Tag Archives: freedom

Nation of the Free

03 Sunday Jul 2016

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Psalm 33:12 reads, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."

Psalm 33:12 reads, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

America was born on freedom. Each fight we have endured on our home soil has been for that purpose. We have fought in other lands to preserve our freedom. Our hearts are so full of liberty that lands across the globe are dotted with graves of those who gave their last full measure of devotion to propagate liberty.

The teacher, the protester, the lawyer, professional players and sports figures, politicians, community organizers, pastors, mayors, governors no one person in this nation provides that liberty. Their displays are not patriotic, they are simply consumers of a product provided by the sweat, flesh and blood of others.

Freedom and liberty are provided and maintained through the Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine willing to put their lives down wherever needed, put their lives on hold, take a new career that from day one stands at the dangerous end of an enemy rifle. No, those citizens listed are only users of the liberty provided, they have no right to control anyone’s liberty. The citizen is blessed through the blood of the military. As our military men and women serve, suffer, deploy, sacrifice, bleed and die, they give their all to a nation of people, for those people.

This is not veterans day, but on this day if you meet one, remember that the only reason the stars and stripes fly is due to their sacrifice. The blood of the American on the battle field is as seed unto liberty, it sprouts freedom, it gives life to otherwise dying lands dominated by tyranny.

The blood represented by the red stripes on our flag, purifies the nation represented by the white stripes. Like Christ’s shed blood purifies our sins, the soldier’s shed blood purifies the corruption, autocracy and totalitarian attitudes of tyrants. Unlike Christ, the perfect sacrifice frees us from Satan’s grasp once for all, brave men and women in our Armed Forces must sacrifice regularly to preserve freedom. (Heb 10:10; 1 Jhn 1:7) As Jefferson noted, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

Which are you? Are you a consumer or a provider? If you are a consumer, thank those who worked and provided your freedom. If you are a provider, may I extend my personal thanks to you? May I share with you that I greatly appreciate all you’ve done for our freedom and liberty? May I also convey that, though ultimately you provided freedom and liberty, I understand that it was simply that soldier, sailor, airman or marine next to you, as they fought for you, you fought for them. That personal sacrifice is not lost on this pastor. Thank you, all of you, every one of you. God loves you. He died to save you, regardless anything that may have happened on the battle field. He was there with you, He knows, He forgave.

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Triumph for one is fear for another

18 Wednesday May 2016

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Faith may not always know the next step, but it always knows the end provides victory.

Faith may not always know the next step, but it always knows the end provides victory.

As Jesus’ name became popular throughout Judea, people not only followed Him, but tracked His movements and planned to meet him. A communication network began developing as people traveled for business and heard of His whereabouts. When passing through an area, certain people would make a special effort to be located near a place they knew He would be visiting. Thinking about it, it is not much different than what we find today with infatuated groupies or deeply dedicated political followers.

On the campaign trail during our current presidential election primaries we heard reports of at least two candidates with followers so dedicated as to have had relatives, even children, perish while following a candidate on the campaign trail. Is this infatuated, deep faith in the individual’s abilities or foolishness? When one excuses truth for the purpose of continued loyalty and ignores even an individual’s own sinful activity it is a blind and empty faith. However, when there is no sin, where there is no debauchery, when there is only godliness and purity and the power of God displayed through that individual, then that level of wholehearted dedication is warranted because it testifies of the fruits of the spirit. The only individual to live a perfectly pure, godly life and exhibit the Father’s power as well as be exalted by Him publicly was Jesus. He is worthy of this dedication. Through rightfully placed faith and loyalty in Christ one suffers no fear. Fear’s spirit does not exist in believers, in the Father, in the Son or in the Holy Spirit. Fear’s spirit is replaced with power, love and a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7)

In John 12:12-19 we find this testimony coming to full glory as people flock to the Eastern Gate, to Bethphage in the Mount of Olives. They came to meet Jesus and exalt Him. Jesus perfectly and completely displays the fruits of the spirit in His life (Gal 5:22-23).

We give all to those whom we pledge allegiance, even our lives. It’s no wonder that we find in Matthew 21 they the people even threw their cloaks down before Him as well as palm fronds. This was a very specific display to anoint Him, recognize Him as King of all Israel, see Him as the one unifier of the people of God. The hope in the hearts of Israel was given life, given light, even manifest through this one man, Jesus. While under the whip of Rome, oppressed, fearing death at a whim of a Roman soldier, Israel needed hope. We see a political parallel in our nation today as many fear we are loosing our national liberty to corrupt politicians.

