Journey of Cross and Quill

On The Sovereignty of God:

By virtue of the fact that God has created every thing which exists, He is the absolute Owner and final Disposer of all that He has made. He exerts not merely a general influence, but actually rules in the world which He has created. The nations of the earth, in their insignificance, are as the small dust of the balance when compared with His greatness; and far sooner might the sun be stopped in his course than God be hindered in His work or in His will. Amid all the apparent defeats and inconsistencies of life God actually moves on in undisturbed majesty. Even the sinful actions of men can occur only by His permission. And since he permits not unwillingly but willingly, all that comes to pass—including the actions and ultimate destiny of men—must be, in some sense, in accordance with what He has desired and purposed.

Reformed Doctrine of Predestination

*This is the first post in a new category simply named “Giveaways” in which I will post links to contests and giveaways in support of small Christian businesses and families!*

Titus Keepers is giving one *providential* winner:

one 4 oz. jar of Miracle Cream

one 8 oz. bottle of Facial Astringent

one 5 oz. bag of Wonder Grains

one 3 oz. bag of Herbal Face Steam

one 4 oz. jar raw honey, for facial

Contest ends September 3, 2010. Click here for complete details.

Titus Keepers: Natural Living Supplies came about from a desire to actively live out convictions in a Christian woman’s heart to make money from home, promote caring for God’s world, and encouraging others to care for their family, home and themselves in a safe and natural way.

Started as a home-based business in 2008, Titus Keepers has slowly grown. While the products have held on to the same quality and standards as started out with, the business itself has changed and grown. From a silly stick-figure house with a heart in the middle as a logo made by the owner to a professional logo designed by a family friend (the wonderful logo you see here), to paper labels run through an inkjet in the beginning and now with adhesive labels run through a laserjet printer so the ink won’t bleed if it gets wet, to a handful of folks knowing about the business to now at least a hundred…. Titus Keepers is growing!

All the items - home and car cleaning products, cosmetics, and feminine care items - have been handmade by the owner/operator of Titus Keepers, a single Mom to one energetic child, doing what she can to make money from home and follow the commands of Titus 2:3-5.

If you would like to learn a little more about the owner and her other reasons for starting Titus Keepers and keeping it going strong, you are more than welcome to read part of her life-story.

Where We Are & How We Got Here in 14 parts.

“This is a series which traces the events from 1830 to the present day that have shaped our nation.”

The Abolitionist Revolution Psalm 11:3

The Theological Revolution Psalm 11:3

Political & Economic Issues Psalm 11:3

Biblical Doctrine of Slavery 1 Exodus 21:1-11; Deuteronomy 24:7

Biblical Doctrine of Slavery 2 Genesis 9:20-27

Southern Slavery Part 1 Ephesians 6:5-9

Southern Slavery Part 2 Leviticus 25:44-46

Southern Slavery Part 3 Ephesians 6:5-9

Who Started the War? Part 1 Matthew 7:1-5; John 7:24

Who Started the War? Part 2 Matthew 7:1-5; John 7:24

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 11 of 14 John 7:24

Honest Abe Was Not Honest John 18:37,38

Why the South Lost the War # 1 Psalm 44:1-26

Why the South Lost the War # 2 Psalm 44:1-18; Proverbs 16:7; 21:1

These audio sermons are an excellent summation of the truth behind the era of what is commonly known as the Civil War as it relates to biblical principles, state sovereignty, and the myths commonly perpetrated today. Pastor Weaver presents a fresh insight into the circumstances which dramatically altered the direction of the course of the United States.

John C. Calhoun said in 1831, “Stripped of all its covering, the naked question is, whether ours is a federal or consolidated government; a constitutional or absolute one; a government resting solidly on the basis of sovereignty of the States, or on the unrestrained will of a majority; a form of government, as in all other unlimited ones, in which injustice, violence, and force must ultimately prevail.”

I believe we know the answer to Calhoun’s question as we look back at the leviathan the federal government has become today. Pastor Weaver demonstrates how this war led us onto the path.

