Pledge of Allegiance of the United States

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."


In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today. Today it reads:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Section 4 of the Flag Code states:

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute."






Tuesday, May 27, 2014

DAY 4 - DAILY PRAYER (THE STATE OF GEORGIA) - MAY 28, 2014

May 28



Lord of all nations, we humbly submit ourselves to you today in prayer for the state of Georgia.  We pray for the 4th state to join the union, and the state that has managed to hold onto it's moral fabric.  In a state where gay marriage has not been given legal standing, we pray for their strong overtones of morality and godliness.  Restore the freedom to proclaim Your promises in public venues, including football games.  May the deaf ears hear Your Holy Word, that they might give their lives completely over to Your will.  Hear us Oh Lord as we cry out in Your very word for the sake of Georgia.  

Romans 12:2 (New International Version)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Proverbs 3:5,6 (New International Version)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

James 1:22 (New International Version)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Father God, we pray for the government body of Georgia, that You will lead them in paths of righteousness.  We pray for Your continued blessing upon Governor Nathan Deal and the First Lady.  We pray for all of the men and women across that state that serve others in governmental or ministry roles.  We pray for the protection and return of the men and women from Georgia that are serving our county oversees.  

Colossians 3:23 (New International Version)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. 

We pray for all those who labor to earn an income and provision for themselves or their families.  Bless the state of Georgia in these trying times, where jobs may be few and pay may be limited.  Protect all who actively participate in the economy of Georgia, and allow them to see the fruits of the labors.

James 4:7 (New International Version)
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Bless our brothers and sisters in Christ, who seek the Lord throughout their daily lives and prayers.  Strengthen the voice of those who proclaim Your good word, and bless them in their daily trials.

And finally Father, we pray for Your hand of protection over Georgia.  Keep her safe from devastation, and allow her to thrive in her churches, schools, businesses and homes.

In Christ's name we humbly life up our prayers to You.    Amen


Anonymous


DAY 4 - DAILY QUESTION ABOUT GOD'S WORD - DOES THE BIBLE CONDONE SLAVERY?

May 28

Question: "Does the Bible condone slavery?"

Answer: There is a tendency to look at slavery as something of the past. But it is estimated that there are today over 27 million people in the world who are subject to slavery: forced labor, sex trade, inheritable property, etc. As those who have been redeemed from the slavery of sin, followers of Jesus Christ should be the foremost champions of ending human slavery in the world today. The question arises, though, why does the Bible not speak out strongly against slavery? Why does the Bible, in fact, seem to support the practice of human slavery?

The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery. It gives instructions on how slaves should be treated (Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1), but does not outlaw slavery altogether. Many see this as the Bible condoning all forms of slavery. What many fail to understand is that slavery in biblical times was very different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was based more on economics; it was a matter of social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they could not pay their debts or provide for their families. In New Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, and even politicians were slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to have all their needs provided for by their masters.

The slavery of the past few centuries was often based exclusively on skin color. In the United States, many black people were considered slaves because of their nationality; many slave owners truly believed black people to be inferior human beings. The Bible condemns race-based slavery in that it teaches that all men are created by God and made in His image (Genesis 1:27). At the same time, the Old Testament did allow for economic-based slavery and regulated it. The key issue is that the slavery the Bible allowed for in no way resembled the racial slavery that plagued our world in the past few centuries.

In addition, both the Old and New Testaments condemn the practice of “man-stealing,” which is what happened in Africa in the 19th century. Africans were rounded up by slave-hunters, who sold them to slave-traders, who brought them to the New World to work on plantations and farms. This practice is abhorrent to God. In fact, the penalty for such a crime in the Mosaic Law was death: “Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death” (Exodus 21:16). Similarly, in the New Testament, slave-traders are listed among those who are “ungodly and sinful” and are in the same category as those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, adulterers and perverts, and liars and perjurers (1 Timothy 1:8–10).

Another crucial point is that the purpose of the Bible is to point the way to salvation, not to reform society. The Bible often approaches issues from the inside out. If a person experiences the love, mercy, and grace of God by receiving His salvation, God will reform his soul, changing the way he thinks and acts. A person who has experienced God’s gift of salvation and freedom from the slavery of sin, as God reforms his soul, will realize that enslaving another human being is wrong. He will see, with Paul, that a slave can be “a brother in the Lord” (Philemon 1:16). A person who has truly experienced God’s grace will in turn be gracious towards others. That would be the Bible’s prescription for ending slavery.

Recommended Resources: Hard Sayings of the Bible by Kaiser, Davids, & Brauch and Logos Bible Software.

While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.



Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slavery.html#ixzz32yMDgA2u

DAY 4 - DAILY HISTORY - AMERICAN MINUTE FOR MAY 28, 2014

May 28


American Minute for May 28th:


He left Yale for four years to fight in the Revolutionary War. 

After graduation, he became a lawyer and taught school in New York. 

Dissatisfied with the children's spelling books, he wrote the famous Blue-Backed Speller, which sold over one hundred million copies. 

After twenty-six years of work, he published the first American Dictionary of the English Language. 

His name was Noah Webster, and he died MAY 28, 1843. 

In his 1788 essay, "On the Education of Youth in America," printed in Webster's American Magazine, Noah Webster wrote: 

"Select passages of Scripture...may be read in schools, to great advantage. 

In some countries the common people are not permitted to read the Bible at all. In ours, it is as common as a newspaper and in schools is read with nearly the same degree of respect." 

Noah Webster continued: 

"My wish is not to see the Bible excluded from schools but to see it used as a system of religion and morality." 

