’re always doing us favors.]

Even liberties can become sinful—Romans 14:13-23 and 1 Corinthians 8:11-13, for example [to be reflected on theologically as well as exegetically].

In addition, there never was in the Bible anything like the modern booze industry with its high-powered booze. It’s a damnable plague and feeds on the vulnerable. 

And it isn't enough to be able to quote scripture to support a practice. The Pharisees did that in Matthew to justify their abuse of women and Americans and other nations did that in support of slavery when they quoted Peter and Paul.

To read scriptures to justify what we want to do or to act on "liberties" that support an industry with such a horrendous record as the booze industry has is no wise thing.

If we’re free to drink it then we're free to share it. If we're free to share it we're free to sell it. If we're free to sell it then we're free to own bars and distilleries. Would that be “responsible”?

Paul, the apostle of the free Spirit [F.F. Bruce called him that]! No one spoke more about freedom—yes? But in light of the love of Jesus Christ did he seem to be free? In 1 Corinthians 9 and in 2 Corinthians 5:14 he said he lived his life the way he did because “the love of Christ leaves me no choice” [NEB]. He said one died for all that they that live might no longer live unto themselves but unto Him that died for them and rose again.

I don’t know how to work all that out in daily living and it might well be that in some ways I don’t want to know. If that’s the case I need forgiveness—and I certainly do because my own life is an ongoing struggle with sin.

Still I think it’s true: the booze industry is against everything a disciple of the Lord Jesus is for and for everything a follower of Jesus Christ is against.

Iris Murdoch and Stanley Hauerwas are right; before ethics is a way of doing things it is a way of seeing things. It isn’t that we choose different things from the same world—we see different worlds. “We can only act,” said Hauerwas, “within the world we can envision and we can envision the world rightly only as we are trained to see.”

Could Jesus give the nod of approval to the booze industry and quote texts to say his Holy Father gave it to us to gladden our hearts? I don’t think so!

He who fought all that enslaves people would surely fight such a business; a business that has shaped society and has been shaped by our sinful human society, and even as we watch it helps to destroy the peace and joy and health and usefulness of multiplied millions of our fellow-humans.

I simply can’t see the Church’s approval of the booze industry—tacit or otherwise—as giving the Lord Jesus pleasure or furthering his kingdom purpose. 
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Great Mystery Of Godliness (1 Timothy 3:16)



                     "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY"

                 The Great Mystery Of Godliness (3:16)

INTRODUCTION

1. Paul wrote to Timothy regarding proper conduct "in the house of God"
   - 1 Tim 3:15
   a. Which is "the church of the living God"
   b. Which is "the pillar and ground of the truth"
   -- I.e., the church supports the truth that has been revealed through
      the apostles

2. The truth supported by the church is described as "the mystery of
   godliness" - 1Ti 3:16
   a. A mystery is described as "great"
   b. Its greatness is described as "without controversy"
   -- Evidently Paul sought to inspire proper conduct by reference to
      this "mystery"

[What is "The Great Mystery Of Godliness"?  Perhaps by understanding it,
we too will be inspired to proper conduct as members of the family of
God.  Toward that end, let's first examine...]

I. THE GREATNESS OF THE MYSTERY

   A. THE MEANING OF "MYSTERY"...
      1. The Grk. word is musterion, meaning "hidden thing, secret,
         mystery" - Thayer
      2. "In the NT it denotes, not the mysterious (as with the Eng.
         word), but that which, being outside the range of unassisted
         natural apprehension, can be made known only by Divine
         revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time
         appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His
         Spirit." - Vine
      3. "In the ordinary sense a 'mystery' implies knowledge withheld;
         its Scriptural significance is truth revealed." - ibid.
      -- In the NT, it refers to that which had been hidden, but is now
         made known by Divine revelation

