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The FReeper Foxhole Studies USS Alaska CB-1
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Posted on 09/09/2006 4:52:42 PM PDT by alfa6



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.



...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
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The USS Alaska CB-1




The six Alaska class "large cruisers" were ordered in September 1940 under the massive 70% Expansion ("Two Ocean Navy") building program. The Navy had been considering since 1938 building ships of this entirely new type, intermediate in size between battleships and heavy cruisers. The new ships were to carry out what were then the two primary missions of heavy cruisers: protecting carrier strike groups against enemy cruisers and aircraft and operating independenly against enemy surface forces. Their extra size and larger guns would enhance their value in both these missions and would also provide insurance against reports that Japan was building "super cruisers" more powerful than U.S. heavy cruisers. In fact, Japan developed plans for two such ships in 1941--partly as a response to the Alaskas--but never placed orders for their construction.

As built, the Alaskas were much closer to cruisers in design than to battleships or battlecruisers. They lacked the multiple layers of compartmentation and special armor along the sides below the waterline that protected battleships against torpedos and underwater hits by gunfire. Other typical cruiser features in their design were the provision of aircraft hangars and the single large rudder. Unlike other U.S. cruisers of the day, the hangars and catapults were located amidships, and the single rudder made them difficult to maneuver. On the other hand, the Alaskas' side armor covered more of the hull than was standard in contemporary U.S. cruisers.

Wartime conditions ultimately reduced the Alaska class to two ships. Construction of CB-3 through CB-6--along with the five Montana (BB-67) class battleships--was suspended in May 1942 to free up steel and other resources for more urgently needed escorts and landing craft. A year later, CB-4 through CB-6 were definitively cancelled. Hawaii (CB-3), however, was restored to the building program. Launched and partially fitted out, her construction was suspended and she was considered for conversion to a missile ship or command ship, but she was scrapped, still incomplete, in 1959.



After more normal construction periods, Alaska (CB-1) and Guam (CB-2) both arrived in the Pacific theater ready for action in early 1945. There they carried out both of their designed missions--carrier protection and surface strike--although their chances of encountering their primary intended opponents, Japanese heavy cruisers, had long since disappeared. Both returned to the U.S. soon after the war's end and, not finding a place in the postwar active fleet, remained in reserve until scrapped in 1960-61.

Design Specifications for the Alaska Class Cruisers displacement. 27,000tons; length. 806'6"; beam. 91'1"; draft. 27'1" (mean)
speed. 31.4 Kts; complement. 2,251;
Armor: 9" belt, 12 4/5" turrets, 1 2/5" + 4" + 5/8" decks
armament. 9 12", 12 5", 56 40 mm, 34 20 mm; aircraft. 4
Machinery: 150,000 SHP; G.E. geared turbines, 4 screws.

The Alaska class consisted of six ships, of which three were never begun:

# Alaska (CB-1), built at Camden, New Jersey. Keel laid in December 1941; launched in August 1943; commissioned in June 1944. # Guam (CB-2), built at Camden, New Jersey. Keel laid in February 1942; launched in November 1943; commissioned in September 1944. # Hawaii (CB-3), built at Camden, New Jersey. Construction suspended between May 1942 and May 1943. Keel laid in December 1943; launched in November 1945; never completed. # Philippines (CB-4), ordered at Camden, New Jersey. Never begun, suspended in May 1942 and cancelled in June 1943. # Puerto Rico (CB-5), ordered at Camden, New Jersey. Never begun, suspended in May 1942 and cancelled in June 1943. # Samoa (CB-6), ordered at Camden, New Jersey. Never begun, suspended in May 1942 and cancelled in June 1943.



The Navy's third Alaska (CB-1 )-the first of a class of "large cruisers" designed as a compromise to achieve a fast cruiser with a heavy main battery was laid down on 17 December 1941 at Camden, N.J., by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Launched on 15 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ernest Gruening, wife of the Honorable Ernest Gruening, Governor of Alaska, and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 17 June 1944, Capt. Peter K. Fischler in command.

Following post-commissioning fitting out at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Alaska stood down the Delaware River on 6 August 1944, bound for Hampton Roads, escorted by Simpson (DD-221) and Broome (DD-210). She then conducted an intensive shakedown, first in Chesapeake Bay and then in the Gulf of Paria, off Trinidad, British West Indies, escorted by Bainbridge (DD-246) and Decatur (DD-341). Steaming via Annapolis, Md., and Norfolk, Alaska returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where the large cruiser underwent changes and alterations to her fire control suite: the fitting of four Mk. 57 directors for her five-inch battery.