In his History of the United States, 1832, Noah Webster wrote: 

"The brief exposition of the Constitution of the United States, will unfold to young persons the principles of republican government...

The genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion." 

Noah Webster continued in The History of the United States, 1832: 

"All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible."

Hide Endnotes

Webster, Noah. 1832. The History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832), p. 309, paragraph 53. Gary DeMar, God & Government, A Biblical & Historical Study (Atlanta, GA: American Vision Press, 1984), p. 4. "Our Christian Heritage," Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 5. Noah Webster, The American Dictionary of the English Language (NY: S. Converse, 1828; reprinted, San Francisco: Foundation for American Christian Education, facsimile edition, 1967), preface, p. 22. Gary DeMar, God & Government - A Biblical & Historical Study (Atlanta: American Vision Press, 1982), p. 4. Robert Flood, The Rebirth of America (The Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation, 1986), p. 33. Noah Webster, History of the United States, p. 307. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg's Heart'N Home, Inc., 1991), 6.24. Stephen K. McDowell and Mark A. Beliles, America's Providential History (Charlottesville, VA: Providence Press, 1988), p. 6. D.P. Diffine, Ph.D., One Nation Under God-How Close a Separation? (Searcy, Arkansas: Harding University, Belden Center for Private Enterprise Education, 6th edition, 1992), p. 10.

(Brought to you by AmericanMinute.com)

DAY 4 - STATE HISTORY - GEORGIA

May 28

The largest of the U.S. states east of the Mississippi River and the youngest of the 13 former English colonies, Georgia was founded in 1732, at which time its boundaries were even larger—including much of the present-day states of Alabama and Mississippi. By the mid-19th century, Georgia had the greatest number of plantations of any state in the South, and in many respects epitomized plantation culture and economic dependence on slavery. In 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman invaded Georgia, captured Atlanta and began his infamous March to the Sea,cutting a 200-mile-wide swath of fire and destruction reaching all the way to Savannah. Georgia’s landscapevaries greatly as it sweeps from the Appalachian Mountains in the northto the marshes of the Atlantic coast on the southeast tothe Okefenokee Swamp on the south.

Date of Statehood: January 2, 1788

Did You Know?
Georgia is named after George II, who was king of Britain when Europeans first settled there in 1733.

Capital: Atlanta

Population: 9,687,653 (2010)

Size: 59,425 square miles

Nickname(s): Peach State; Empire State of the South

Motto: Wisdom, Justice and Moderation

Tree: Live Oak

Flower: Cherokee Rose

Bird: Brown Thrasher

INTERESTING FACTS

Although initially conceived of by James Oglethorpe as a refuge for London’s indebted prisoners, Georgia was ultimately established in 1732 to protect South Carolina and other southern colonies from Spanish invasion through Florida.

The 13th and last of the British colonies, Georgia was the only one to be governed remotely by a Board of Trustees in London for the first 20 years. It was also the only colony to prohibit slavery from its inception—along with lawyers and Roman Catholics.

In September of 1906, a race riot broke out in Atlanta after newspaper reports of black men allegedly assaulting white women. Although the attacks were never confirmed, thousands of angry white men gathered downtown, killing dozens of blacks and causing extensive damage to many black-owned businesses. The riot made both national and international headlines and influenced the subsequent statewide passage of prohibition in 1908.

Georgia was the first of 10 states to vote against ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. Even after it became federal law on August 26, 1920, Georgia women were prevented from voting until 1922. The state legislature did not officially ratify the amendment until 1970.

In 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights advocates formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta. Dedicating themselves to the nonviolent attainment of equal rights for African Americans, the group was a significant contributor to the civil rights movement and continues to be active on social justice issues.

Georgia is the country’s number-one producer of peanuts, pecans and peaches, and vidalia onions, known as the sweetest onions in the world, can only been grown in the fields around Vidalia and Glennville. Another sweet treat from the Peach State is Coca-Cola, which was invented in Atlanta in 1886.

Monday, May 26, 2014

DAY 3 - DAILY BIBLE VERSE (I WILL RESETTLE YOUR TOWNS) - MAY 27, 2014

May 27

Ezekiel 36:33

“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt.

DAY 3 - DAILY PRAYER (THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY) - MAY 27, 2014

May 27

Almighty and Powerful God, we come before You today on behalf of the state of New Jersey.  Father, as recent memories of hurricane Sandy still flash through the minds of all American's, we pray for those who are still living through the effects of that great disaster.  Bind up their wounds, and heal their land.  May the unity and love shown to the people of New Jersey following Sandy continue to flourish in the days ahead.  Bring a new peace to those who are weary, and strength to those who are still weak.  Bless those who called out to You in their distress, and place them securely under Your wing.  Make those who stood strong against the storm in Your protection become fishers of men, pointing to the One who rescued them from the power of the sea.  That they may lead others to the saving grace of Your Son.

Father, we pray for the government of the state of New Jersey, her cities and local municipalities.  We pray for the health and strength of Governor Chris Christie, and for His moral voice in the midst of political correctness.  Protect those who serve and protect the people of New Jersey, and instill in them a sense of righteousness.  We honor all those who have lost their lives in service to their fellow man, and ask that you comfort the families of these fallen heroes.  Rise up a new generation of heroes to serve, honor and protect the land and people of New Jersey.

Have mercy upon those who publicly proclaim your great name, and convert the hearts of those who are lost in other beliefs and false gods.  Bring a revival to the churches and people of New Jersey, and encourage them to shine their light into the darkness of Islam and Atheism.  

