Signers of the Declaration

Have you ever wondered what kind of people signed the Declaration of Independence or what happened to them?  This important document was signed by 56 men who were soft-spoken, wealthy, and educated.  However, by signing their names to the document they put their lives and the lives of their families in jeopardy.  Having their names on that manuscript meant that they valued liberty more than their own safety. Some of these men were soldiers in the war and died from the wounds they sustained. Some were captured and tortured, and others had their homes ransacked and burned. A few were driven from their homes and lived in forests and caves and some family members were dispersed and never found again. 

These men agreed to the following statement: “For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”  Together they had a firm trust that the hand of God would rest on them despite anything that may happen to them.  They were confident that physical and spiritual freedom was of great value – “If the Son [of God] sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).  And they were assured that they needed a firm trust in God – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

These men knew that the document they signed would have a lasting impact on all Americans for years to come.  As a result of their bravery, today you and I have much for which to be thankful to God.  We should be grateful for the forefathers of our country who put their lives on the line when they took quill in hand and signed their name on this document.  And we should give thanks to God for the unlimited blessings he has provided for us in this great country of ours.

The Flag and Our Banner

Since September 11, 2001, and the terroristic attacks against the United States, Flag Day has taken on greater meaning.  June 14 is the anniversary of the official adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress in 1777 as Flag Day.  Celebrations on this day gained in popularity in the eighteen hundreds.  In 1894 the governor of New York ordered that the American flag be displayed at all public buildings.  President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first nationwide Flag Day in 1916 and in 1947, President Harry Truman signed legislation requesting that National Flag Day be observed annually.

The U.S. flag contains 13 red and white stripes which represent the original 13 colonies.  The 50 white stars on a blue background represent the current 50 states comprising the USA.  The colors of the flag are symbolic.  White signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; and blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice.  The stars, stripes and colors of the flag is why it is sometimes referred to as: “The Star-Spangled Banner”, “The Stars and Stripes”, “The Red, White and Blue”, or “Old Glory.”  For Americans, the flag represents all the above.

Not only do Christians stand under the American flag, but they have a special banner flying over them.  That banner is none other than God’s love.  The Bible says, “He has taken me to the banquet hall, and His banner over me is love” (Song of Solomon 2:4). The Scriptures further state:

1)      God loves people so much that He sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

2)      We can have a positive relationship with God because of His gracious act of love. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (I Peter 3:18).

3)      Being part of God’s forever family is based on receiving and believing.  “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

4)      Living with God eternally has been made possible because of Christ. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The American flag should cause us to well up with loyalty and allegiance to our country.  God’s banner over us (His love) should also cause us to well up with gratitude and thanksgiving for His involvement in our lives and the many blessings He provides.

The Glory Due His Name

What is it that God wants you and me to do?  More than anything else, God wants us to live our lives so that He receives glory.  Three verses of scripture express this thought through the phrase “the glory due his name.”

1) "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.  Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” (I Chronicles 16:29).

2) Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness” (Psalm 29:2).

3) “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts” (Psalm 96:8).

The underlined words in the above verses indicate exactly what you and I need to do to give God credit for who He is and what He has done for us.  We are to:

• “Bring an offering” – No one should come into God’s presence without bringing something.  This gift acknowledges that everything – including oneself – belongs to God.
• “Come before Him” – To come is God’s call suggesting that He is a personal God and desires that people enter His presence.  Because Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, we become the righteousness of God when we put our trust in Him.
• “Worship Him” – Since God is worthy of all praise and honor, we should acknowledge his graciousness and goodness as we lift his name in praise and thanksgiving.
• “Come into His courts” – To be in God’s courts means to be in His presence, and we can do so no matter where we are.  However, in a gathering of God’s people (like at a church) we corporately worship him.

Each action above is an extension of oneself to God to lift the Lord up and give Him the glory that is due His name.  As you reflect on these thoughts ask yourself:

1)      What action have I taken that ascribes to the Lord the glory due his name?

2)      Have I brought an offering that suggests that I belong to God?

3)    In what ways have I worshiped God through expressing my praise of him?

4)    Have I come into God’s presence to simply spend time with Him?

We ought to think carefully about God and act each day to make sure that we ascribe to the Lord the glory that is due His name.