Alaska departed Philadelphia on 12 November 1944 for the Caribbean, in company with Thomas E. Fraser (DM-24), and after two weeks of standardization trials out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, sailed for the Pacific on 2 December. She completed her transit of the Panama Canal on 4 December, and reached San Diego on the 12th. Thereafter, the new large cruiser trained m shore bombardment and anti-aircraft firing off San Diego before an availability at Hunter's Point, near San Francisco.



On 8 January 1945, Alaska sailed for Hawaii, and reached Pearl Harbor on the 13th, where, on the 27th, Capt. Kenneth M. Noble relieved Capt. Fischler, who had achieved flag rank. Over the ensuing days, Alaska conducted further training before getting underway as a unit of Task Group (TG) 12.2, weighing anchor for the western Pacific on 29 January. She reached Uhthi, the fleet anchorage in the Caroline Islands on 6 February, and there joined TG 58.5, a task group in the famed Task Force (TF) 58, the fast carrier task force.

Alaska sailed for the Japanese home islands as part uf TG 58.5 on 10 February 1945, assigned the mission of screening the aircraft carriers Saratoga (CV-3) and Enterprise (CV-6) as they carried out night air strikes against Tokyo and its airfields. During the voyage, all hands on board Alaska speculated about what lay ahead almost three-quarters of the men had never seen action before and sought out the veterans in their midst "for counsel and advice."

Sensing the air of expectation on board his ship Capt. Noble spoke to the crew over the public address system and reassured them of his confidence in them. In doing so, he used an analogy familiar to most Americans: "We are a member of a large task force which is going to pitch directly over the home plate of the enemy, " he said, "It is our particular job to back up the pitchers."

Backing up the "pitchers" proved comparatively easy. TF 58 cloaked by bad weather, approached the Japanese homeland from east of the Marianas. Using radio deception and deploying submarines, lona-range patrol aircraft from Fleet Air Wing 1 and Army Air Force Boeing B-29 "Superfortresses" as scouts ahead of the advancing task force, the Americans neared their objective undetected. The first major carrier strike against the heart of the Japanese Empire, a year after the successful raids on Truk, covered the developing Iwo Jima landings and proved good practice for future operations against Okinawa. The low ceiling prevented Japanese retaliation, thus giving Alaska no opportunity to put into practice her rigorous antiaircraft training as she guarded the carriers. Assigned to TG 58.4 soon thereafter, Alaska supported the Iwo Jima operations, and, as before, no enemy aircraft came near the carrier formation to which the large cruiser was attached. For nineteen days she screened the carriers before retiring to Ulithi to take on stores and carry out minor repairs.



With the decision reached to occupy Okinawa, in the Nansei Shoto chain, in early April of 1945, invasion planners proceeded on the assumption that the Japanese would resist with maximum available naval and air strength. To destroy as many planes as possible—and thus diminish the possibility of American naval forces coming under air attack from Japanese planes—the fast carrier task force was hurled against the enemy's homeland again: to strike airfields on Kyushu, Shikoku, and western Honshu.

Alaska, still with TG 58.4—formed around the fleet carriers Yorktoum (CV-10), Intrepid (CV-11), Independence (CVL-22) and Langley (CVL-27 - again drew the duty of protecting the valuable flattops. Her principal mission then, as it had been before, was defense of the task group against enemy air or surface attacks.

Its battle plan outlined in detail, TF 58 cruised northwesterly from the Carolines, following the departure from Ulithi on 14 March. Refueling at sea on the 16th, this mighty force reached a point southeast of Kyushu early on the 18th. On that day, the planes from TG 58.4 swept over Japenese airfields at Usa, Oita and Saeki, joining those from three other task groups, TG 58.1 TG 58.2, and TG 58.3 in claiming 107 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground and a further 77 (of 142) engaged over the target area.



Alaska tasted action for the first time as the Japanese retaliated with air strikes of their own. Task Force 58's radars provided "Iittle if any warning" of the approach of enemy planes, due to the weather conditions encountered. All too often, the first indication of the enemy's presence was a visual sighting. Alaska spotted a "Frances" at 0810 and commenced fire. She registered hits almost immediately but the suicider maintained its course— toward the stern of the nearby Intrepid. Less than a half-mile from his quarry, however, the "Frances" exploded into fragments with a direct hit from Alaska's guns.