   B. THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY...
      1. What was hidden has now been made known through the apostles
         and prophets
         a. It could not be discovered by human wisdom alone - 1Co 2:
            7-10
         b. It required Spirit-filled men (apostles) to reveal them
            - 1Co 2:-16
         c. Written that we might understand - Ep 3:1-5
         d. That Gentiles might also be fellow heirs of God's promises
            - Ep 3:6-9
         e. Made known for the benefit of all nations - Ro 16:25-26
      2. What has been revealed still defies description at times
         a. It was beyond man's ability to foresee - Ro 11:33-36
         b. Some elements may be beyond full comprehension (e.g., God in
            the flesh, see below)
      -- Thus there are spiritual truths that God has revealed that we
         might know, though some may challenge our understanding

[The "mystery" now revealed pertains to "godliness" (1Ti 3:16).  "The
word 'godliness' means, properly, piety, reverence, or religiousness. It
is used here, however, for the gospel scheme, to wit, that which the
apostle proceeds to state." (Barnes)  As we continue, we note that it
centers around the coming of Jesus Christ...]

II. THE GREATNESS OF GODLINESS

   A. GOD IN THE FLESH...
      1. Jesus' coming was Deity in the flesh!
         a. Proclaimed in the prologues of John - Jn 1:1-5,14; 1Jn 1:
            1-4
         b. Proclaimed in the epistles of Paul - Php 2:5-6; Col 2:9
      2. Notice the name "Immanuel" (God with us)
         a. Foretold in Isaiah's prophecy - Isa 7:14; 9:6
         b. Explained in Matthew's gospel - Mt 1:22-23
      -- The coming of Jesus in the flesh was God working to reconcile
         man back to Himself; isn't that great? - 2Co 5:18-19

   B. JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT...
      1. "Justified" - as used here, it means "to vindicate"
         a. Was Jesus vindicated in or by the Holy Spirit? (cf. NKJV,
            KJV, NIV, NASB)
         b. Or was He vindicated in His own spirit? (cf. ASV, NRSV)
      2. "in the Spirit" - shown to be the Son of God by the agency of
         the Holy Spirit (Barnes)
         a. E.g., the Spirit bore witness at Jesus' baptism - Mt 3:16;
            Jn 1:32-33
         b. E.g., Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit - Mt 12:28
         c. The Spirit continued to bear witness to Jesus through the
            signs and wonders given to the apostles - cf. Jn 15:26; 16:
            13-14; He 2:4; 1Jn 5:6
      3. "in (the) spirit" - vindicated as divine 'in His Spirit,' that
         is, in His higher nature; in contrast to 'in the flesh,' His
         visible human nature (JFB)
         a. E.g., His words manifested His higher being - Mt 7:29; Jn 7:46
         b. E.g., His works also - Jn 2:11; 3:2
         c. E.g., His Father's testimony as well - Mt 3:17; 17:5
         d. Ultimately, declared to be the Son of God by His
            resurrection - Ro 1:3-4
      -- Either way, Jesus was certainly vindicated as the Son of God!

   C. SEEN BY ANGELS...
      1. Angels who previously marveled at what was to come
         a. The suffering and glory of Christ foretold by OT prophets
            - 1Pe 1:10-12
         b. Which the angels desired to look into - 1Pe 1:12b
      2. When Jesus came, angels saw and ministered unto Him
         a. After His temptation by the devil in the wilderness of Judea
            - Mt 4:11
         b. During His agony in the garden of Gethsemane - Lk 22:43
      -- The angels also attended His ascension, and will accompany His
         return! - Ac 1:9-11; 2Th 1:7

   D. PREACHED AMONG THE GENTILES...
      1. This was the purpose of the Great Commission - Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15
         a. Fulfillment began with the conversion of Cornelius - Ac 11:
            15-18
         b. It was the ministry Jesus gave to Paul - 2Ti 1:11
      2. This is an important element of the "mystery" now revealed
         a. That Gentiles should be fellow heirs, partakers of the
            promise - Ep 3:3-6; cf. 2:11-22
         b. Paul felt blessed to preach to the Gentiles - Ep 3:7-9
      -- The grace of preaching the riches of Christ to Gentiles
         continues to this day!

