We living in the 21st Century MUST have the same kind of faith.
It is through our Faith that Houstonians and Texas responded to
the needs of the people from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. (Houston took in and HELPED
over 250,000 people!!!) The WAS and IS a tremendous outpouring
of help and assistance coming from our people to others in need
WITHOUT being judgmental of who we were helping. There are stories
after stories of how we helped. I am sure God is looking at us and
smiling as He sees thousands of Good Samaritans helping in the city
of Houston.

From page 203, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com.

In Romans 5:1, we read, ---

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ---"

And in Hebrews 12:14, we read, ---

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy;"

We Christians have an inner peace from knowing Jesus, and we are to
make every effort to live in peace with all men and women in the world.

From page 202, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com.

The first part is (1) the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
In John 14:6, Jesus said, ---

"I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus cuts through all the world's distortions, deceptions, and compromises.
When you study His truth through daily Bible reading, you see the world
from God's high vantage point and His truth becomes a part of you.

From page 201, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com.

Since living in the safety of the armor means oneness with Jesus,
we can expect to share His struggles as well as His peace.
Remember, God has promised us victory in the midst of trials,
not immunity from pain.

From page 200, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com.

(1) the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with
(2) the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet
fitted with the readiness that comes from
(3) the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up
(4) the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming
arrows of the evil one. Take
(5) the helmet of salvation and
(6) the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

From page 200, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com.

We need to equip ourselves with "The Armor of God" if we are to win
the battle between GOOD and EVIL.

From page 199, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr
Available at www.amazon.com.

"When the idea is not right, GOD says 'NO!'
When the time is not right, GOD says 'SLOW!'
When you are not right, GOD says, 'GROW!'
When everything is right, GOD says'GO!'"

From page 198, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

And God ALWAYS answers your prayers with your best interest in mind.
You may not think so at the time, BUT he does!!!

From page 198, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

We are NOT to turn to mediums, or seek out spiritists, or those who practice
soothsaying, divination, or use witchcraft and sorcery, or consult astrology
or horoscopes (See 2nd Chronicles 33:6) --- all of which are abominations to
the Lord. We are NOT to engage in these pagan activities; BUT, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present our request to God.

From page 197, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

As "Children of God", we are to REJOICE in the Lord always!!!
We are members of the most BLESSED family in the world; and, as such,
our gentleness needs to be evident to all.

From page 197, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

As "Children of God", we have an inheritance --- eternal life
with Jesus!!!! AND, we life in the Kingdom of God --- TODAY!!

From page 197, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

If Jesus is God's one and only son, how can we be "Children of God"?
No problem. In Ephesians 1:4b, we read:

"In love (God) predestined us to be adopted as his sons
(and daughters) through Jesus Christ."

By belief in Jesus Vhrist as our Loard and Savior, we become adopted ---
"Children of God". And, in Mark 3.35, Jesus said:

"Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister."

From page 184, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

In the King James Version of the Bible, the phrase
"Children of God" appears 155 times; so ---
it is worthy of our consideration.

From page 193, Always Growingin the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

We have seen throughout this walking tour of our nation's Capitol,
the belief that our Creator IS the source of American liberty.
In response, our nation has a unique and silent way to worship God
each morning.

It is poignant and fitting that the first rays of sun that illuminate our
Nation's Capital each morning first fall upon the eastern side of the
tallest building --- The Washington Monument --- the 555 foot tall
monument to the Father of our country. And there on its top,
where they are for the eyes of heaven alone, inscribed on the eastern
side of the four-sided aluminum capstone are the Latin words, from
Psalm 66:20, "Laus Deo", which mean ---

"Praise be to God!!!"

From page 192, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

Only two items are on permanent display in the Great Hall of The
Library of Congress. The First is the Giant Bible of Mainz, a handwritten
and illustrated version of the Bible considered to be the most beautiful ever
created. The second is the Gutenberg Bible, the first mass printed book,
which soon made the hand-printed books like the Giant Bible of Mainz
obsolete. The copy at The Library of Congress is printed on vellum, or
animal skin, and is one of only three perfect copies still in existence.

From page 190, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

Established in 1800, The Library of Congress employs over 5,000
people; and houses approximately 130 million items catalogued on
approximately 530 miles of bookshelves. Over 10,000 new items
are added to the collection daily. All of this makes The Library of
Congress by far the largest library in the word!!!

From pages 189-190, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

In the November following the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln proclaimed
that the last Thursday of November should henceforth be set aside as a
day of thanksgiving. Many days of Thanksgiving had been proclaimed
by presidents before this one, but this proclamation is the one that finally
made Thanksgiving "the national holiday" that we celebrate annually.

From page 188, Always Growing in the faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

When George Washington took the Oath of Office on April 30, 1789,
as mandatory proscribed by the Constitution (Article II, Secion 1,
Clause 8), he said:

"I, George Washington, do solomnly swear that I will
faithfully execute the Office of the President of the
United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Then, he added, "So help me God."

It is believed that every President since has added, "So help me God."

From page 188, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

In 1938, with the rise of Hitler in Germany, Irving Berlin, a Jewish
immigrant from Siberia, Russia, introduced his song, "God Bless America",
on an Armistice Day radio broadcast which was sung by Kate Smith.

Knowing this background, we understand Berlin's prelude, and then the song:

"While the strom clouds gather far across the sea,
Let we swear allegiance to a land that's FREE,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, my home sweet home."

From page 181, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence,
the Continental Congress voted to purchase and to import
20,000 copies of the Bible to be used in the public schools.
There is more. In 1782, the United States Congress voted
this resolution:

"The Congress of the United States recommends and
approves the Holy Bible for use in all public schools."

From page 180, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his
well-worn Bible: "I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the
doctrines of Jesus." He was also the chairman of the American Bible
Society, which he considered his highest and most important role in
public life.

From pages 179-180, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr.
Available at www.amazon.com .

Is the USA a Christian nation? In 1776, Patrick Henry wrote this ---

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by
religionists, but by Christians, not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jeswus Christ. For this
resaon alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of whorship here."

From page 179, Always Growing in the Faith by Gene Dirr. Available at www.amazon.com.

It is noteworthy that the frame work of the Constitution comes DIRECTLY from the Bible!!!
In Isaiah 33:22 we find:

"For the Lord is our judge,
the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us."

Thus, the judicial, the legistative, and the executive branches of our Federal government were created; and then defined.

WOW!!!