Soon thereafter, Alaska received word of the proximity of "friendlies" in the vicinity. At 0822 a single-engined plane approached the large cruiser "in a threatening fashion" from ahead m a shallow dive. Alaska opened fire promptly and scored hits. Unfortunately, almost simultaneously her fire eontrolmen were receiving word that the plane was, indeed, a friendly F6F"Hellcat." Fortunately, the pilot was uninjured and ditched his crippled plane, another ship in the disposition picked him up.

For the balance of the day, the suicide attacks continued. The vigilant combat air patrol (CAP), however, downed a dozen planes over the task force while strips' gunfire accounted for almost two dozen more. Alaska added a second enemy bomber to her "bag" when she splashed a "Judy" at about 1315.



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To: alfa6; SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; colorado tanker; Cannoneer No. 4; Darksheare; All
A little item for sale on ebay.


41 posted on 09/12/2006 10:06:03 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (Pimp my sliderule.)
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To: SampleMan

Thanks for the interesting details. A fine ship!


42 posted on 09/12/2006 10:17:41 AM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: Professional Engineer

We always took signs like that to mean no smoking - at the ammo dump.


43 posted on 09/12/2006 10:19:53 AM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: alfa6
Nice, Alpha. You have a way with images.

A bit of general background on the Alaskas -

Naval studies done mostly before 1939 indicated that enemy commercial and logistical destruction could most effectively be done with a combination of surface warships and submarines. Convoys were made to work during the war against U-Boat attack but would have been utterly and helplessly destroyed by a Graf Spee type Panzerschiffe.



Study of the Battle of the River Platte is useful. Graf Spee could out gun any warship she could not run away from. Her armor and made attack upon her with less than 8" high velocity rifles simply wasteful. Battlecruisers with their long range heavy weapons and great speed would get the job done nicely but were very few and expensive and vital to the main job of keeping the Kriegsmarine in port. Recollect Hood and Bismark. Instead cruisers got the job done at the River Platte just fine but it took lots of luck and fine Royal Navy cunning in the old tradition. And plenty of guts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_River_Plate

It became likely that Panzerschiffe would rapidly evolve into machines totally outmatching the largest 8" heavy cruisers. Enter Alaska.

With hindsight one sees that the Alaska ships had inadequate anti-aircraft capability. Six turrets with twin mount 5" 38 caliber guns and scads of 40mm seemed like ridiculous overkill in 1938 but proved inadequate in '43 - '45. I does appear that Alaska was a darn fine shot with her anti-aircraft batteries. Such is the tradition of the United States Navy.

Naval surface to air technique in WWII were an American show. If one has the chance take a look at Navy anti-aircraft gunnery control equipment from 1944. Open the inspection covers and look inside the computers. You will never see better workmanship or design. (No digital equipment available in those days.) The Imperial Japanese Navy was a good teacher, if strict, shall we say.

Much has been learned over the years from Royal Navy gunnery and anti-submarine practice just as compartmentalization, ammunition and propellant storage and handling, damage control technique etc. were learned from the Germans. The Navy is stupid on occasion, the torpedo problems in the Pacific War for example, but not often and rarely for very long. I am still embarrassed by the torpedo story, damn their eyes.
44 posted on 09/12/2006 12:27:55 PM PDT by Iris7 (Dare to be pigheaded! Stubborn! "Tolerance" is not a virtue!)
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To: alfa6
You put your finger exactly on Alaska's design goals. German and Japanese versions of Panzerschiffe were her designed meat and potatoes.

Good to see us back on the history track. Am thinking about an 1861 - '65 piece. Hard for me to write except on the level of manic particulars!!

Hmm, maybe something starting about the time The Iron Brigade arrived at Gettysburg?

Been looking at Robert Edward Lee's movement into Pennsylvania from a logistics viewpoint. That mess is hard to understand. Right now to me the events leading to Gettysburg look irresponsible. I do not believe Stonewall would have allowed it. Now there was a man who understood logistics! General Jackson was a true master of time and distance. The harder and longer I look at the Valley in the spring of '62 the more impressed I am. Compared to Jackson Napoleon looks like an amateur.

