God Bless the USA!

 

How long have we called our country the USA?

Almost from the beginning. Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, completed June 28, 1776, was titled, "A Declaration of the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled..."

So that's 250 years at least!

Freedom still means a lot to us, and we know from history that 'Freedom isn't free!'

But what about our spiritual freedom? Free for us, because of God's grace, costly beyond imagination for the Giver.

A good day to recall these words from Charles Wesley, written about the same time Jefferson wrote our national document of independence and freedom:

     "Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature's night.

     Thine eye diffused a quickening ray.

     I woke, the dungeon flamed with light.

     My chains fell off, my heart was free,

     I rose, went forth and followed Thee!

     I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!"

And, friends, that's real, everlasting freedom! Chains off - free heart -- following Jesus!

No such freedom anywhere else!

Summer Christmas Gift - - The Gift of Becoming

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
          -- Romans 6:23

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions... For it is by grace you have been saved through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...
          -- Ephesians 2:4-8


It was the first thing we learned as we came to Christ: it is because of God's grace we are saved. It is a gift of God -- completely free and unfettered-- completely unaffected by our own works -- because of God's grace we receive the free gift of His love and salvation.

The Rest of the Story

Then what happens?

Once we receive the gift we become the gift!

See these verses from John 17 (Christ's prayer for His disciples and for us who follow):

Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you have granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him (verses 1-2).

I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me...(verse 6).

I pray for them...for those you have given me (verse 9).


Once we receive the gift we become the gift!

The gift God the Father joyfully gives His Son: we are that gift!

(But first we have to receive the gift!)

Why did He do this? this rescue mission to earth to
bring His disobedient children back into His family -

We are told in Hebrews 12:2:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God...

"For the joy set before him...."  We are the cause of that joy -- because we are God's gift to our Savior.

~~~~~~~~~~

How to receive the gift?

He [the jailer] brought them [Paul and Silas] out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."
                     -- Acts 16:23

The Purpose-Driven Porpoise

From Psalm 104 - A Hymn of Creation:

How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.

There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number--living things both large and small.

There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.   Psalm 104:24-26


The leviathan - giant sea creatures, like whales and dolphins and porpoises - which He formed to frolic there!

Frolic - to make merry - to have fun - to be playful!

That's the job -- the purpose -- of the sea creatures -- to play and frolic in the oceans!

The psalmist pictures the great sea creatures as large and sportive animals whose very existence glorifies and delights the Creator!

They gladden the heart of God.


May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in His works...
Psalm 104:31


And then we look at the closing verses of the Psalm:


I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  Psalm 104:33

That's our job -- to proclaim His praise!

The sea creatures exist to frolic and bring joy to God.
That's their response to His goodness!

We exist to praise and glorify Him.

That's our proper response!

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.....says the Westminster Catechism.

I want to do as good a job at achieving God's purpose for me as the sea creatures do at theirs!

I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live....

and that's forever!



And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems....and God saw that it was good.
                           -- Genesis 1:20-21 - The 5th day.....

But God Gives A Song!

God leads His dear children along.  Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song -- in the night seasons, and all the day long...

"Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You" (Psalm 143:8).

"As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning, and noon  I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice" (Psalm 55:16). 

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).

"The  whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy" (Psalm 65:8).

         In the night seasons...and all the day long!     Praise Him forever! 

Life Stinks!? - Max Lucado

"Yes, life stinks. But it won't forever.  As one of my friends likes to say, 'Everything will work out in the end. If it's not working out, it's not the end.'

  In the meantime, don't overreact. Psalm 37:7 says, 'Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper, or fret about their wicked schemes.'

  This is a toxic world. But neither do we want to join the Chicken Little chorus of gloom and doom: 'The sky is falling! The sky is falling!'

  Somewhere between Pollyanna and Chicken Little, between denial and blatant panic, stands the levelheaded, clear-thinking, still-believing follower of Christ.

  Psalm 27:3 says, 'My heart shall not fear -- though war arises against me, yet I will be confident!'

  Confident in Him!"