Father, we pray for the peace and protection of the children of New Jersey.  Mend the family in homes where there is a spirit of divorce, and bring joy to the fatherless.  Restore the values of family across the state, and strengthen the parents in their roles to shepherd their children.  Take Your Spirit into classrooms that have otherwise shut You out, and revive pray in those facilities.  Place a hand of protection upon the weak and powerless.  Shut the gateways of human trafficking and prostitution.  Cleanse the streets of drugs, and end violence against neighbors.

Lord, we trust in You to make a difference in the state of New Jersey; lifting up our prayers and petitions to You in Jesus' mighty name.  Amen

Wally Ziolo
Founder - 40DAYPRAYER4USA
Lancaster, Ohio 43130

DAY 3 - DAILY QUESTION ABOUT GOD'S WORD - IS IT WRONG TO WANT TO BE FAMOUS?

May 27

Question: "Is it wrong to want to be famous?"

Answer: In our age of celebrity, the pull toward fame can feel overwhelming. The famous seem to have it all, and we sometimes find ourselves coveting what they have (or appear to have). When we evaluate whether a desire is right or wrong, we have to look at our motivation. First Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." That instruction is our gold standard for evaluating our own motives. We can look at any desire and ask ourselves, "Do I want this for God's glory or for my own?" It’s easy to tell ourselves that we could glorify God more by being famous. Wouldn't more people listen to our message if we had a bigger platform?

Jesus gives us a great example in John 6. He had just fed over 5,000 people, healed the sick, and performed other miracles. The people were thrilled. They believed He was the One who would finally deliver them from the oppression of Roman rule. Jesus’ fame was at its peak, and the crowds were ready to crown Him king. But verse 15 says, "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself."

Imagine the situation. Jesus had the opportunity to be catapulted to fame and fortune. A certain logic says that, if Jesus were famous, powerful, and wealthy, then people would take more notice of His message. If He were king, He could glorify God even more. That makes sense from an earthly perspective, but Jesus said “no” to the coronation. It wasn't God's plan, so Jesus chose the harder way. Jesus’ goal in everything He did was to seek the will of His Father and to do it (John 4:34; 8:29; Luke 22:42). He said in John 8:50, "I am not seeking glory for myself." Since Jesus is our model, that must be our goal, too.

Some people have a worldwide platform with which to glorify God. Others serve Him in seeming obscurity. Both are equal in importance in God's kingdom (Matthew 5:19; 25:14–15). A desire for fame is not wrong in itself, if we want it for the right reasons. Most of us wouldn’t have the proper motivation. If we are honest, our desire for fame is to glorify ourselves (James 4:3; 1 Timothy 6:9). But God's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8–9). He chooses the humble to accomplish things of eternal value. He chooses simple truths to confuse those who think they are wise (1 Corinthians 1:27–28). He does it all so that “no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Corinthians 1:29). That should be our heart's cry to Him: "Lord, let my flesh never glory in Your presence."

When we make it our goal to keep our hearts humble before the Lord, He promises to exalt us in His way, in His time (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). If He can better use us by making us famous, then fame will come our way. But fame brings its own challenges. Many famous people warn that fame is not all it appears to be. There are headaches and heartaches that come with fame that many cannot handle. God wants the very best for each of His children. When we seek His fame over ours, we can trust that He will direct us into the path He has chosen for us (Psalm 37:4; Proverbs 3:5–6). His path, unlike the world's, includes rewards that last for all eternity (Matthew 6:4; Luke 6:35; Ephesians 6:8; Proverbs 19:17).

Recommended Resources: Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot by Max Lucado and Logos Bible Software.

While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.


Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/want-to-be-famous.html#ixzz32sTnXlqi

DAY 3 - DAILY HISTORY - AMERICAN MINUTE FOR MAY 27, 2014

May 27

American Minute for May 27th:


Download MP3


Twentieth-Century Fox made a motion picture in 1955 titled A Man Called Peter, about the life of U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall, born MAY 27, 1902.

At the age of 25, Peter Marshall emigrated from Scotland, arriving at New York's Ellis Island in 1927.

Members of his Sunday School class paid his way to seminary in Atlanta, where he graduated in 1931.

Rev. Peter Marshall pastored a small church in Covington, Georgia, then preached at Atlanta's Westminster Presbyterian Church.

There he met Catherine Wood, a student at Agnes Scott College, and they married.

Catherine Marshall's book on Peter's life, A Man Called Peter, was turned into the movie.

Her novel, Christy, was made into a CBS television series.

In 1937, at the age of 35, he became pastor of Washington, D.C.'s prestigious New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, whose ministers spoke to Presidents, Cabinet members, and Supreme Court Justices.

At the laying of the cornerstone of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, April 3, 1951, President Harry S Truman stated:

"New York Avenue Presbyterian Church has played an important part in the history of Washington. For almost 150 years a Presbyterian congregation has worshiped on or near this spot.

During all that period, this church has preached the Christian message to this busy Capital City."

At the cornerstone laying ceremony, Rev. Peter Marshall's young son, Peter John Marshall, gave President Truman a New Testament, to which the President responded:

"Well, thank you very much for this Testament. I appreciate very much having it. And all I can say to you is, I hope you will grow up to be as good a man as your father."

The son, Peter John Marshall, became an author, who, together with co-author David Manuel, wrote many best-selling books which chronicled the Providential expansion of liberty throughout American history, including:

The Light and the Glory;

From Sea to Shining Sea; and

Sounding Forth The Trumpet.

Rev. Peter Marshall became a U.S. citizen in 1938.

He was asked to preach the Christmas Sermon to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his family.

After World War II ended and as the Korean War began, the U.S. Senate appointed Peter Marshall to be their Chaplain on January 4, 1947.

