America The Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life !
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

--- Happy Birthday America!!!

Are We Doing What God Told Us To Do?

In the past hour 7,000 people went to hell. Based on the average worldwide death rate, at least 7,000 died in the past hour who did not trust Jesus for their salvation. Every hour of the day, 24 hours a day, 7,000 people go to hell.

What have you done to make a difference in this number?

In America we spend $1,500,000 for each person who is saved. This includes the cost of the buildings, salaries, radio programs... everything that is spent on Christianity. We are supposed to be spreading the Gospel to bring people into God's kingdom... and we're bringing them into God's kingdom at a cost of $1,500,000 each.

In May I went on a mission trip to Russia. Our group spent about $30,000 for this trip. 60 people professed a new faith in Jesus Christ. That's $500 per person who was saved.

Are we spending a lot of money in America on things that are not achieving God's purposes? Are we ignoring God's purposes?

Are we applying WWJD? What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do?

"From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 4:17