The Truth About the Confederate Battle Flag
*Transcript of The Truth about the Confederate Battle Flag*

Is The Confederate Flag a Symbol of Hate? Part 1

Is The Confederate Flag a Symbol of Hate? Part 2

Why the South Must Rise Again

I dare say that angels’ pens, angel’s tongues, nay, as many worlds of angels as there are drops of water in all the seas and fountains, and rivers of the earth cannot paint Him out to you. I think His sweetness has swelled upon me to the greatness of two heavens. O for a soul as wide as the utmost circle of the highest heaven to contain His love! And yet I could hold but little of it. O what a sight, to be up in heaven, in that fair orchard of the New Paradise, and to see, and smell, and touch, and kiss that fair field-flower, that evergreen tree of life! His bare shadow would be enough for me; a sight of Him would be the guarantee of heaven to me.”If there were ten thousand thousand millions of worlds, and as many heavens, full of men and angels, Christ would not be pinched to supply all our wants, and to fill us all. Christ is a well of life; but who knows how deep it is to the bottom? Put the beauty of ten thousand thousand worlds of paradises, like the Garden of Eden, in one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colors, all tastes, all joys, all loveliness, all sweetness in one. O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it would be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths.

Letters of Samuel Rutherford

The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men, 17 May 1776:

There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage.…

Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual, and slavery must ensue. On the other hand, when the manners of a nation are pure, when true religion and internal principles maintain their vigour, the attempts of the most powerful enemies to oppress them are commonly baffled and disappointed.…

That he is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy of his country.…

It is in the man of piety and inward principle, that we may expect to find the uncorrupted patriot, the useful citizen, and the invincible soldier. God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable and that the unjust attempts to destroy the one, may in the issue tend to the support and establishment of both.

The general state of Christianity is much more cultural than authentic. The advancement of the kingdom of God and His glory are scarcely embraced as the objects of our greatest passions. The pursuit of these treasures is no longer what we strive for. Christ is not Lord over all our lives. We have made ourselves our own masters.

Life gets confusing. What was to be our highest pursuit is lost as our minds and hearts become consumed with lesser issues. If our thinking and our power are our own, then possessions become property rather than objects of stewardship. At best, we give our leftovers to God and keep the rest, indulging ourselves in the full and free pursuit of personal pleasure…”

There is a fascinating dynamic in all of this. We all know that our faith in Christ is not merely a matter of internal belief. If our conduct does not conform to that belief, then our belief can be called into question. The latter validates the former. It is almost impossible to live as Christ taught if we do not have a transforming belief that changes the way we live.”

William Wilberforce

The praises of my tongue
I offer to the Lord.
That I was taught, and learned so young,
To read his holy word;

That I am brought to know
The danger I was in;
By nature and by practice too,
A wretched slave to sin.

That I am led to see
I can do nothing well;
And whither shall a sinner flee,
To save himself from hell?

Dear Lord, this book of thine,
Informs me where to go,
For grace to pardon all my sin,
And make me holy too.

Here I can read and learn,
How Christ, the Son of God,
Did undertake our great concern;
Our ransom cost his blood.

And now he reigns above,
He sends his Spirit down,
To show the wonders of his love,
And make his gospel known.

Oh may that Spirit teach,
And may my heart receive,
Those truths which all thy servants preach,
And all they saints believe!

Then shall I praise the Lord
In a more cheerful strain,
That I was taught to read his word,
And have not learned in vain.

Isaac Watts

My God (oh, let me call Thee mine,
Weak, wretched sinner though I be),
My trembling soul would fain be Thine;
My feeble faith still clings to Thee.

Not only for the Past I grieve,
The Future fills me with dismay;
Unless Thou hasten to relieve,
Thy suppliant is a castaway.

I cannot say my faith is strong,
I dare not hope my love is great;
But strength and love to Thee belong;
Oh, do not leave me desolate!

I know I owe my all to Thee;
Oh, TAKE the heart I cannot give!
Do Thou my strength—my Saviour be,
And MAKE me to Thy glory live.

Acton Bell (Anne Bronte)

Daniel: The Triumphant Kingdom of Christ by Joe Morecraft III

Summary (Thanks to Betty Seufert)

Christ, the Ruler of Nations as taught in Daniel:
1) Derive existence from God, not man.
2) Christ oversees and directs ALL affairs of civil government in favor of His people.
3) Christ demands obedience from ALL nations to His laws.
4) He overules all rebellion (man proposes and God deposes).
5) Christ governs nations for protection and encouragement of the church! He advances global spread of Gospel despite any ungodly nation!

Duties of Nations:
1) Honor King Jesus and make His laws the basis of Constitution.
2) Requirement for public office–ONLY genuine Christian statesmen with thoroughly Christian views.
3) Voters must be responsible, literate, biblically astute men who are true to Covenant heritage.
4) Citizens be REQUIRED to resist and oppose unbiblical civil government, remove evil men from office, and stand against unbiblical laws as null and void.

Joe penned a pledge to Christ the Prince that Lord-willing one day we can say to His glory in a Biblically governed country:

I pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ, the King of the United States of America, & to the republic submitted to His Word, one republic of state, under Christ, divisible, with liberty & justice for all.