Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July.....235 years old. Still a good place to live and raise a family.
Spoke at Celebrate Recovery North Glencoe last night. God was good and ministry was great as people came to the front to be pray and be prayed for.
Seth Barber, who heads up CR North Glencoe, continues to amaze me as God grows him and stretches him.
Karen led worship and the songs were totally directed to God, asking God to come and meet with us.
Several guys from my past were there....Good to see Steve Yarbrough, Vance Ritchey, Tim Holt, Mark Alexander, Terry Doster, Bubba Dutton, Nick Johnson and so many others.

Today will be a day of celebration for most folks.
There will be cookouts and fireworks.
Time at the pool or the river (not to mention the beach).
Family and friends will gather to eat and reminisce about old times.
The birthday of our country...........The fourth of July.

Jesus purchased our freedom at Calvary.
There blood was spilt to pay for my sin-debt, that I might live free from the bondage of the government of darkness and Satan.
God has called us "out" of the world into a life with Him.
II Corinthians 6:18 reads:
And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As Gos said, "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them" says the Lord. Don't touch filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the Lord.

Just as America won their independence from Great Britain, we have been given our freedom from sin and hell. Therefore, we should never engage again with the things of the devil. That is why God calls us to come out from the world. To not do business or live like the world. There are many today who feel like it is the call of the church to act like, look like and sound like the world so we can attract people to come to our meetings. How backwards is this thinking. Now, before you go postal on me, I'm not suggesting that we all put on brown robes, wear sandals and grow organic vegetables on a mountaintop somewhere far away from the maddening crowd (although such a thought is very entertaining). What takes place in our life and in our church should be guided and given by the Holy Spirit of God.

We are a free people. We should live as such.
We should be the most assured people, because of God's Holy Spirit, that anyone has ever seen.
Folks around us are watching us to see how we handle adversity.
When they see us acting the same way as every one else, then why should they consider coming to church? We are no different in their eyes.
I am reminded of when the economy began to tank back in 2008.
People lost retirement accounts.
Stocks took a major tumble.
Fear was in the air and there was an undercurrent of panic.
God's people should have gone about their business with a calm and resolve. After all, trusting in God means that you don't have to trust the Federal Government.
My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hillsides. IF I find myself in need of something, I say, "It time we had a beef sale." My heavenly Father meets my needs. I can attest to this because that is what He has done over the past 38 years.

During all the hoop-la today, take time to remember who gave us real freedom.
Take time to worship Him today....

God on you.....
mb