Archives for 2019

Good morning,

This week is the second of a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Deuteronomy chapters 6, 7, and 8, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 7. Possessing the land.

LEST THOU FORGET 2

DEUTERONOMY 7

Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 6:12)

INTRODUCTION: Possessing the land

1) Clear Direction (1-5)

1When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites,and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 5But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

2) Who is Israel? (6-8)

6For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

3) Who is God? (9-10)

9Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

4) Obedience Blessings (11-16)

11Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. 12Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments,and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: 13And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine,and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 14Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. 15And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. 16And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.

5) Battle is the Lords (17-24)

17If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? 18Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; 19The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs,and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm,whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid. 20Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that areleft, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. 21Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. 22And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. 23But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed. 24And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven:there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.

6) Destroy Graven Images (25-26)

25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared there in: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. 26Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

CONCLUSION:

GOD WILL FIGHT OUR BATTLES

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week is the second of a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Deuteronomy chapters 6, 7, and 8, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 7. Possessing the land.

Who is Israel? (6-8)

“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

Israel is a holy people. They were chosen by God to be special unto Himself. God did this for two reasons. First, He loved them. Second, because the oath that He made with their fathers. God keeps His promises.

We, as believers in Christ, are part of the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 13:14-16.

 “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:¹⁵ For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.¹⁶ And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.”

We are the “seed”. The promised land is what today is the Middle East, which includes Israel. Israel does not possess all the land that God promised her. She will at a time soon to come.

As God loves His covenant people Israel, He also loves anyone who will trust Christ as Savior and Lord. He states his love for us in John 3:16.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Who is God? (9-10)

“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.”

The Lord thy God is God. He is faithful, keeps covenant, is merciful, and repays evil doers.

This is our God. He is always there when we need Him. He never changes. Malachi 3:6 states, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

If we believe this, it should change the way we look at our lives. We have the God of creation on our side.

Go serve God, in His power, today.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week is the second of a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Deuteronomy chapters 6, 7, and 8, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 7. Possessing the land.

Clear Direction (1-5)

“When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites,and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 5But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.”

God gives the children of Israel clear direction on what to do when they get into the promised land. Reading what God says, it seems extreme. God uses words like possess, smite, utterly destroy, make no covenant with them, show no mercy, do not marry them, destroy their alters, break down their images, cut down their groves, and burn their images.

God created Israel as a holy people. He knew that the people of the land and their idol worship would draw Israel away from worshipping the one and only true God. So, the command was to destroy anything that would draw them away.

Although believers in Christ are not called to destroy all evil forms of worship, we are called to avoid it. The Bible states in 2 Timothy 2:20-23, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.²¹ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.²³ But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.”

We are to flee evil and follow righteousness.

How are we doing?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we begin a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Deuteronomy chapters 6, 7, and 8, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 6. Moses recounts Israel’s history.

Keep

¹⁷Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.  ¹⁸And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers.  ¹⁹To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken. 

Moses stressed that the children of Israel should “…keep the commandments of the LORD your God…” Obedience is what God desires. Moses knew that if Israel obeyed, they would be blessed. Disobedience resulted in a curse from God.

Christians today must obey to receive God’s blessing. Blessings only come from obedience. We choose to either be blessed or cursed. Obey or disobey.

Choose obedience!

Say

²⁰And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?  ²¹Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:  ²²And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:  ²³And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.  ²⁴And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  ²⁵And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Moses reminded the children of Israel to tell their children about what God has done. How will they know if no one tells them.

Romans 10:13-15 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.¹⁴ How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?¹⁵ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Let’s tell someone today.

CONCLUSION:

DO NOT FORGET WHAT GOOD THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR US

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we begin a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Deuteronomy chapters 6, 7, and 8, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 6. Moses recounts Israel’s history.

Beware

¹⁰And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,  ¹¹And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; ¹²Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 

Success breeds forgetfulness. Moses wants the children of Israel to remember who gave them the land, the cities, houses, wells, vineyards, olive trees, and their food. It was the Lord!

How forgetful we are. We assume our success was our doing. That is not true. It was the Lord that allowed us to have life. He endowed us with knowledge, wisdom, strength, to be able to accomplish anything. Without Him we could do nothing.

Fear

¹³Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.  ¹⁴Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; ¹⁵(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.  ¹⁶Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.  

Moses reminded them to fear the Lord. No idol worship. Do not worship the idols of the countries you conquer. Do not worship the gods of these countries. He then reminds them of their previous idol worship.