Will we garner hope in Christ as the Jews did? Do we see our hope only in our national freedom, or do we find hope in being truly spiritually free in Christ? How often do we make the same mistake Israel made, we look here for freedom through our governors instead of looking to things eternal for freedom. True freedom and liberty is not worldly, it is heavenly.

Civility in Discourse

02 Thursday Jul 2015

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Can't we just talk without the hate?

Can’t we just talk without the hate?

Freedom of religion is a freedom of conscience in practice, whatever you believe. We Christians, as exemplified by the wisdom of the comments from our founding fathers have that right as much as the next. How a narrow sighted ruling of the sort our Supreme Court can effect our free exercise thereof is by compelling by force of government power that I, as a pastor, be forced to conduct and condone something I do not believe in. This then is not about religion, but about the ability to live by freely exercising our very concsience and being forced by way of government to conform to a society set on a path at odds with the Christian conscience, a conscience I freely and willingly submit to God, and His word that guides me, His Spirit that convicts and teaches me, and His Son who saved me and lives through me. This government oppression took place throughout Europe as both Protestant and Catholic churches tried to force their own flavor of religion upon the Christians of the reformation.

Understand, not once did I say my conscience should be forced upon you for government cannot do that either, but that we both exercise this conviction in our lives and be able to have discourse concerning these convictions in a civil and cordial manner. This discourse should be welcomed as part of the human experience we call life. Only humans can have this discourse, only humans contemplate their moral character, only humans discuss the challenges of decision making and how to live life as a whole. This discussion should take place with zeal and civility but Satan has seen fit to make it a vitriolic hatred in practice and tyrannical oppression in function.

While only the despot attempts to quell discourse and debate as part of their desire for control and societal conformity, the Christian encourages and enjoys discussion. I can believe what I believe and you what you believe and both without bigotry with free expression thereof. You may think I am wrong, I may think you are misguided but neither of us should be forced to believe or practice the other’s conviction as part of our discourse in life, THAT is unconstitutional and smacks of tyranny. We are quickly spiraling into that pit of tyranny. During intellectual discussions, civility demands passion, but controls verbal abuse and degenerative verbiage. This respect we should have for one another has faded dramatically from our societal cohesion to develop and promote societal division.

Lest you think I may be a pro-theocratic, let me be clear. My faith and my beliefs have always been the most persecuted throughout time until (and even suffering persecution in them) our colonies were founded. Like unto John Jay, first Supreme Court Justice of our great nation, I would identify with the Heugonauts (Jay was a descendent of Heugonauts) of old, the Ana-baptists who were persecuted by the nationalized churches of Catholicism and Protestantism. Now, again as is a norm in history we will suffer through man’s hubris. Our period of repreave is over. We will and even now are again being thrown into the fires of judgment because God is turning us over to the sins of America and all it will bear fruit of in its fruition. (Romans 1:24, 26)

It is not theocracy, but freedom we want, on both sides. Without that freedom we as believers in Christ Jesus will be forced into prison just for saying you need salvation from your sins, just for beginning a discussion in an attempt to encourage reconciliation with God. Regardless, our love for mankind and our Lord runs deep and we will still reach out to share His gospel. Unfortunately for mankind, this gospel includes recognition of personal sin. We must share these truths. That this gospel convicts the soul and is rejected out of the desire to escape that conviction cannot be our concern, just as the unbeliever’s desire to share their conviction for what they consider to be “tolerance.” Pastors will be jailed or fined or both for refusing to perform weddings because of our beliefs. Businesses will be forced to tow an immoral line or not participate in the market place (Revelation 13:17). We will either conform to the religions of fascism, secularism, atheism and humanism or be ruined politically, financially and socially outcast.

In passion, we are not much unlike one another. We will stand by our convictions regardless the price and we may some day make this world a more tolerant place to be. However, the tolerance currently being forced upon the people of the world is one intolerant of diversity, the prevailing falsehood of relative truth.

Please consider, in responses to Christians the attacks are personal to the individual, or an identified group, christianophobic if you will, fearful. The Christian is only sharing God’s standards therefore the regular mistake made is in attribution. God in His word sets out the standards of life and living, the Christian only shares them and is not (or should not be!) the judge. But we are human and unfortunately not necessarily prone to the love we should exhibit in Christ. Yes, that means Christians, but especially unbelievers.