I speak well of the Grey and Blue with all respect for my deceased relatives who wore both Blue and Grey. While Jackson was a master of the Operational Art it was Ulysses S. Grant who put his finger right on the Confederate jugular (actually carotid artery, heh heh) with forts Donelson and Henry. The amazing Bedford Forrest saw this plainly and analyzed the situation and ramifications right from the front line and as far as I can see did so instantly.

Grant's crossing of the Mississippi and investment of Vicksburg was as brilliant (on all levels of war) as anything I know of. Grant is seen as fundamentally the butcher of Cold Harbor only by idiots. Another long story!!!
45 posted on 09/12/2006 1:24:33 PM PDT by Iris7 (Dare to be pigheaded! Stubborn! "Tolerance" is not a virtue!)
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To: SampleMan
I had not considered comparing Alaska and Warspite. Indeed your point is well taken.

Perhaps Alaska was "You think you know how to build a pocket battleship? Look at this Lady and weep." Stick them in the eye with a stick with a grin on your face and twelve inch guns at your back.

46 posted on 09/12/2006 1:38:16 PM PDT by Iris7 (Dare to be pigheaded! Stubborn! "Tolerance" is not a virtue!)
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To: SampleMan
Enjoyed your #28 and #32. Hope to see your material again.

Speaking of the large Naval rifles of the late 1920s I once spent some time with an internet copy of the Iowa class main turret manual. Most interesting.

After Surigao Strait Oldendorf was said to be nearly shot out when Kurita showed up. Reloading the inside the casement turret projectile magazines must have taken about five backbreaking days. The Battle of Samar was one lucky day for us, whew.

One must keep in mind Hoel, Roberts, and Johnston.

47 posted on 09/12/2006 2:06:34 PM PDT by Iris7 (Dare to be pigheaded! Stubborn! "Tolerance" is not a virtue!)
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To: Iris7
One must keep in mind Hoel, Roberts, and Johnston.

Indeed.

Destroyers were also big players with the sinking of the Hiei at Guadalcanal. Historical accounts tend to simply mention that the Hiei was sunk by aircraft the next day, but it wasn't. During the previous night, US Destroyers put perhaps hundreds of 5" rounds into the Battleship from point blank range and a torpedo. It was crippled to 5 knots, and a large number of the crew were killed or wounded. A few hits were scored by aircraft from Henderson field, but it was the Japanses who scuttled the ship due to the damage done by the US Destroyers.

48 posted on 09/12/2006 3:42:00 PM PDT by SampleMan
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To: Iris7

If you want a very interesting comparison look at the Scharnhorst versus the Alaska.


49 posted on 09/12/2006 5:23:59 PM PDT by SampleMan
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To: SampleMan
I had not been aware of Hiei's fate. Indeed the story as I have seen it written is that the Cactus Air Force finished her.

The First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal scared the hell out of Navy men. O'Callaghan was destroyed as easily as if the US Navy was made up of cockroaches.

Serious fear flicks back and forth to and from blood anger in my experience. There develops a blood lust, a true lust but a lust incomparably more intense than the desire of a young man for a young woman. There develops an ice cold, liquid helium cold, self consuming fire. The self we believe is our self is immolated. It never comes back. The attention becomes focused for the first time.

The Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal where Hiei sank was fought by a Navy no longer merely professional. One recollects Mush Morton's central reality - "Kill the sons of bitches!" Or the more polished (can't recollect who said it) "Japanese will become a language spoken only in Hell." A war where no surrender was possible. A war where enemy combatants were captured only for their military intelligence value and quickly gone after their usefulness ended. The Japanese were worse.

LeMay's firebombing. Once when I was very young in Japan one of the maids pointed into the sky to show the height of the brilliant red light, brighter than fireworks, that was the core of Tokyo being incinerated. The angle she indicated was forty five degrees. The center of Tokyo, the burned over area, which when I saw it was more desolate than Death Valley, was twenty miles from where we stood. The firestorm glowed with fierce intensity high into the stratosphere.

Johnston's skipper, Commander Ernest Evans, announced to the crew after General Quarters was set that "There can be no expectation of survival." Then Johnston went in. She kept up the fight until she was destroyed.

I am sure that what I have said is not new for you. I went to see the portable Viet Nam wall last Sunday. Perhaps what I write will be an encouragement to our youngsters. I think it will be, at least for the good ones.