He prayed:

"O Lord our God, even at this moment as we come blundering into Thy presence in prayer, we are haunted by memories of duties unperformed, promptings disobeyed, and beckonings ignored.

Opportunities to be kind knocked on the door of our hearts and went weeping away."

On January 13, 1947, U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall stated:

"The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration.

I am rather tired of hearing about our rights...The time is come to hear about responsibilities...

America's future depends upon her accepting and demonstrating God's government."

On May 22, 1947, during the 80th Congress, U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall offered the prayer:

"God of our fathers, give unto us, thy servants, a true appreciation of our heritage, of great men and great deeds in the past, but let us not be intimidated by feelings of our own inadequacies for this troubled hour.

Remind us that the God they worshiped, and by whose help they laid the foundations of our Nation, is still able to help us uphold what they bequeathed and give it meaning."

On July 3, 1947, the day before Independence Day, U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall prayed:

"God of our Fathers, whose Almighty hand hath made and preserved our Nation, grant that our people may understand what it is they celebrate tomorrow.

May they remember how bitterly our freedom was won, the down payment that was made for it, the installments that have been made since this Republic was born, and the price that must be paid for our liberty..."

Peter Marshall continued:

"May freedom be seen not as the right to do as we please but as the opportunity to please to do what is right. May it be ever understood that our liberty is under God and can be found nowhere else.

May our faith be something that is not merely stamped upon our coins, but expressed in our lives.

Let us, as a nation, be not afraid of standing alone for the rights of men, since we were born that way, as the only nation on earth that came into being 'for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith...'"

Peter Marshall concluded:

"We know that we shall be true to the Pilgrim dream when we are true to the God they worshiped.

To the extent that America honors Thee, wilt Thou bless America, and keep her true as Thou hast kept her free, and make her good as Thou hast made her rich. Amen."

Peter Marshall stated:

"The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct."

Peter Marshall died of a heart attack in 1949 at the age of 45.

Just 6 months before he died, June 11, 1948, U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall opened Congress with the prayer:

"Help us, our Father, to show other nations an America to imitate... the America that loves fair play, honest dealing, straight talk, real freedom and faith in God."

Hide Endnotes

Marshall, Peter. July 3, 1947, in a prayer before the 80th Congress. Catherine Marshall, ed., The Prayers of Peter Marshall (NY: McGraw Hill Book Co., Inc., 1949), p. 186. Robert Flood, The Rebirth of America (The Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation, 1986), back cover.


(Brought to you by AmericanMinute.com)

DAY 3 - STATE HISTORY - NEW JERSEY

May 27

One of the original 13 colonies, New Jersey was an important battleground during the American Revolution. Located in the heart of the bustling Atlantic corridor and nestled between New York and Pennsylvania, New Jersey has the highest population density of any U.S. state. New Jersey was named for the island of Jersey in the English Channel. Its long and beautiful coastline has long made New Jersey a popular vacation destination, with over 50 seaside resort towns including Asbury Park, Atlantic City and Cape May. The state also boasts an impressive musical legacy–Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra all hail from New Jersey. It is known as industrial center, but earns its “Garden State” nickname–New Jersey is a leading producer of cranberries, blueberries and tomatoes.

Date of Statehood: December 18, 1787

Capital: Trenton

Population: 8,791,894 (2010)

Size: 8,723 square miles

Nickname(s): Garden State

Motto: Liberty and Prosperity

Tree: Red Oak

Flower: Violet

Bird: Eastern Goldfinch

INTERESTING FACTS

One of the first Indian reservations in the United States was established in Burlington County in 1758 for the Lenni-Lenape tribe. The first and only reservation in New Jersey, the Brotherton Reserve was sold back to the state in 1801 by the remaining members of the tribe, who moved up north to join relatives in New Stockbridge, New York.

The first virtually complete dinosaur skeleton discovered in North America was unearthed in 1858 by William Parker Foulke in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The Hadrosaurus foulkii, as it was later named, proved that the existence of dinosaurs was real, and provided the shocking evidence that dinosaurs could be bipedal. In 1868, it became the first dinosaur skeleton in the world to be mounted on display.

The world’s first boardwalk was constructed in Atlantic City in 1870 merely to reduce the amount of sand tracked into nearby hotels and railroad cars. As hotels, shops, restaurants and casinos sprouted up along the seaside, Atlantic City became one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. As of 2012, the boardwalk remains the longest in the world—stretching for six miles.

During the last quarter of the 19th century, Thomas Edison generated hundreds of inventions in his Menlo Park laboratory, including the phonograph, which recorded and played back sound, and an electric-powered railway. While most recognized for perfecting the incandescent light bulb using a bamboo filament and providing a system of distributing electricity on a mass scale, Edison was awarded more than a thousand patents during his lifetime on inventions large and small.

Salt water taffy, the popular bite-sized soft candy, originated on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in the 1880s.

Opening to traffic between New Jersey and New York on November 13, 1927, the Holland Tunnel became the first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel. At its maximum depth, the tunnel lies roughly 93 feet beneath the Hudson River.


The “Crossroads of the Revolution,” New Jersey was the site of more than 100 battles during the fight for American independence.

DAY 2 - DAILY BIBLE VERSE (LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR) - MAY 26, 2014

May 26

Galatians 5:13-14 (New International Version)


You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

DAY 2- DAILY PRAYER (THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA) - MAY 26, 2014

May 26

Almighty God, Provider of freedom through Your Son Jesus

Today we come to the throne with praise and thanksgiving for Pennsylvania, the second state to join the union.  Father, Pennsylvania has blessed American's with Freedom and Brotherly Love, words and actions that come from Your word.  Bless the people of Pennsylvania, and bring them to a true understanding of Your love.  Let the very embodiment of Your Son, Jesus Christ be the source of all love and freedom throughout the state and across the nation from Pennsylvania's borders.