The Bible says we can love only because Jesus first loved us.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us.

In our early years we had a better opportunity for a perfect love as there were a greater portion ( I believe) of believers in our nation. Those numbers have dwindled and with it our capacity to love selflessly, honestly, completely.

Find the real Christ and His love, it will press out the hate for mankind in the inevidable discussion of faith and politics. Instead of being fearful of offending others, we are to welcome communication of all sorts. Instead of being angered at challenging beliefs, we should enjoy learning what others believe while standing fast on our own faith. I believe Christ’s loving salvation will free you from the chaotic tentacles of the world. Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

America, Land of the Free

25 Monday May 2015

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Never forget, they are American's, and so are you!

Never forget, they are American’s, and so are you!

Ladies and gentlemen, the key to life is liberty. Liberty is only born from one who can give it. Only the individuals denies themself liberty. Salvation in Christ can only be provided through Jesus, the Savior. Only the individual  denies themself salvation. If we do not understand the founder’s parallels to spiritual and national freedom we completely miss our Lord and do not understand our nation.

The reasons for both of these truths (not understanding our Lord or our nation) are wide ranging, deep, contemptuous and satanic. There is not enough room here to deal with these truths. What we have time to deal with is the parallels of salvation and liberty both spiritually and nationally.

I believe that God infuses each nation with an imprint that becomes their national persona. Israel was imprinted with the fortitude to stand in the face of great danger each day, surrounded by enemies on all sides at all times. America was imprinted with a desire for freedom and liberty.

This imprint projects from each convulsion of the heart muscle, it is pressed into each blood cell. When American’s bleed in the fight, we seed freedom on the shores around the world. There are great evidences of these deep seated desires of freedom.

First, no other nation helps more people both in their own nation and in other nations than America. We help more and support more than any other. Equally, only Christians have regularly established missions, churches, schools and gone into dangerous places not to conquer, but to share spiritually healing blood of Christ. Only Christians have established places just to help people, to share spiritual liberty with them, not to gather people unto a national identification, but free them to a heavenly identification. Though in our times of crisis we receive very little or no aid, it has never stopped us from giving aid to anyone in need. That also exhibits the selfless love of our Savior.

Second, as noted above freedom to do these things is provided to all mankind. Only America fights to free nations from tyranny and oppression and does not force capitulation to America. We know freedom and we share what we know and fight for others to have it. WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea and Kuwait are perfect examples. Some may say there were alternative motives, probably. But the baseline truth is that American’s fought and died in foreign lands to help nations free themselves from tyrants, autocrats, warlords and megalomaniac dictators. We do this because Jesus fought spiritually to free us from the tyrant of sin, the autocrat of damnation, the satanically controlled warlords of the world and the megalomania of Satan. Jesus fought and died to free you but He did not force you into His Kingdom. He introduces himself to you, gives you the faith to believe in His salvation, but does not force you to believe.

Third, our national identification with Jesus as Christians demands we emulate Him, do as He did, love as He loved, act fearlessly as He acted fearlessly! Only that freedom, pure and unfettered provided our victory on the foreign fields. We paid a high price for all of our freedom. Only men and women who knew they would come home to freedom, who knew they were fighting to sustain their children’s, families and future grandchildren’s freedoms can fight selflessly with a proud beating heart.

In the American, freedom and liberty pumps through the body by a heart bathed in it. Freedom and liberty course through the veins as its preciousness is imprinted on each blood cell. Freedom and liberty are perfected as they stand and fight to save not to dominate; they fight to preserve, not persecute. Carry on their fight! We are American’s!

The World’s Enslavement

28 Tuesday Apr 2015

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Freedom is not doing whatever you want in this world. Freedom is being released from the bonds of this world. Freedom is realized when the shackles of fear, death and the temporary nature of life on earth fade from our motives and lives.

Freedom is not doing whatever you want in this world. Freedom is being released from the bonds of this world. Freedom is realized when the shackles of fear, death and the temporary nature of life on earth fade from our motives and lives.

Enslavement or slavery are words that draw immediate responses from most everyone. For some it promotes pictures of a dark time in our nation’s history. The Bible has never condoned slavery, it has always taught us to free people from bondage of any sort. These are the purposes in the 7 year loan laws such that man would not be eternally beholden to man (Deut 15:1), and the purpose of seven years service for Jacob to receive Rachel (Gen 29:18).