When I first saw photos of Scharnhorst I was struck by how small she was. The drawings of Bismark show an old fashioned ship more like the old Texas than like the Alaska.
50 posted on 09/13/2006 3:04:46 AM PDT by Iris7 (Dare to be pigheaded! Stubborn! "Tolerance" is not a virtue!)
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To: bentfeather; SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; Professional Engineer; Samwise; The Mayor; All
Hump day bump for the Freeper Foxhole

Nice pic of a Dannish Dakota taking off, Hat tip to Alf Blume for the pic

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

51 posted on 09/13/2006 4:57:57 AM PDT by alfa6 (Taxes are seldom levied for the benefit of the taxed.)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; bentfeather; Professional Engineer; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; ..

September 13, 2006

Coping While Caring

READ: Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1

A survey titled “Caregiving in the US” estimates that more than 44 million Americans are unpaid caregivers, and a majority of them currently work or have worked while providing care. The survey also found that God, family, and friends were most often cited as sources of strength by people who are caring for others.

Three-fourths of the respondents said they relied on prayer to deal with the demands of caregiving. “Prayer is the best way to refresh yourself,” said one person. “I find a quiet place and pray and cry and get relief. Then I can go back into the room calm.”

“God is our refuge and strength,” wrote the psalmist, “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). Eugene Peterson’s vivid paraphrase says: “God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need Him.”

Through prayer, we can step into the calming presence of the Lord and find strength to go on. As we bring our heartaches and needs to God, He meets us where we are and gives us His peace. He is an ever-present help who cares for us in every situation.

Caregiving is a high calling and a difficult task. But there is strength from the Lord to help us as we care for those who need us. David C. McCasland

I must tell Jesus all of my trials,
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me,
He ever loves and cares for His own.  —Hoffman

Prayer puts us in touch with God—our greatest caregiver.

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year:   Proverbs 16-18; 2 Corinthians 6


52 posted on 09/13/2006 5:15:33 AM PDT by The Mayor ( http://albanysinsanity.com/)
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To: The Mayor; alfa6; Professional Engineer; All

Good morning!


53 posted on 09/13/2006 7:00:28 AM PDT by Soaring Feather
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; bentfeather; Professional Engineer; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; ..

September 14, 2006

For His Eyes Only

READ: Matthew 6:1-8,16-18

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. —Matthew 6:18

Typically, as we age we lose our prominence and our positions of influence. Even those of us who have never sought the limelight seem increasingly to fade into the shadows.

Obscurity and anonymity are good, however, for it is difficult to perform in public without wondering what impression we’re making on others. We fret over the extent that our reputations are being enhanced or damaged. And therein lies our peril: To the degree that we seek human recognition, we forfeit God’s approval. On the other hand, to lose the admiration of men and women may turn us to seek God’s approval only.

Here is a test for our gifts, our prayers, our fasts: Are they done for God’s eyes only? If so, though overlooked and unnoticed by others, we have our Father’s acknowledgment and reward.

Three times Jesus repeated to His disciples: “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:4,6,18). This is our assurance as well. Every unobserved gift of time, energy, and love; every petition we whisper in our Father’s ears; every secret, inward struggle against sin and self-indulgence will be fully rewarded in due time. In the end, His “Well done, good and faithful servant” is all that will matter (Matt. 25:21). David H. Roper

All service rendered to the Lord
Is sure to gain His rich reward;
And if we work with motives pure,
Our weakest efforts will endure.  —D. De Haan

There is no reward from God to those who seek it from men.  —Spurgeon

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year:  Proverbs 19-21; 2 Corinthians 7


54 posted on 09/14/2006 5:23:30 AM PDT by The Mayor ( http://albanysinsanity.com/)
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To: bentfeather; SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; Professional Engineer; Samwise; The Mayor; ...
It's a Friday Bump for Freeper Foxhole

A pic of the Wake Island Airfield Terminal after the super typhoon went by last week

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

55 posted on 09/15/2006 5:08:02 AM PDT by alfa6 (Taxes are seldom levied for the benefit of the taxed.)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; bentfeather; Professional Engineer; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; ..

September 15, 2006

Garden Of Prayer

READ: Acts 12:5-17

Constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. —Acts 12:5

When I was a pastor, I often visited residents in rest homes. I’ll never forget one dear elderly lady I met. She was blind and had been bedridden for 7 years, yet she remained sweet and radiant. One day she told me about a dream she had. She was in a beautiful garden, where the grass was a luxuriant carpet beneath her and the fragrance of flowers filled the air.

