I Realize it is Not September 11 but…

I want to share this from September 11, 2007.

For some of us we will always recognize the numbers and the phrase Nine Eleven (911). It is the number to call in most communities for police, or emergency aid. It is also a date that we should always remember, and let us never forget that on that day in the year of 2001 our Nation was attacked by the most evil of religious zealots who hate and despise all that is holy, just, and good about the United States of America.

Their hatred is for the citizenry of the USA, for Christians, Jews, and anything or anyone who stands opposed to Islam.

Not long after the attack and fall of the buildings of the World Trade Center there was a song written which really touched my heart, and I give you the words below. Lest we forget.

Have You Forgotten, by Darrell Worley

I hear people sayin’. We Don’t need this war.

I say there’s some things worth fightin’ for.

What about our freedom, and this piece of ground?

We didn’t get to keep ’em by backin’ down.

They say we don’t realize the mess we’re gettin’ in

Before you start preachin’ let me ask you this my friend.

Chorus

Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?

To see your homeland under fire

And her people blown away

Have you forgotten, when those towers fell

We had neighbors still inside goin through a livin hell

And you say we shouldn’t worry bout Bin Laden

Have you forgotten?

You took all the footage off my T.V.

Said it’s too disturbin for you and me

It’ll just breed anger is what the experts say

If it was up to me I’d show it everyday

Some say this country just out lookin’ for a fight

Well after 9/11 man I’d have to say right.

Chorus

Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?

To see your homeland under fire

And her people blown away

Have you forgotten when those towers fell

We had neighbors still inside goin’ through a livin’ hell

And we vow to get the ones behind Bin Laden

Have you forgotten?

I’ve been there with the soldiers

Who’ve gone away to war

You can bet they remember just what they’re fightin’ for

Have you forgotten

All the people killed

Yes some went down like heroes

In that Pennsylvania field

Have you forgotten

About our Pentagon

All the loved ones that we lost

And those left to carry on

Don’t you tell me not to worry ’bout Bin Laden

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?!

Today we remember that day. Let’s ever be vigilant to oppose such attacks against our Nation and our next door neighbors. May God forgive our sins and heal our land.

From the banks of Flat Creek,

`tim

President of Harvard College

For the next few days I will be posting quotes from the books written by Peter Marshall, and David Manuel on the history of our Nation. The first is from “The Light and the Glory”, and is a quote from a sermon preached by the Reverend Samuel Langdon on May 31, 1775, following the taking of Fort Ticonderoga.

“We have rebelled against God. We have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. We have neglected and set light by the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy commands and institutions. The worship of many is but mere compliment to the Deity, while their hearts are far from Him. By many the Gospel is corrupted into a superficial system of moral philosophy, little better than ancient Platonism.

‘Wherefore is all this evil upon us? Is it not because we have forsaken the Lord? Can we say we are innocent of crimes against God? No, surely it becomes us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, that He may exalt us in due time… My brethren, let us repent and implore the divine mercy. Let us amend our ways and our doings, reform everything that has been provoking the Most High, and thus endeavor to obtain the gracious interpositions of providence for our deliverance…

‘If God be for us, who can be against us? The enemy has reproached us for calling on His name and professing our trust in Him. They have made a mock of our solemn fasts and every appearance of serious Christianity in the land… May our land be purged from all its sins! Then the Lord will be our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble, and we will have no reason to be afraid, though thousands of enemies set themselves against us round about.

‘May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble… we will rejoice in His salvation, and in the name of our God, we will set up our banners…” From THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY pp. 277 & 278.

Can we see that this is a message that is pertinent for our day?

Hymn – “He Is Able to Deliver Thee”

He Is Able to Deliver Thee

‘Tis the grandest theme thro’ the ages rung;  ‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue;  ‘Tis the grandest theme that the world e’er sung:  Our God is able to deliver thee.

REFRAIN

He is able to deliver thee, He is able to deliver thee;  Tho’ by sin opprest,  Go to Him for rest;  Our God is able to  deliver thee.

verse 2 – ‘Tis the grandest theme in the earth or main;  ‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal strain;  ‘Tis the grandest theme, tell the world again:  Our God is able to deliver thee.

verse 3 –  ‘Tis the grandest theme, let the tidings roll  To the guilty heart, to the sinful soul;  Look to God in faith,  He will make thee whole:  Our God is able to deliver thee.

William A. Ogden, 1841-1897

-posted by Tim

Hymn – “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine”

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!  Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!  Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,  Praising my Saviour all the day long;  This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,  Visions of rapture now burst on my sight:  Angels descending bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,  I in my Saviour am happy and blest:  Watching and waiting, looking above,  Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Fanny J. Crosby,  1820-1915

Mrs Joseph F. Knapp, 1839-1908

-posted by Tim A. Blankenship

Sunday Worship – “O Worship the King”

O WORSHIP THE KING

“O worship the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing His wonderful love;  Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space!  His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?  It breathes in the air, it shines in the light,  It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail:  Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend.”

Robert Grant, 1779-1838                                    Johann M. Haydn, 1737-1806

Worship the King.  Today and everyday.

-Tim

From my Journal

This is part of what I wrote in my journal for today.

On this day in 2001 at around 7:30 a.m. Central time the U.S.A. was attacked by the enemy with ties to Islam.  There were four groups/teams who hijacked four different passenger  planes.  The first was directed as a bomb into the North tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.  The second, like the first was flown directly into the South tower.  The explosions were massive, and the destruction was horrific.

