I Am Thankful !

I am thankful to be an American . It is a God –given priviledge to dwell in a land where every citizen is free to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience ; where everyone can vote his own political convictions at the polls ; where there is freedom of speech , and freedom of the press ; where there is the free enterprise system, under which every person can own property , and is not compelled to yield it to a Communist state . Yes I am grateful to live are created equal , and that every citizen is guaranteed “ justice under the law “.

I am thankful for our glorious flag . When I behold the stars and stripes , always a tingle of joy and pride courses through my spinal column ,in the knowledge that , “This is my flag “, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to Almighty God that as long as this flag ripples in the breezes , all the freedoms which we cherish shall be preserved . This flag represents the spilt blood of my fathers who with the spirit of thanksgiving ,and with the holy resolve that its enemies shall never haul it down from its lofty ramparts .

I am thankful for the Bible , the Book upon which our nation was founded . It is evident to all who know history that America would never have known freedom except for the influence of the Word of God .Today , we would not have one vestige of freedom founding fathers . Today , if we were to turn away from the Bible , our country would be another Godless state . Thank God for the Bible ! The atheists have bombarded it, the agnostics have ridiculed it , the infildels have blasted it , the skeptics have sought to destroy it , the Roman hierarchy denied it to their people , the Modernist preachers have tried to scuttle it --- in fact , all the agencies of Satan have hammered away at it . But it still stands as the imperishable , indestructible Word of the Eternal God . It still changes lives , transforms homes , elevates communities ,blesses
Nations . Thank God for the Bible !

I am thankful for the church of the living God . I speak in the true Scriptural sense ; that assembly of born again , called out ones who have been changed by the power of Christ , and who have been made members of the family of God . In spite of false pretenders ,misguided religionists who misinterpret the truth , and willful apostates who seek to deceive the people by advocating the social gospel , and by denying the faith , the church goes on , conquering and to conquer ; and as our Lord promised : “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it”

Jan Bagwell

The Garden of Eden

When Universe showed its face, No plants grew, not even a trace; Seeds did not sprout for lack of rain; Barren was the land without grain.Water came beneath the surface, That became the only source.Some soil from the groundThe Lord took in His hand! The first man came out of it, To breathe and live, he became fit! See how the Lord's mercy goes! What all man wants, God knows.God made a garden in Eden, In the East and placed in this man.All trees He made, well and good, To give man fruits as food.In the middle of the garden, There stood life-giving tree one, Besides another tree that offeredKnowledge, both good and bad! A stream flowed in Eden.It watered the holy garden.Beyond the limits of this Eden, As four rivers, it began to run.Around Havillah went River Pishon.Around Cush flowed River Gihon.Around Assyria ran Tigris River, And the fourth was Euphrates River.God placed the man then, In the Garden of EdenAnd said, 'Oh man, you're freeTo eat the fruit of any tree.''But you SHALL NOT eatFrom the tree that gives fruitOf knowledge, good and bad, Your instant death to avoid.'The Lord saw then, It's no good for man, Who needed a companion, On earth to live alone.”God created birds and animals, Taking from ground some soil; To the man, He brought them, And asked him to name them.The man named everyone: Birds and animals, one by one, But there was not a single one, To serve him as a companion! The Lord found a way out! Into deep sleep, the man was put, God took a rib from the man, And then executed His plan.He formed a beautiful woman, Out of the man’s rib taken; And gave a female companionTo be with this solitary man.So man said, 'At last, here is one, Of my own kind, bone of my bone, Flesh of my flesh, a woman, Who's taken out of (me) man.'Thus, it happens in any man's lifeThat he be united with his wife, Leaving his father and mother, To become one Soul forever.

The Silver Cord

Some day the silver cord will break
And I no more as now shall sing ;
But , O, the joy when I shall wake
Within the palace of the King

Some day my earthly house will fall ,
I cannot tell how soon ‘twill be ,
But this I know ,my all in all
Has now a place in Heav’n for me .

Some day when fades the golden sun
Beneath the rosy-tinted west
My blessed Lord will say , Well done !”
And I shall enter into rest .

Some day till then I’ll watch and wait ,,
My lamp all trimmed and burning bright ,
That when my Savior opens the gate ,
My soul to Him may take its flight .
Jan Bagwell

God's Wings

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An article in National Geographic several years ago provided an
interesting picture of God's wings.

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers
began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched
statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat
sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a
stick.

When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under
their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of
impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the
tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively
knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown
to safety but had refused to abandon her babies.

When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small
body, the mother had remained steadfast.

Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of
her wings would live.

Being loved this much should make a difference in your life.

Remember the One who loves you,

...and then be different because of it.

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you
will find refuge." (Psalm 91:4)
Jan Bagwell

The Road of Life

One day as I was climbing up
The road of life to home ,
I met a stranger coming down
With countenance sad and lone .

I had no time to help him then
I feared ‘twould mean delay ;
With guilty heart I turned aside –
I dared not look his way .

To still my heart I hurried on ,
And then I heard a sigh ,
I turned and looked , and then I saw
A teardrop in his eye .

Forgetting time I spoke to him ,
To share with him my cup ,
“Dear friend , I fear you’re going down
When you should be going up “

With piteous look he turned to me ,
“How I turn around ?
For with this load upon my back
I can hardly make it down .”

The joyful news I gladly told
Of Christ who died for him
To take away the load he had
If he would let Him in .

A gleam of hope came to face ,
The tears began to flow ,
The load of sin dropped from his back ,
His face began to glow ,

And now he travels the road of life –
Not down, but going up;
To see the glow upon his face
Has more than filled my cup

O Lord ,forgive the times I’ve passed
A stranger on life’s road ,
Not taking time to dry the tears ,
Nor helping lift the load .
And give me wisdom , Lord I pray ,
That comes down from Thy throne
That I might by Thy help and grace
Lead some poor wanderer Home
By Jan Bagwell

In The Valleys I Grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe.
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountaintop
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountaintops,
But it's in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day,
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know,
The mountaintops are glorious,
But it's in the valleys I grow!

Jan Bagwell