The 5th of July!

     Did you eat to much?  Drink to much?  Out in the sun to much?  With relatives to much?  If any of these reflect your yesterday; you are in good company.  My dog, Henry, and I don't like fireworks.  So, we consoled us as it sounded like the end of the world last night.  While I don't mind eating, drinking, sun bathing, or visiting with relatives, I do mind the reason for the excess.  I'm not talking about anything un-American.  Patriotism is a wonderful character trait that should be exercised every day.  We owe a debt of gratitude to all those patriots who have secured the founding of our nation and to this day serve to protect your and my right to do whatever we want, when we want, and how we want...except criminal stuff.  With that in mind, we need to be cognizant of those around us.  That means setting and living a good example of who and what to be an American means.  Certainly we expect standards from others.  Why can't we expect to live up to those same standards?  Yesterday and into the night the money spent on celebrating went into the billions of dollars.  Was it a wise way to spend this money?  What cause or belief do you hold that could have used just a small portion of that money to do something to make the United States of America a better place? 
     What we are really talking about is the "standard" of behavior expressed and lived out by those who know the true meaning of the 4th of July.  It is "standards" that insure that the dream of freedom continues on in both our own lives as well as the lives of our children. Freedom is not free!  Paul exhorts us to give up our lives to live "free" in Christ.  We are called as Christ's ambassadors to be warriors for the Lord.  The goal for all Christians is to be freeing the captive and releasing the oppressed amongst other things.  We are a people called to a particular cause much like, but more important than, that which our forefathers were called.  Their cause was to have freedom from oppression and captivity. The cause being similar, the war waged and won, and the forming of a new nation UNDER GOD.  The cause of the Christian is to do the same thing in a spiritual war with the enemies of God.  Celebrating the 4th of July should only serve as a reminder of the battle that has much more at stake.  The lives and souls of the lost.
     Today across the nation and in the lives of patriots around the world people will bask in the afterglow of the celebration of the freedom of our nation.  In spite of all this nation is involved in and faces, it is still the best and freest nation on earth.  Our people live a lifestyle unequal to anywhere in the world.  We should bask in the afterglow.  However, as in any battle, the cause never ends and the need for vigilance and perseverance continues day by day throughout the years.  How similar to the spiritual battle being fought by Christians around the world.  Many will die for their faith as they share with those who have none.  Soldiers will die for the cause they have signed up to accomplish.  Securing the freedom of the United States and its population is important.  Securing the freedom of souls trapped in sin is even more important.  None of us want our loved ones to die on or off the battlefield.  None of us should sit by and let those who do not know Christ perish when they can be freed. 
     This morning I asked myself if I was doing enough for the cause of Christ.  The answer was no.  That doesn't mean that today I won't or tomorrow I can't; it means today I can and tomorrow I can also.  Question is, what will you do to secure the freedom found only in Christ for those who you love?  Does your celebration of your freedom in Christ exist only on Easter or Christmas?  Does your celebration begin and end on an hour on Sunday morning?  Our soldiers are in battle 24/7 to ensure you have the freedom and rights guaranteed by our nation in order that you can choose how you wish to live.  It wasn't free.  It's not free.  It will never be free.  There will be mistakes, causalities, and even missed opportunities.  The battles will go on.  God will go before you just as our soldiers go before us.