Father, we thank you for the founding fathers who established our country, and their leadership in calling upon You for Your blessings upon a united nation.  Bless the works of those before us, and continue to honor their dreams of a free and Godly nation.  May the desires and prayers of our forefathers be honored today in Pennsylvania, and may Your covenant with those early Christians be upheld throughout the centuries.  Bless their offspring, and allow their great inheritance to know You as their God.

We ask for the forgiveness of any sinful nature across the state of Pennsylvania, and especially those that are abominations in Your eyes.  Forgive the people of Pennsylvania for enacting acceptance of Gay marriage in their state, and for fostering ideals that do directly against Your word.  Father, do not send Your wrath upon them, but bring them to repentant hearts through Your love.

Stretch out Your mighty hand over Pennsylvania, affording the people protection from calamity and chaos.  Protect the land and people of Pennsylvania from natural and man made disaster.  Father God, lead Governor Tom Corbett in all wisdom and understanding, allowing him to lead the state into righteousness.  Guide the decisions and laws of the state and local government, and guide the laws to reflect Your laws.

Lover of should, we ask that you would protect, heal, empower and protect the underprivileged, sick, weak, orphaned, widowed, and destitute throughout the state, and give them hope in Your son.  Protect the minds of the innocent, and shelter the children from harm.  Break the bonds of addiction throughout the land, and set the people free from the bondage that Satan has imposed.  Remove his power of influence across the state, and give victory to those who seek You.

We humbly seek You in these requests, through the mighty name of Your son Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Wally Ziolo
Founder - 40DAYPRAYER4USA
Lancaster, Ohio 43130

DAY 2 - DAILY QUESTION ABOUT GOD'S WORD - IS FREEDOM OF RELIGION A BIBLICAL CONCEPT?

May 26

Question: "Is freedom of religion a biblical concept?"

Answer: The first amendment of the U. S. Constitution says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Ever since the Bill of Rights was ratified, Americans have enjoyed religious freedom. Our Constitution guarantees the free observance of religion and prevents the government from ever establishing a state church. Thomas Jefferson called religious freedom “the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights.” Was Jefferson right? Is freedom of religion a divine right? Is it biblical?

Under the Mosaic Law, Israel operated under a theocracy. The nation’s success or failure depended on their degree of obedience to God. “Religious freedom” was not part of the Old Testament system, because God ruled over Israel directly. Of course, Israel’s theocracy was not intended to be a government model for the rest of the world. Nations which have imposed a self-styled theocracy, such as medieval Spain, have produced totalitarian nightmares. The religious intolerance of the Inquisition was not a product of true theocracy; it was the result of power-hungry, sinful men.

In the New Testament, we have a clearer picture of the God-ordained role of government. Romans 13:3-4 delineates the government’s responsibilities, which are, quite simply, to punish evil deeds, reward good deeds, and render justice. So, God has given the government certain duties, but enforcing a particular system of worship is not among them.

There is no conflict between biblical principles and the civic principle of religious freedom. In fact, it is precisely because the United States was founded on biblical principles that religious freedom exists. Only governments rooted in Judeo-Christian values allow such freedom. Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist governments do not allow religious freedom; therefore, countries such as Pakistan, India, and Tibet are, as a whole, intolerant of other religions. Atheistic governments, such as the former Soviet Union, have also proved to be antagonistic toward free religious expression.

The concept of the freedom of religion is biblical for several reasons. First, God Himself extends a “freedom of religion” to people, and the Bible has several examples. In Matthew 19:16-23, the rich young ruler comes to Jesus. After a brief conversation, the young man “went away sorrowful,” choosing not to follow Christ. The salient point here is that Jesus let him go. God does not “force” belief in Him. Faith is commanded but never coerced. In Matthew 23:37, Jesus expresses His desire to gather the children of Jerusalem to Himself, but they “were not willing.” If God gives men the freedom to choose or to reject Him, then so should we.

Second, the freedom of religion respects the image of God in man (Genesis 1:26). Part of God’s likeness is man’s volition, i.e., man has the ability to choose. God respects our choices in that He gives us freedom to make decisions regarding our future (Genesis 13:8-12; Joshua 24:15), even if we make the wrong decisions. Again, if God allows us to choose, we should allow others to choose.

Third, the freedom of religion acknowledges that it is the Holy Spirit who changes hearts, not the government (John 6:63). Only Jesus saves. To take away the freedom of religion is to empower human government, with its fallible rulers, to determine the eternal destiny of every soul. But Christ’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), and no one becomes a Christian by government fiat. We are made Christians by the grace of God through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). What the government does or does not do has no relation to the new birth (John 1:12-13; 3:5-8).

Fourth, the freedom of religion concedes that, in the final analysis, it’s not about religion; it’s about relationship. God does not desire an external form of worship but a personal relationship with His children (Matthew 15:7-8). No amount of government control can produce such a relationship.

The framers of the Constitution were God-fearing men making a sincere attempt to establish a new nation on biblical principles, including equity, justice, and liberty. One of the liberties they recognized as “inalienable and sacred” was the freedom of religion. Praise the Lord for such wisdom.

Recommended Resources: Bible Answers for Almost All Your Questions by Elmer Towns and Logos Bible Software.

While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.




Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/freedom-of-religion.html#ixzz32nIIlMGA

DAY 2 - DAILY HISTORY - AMERICAN MINUTE FOR MAY 26, 2014

May 26

American Minute for May 26th:

Oscar winning actor Marion Michael Morrison, better known as John Wayne, was born MAY 26, 1907.