   E. BELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD...
      1. Not all believed, but many did
         a. Some of His own people did not receive Him - Jn 1:11
         b. Many of His own people did - Ac 2:41-42; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7
         c. Where some did not, many Gentiles did - Ac 13:43-49
      2. Why is it so great that Jesus was believed on in the world?
         a. Because the gospel is foolishness to many people -  1Co 1:18
         b. Because to many, Christ crucified is a stumbling block
            - 1Co 1:23
      -- Even today, countless multitudes believe in Jesus around the
         world - amazing!

   F. RECEIVED UP IN GLORY...
      1. His ascension foretold in prophecy
         a. Prophets spoke of the glories to follow His suffering - 
            1 Pe 1:10-11; Lk 24:25-26
         b. One such prophesy is the vision of Daniel - Dan 7:13-14
      2. His ascension and glory that followed described in the NT
         a. Jesus ascended and was received up into heaven - Ac 1:9-11;
            Mk 16:19
         b. He sat down at the right hand of God, with all authority
            - Mk 16:19; Ep 1:20-23
      -- Thus Jesus received the answer to His prayer - cf. Jn 17:1,4-5

CONCLUSION

1. This mystery of godliness does not end with Jesus being received in
   glory...
   a. For He will one day come again in glory! - Mt 16:27
   b. Those raised with Christ will appear with Him in glory! - Col 3:
      1-4; 2Th 1:9-10
   -- Have you been raised with Christ in baptism? - cf. Col 2:12

2. From beginning to end, the mystery of godliness is great...!
   a. The Divine intervention into the world of sinful men
   b. The Divine grace offered through such intervention
   -- Are you letting the revealed "mystery" motivate proper conduct?
      - cf. 1Ti 3:15

Receive the grace of God in such a way as to conduct yourself properly
in the family of God while waiting for the Lord's coming in glory...!
- cf. Tit 2:11-14


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Gary... Listen and learn!!!



For those who are willing to hear- let them hear (now)!!!  America is changing, and NOT FOR THE BETTER!!!  Soon, very soon, our current way of life will become a distant memory.  And the culprits are our elected officials.  They have lied, tricked us time and again, but soon this country will fall under the overwhelming debt that financial trickery has brought us!!!  Our representatives are TRAITORS!!!  I wish there was another word for it but that is the truth!!! Consider the things mentioned in the topmost picture and accept them for what they are: The exhibition of evil overtaking good.  God is still blessing us- for the time being at least, but I fear that this will soon come to an end.  For me, the current situation is like the second of the two pictures in that God still allows a rainbow in the sky to demonstrate HIS FAITHFULNESS, but that rainbow is being brought lower and lower... and yet, in spite of all this, the words of the prophet Habakkuk echo in my mind....

Habakkuk, Chapter 1

  1 The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.  2 Yahweh, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?  3 Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted. 

  5  “Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you. ..."


Habakkuk, Chapter 2
 2  Yahweh answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.  3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come. It won’t delay.  4 Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith. 

20 But Yahweh is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!” 

The God of Heaven works in ways that are beyond my understanding.  It is up to me to realize that 2:20 is true and that I must live by my faith.  However bad things may look (and the horizon is indeed a dark one) God is in control!!!  I don't know what other Americans will do, but I will pray every day for this country and that its citizens will remove the evil that is currently guiding America down a path of destruction.  An election is coming- one that I hope and pray will see the election of honest officials who will oust our current traitor of a president and undo the wrongs congress has perpetrated on this nation!!!!  May God bless America and in turn- MAY AMERICA BLESS GOD!!!!

ps. one more thing- the old saying is true- it really is always darkest before dawn!!!  Have faith in the power of Good over evil.  God will always win!!!!