Today we celebrate the birthday of our nation & the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The men who signed their names upon this declaration were heroic and brave. They signed their name knowing that their very lives were at stake, by signing this declaration they were issuing their own death warrant. John Adams wrote, "Whether we live or die, sink or swim, succeed or fail, I stand behind this Declaration of Independence." As we celebrate this year I pray that we stop and remember the sacrifices these men made for the freedoms that we have today.
Not only did these men declare their independence but they declared their dependence on God. The second paragraph of the document said, "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." Some of the last words in the document state ; "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, Our Fortunes & our Sacred Honor." (Interesting fact: 27 of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were trained ministers)
While our independence is definitely worth celebrating, I think it is more important to celebrate our dependence on God. Our world is in turmoil and our own country is rapidly forgetting the God of our Fathers who gave our nation its birth and its greatness. As I thought about this independence/dependence collaborative, Moses came to mind. God gave Moses and the Israelite's independence after centuries of slavery in Egypt. In Deuteronomy 8:7-14 Moses tells the people, "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, . .where you shall eat food without scarcity . . . When you have eaten & are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you." Then God gave a warning: "Beware . . . lest, when you have eaten & are satisfied, & have built good houses & lived in them . . . & your silver & your gold multiply, & all that you have multiplies, then your heart becomes proud, & you forget the Lord your God."
History gives testimony that nations and individuals need to heed this warning from God. The greatness of a nation isn't measured by its military strength, advances in technology, or national wealth. It is measured by righteousness & justice. Solomon said: "Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach of any people." - Proverbs 14:34 We've taken the Bible and prayer out of school, we're told spanking damages one's self esteem, we've distributed condoms to our children and told them to have fun, we've legalized abortion, and relayed to the public that it doesn't matter what we do in private. Now we are wondering why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill. Hmmm, we reap what we sow and we make choices that then make us. It's pretty clear to me that we are facing the consequences of our sin . . . .
If we truly are concerned about America and want to see God's blessings continue to flow on our nation, then we must get down on our knees and pray, live a life in step with the will of God and live our lives to please Him. It is only then that we truthfully have the right to sing: God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her, & guide her, through the night, with the light from above. . .
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
There is not a day that goes by that I don't give thanks for being able to live in this great country and I often ask why? I've done nothing to deserve it but I acknowledge that it is a gift from You. When You bless me, I know that I have a responsibility as I'm blessed to be a blessing. Please help me to be a blessing to others. Help me to be able to set myself aside and look out for the well being of other people. Give me a heart for people and a hunger and a desire for them to come to know You if they don't already. Present opportunities for me to give testimony to Your goodness and Your grace. The Truth is that You can not bless where there is sin and chaos so I pray that the people in this country would seek You with all their heart and turn from their wicked ways. I pray that my life would so runneth over in an abundance of the fruit of the spirit that there would be no question in people's mind of who I belong to and they'd be drawn to me, asking questions. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America but also to You, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, from whom all blessings flow. I have given my life to You for Your purposes and Your ways and I seek to live each day in obedience to You, my God and King. Glory to Your Name!
In Jesus Name,
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