Of Presbyterian Scots-Irish descent, his grandfather, Marion Mitchell Morrison, fought in the Civil War.

John Wayne played football for U.S.C. and worked behind-the-scenes at Fox Studios, before being discovered by director John Ford, who cast him in epic western and war films.

A January 2011 Harris Poll ranked John Wayne third among America's favorite film stars.

On MAY 26, 1979, Jimmy Carter said:

"I have today approved...a specially struck gold medal to John Wayne.

For nearly half a century, the Duke has symbolized the American ideals of integrity, courage, patriotism, and strength and has represented to the world many of the deepest values that this Nation respects."

Ronald Reagan said November 5, 1984:

"I noted the news coverage about the death of my friend, John Wayne. One headline read 'The Last American Hero.'...

No one would be angrier than Duke Wayne at the suggestion that he was America's last hero.

Just before he died, he said in his unforgettable way, 'Just give the American people a good cause, and there's nothing they can't lick.'"

Starring in films about World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, such as Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Flying Tigers (1942), They Were Expendable (1945), and the Ford cavalry trilogy: Fort Apache (1948); She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949); Rio Grande (1950), John Wayne had become an icon to all the branches of the United States Armed Forces.

In 1975, when Japanese Emperor Hirohito visited the United States, he asked to meet John Wayne, the symbolic representation of his country's former enemy. In 1979, John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, was named for him.

In his album, America-Why I Love Her, 1977, John Wayne stated:

"Face the Flag, son, and face reality.

Our strengths and our freedoms are based in unity.

The flag is but a symbol, son, of the world's greatest nation,
And as long as it keeps flying, there's cause for celebration.

So do what you've got to do, but always keep in mind,

A lot of people believe in peace...but there are the other kind.

If we want to keep these freedoms, we may have to fight again.

God forbid, but if we do, let's always fight to win,

For the fate of a loser is futile and it's bare:
No love, no peace...just misery and despair.

Face the Flag, son...and thank God it's still there."

Hide Endnotes

Wayne, John. Rachel Gallagher, B.A., Author, Games in the Street. Rachel Gallagher, "Wayne, John," World Book Online Americas Edition, http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/595925, October 9, 2001. "Face the Flag," narrated by John Wayne, Copyright 81973, Devere Music Corporation (ASCAP), Batjac Music Co. (ASCAP), Music: Billy Liebert Words: Bill Ezellpeace, http://www.fromtheheartpostcards.com/ICQ/FacetheFlag.html, http://www.dukelestweforget.com/john_wayne_face%20e%20flag.htm

(Brought to you by AmericanMinute.com)

DAY 2 - STATE HISTORY - PENNSYLVANIA

May 26

One of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers. Pennsylvania’s capital, Philadelphia, was the site of the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775, the latter of which produced the Declaration of Independence, sparking the American Revolution. After the war, Pennsylvania became the second state, after Delaware, to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In the American Civil War (1861-1865), Pennsylvania was the site of the Battle of Gettysburg,in whichUnion General George Meade defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee, bringing an end to the Confederacy’s Northern invasion, as well as Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. Tourists are drawn to Pennsylvania by its monuments to America’s revolutionary history, includingIndependence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Famous Pennsylvanians include patriot and inventor Benjamin Franklin, frontiersman Daniel Boone, painter Mary Cassatt,inventor Robert Fulton and comedian Bill Cosby.

Date of Statehood: December 12, 1787

Capital: Harrisburg

Population: 12,702,379 (2010)

Size: 46,055 square miles

Nickname(s): Keystone State

Motto: Virtue, Liberty and Independence

Tree: Hemlock

Flower: Mountain Laurel

Bird: Ruffed Grouse

INTERESTING FACTS

Named by Governor William Penn after his arrival in the New World in 1682, Philadelphia combined the Greek words for love (phileo) and brother (adelphos), engendering its nickname of “the city of brotherly love.”

Although born in Boston, Philadelphia claims Ben Franklin as one of its sons as the renowned statesman, scientist, writer and inventor moved to the city at the age of 17. Responsible for many civic improvements, Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731 and organized the Union Fire Company in 1736.

On September 18, 1777, fearing that the approaching British army would seize and melt the Liberty Bell for ammunition, 200 cavalrymen transported the iconic symbol of freedom by caravan from the Philadelphia State House to the basement of the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown, where it remained until the British finally left in June of 1778.

Now the largest city in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital from 1790 until a permanent capital was established in Washington, D.C., in 1800. Both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed in Philadelphia.

In July of 1952, Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine from the killed virus at the University of Pittsburgh. First tested on himself and his family, the vaccine was made available nation-wide a few years later, which reduced the number of polio cases from nearly 29,000 in 1955 to less than 6,000 in 1957.

In 1903, the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates competed against each other in the first official World Series of Major League Baseball at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. In the best-of-nine series, Boston won five games to three.

The worst nuclear accident in United States history occurred on March 28, 1979, on Three Mile Island near Harrisburg. Caused by a series of system malfunctions and human errors, the plant’s nuclear reactor core partially melted, and thousands of residents were evacuated or fled the area, fearing exposure to radiation.

William Penn initially requested his land grant be named “Sylvania,” from the Latin for “woods.” Charles II instead named it “Pennsylvania,” after Penn’s father, causing Penn to worry that settlers would believe he named it after himself.

