Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Pastor's Pen 7-6-08

Friday was Independence Day, a day that we celebrate our freedom. A day that marks our separation from England, a day that we celebrate as a day that marks our freedom. But this freedom didn't come cheap, it was fought for, people died for it and we must fight to keep it. In 1776 they could have stayed the way they were, under the bondage and tyranny of the King of England, or they could choose to make a change. They made a choice to change, made a choice and let everyone know about it. I want you to read something;

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
And then it ends like this;
That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Then in an act of defiance and high treason, 56 men signed their names on this document, knowing full well that it meant their lives. But with this we broke way from England and fought for our freedom.
Freedom is not cheap, and it cost even more to keep.
Did you know that there are over 200 countries in the U.N., and only about 50 of those could even remotely be considered politically free?
What does the word Freedom mean? “To be released from captivity or slavery, to be out of bondage.”
If we are not saved, then we are in bondage to sin, but the good news is that Jesus paid the price for our freedom.
Jesus wants us to be free, people think that if they turn their life over to Jesus there is a whole list of don’t to follow. But let me tell you something, if you try doing all of the do’s you won’t have time for any don’ts. As a matter of fact, when you truly turn your life over to Jesus, you will be living in such freedom that you will not want to go back to that dark bondage again.
Remember what it means to be free.

In HIS Service,
Bro. Randy

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