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Thursday, July 04, 2013

One Nation Under God


Happy 4th of July, American friends!
In America, today is Independence Day, the 4th of July, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776.
Since that day, God has blessed American in a unique way.
Millions have come to America to live, to worship, to work, to prosper, to thrive in the freedom that was wrought through the labors of our Founding Fathers.
America has been uniquely free.
Not because we are a “Great People”, but because we have been greatly blessed by the Sovereign God Who created us.
Not because we are “exceptional”, but because our Sovereign Creator has seen fit to give us an exceptional foundation in the Word of God, which tells of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
And this foundation of God and His Word was used to construct both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
No human document can even approach “perfection”. But these documents had two qualities that make them exceptional:
1. They acknowledge God our Creator, and
2. Instead of seeking a Utopia, based on the absurdity that men are basically “good”, they take into consideration the sinfulness which every person is born with, and seek to protect against that sinfulness by ensuring certain inalienable “rights” to its citizens.
By ensuring these rights, and by limiting the powers of Government, and through the “balance of powers” within the Government, the Founders sought to give the maximum opportunity for freedom — a freedom which, while not a Utopia, yet gave people the room to grow, and learn, and prosper, and preach the Gospel, and give to others, including other nations.
Far from perfect (remember the sinful nature that all are born with), yet through the influence of those principles of the Word of God, and by His Grace, we made changes for the better.
Even the Constitution itself included a mechanism to improve by “amendment”. So, for example, the evil of slavery which was a “blind spot” at best, and an evil regardless, was permanently eliminated by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
This foundation of the Word of God and the Savior Jesus Christ has historically been woven into the fabric of our nation, even among those who have not come to personally know Jesus Christ. The Lord, His Word, and His righteousness have been at least to some extent honored by the vast majority of Americans…
…until recent years or decades.
Our problems are not primarily political.
They SEEM that way, but they’re not.
Many of you reading this believe our nation is in decline. I agree. Rapid decline. Dangerous decline.
But if we think this decline is merely dependent on the next election, we are wrong. If America does not radically revert back to the FOUNDATION, the decline will continue. Rapidly.
Full disclosure: I am a political animal. I love politics and the economics that intertwine it. I am an opinionated Libertarian-ish “thinker”.
But even political and economic Liberty cannot save our nation from its decline. Only the Creator Himself can. But He is a Jealous God, and our nation is no longer leaning on Him nor giving Him the honor that He so justly deserves.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, I urge you to commune with Him first, above every other priority in your life.
Seek His face, seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, bask in the Grace of His Life within you and the work He has already accomplished on the Cross. “Draw near” to Him and He will draw near to you.
Then in your politics, you can love, not hate — persuade winsomely, not bicker and beat over the head — be at peace in your heart, not bitter and anxious.
And out of that the Sovereign Lord may choose to reverse the decline.
And He may not.
Be involved in politics. Vote. Run for office. But don’t “lean” on that as the ultimate solution. It is NOT the ultimate solution.
And as you vote, vote “righteously”.
While the world says, “It’s the economy, stupid”, for example, don’t be shamed into thinking the Holocaust Of The Unborn should take a back seat. Over 50 million unborn children have been killed…so far.
No candidate is perfect, nor ever will be. But I have declared that I will NEVER vote for any candidate that favors the right to kill the unborn. I am saddened to see brothers and sisters in Christ who have abandoned this issue, or even promoted the “right to choose”!
Yet we expect the continued blessing of God on our nation?
“Lord, I pray you WILL bless America. But I pray that we will understand the principle from your Word when you said, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’.”
God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.
Enjoy this very beautiful musical piece, in honor of the Lord Who gave us America.