She dropped to her knees, entranced by the scene. As her thoughts were drawn heavenward, she felt the need to pray for her own pastor, for me, and for others. When she awakened, however, she discovered that she was still in her hospital bed. With a smile she said to me, “You know, Pastor, at first I was a bit disappointed. But in a sense the dream was true. This old bed has been a garden of prayer these 7 years!” Prayer had made her room a holy place of meditation and blessing.

Prayer also made a difference when Peter was in prison (Acts 12). It isn’t always easy to pray, for real intercession takes self-discipline. Many of us lapse into saying fine-sounding words without truly praying. God often drives us to our knees through the press of circumstances, where we are to “seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore” (1 Chron. 16:11). Herbert Vander Lugt

There’s a beautiful garden of fellowship sweet,
Where our prayers plant the seeds of reward;
And if there we will frequently make our retreat,
We shall gather rich store from the Lord!  —Bosch

God and prayer go together; to neglect one is to neglect the other.

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year;   Proverbs 22-24; 2 Corinthians 8


56 posted on 09/15/2006 5:18:23 AM PDT by The Mayor ( http://albanysinsanity.com/)
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To: alfa6

Oh wow! That's horrible.


57 posted on 09/15/2006 8:02:48 AM PDT by Peanut Gallery
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To: alfa6; The Mayor; Samwise; Professional Engineer; Peanut Gallery; SAMWolf; snippy_about_it

Good morning, FOXHOLE!


58 posted on 09/15/2006 8:28:50 AM PDT by Soaring Feather
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; bentfeather; Professional Engineer; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; ..

September 16, 2006

“They”

I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants . . . to be God to you. —Genesis 17:7

A self-employed inventor from  Branson, Missouri, decided to change his name to “They.” He said he did it for fun to address the common reference that people make to “they.” He remarked, “People say, ‘They do this,’ or ‘They’re to blame for that.’ ‘They’ accomplish such great things. Somebody had to be responsible.” When his friends call his home, they ask, “Is They there?” His new name must drive grammarians crazy.

Abram’s name was changed, but not on a whim. The Lord changed it. In biblical times, God often changed a person’s name to indicate what He was going to do through that person.

Abram’s name (“exalted father”) was changed to Abraham (“father of many”) because God had promised to make him a father of many nations (Gen. 17:5) through whom “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (12:3).

In fulfillment of God’s promise, Jesus came from the line of Abraham and blessed the nations by giving His life for our sins. When we believe in Him, we are blessed and are promised eternal life with Him. God now calls us by new names: “My people” and “sons of the living God” (Rom. 9:25-26). As His people, we can be used by Him to bless others. Anne Cetas

Bless me, Lord, and make me a blessing;
I’ll gladly your message convey;
Use me to help some poor needy soul,
And make me a blessing today.  —Anon.

God gives blessings to us so that we can give blessings to others.

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year;   Proverbs 25-26; 2 Corinthians 9


59 posted on 09/16/2006 8:23:11 AM PDT by The Mayor ( http://albanysinsanity.com/)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; bentfeather; Professional Engineer; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; ..

September 17, 2006

Scattered!

Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word. —Acts 8:4

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the US Gulf Coast and displaced an estimated 1.3 million households. With cities and towns evacuated, homes destroyed, and jobs gone, people relocated to communities in every state including Alaska and Hawaii. Because Christians are not immune to the storms of life, it’s likely that thousands of people who love the Lord found themselves in places they never expected to live.

Yet many of those same people whose hopes and plans were shattered by Katrina would also bring God’s love to others across the US. Like the early Christians who were forced out of Jerusalem by persecution, it could be said of them: “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word” (Acts 8:4).

While none of us would choose this kind of financial loss and disruption, would we see it as an opportunity to share the hope Jesus Christ has given us?

The apostle Peter’s letter reminded Christians who had been scattered among the nations to “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

If we are uprooted, we can scatter the seeds of the gospel wherever we go. David C. McCasland

We’re always sowing seeds in life
By everything we do and say,
So let’s make sure we sow God’s Word
Among the ones we meet each day.  —Hess

There’s no wrong place to share the gospel.

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year;   Proverbs 27-29; 2 Corinthians 10


60 posted on 09/17/2006 5:58:41 AM PDT by The Mayor ( http://albanysinsanity.com/)
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