For Christians it reminds them of a life before Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus discusses a different type of slavery (John 8:34). He suggests we can be enslaved to Satan’s domain, the world of sin. How does this look? One of the major undertakings of society is to involve individuals in societal endeavors on the day of worship. Soccer camps or games on Sunday, PTA meetings during Wednesday night prayer services. Please understand though these efforts seem innocent, they serve the purposes of Satan. They draw whole families or family leadership away from their first purpose, to glorify God. These organizations are not interested in your spiritual welfare. Team sports (the involvement of young people in things, engaging them to instill a morality) is one of the worst. Games are fun, team sports are important, why shouldn’t we participate? Hard choices must be made. Unfortunately parents have wrongly oriented their lives away from God and toward a sin-filled world. That is the issue.

Placing anything in competition with worship on Sunday is a ploy. That is a direct influence of Satan, accomplishing his goals to be anywhere, do anything, give your time to anyone other than God in the church worship or service to Christ, be that fellowship, witness, testimony or another work. Parents must make tough choices, glory in man’s world or God.

Ladies and gentlemen, with very little exception we need fellowship, we need to worship, we need to devote ourselves to God. In today’s world, as in any time in history, or even more so in our future, this is not a simple task. There are a great many temptations, and there will be more. But we must understand that anything that becomes more important than God in our life becomes an idol. If you find yourself defensive, you are already on the wrong side of the issue.

Young men and women are far better served learning of service, sharing love, being loved and sharing Christ with others. This, more than any other activity, places them outside themselves in their aptitudes, attitudes and social orientation. More of this work in their lives will promote a generation of selfless servants rather than the dominating selfish and entitled we see today.

True Freedom

13 Monday Apr 2015

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John_8-32True freedom comes from knowing the truth in scripture (John 8:32). Those in the world claim freedom in life is a life absent of God. Consider this perspective. If your life is focused solely on earth you limit yourself to this physical life, the inconsistency that surrounds you, a life born in chaos. If we relegate ourselves to this life alone, there is no hope and no assurance of survival. Everything is bound to this existence, everything is tenuous. One cannot know when they will die. Life exists only to exist. Each individual must vie for themselves. This truly becomes a world that thrives on survival of the fittest. Everyone without Christ in their life has no future to consider outside this confused, torn and unsatisfying life.

Freedom comes from fearlessness. Consider the depth of Revelation 21:8 which begins, “But the fearful…” and ends, “shall have their place in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Those are individuals fearful of the world, fearful of God and the things of God, fearful to face their own iniquities and seek reconciliation and redemption from them, fearful of all things. These people cower at the thought of any question of their personal character, they want no debate, they are content where they are spiritual in a soup of ambiguity. They fear death, they fear all things in life that can bring about death. They have no freedom, but are shackled to this life. They do not know real terror because when this life ends, they will face a terrifying judgment from an all powerful God. Then, as King Belshazzar did in Daniel 5:6, they will loose control of themselves in horror as they realize their arrogance in the face of the King of the Universe.

True freedom is a desire to live outside ones self. To live on the grand plane God’s Kingdom, His Majesty, honor, glory and power at our disposal as we seek to worship him through His Son.This is freedom. We see a future existence in a place of perfect harmony, perfect existence.

What is the truth that sets man free? Knowing that on the other side of death is not a dreaded unknowable existence. One does not have to wonder if there is life after death, what that life entails or where it will be lived out. Freedom from this world is provided in knowing God loves us enough to send His Son to die for us, providing us a mansion in a perfect Heavenly Kingdom. Freedom lies in the existence of the Son. Freedom is not in this life, but rests in another existence all together with an individual whom has experienced both this and the other eternal life. Freedom is in Christ Jesus.

God’s glory, man’s desires

27 Sunday Jul 2014

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God's way is always a completely different path than what man would choose (Isaiah 55:8).

God’s way is always a completely different path than what man would choose (Isaiah 55:8).

How often these two things live in contrast one to another. Man wants to be led by man (Exodus 20:18-21; 1 Samuel 8:6-9). Even if for supposedly good reasons (the men of Israel wanting to be free from Roman bondage). He can control other men through a variety of means and he knows it.

In the world today, politicians are controlled by the funding they receive.  In business the customer drives policy because they are always right. In health care government control competes with individual choice.

In religion one man gathers men unto himself and calls it success. Another teaches platitudes and homilies to please the masses. Others promote a health and wealth gospel. Another teaches the word of God without apology.