Credits: http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/pennsylvania

Sunday, May 25, 2014

DAY 1 - DAILY BIBLE VERSE (AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD) - MAY 25, 2014

May 25

Genesis 1:7-10 (New International Version)

7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning--the second day. 9 And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

DAY 1- DAILY PRAYER (THE STATE OF DELAWARE) - MAY 25, 2014

May 25

Prayer for the State of Delaware 


Heavenly Father,


We come to You today with thanksgiving and praise for the first of our 50 US States.  Thank You for the State of Delaware; where the first embodiment of Christianity and freedom was established, and where men called upon Your Holy name to overcome the hardships of creating a new nation.  Although the first efforts of human hands in this state was to survive in this new land, the brutality of purging an Indian population for conquest has stained the soil across Delaware.  We ask for Your forgiveness and grace for the wrongs of the past, and ask that you completely cleanse the land of it's sins against life itself.  


Father, we pray for the current inhabitants of this state, from the office of Governor Jack Markell and the State Legislature, to the white and blue collar workers that support it's economic growth.  Bless it's inhabitants from sea to hills and valley.  Call upon Your chosen people, and minister to those serving other Gods.  Forgive the sin of the state in allowing gay marriage to become accepted, and restore Your Holy vision of 'one man and one woman' across the land.  Heal those who suffer from disease, and strengthen those who are weak.  Protect the first forms of life, and those living in their last years.  Stand guard over the children in schools across the state, and protect the innocent from the many acts of wickedness that the enemy wishes to unleash on the pure at heart.


Almighty God, as we experience the growing pains of this world, we ask Your generous mercy upon the people of Delaware.  Save them from the crashing waves of the sea, and the twirling winds of the sky.  Place a hand of protection over homes and businesses, and over the very soil of their land.  Protect the environment from man made poisoning, and impact from their human footprint on the land.  May the population of Delaware forever praise You for the beauty that You have created in their state, and strive to be good stewards of Your creation that is called 'Delaware'.


Father, we lift up our praises and concerns to You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.  Amen


Wally Ziolo

Founder - 40DAYPRAYER4USA
Lancaster, Ohio 43130

DAY 1 - DAILY QUESTION ABOUT GOD'S WORD - "WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT GOVERNMENT?"

May 25

Question: "What does the Bible say about government?"

Answer: The Bible speaks very clearly about the relationship between the believer and the government. We are to obey governmental authorities, and the government is to treat us justly and fairly. Even when the government does not live up to its role, we are still to live up to ours. Finally, when the government asks us to do something that is in direct disobedience to God’s Word, we are to disobey the government in faithful confidence of the Lord’s power to protect us.

Whether the Bible uses the terms “master,” “ruler,” “government,” or any other name for an established authority, the instruction is always the same – obey. We must remember that God created the authorities ruling over us just as He created us. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:1-2). Peter wrote, “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right” (1 Peter 2:13-14). Both Peter and Paul also remind slaves repeatedly to be obedient to their masters for the same reasons (Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 3:22-25; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; 1 Peter 2:18-20; Titus 2:9-11).

The instructions to government “masters” are just as clear and just as numerous. Jesus modeled the behavior and attitude every leader or authority should take. “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:25-28). A government or authority exists to serve those governed.

Many times, however, a government will stray from its purpose and become oppressive. When that happens, we are still to live in obedience. “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God” (1 Peter 2:18-19). Both Jesus and Paul used taxes as a way to illustrate this. The Roman government taxed the Jews unjustly and many of the tax collectors were thieves. When asked about this dilemma, Jesus took a coin and said, “‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar's,’ they replied. Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's’” (Matthew 22:20-21). Evidently, the believers in Rome were still asking the same question because Paul instructed them on the matter. “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing” (Romans 13:6).

In the Old Testament, Daniel is a model we should use when it comes to our relationship with government. The Babylonians were given authority over the Jews because of the Jews’ disobedience. Daniel worked himself into the highest levels of this pagan and unbelieving government. Although the rulers respected Daniel’s God, their lives and actions show they did not believe. Daniel served the king as a true servant when he requested the wise men not be executed for failing to interpret the king’s dream. Instead, he asked for the key to interpret the dream from God and saved those, including himself, who would have been executed. While Daniel was in the royal court, his three friends refused to bow to the idol erected by King Nebuchadnezzar and were sentenced to death in the furnace (Daniel 3:12-15). Their response was confident faith. They did not defend themselves, but instead told the king their God would save them, adding that even if He didn’t, they still would not worship or serve Nebuchadnezzar’s gods (Daniel 3:16-18).

After the Medes conquered Babylon, Daniel continued to serve faithfully and to rise in power within the government. Here, Daniel faced the same dilemma when the governors and satraps tricked the king into signing a decree “…that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions” (Daniel 6:7). Daniel responded by directly, and in full view of everyone, disobeying the order. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10). Daniel was completely loyal to any ruler placed over him until that ruler ordered him to disobey God. At that moment, when a choice had to be made between the world and God, Daniel chose God. As should we all.

Recommended Resources: Hard Sayings of the Bible by Kaiser, Davids, & Brauch and Logos Bible Software.

While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.




Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-government.html#ixzz32lI5fPAO

DAY 1 - DAILY HISTORY - AMERICAN MINUTE FOR MAY 25, 2014

May 25

Poet Henry David Thoreau wrote in Civil Disobedience, 1849:

"That government is best which governs least."

A contemporary poet was Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote similarly:

"The less government we have, the better."

Ralph Waldo Emerson continued:

"The fewer laws...the less confided power.

The antidote to this abuse of formal Government, is, the influence of private character, the growth of the Individual."

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born MAY 25, 1803.

He was friends with the famous writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott.