How timely. Christians also worship idols. An idol can be anything that draws us away from Jesus. Cars, boats, activities, things we spend time doing. It may not be bad, but when it is more important than time with God, it becomes an idol.

If we remember what God has done for us, it will be hard to have idols.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

LEST THOU FORGET

DEUTERONOMY 6

“Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” (Deuteronomy 6:12)

INTRODUCTION:  Moses recounts Israel’s history

1) Purpose 

¹Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:  ²That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 

2) Hear

 ³Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.  ⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:  ⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 

3) Teach

⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  ⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  ⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  ⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 

4) Beware

¹⁰And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,  ¹¹And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; ¹²Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 

5) Fear

¹³Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.  ¹⁴Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; ¹⁵(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.  ¹⁶Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.  

6) Keep

¹⁷Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.  ¹⁸And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers.  ¹⁹To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken. 

7) Say

²⁰And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?  ²¹Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:  ²²And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:  ²³And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.  ²⁴And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  ²⁵And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

CONCLUSION:

DO NOT FORGET WHAT GOOD THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we begin a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Deuteronomy chapters 6, 7, and 8, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 6. Moses recounts Israel’s history.

Hear

 ³Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. ⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:  ⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 

Moses tells the children of Israel to “hear”. Then he tells them to “do it”. What were they to do? They were to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 

God wants us to do the same.

Teach

⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  ⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  ⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  ⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 

Moses also tells them what they have heard to teach them to their children and anyone else in their household. Further they were to bind God’s words upon thy hands and frontlets between their eyes. They were to never forget God’s word.

God tells us in Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Can we say that we love God with all our heart, soul, and might? Do we memorize God’s word so that we will never forget it?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we begin a three-week series titled “Lest we forget”. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 of Deuteronomy, will be our text.

The key verse is Deuteronomy 6:12, which states, “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

The children of Israel are getting ready to go into the promised land. Moses wants them to remember what has taken place in the last 40 years. He does not want them to forget.

This week we will look at Deuteronomy 6. Moses recounts Israel’s history.

Purpose (6:1-2)

“Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.”

Moses purpose was to help the children of Israel remember what they had already been taught.  Hopefully, this would help them to fear the Lord and keep His commandments.

Then they would pass these teachings down to the next generation.

This is precisely what Paul instructed Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Are we telling others about Jesus? When they get saved, do we spend time teaching them God’s word? This is what we are called to do.

Teach someone today!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

INDEPENDENCE THROUGH CONFLICT

July 4 is Independence Day. On this date in 1776, the United States declared their independence from British rule. This caused a conflict. Britain refused to allow the American colonist’s freedom from oppressive taxes, freedom of the press, and freedom to govern themselves. The American colonist’s wanted to be free. A conflict ensued which the American colonist’s won. Independence through conflict.

Since the beginning of time there has been another conflict brewing, the conflict between God and Satan. Genesis 1 tells how God created heaven, earth, vegetation, animals, and man and woman. He also created the angels. Ezekiel 28:13-16 tells us of Lucifer (Satan), his creation as a perfect angel, his beauty, his residence in Eden. Isaiah 14:12-15 tells of Satan’s rebellion against God. Revelation 12:4 tells of one third of the angels who followed Satan’s rebellion. Satan has been in conflict with God from the beginning.

Genesis 3 brings us the first confrontation. God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan comes to Eve and tempts her with the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. She takes the fruit, eats it, and gives it to her husband Adam. Adam knew what God had commanded and chose to ignore God. The first sin. An animal is sacrificed and blood atonement is made for Adam and Eve. God has given men and women a free will to choose to follow or reject Him.

Genesis 3:15 tells us of the coming Redeemer Jesus Christ who died on the cross to be the once for all sacrifice for man’s sin.

This conflict is playing out for the souls of men and women. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 states, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This is Satan and his fallen angels (demons) in conflict with men and women.

Who wins? God does at the cross of Calvary. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Whose side of the conflict are you on? Whose would you like to be on?

Contact me:

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, chaplain@alaskaseniors.com, 907 715-4001

Independence Day: True liberty and freedom

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

Our founding fathers knew the price of liberty. They were under the yoke of bondage of the British. When they came together to ratify and sign the Declaration of Independence, they knew that they would be committing treason and would be hunted men. Who were these men?