In John 6:15 we find Jesus confronting man’s desires for Him and His ministry. Jesus had a simple response to what He knew man was planning. The Jews who wanted to get out from under the religious tyranny and hypocrisy as well as the government corruption and oppression wanted a king new king. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? In the world today many have simply given up and gone to live their lives without God. So disgusted with the deception many  focus instead upon maintaining their liberty thinking that is the best they can do.

What freedom we have in Christ though! Looking upon the things of Heaven and God’s kingdom instead of the things of this world for pleasure and success provides mankind with freedom and liberty unparalleled! Jesus simply departed those who would make Him a worldly king favoring His heavenly position, desiring only to please the Father. Learning from Jesus, we too should shun the worlds false teachers and flock to biblical expositors, teachers of God’s word. If we detect sinfulness, a false teacher, or some other pressure by mankind to submit to His will, simply leave the room. That is what Jesus did in John 6:15.

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Memorial Day

27 Tuesday May 2014

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Do you know what it cost to attain? What it costs to maintain? Do you know who pays the price?

Do you know what it cost to attain? What it costs to maintain? Do you know who pays the price?

Have you heard of the fallen 9,000? 60 volunteers took to the beaches of Normandy with rake and stencil around the remains of the floating bay barricades. That 60 soon turned into 500 who raked body shapes into the sand. Sadly the symbolism is reality. The pictures of the 9,000 stencils only lasted hours as they were washed away to be forgotten. Let us never forget them folks.

Memorial day is a day with great history and tradition throughout the ages. Honoring the fallen in battle with gravesite flowers is an ancient custom. In America specifically, historic references to 1861 in Virginia and 1862 in Georgia and 1863 in the unforgettable Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The first public display of this event was May 1, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina honoring hundreds of war prisoners who died while being held at the local race course. Freed slaves policed and landscaped the area, built an enclosure and an arch leading to the mass graves. The archway read, “Martyrs of the Race Course.” Tens of thousands gathered to honor the lost. We watched on Saturday May 24th as young Boy Scouts adorned the graves of fallen military personnel. It was encouraging!

On Memorial Day Americans celebrate those brave souls whom gave their last full measure of devotion on battle fields around the world to preserve our freedom. Every individual alive and enjoying the freedoms of this nation owes them gratitude and humble respect. Our flag immortalizes them.

The red strips on our flag represent their blood. Those red stripes are first, and last. First because this nations freedom was wrought through that blood. Red is the last stripe because without continuous flowing blood, our days are numbered, they will not last. Freedom and liberty flow down the flag as more blood must be let to continue pure freedom and liberty. The last red stripe provides for the perpetuation of the process.

The white stripes follow each blood stripe because shedding blood atones (Hebrews 9:22). As detestable to some that the mention of blood may be, we are free because of it. The purity of freedom and liberty in America was EARNED at great cost. Maintaining that freedom and liberty is equally expensive. The ground of liberty is made fertile by the streams of soldier’s blood. This is the simple truth. They died for you to be free, liberated from tyranny, released from autocracy, patriated from dictatorship.

We are not unfamiliar with strife or empty of spirit. We earned the right to live free in October 19th, 1781 when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. We earned freedom again in 1898 during the Spanish American war. We re-earned our independence by repelling Germany in November 1918 when Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated. Again we secured our liberty first in Europe against Hitler, then in Japan against Hirohito.

On Memorial Day, we celebrate not our victories, but those whom gave every ounce of their being to earn those victories. To deny them is to deny Antietam, Gettysburg, Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Leyte Gulf, and the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Argonne Forest, The Buldge, Bunker Hill, Breed’s Hill, Midway Island, Boston, San Juan Hill, Bull Run, the Persian Gulf War of 1991, Pearl Harbor, Shiloh, Hampton Roads, the Frozen Chosin, Falluja, the Alamo, La Drang Valley, Mogadisu, Guadalcanal, Sharpsburg and lest we not forget the Battle of New Orleans.

In all cases, we lost brave men and women in the fight. Our national fight has always been about sovereign freedom based in our desire to worship God as we determine appropriate. No one in America wants another Nebuchadnezzar, Pol Pot, Hitler, Mussolini, King George, Muhammad, Herod, Caesar or any other dictator.