Ralph Waldo Emerson composed some of the best loved poems in American literature, including The Concord Hymn, of which a stanza is inscribed on the base of Daniel Chester French's Minute Man Statue:

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled;
Here once the embattled farmers stood;
And fired the shot heard round the world."

Ralph Waldo Emerson commented on John Quincy Adams:

"No man could read the Bible with such powerful effect, even with the cracked and winded voice of old age."

In 1848, Ralph Waldo Emerson visited Paris between the February Revolution and the bloody June Days.

When he saw that mobs had cut down trees near the Champ de Mars to form barricades across downtown city streets, he wrote in his journal:

"At the end of the year we shall...see if the Revolution was worth the trees."

When abolitionist publisher Elijah Lovejoy was murdered in 1838 and his printing press destroyed, Emerson said:

"It is but the other day that the brave Lovejoy gave his breast to the bullets of a mob, for the rights of free speech and opinion."

Emerson stated:

"I think we must get rid of slavery, or we must get rid of freedom."

Abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner took Emerson to the White House to meet Abraham Lincoln.

Having voted for the Republican President Lincoln, Emerson stated of the Democrat South in a lecture at the Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.:

"The South calls slavery an institution... I call it destitution... Emancipation is the demand of civilization."

In 1865, Ralph Waldo Emerson remarked at a memorial service for Abraham Lincoln:

"I doubt if any death has caused so much pain as this has caused."

On September 12, 2001, the day after fundamentalist Muslims committed terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Congressman J.C. Watts, Jr., quoted Emerson:

"Politics has taken the day off.

Today Congress remembers and recognizes the afflicted and the sorrowing and those who come to the aid of their fellow man.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, in 1842, captured what we are thinking as a nation today:

'Sorrow makes us all children again,
destroys all differences of intellect.
The wisest knows nothing.'"

In May-Day and Other Pieces (1867), Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

Boston Hymn, st. 2-
"God said, I am tired of kings,
I suffer them no more;
Up to my ear the morning brings
The outrage of the poor."

Voluntaries III-
"So nigh is grandeur to our dust,
So near is God to man,
When Duty whispers low, Thou must,
The youth replies, I can."

Ode, st. 5 -
"United States! the ages plead, -
Present and Past in under-song, -
Go put your creed into your deed,
Nor speak with double tongue."

Fragment-
"Wilt thou seal up the avenues of ill?
Pay every debt as if God wrote the bill."

In The Conduct of Life (1860), Emerson wrote:

Fate-"Men are what their mothers made them."

Regarding civilization, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

"The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops - no, but the kind of man the country turns out."

In Social Aims, Emerson wrote:

"Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy."

In The American Scholar (1837), Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

"In how many churches, by how many prophets, tell me, is man made sensible that he is an infinite Soul; that the earth and heavens are passing into his mind; that he is drinking forever the soul of God?"

Ralph Waldo Emerson stated:

"All I have seen has taught me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

"America is another name for opportunity.

Our whole history appears like a last effort of divine Providence in behalf of the human race."
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Charles Wallis, ed., Our American Heritage (NY: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1970), p. 57.

DAY 1 - STATE HISTORY - DELAWARE

May 25, 2014



The first of the original 13 states to ratify the federal Constitution, Delaware occupies a small niche in the Boston–Washington, D.C., urban corridor along the Middle Atlantic seaboard. It is the second smallest state in the country and one of the most densely populated. The state is organized into three counties—from north to south, New Castle, Kent and Sussex—all established by 1682. Its population, like its industry, is concentrated in the north, around Wilmington, where the major coastal highways and railways pass through from Pennsylvania and New Jersey on the north and east into Maryland on the south and west. The rest of the state comprises the northeastern corner of the Delmarva Peninsula, which Delaware shares with Maryland and Virginia (hence its name). Most state government operations are located in Dover, the capital.


Date of Statehood: December 7, 1787

Capital: Dover

Population: 897,934 (2010)

Size: 2,489 square miles

Nickname(s): The First State; The Diamond State; Blue Hen State; Small Wonder

Motto: Liberty and Independence

Tree: American Holly

Flower: Peach Blossom

Bird: Blue Hen

INTERESTING FACTS

The first European colony in the Delaware Valley was established by Swedish settlers in 1638. Between 1698 and 1699, the descendants of these early colonists constructed Old Swedes Church (also known as Holy Trinity Church), which is one of the oldest houses of worship in America still in use.

According to legend, Delaware was nicknamed “The Diamond State” because Thomas Jefferson referred to it as a “jewel among the states” due to its prime location on the Eastern Seaboard.

The first bathing beauty pageant in which contestants competed for the title of “Miss United States” took place in Rehoboth Beach in 1880 as a way to attract business during its summer festival. Inventor Thomas Edison was one of the contest’s judges.

After the onset of World War II, several concrete observation towers ranging between 39 and 75 feet tall were constructed along Delaware’s coast to protect the bay and coastal towns from German warships. Eleven towers remain in Delaware and two remain in Cape May, NJ.

Delaware Bay is home to more horseshoe crabs than anywhere else in the world. Mostly unchanged for the past 300 million years, these “living fossils” were collected by Native American Indians for food and used as fertilizer—a practice that was passed along to early colonial settlers and continued until the 1960s. Currently used in biomedical research, horseshoe crabs have played an invaluable role in studying the human eye and detecting bacteria in drugs.

Over the years Delaware has been called the; chemical capital, the corporate capital; and the credit card capital of the United States.


Credits:
http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/delaware

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

DAY 40 - DAILY BIBLE VERSE (HELMET AND SWORD) - JULY 3, 2013

July 3

Ephesians 6:17 (The Voice Bible)

17 Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.