“All of the colonies were represented in Philadelphia to consider the delicate case for independence. In all, there were fifty-six representatives from the thirteen colonies. The ages of the signers ranged from 26 (Edward Rutledge) to 70 (Benjamin Franklin), but the majority of the signers were in their thirties or forties. More than half of the signers were lawyers and the others were planters, merchants and shippers. Together they mutually pledged “to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” They were mostly men of means who had much to lose if the war was lost. None of the signers died at the hands of the British, and one third served as militia officers during the war. Four of the signers were taken captive during the war and nearly all of them were poorer at the end of the war than at the beginning.” (ConsitutionFacts.com)

They were willing to die for the cause of freedom.

As we enjoy our country’s Independence Day, let us consider that there is a battle for the souls of men that continues to rage.

^“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13

Our country is free.  Will we be free from our battle with sin?

FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

“Taxation without representation!” was the battle cry in America’s 13 Colonies, which were forced to pay taxes to England’s King George III despite having no representation in the British Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to quell the early movement toward rebellion. Repeated attempts by the Colonists to resolve the crisis without military conflict proved fruitless.

On June 11, 1776, the Colonies’ Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and formed a committee whose express purpose was drafting a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer, crafted the original draft document. A total of 86 changes were made to his draft and the Continental Congress officially adopted the final version on July 4, 1776.

STAR SPANGLED BANNER

On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, relentlessly pounding the American fort for 25 hours. The bombardment, known as the Battle of Baltimore, came only weeks after the British had attacked Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol, the Treasury and the President’s house. It was another chapter in the ongoing War of 1812.

A week earlier, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, had boarded the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay in hopes of persuading the British to release a friend who had recently been arrested. Key’s tactics were successful, but because he and his companions had gained knowledge of the impending attack on Baltimore, the British did not let them go. They allowed the Americans to return to their own vessel but continued guarding them. Under their scrutiny, Key watched on September 13 as the barrage of Fort McHenry began eight miles away.

“It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone,” Key wrote later. But when darkness arrived, Key saw only red erupting in the night sky. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. The hours passed slowly, but in the clearing smoke of “the dawn’s early light” on September 14, he saw the American flag—not the British Union Jack—flying over the fort, announcing an American victory.

Key put his thoughts on paper while still on board the ship, setting his words to the tune of a popular English song. His brother-in-law, commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key’s work and had it distributed under the name “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” The Baltimore Patriot newspaper soon printed it, and within weeks, Key’s poem, now called “The Star-Spangled Banner,” appeared in print across the country, immortalizing his words—and forever naming the flag it celebrated.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

God has blessed this nation. Our forefathers came to this country to obtain religious liberty. They fought for independence from the economic tyranny of Britain. Many died, but God allowed us to prevail. Freedom was bought through the blood and women who believed in freedom.

JESUS FREED US

The Bible tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”. (Romans 3:23) We have a sin debt that we cannot pay. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) It was Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross for us, that paid our sin debt. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

Christ made us free from our debt of sin. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2) So we must, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

Who is Jesus? Jesus answered that question in John 14:6. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Jesus gave us freedom, but we must be willing to take it.

INDEPENDENCE THROUGH CONFLICT

July 4 is Independence Day. On this date in 1776, the United States declared their independence from British rule. This caused a conflict. Britain refused to allow the American colonist’s freedom from oppressive taxes, freedom of the press, and freedom to govern themselves. The American colonists wanted to be free. A conflict ensued which the American colonist’s won. Independence through conflict.

Since the beginning of time there has been another conflict brewing, the conflict between God and Satan. Genesis 1 tells how God created heaven, earth, vegetation, animals, and man and woman. He also created the angels. Ezekiel 28:13-16 tells us of Lucifer (Satan), his creation as a perfect angel, his beauty, his residence in Eden. Isaiah 14:12-15 tells of Satan’s rebellion against God. Revelation 12:4 tells of one third of the angels who followed Satan’s rebellion. Satan has been in conflict with God from the beginning.

Genesis 3 brings us the first confrontation. God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan comes to Eve and tempts her with the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. She takes the fruit, eats it, and gives it to her husband Adam. Adam knew what God had commanded and chose to ignore God. The first sin. An animal is sacrificed and blood atonement is made for Adam and Eve. God has given men and women a free will to choose to follow or reject Him.

Genesis 3:15 tells us of the coming Redeemer Jesus Christ who died on the cross to be the once for all sacrifice for man’s sin.

This conflict is playing out for the souls of men and women. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 states, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This is Satan and his fallen angels (demons) in conflict with men and women.

Who wins? God does at the cross of Calvary. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Whose side of the conflict are you on? Whose would you like to be on?

CONCLUSION

True freedom comes from Jesus Christ

Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death

Jesus has overcome Satan