July 4th 2012 – Celebrating Our Independence

Happy 4^th of July Regular Joes and Janes!

I wish each of you a happy and safe 4^th of July, Independence Day Celebration! I have just a few thoughts on this day to share with you. America is changing and changing quite rapidly. I don’t think many of the people that voted for “change” knew what kind of change they were voting for but there are people in power now who are pushing ahead at warp speed to bring the change that they planned.

Whether you are talking about America or any other nation in the history of the world, a nation is really only made of its people. A nation can be no better or worse than the majority of active participants in its body politic. When the everyday citizen becomes more interested in his or her entertainment, prosperity and happiness then on participating actively in government, then men of power will come in and take what they desire. When people of God do not bring His influence to their neighbors, towns and all parts of the society including the politics then evil will fill the vacuum. Edmund Burke’s famous quote below has been proved over and over again in world history.

“All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

Read more at Brainy Quote

Do we have problems in Washington D.C.? Absolutely! But I believe that they are a symptom of a greater problem. Christians are more interested in living the good life, gaining possessions, and feeling good about themselves then serving their fellow man and all of the trouble that comes with that. Studies have shown that most Christians in America are statistically living about the same as unbelievers. Divorce rates, debt, and all other areas of measure show Christians are right in there with everyone else. We are supposed to be a light to the world, but if the world doesn’t see a difference in us what are they going to be attracted to?

There is an answer!

The problems we face today in America are not new. The nation of Israel turned from God time and again. In the time of Solomon the nation was strong and proud and had rebuilt the Temple. But God had not returned to the Temple because of their sin and rebellion. In fact God had shut up the skies, (drought), they lost battles, and fell into many sins and were afflicted. (2 Chronicles 6) But Solomon and all the people fell on their knees and asked God for forgiveness.

2 Chronicles 7: 12-22

12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.

13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

17 “As for you, if you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws,

18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a man to rule over Israel.’

Now I will be the first to say that these are specific promises to Solomon and the Nation of Israel. But, I also believe that they are a statement of ‘Natural Law’ created by God. Many are familiar with the above verses but the following verses are less familiar and a foreshadowing of a future time when the people will reject even Jesus Christ their redeemer.

19 “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them,

20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.

21 And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’

22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them–that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’ “

Official Portrait of President Ronald Reagan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I close with some quotes by a more recent patriot and president much maligned by the main stream press, socialists and leftists; Ronald Reagan.

Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.

We are never defeated unless we give up on God.

Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.

If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on Earth

The struggle now going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith.

RONALD REAGAN, speech for National Association of Evangelicals, March 8, 1983

http://www.notable-quotes.com/r/reagan_ronald.html

The founding fathers in great majority were God fearing followers of Jesus Christ. They were willing to give their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to bring true freedom and liberty to a new nation.