A third plane was directed at the Pentagon, a government building where military plans and personnel are housed.  The fourth plane was on a direct path toward Washington D.C., but did not reach its destination.  The passengers on board, upon finding out the intentions of the terrorists caused the plane to crash into a field in Pennsylvania killing all on board, but probably saving many more lives..

In total more than 3,000 people died that day.  Because of God’s intervention – Divine Providence – there could have been many more perishing in the fall of the towers that day.

In my heart I believe that was a warning to our nation of our departure from the Lord of all.  A message to the Christians especially. Judgment was beginning to increase.

Thankfully, we had a President who was a confessing Christian and appeared to trust the Lord at that time.

That has been ten years now, and there have been many destructive storms of “Nature” hit our nation.  One was hurricane “Katrina” which hit the Gulf Coast nearly destroying New Orleans, LA..  Just this past Spring tornadoes  hit the South nearly destroying the city of Tuscaloosa, AL.  Maybe I should say “destroying the city…”.  That happened in April and over 300 were killed in the South tornadoes.  On May 22, 2011 a tornado hit Joplin, MO. killing 160 and leveling a large part of the city.  Destruction of homes, businesses, hospitals and schools were recorded on video as it happened.

There is a need for repentance among the people of God today.

Much of that is word for word from my journal.  If you are a Christian stop approving of sin; and speak out against it. Live against it. Repent of it; in other words; AGREE WITH GOD.

Though I may live in Jenkins, MO and along the banks of Flat Creek;  I am not blind or ignorant of the world’s greatest need; and that is Christ Jesus.

-Tim

Here It Is…

…Another wonderful morning; and to make it even greater; it’s Sunday morning.  Getting up way before the sunrise has become a habit with me.  It seems I function best at this time, but the rest of the day not so well, at times.

I hear cattle bawling across the Creek, our neighbor across Flat Creek is a physician, I hear, and has a pretty nice place over there.  I don’t know what all the bawling is about, but they are doing it.

There is a beginning of sun light starting to show itself.  I can see the trees along the banks in silhouette form, where an hour ago it just looked black and dark outside.  Looking forward to going to church today to worship the God of all creation, the Son of God, God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

I pray you have already made that your plan for the day.  Honor God every day, worship Him every day, and get with others in worship and fellowship as oft as you can.  We are having a fellowship dinner at Carr Lane Baptist today.  We all always look forward to our dinners, fellowship times.

The light is getting brighter for the new day ahead along the banks of Flat Creek of Southwest Missouri.

-Tim

A Family Sunday

Most of our kids and grand kids are still with us.  They are, in fact, still in bed sleeping.  They will need to be arising soon to get themselves ready for Sunday School and worship.

We are all attending Shiloah Baptist Church.  Shiloah is the Baptist church I grew up in.  I was saved there, baptized in Flat Creek at the old Jenkins bridge in 1966.  On the Sunday I was saved, my sister Jane was as well; as well as several other.  Otis Ennis was our pastor at the time, and he baptized us the following Sunday.

My wife and I attended Shiloah when we first married.  I surrendered to preach the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ while we were attending.  From July 1987 – November 1990 I was their pastor.

The current Pastor is David Eaton, Jr.  He is my brother in law; and the son of the man who was my pastor when I surrendered to preach.

I always look forward to the times I can go and hear good preaching.  Preachers who preach the Word of God are becoming rare; though I know there are many who still do.  Too many will compromise the Word to keep  the masses happy rather than caring about keeping God happy.

So much for that.  Things appear to be quiet outside.  No dogs are barking, yet.  No cattle are in the yard, yet.  However the time is drawing nearer to the time for the family to arise and begin getting ready to hear the Word of God and worship.

-Tim

Joyful, Joyful

A hymn of praise to our God and King…

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;  Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Opening to the sun above.  Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away;  Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!

Have a great day and worship the King at your local church.

-Tim

Honor and Blessing

Last night Carr Lane Baptist Church hosted the monthly Worker’s Conference of the Barry County Southern Baptist Association; made up of about 33 churches across the county, and two or three outside the county – including Carr Lane which is in the Southwest corner of Stone County.

We were honored to welcome the people of the churches of Barry County, the Association, our Director of Missions Randy Comer, his wife Sheena, and the guest speaker Jay Scribner.  Jay is the former pastor of First Baptist Church of Branson, and if I remember correctly a past President of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

We were blessed by the message Brother Scribner proclaimed.  The message was from 1 Peter 1:13-17, and titled “Be Holy”.  A very needed message for Christians of the twenty first century.  There is a very urgent need for holiness and holy living in Christian living.

Holiness should set us apart from the lives of those who do not proclaim to be Christian.  We are followers of Christ.  We are “Christian” and that means ‘Like Christ”, and that portrays “Holiness”.

It was an honor to host such a fine group of Baptist Christians; and a blessing to hear the Word of God proclaimed.  Thank you Dr. Scribner.

-Tim

Another Day of…

Another day of sunshine?  Another day of rain?  Right now it is hard to tell.  I look out my office window here at 6:30 in the morning, and the sun does not seem to have made it into our valley yet.  It is partially cloudy.  We do need some rain.  That’s hard to believe after all the rain we received in April and May, but it is getting dry, and hard to work the soil.

Every day is a day to be thankful.  Being grateful, thankful and full of praise to our GOD is a part of the faithful Christian’s life.  He is what makes life worthwhile.  Without Him where would we be?

My conclusion for a day that is just beginning is…

Another Day of Grace.

-Tim