Honor those whom have fought and given their lives for freedom. Freedom to worship, freedom not to worship. Freedom to accumulate wealth, freedom to be content with a meager living. Freedom to be a doctor, freedom to be a rancher. Freedom to praise God in public. Freedom to criticize political policies regardless the promoter. All of these come with a price, bloodshed on the battlefields of time.

What about religion? Many use the warmongering of the Catholic church in the middle ages as testament to a hateful God and destructive Christian religion. Some point to God’s command to obliterate the Caananites in Deuteronomy seven and claim the same applies. The truth is that the pattern was set by man’s sin and God obeyed it himself by sending His own Son to die on the cross at man’s hand on Calvary.

Great power and bloodshed are always required to secrure liberty. For man, the great power of armies and the blood shed of her soldiers, sailors, Airmen and Marines. For eternity, Jesus sacrificed himself, shed His blood, and exercised the power of resurrection to free believers eternally from the grips of death and hell. Though this may seem grotesque to some, the truth remains only exerting great power and shedding blood can defeat and stave off dictatorships, tyrants and despots which result from a sin filled world. Jesus’ blood atonement freed all of mankind, liberating all who believe. We should never forget, your children should never forget, your grandchildren should never forget. Remember those lost in battle for freedom, remember the one on the cross who died for your eternal freedom.

 

Grace

08 Wednesday Jan 2014

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God’s grace is a wonderful thing. We are saved through His gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8) He Justifies us without cause through His grace (Romans 3:24) No work can merit God’s grace (Romans 4:4-5). God’s grace through Christ’s salvation frees man from the conviction in the law (Romans 6:14). The provision of Jesus Christ and His salvation was born through love but provided by grace (Romans 11:5).

God's grace as the Hand of God often delivers us from evil. There is no greater example of this than Salvation through Christ.

God’s grace as the Hand of God often delivers us from evil. There is no greater example of this than Salvation through Christ.

This is all very wonderful to contemplate and certainly gives us spiritual freedom that natural man cannot fathom or realize. The perfect grace of God is powerful. It frees souls from the shackles of this world to serve the God of the universe. God’s perfect grace changes the course of man from destruction to eternal life. This grace breaks the hard heart of stone in mankind making it malleable and compassionate. God’s perfect grace is simply amazing.

The true challenge of every Christian comes in 2 Peter 3:18 where we are encouraged to “grow in grace.” We can communicate God’s grace through testimony and witness. We can share God’s grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can become God’s grace as we testify of His blessings in our lives.

To grow in God’s grace means we embody more of the perfect grace that He is and emulate that grace, display it, manifest it in our lives for others to see. Our challenge is to grow in perfect godly grace and share it with the world. We should never attempt to assess a person’s worthiness to give His grace, but give God’s grace freely. Grow in His grace to share His grace.

Veterans

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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Jesus was a Veteran. Not of American wars of course. Not of any earthly military. He was a veteran in God’s service. God led mankind for thousands of years before Christ came to earth. You may find that confusing. Jesus was used to serving, God had led. Those two things may at first seem opposite, but they are deeply and inextricably intertwined.

We lead, we serve, we pray.

We lead, we serve, we pray.

Jesus is God, that’s the first hurdle. In John 4 we find Him going specifically through Samaria, out of His way, off of the normal path to witness to an entire community. The lady that comes to the well has had five husbands and the man she is currently with is not her husband. Jesus knows this but she does not know Him. Who but God could know people, especially the outcast of society, so well.

Jesus is a servant. He came to save not to judge (John 12:47). He came to do the work He was sent to do (John 6:38). He came to heal the sick (Luke 7:22). Without Jesus first serving us, we can have no part in serving Him (John 13:8).

Veterans know there is a direct connection between leadership and servitude. In serving our country, our President, our service organization, our commanders and  each other, we have our place of leadership. Service means you are given a task, organized to accomplish it, and directed to its completion. Inside that service individuals lead. Now as veterans our service is directly tied to our nation, our communities, our families. Where we served and led on battlefields overseas, we now serve and lead on the battlefields of our communities.

We do not know people as Jesus knew them, but He certainly knows each one of us. Christian veterans serve in the Lord’s army. We fight for freedom to worship. We fight for freedom to teach God’s truth. We fight for our right to witness Christ to everyone. We also serve. We serve Christ by teaching our families the things of God. We serve by sharing His word with them. We serve by leading our homes spiritually. We serve in our church as part of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4).

Veterans continue to serve. My military brethren and sisters, thank you for your leadership and service.