The Surpeise of the Ages

Because surprises can be negative or positive, people either dislike them or thoroughly enjoy them. A surprise suggests both the unexpected and the unanticipated.  If a surprise is negative it is disliked, hated, or detested.  When the surprise is positive it usually brings a smile to the face and joy to the heart.

After Jesus died and was buried, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to his tomb. There they were given a wonderful surprise that was explained this way: “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you” (Matthew 28:5-7).  What a wonderful surprise this must have been.  Not only was Jesus not in the tomb but an angel of the Lord told them that he had in fact risen from the dead and they should quickly go and tell the disciples this wonderful news.

We celebrate this great surprise today and commemorate it as Resurrection Sunday.  The Bible tells us that Jesus “Himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (I Peter 2:24).  Jesus’ death satisfied the penalty for our sin which he voluntarily paid for all mankind.  By faith and trust in Him we can enjoy and experience everlasting life – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  By believing in Jesus and receiving him by faith we become part of God’s forever family. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

No wonder the songwriter (Alfred Henry Ackley, 1933) wrote the music and these words that express that Jesus is a living Savior. “I serve a risen savoir, he’s in the world today.  I know that He is living whatever men may say.  I see his hand of mercy; I hear his voice of cheer. And just the time I need him, he’s always near.  He lives.  He lives.  Christ Jesus lives today.  He walks with me and talks with me, along life’s narrow way.  He lives.  He lives.  Salvation to impart.  You ask me how I know he lives; He lives within my heart.”

Any individual can personally apply this surprise of the ages to their own life by simply believing in Jesus and putting complete trust in Him.  All of this takes place because of God’s grace.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).  The part we play is to simply believe and receive this wonderful gift.  “Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (I John 5:10-12).  Allow Jesus’ resurrection, the surprise of the ages, to impact your life.

Two Perspectives

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Most likely you have had a friend or coworker ask for your perspective about a particular situation.  That person may have asked you what you think about a world problem, a certain kind of music, the strategy of a sports team, or a decision made by an employer or a work associate.  The questioner probably wants to know your point of view or how your thinking compares to his or hers.

Since people think differently, a perspective about how any situation is viewed can change dramatically. Here is an example from a Bible story.  After securing freedom from bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years and finally stood across the river from the land of Israel which God had promised them.  Before entering this “new” land Moses decided that spies should be sent into the territory to see what it was like (Numbers 13:2). 

Twelve men were chosen and after forty days in the land they returned with a report.  They said, “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit” (Numbers 13:27).  Sounds good so far, doesn’t it?  But ten of the men continued with a negative report. They said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are…The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size…We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:31-33).  The bold words in the above verses indicate that they thought a “stop” should be put on any plans to enter the land.

However, two spies – Caleb and Nun – gave the following positive report. “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them” (Numbers 14:7-9). Notice the bold words in the above verses which identify why entering the land should be given a “go”

Wow!  Two different perspectives from two groups of people who had obviously observed identical things.  One perspective was “we just can’t do it.” The other perspective was “with God’s help we can do it.”  What made the difference in the perspective involving these two reports?  From a human perspective, the ten looked at the barriers that might hinder.  From God’s perspective the two looked at the blessings that would be theirs through the eyes of faith.  What a difference having a godly perspective makes.

Maybe you are going through a difficult situation and find it hard to see things in a positive light.  Why not begin looking at your situation through the eyes of faith?  Seeing things from God’s perspective is a challenge and will involve faith.  However, this is the perspective that we all need and it will be blessed by God.

Freedom in Christ

Freedom is important for many people as it was for two United States Presidents whose birthdays take place in the month of February – George Washington (February 22) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12).  As you know, Washington was the first president of the United States (1789-1797), but he was also an important military and political leader in America.  He is known as the one who gained independence for the American colonies and later unified them under the new U.S. federal government.  Lincoln was a lawyer and became the sixteenth president of the U.S. (1861-1865).  He led the nation through the Civil War and was successful in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, strengthening the federal government, and updating the U.S. economy.  He was also a dynamic spokesman for antislavery, eventually issuing the Proclamation of Emancipation which was later accepted in the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.  It is interesting that the Bible speaks about freedom.  However, the freedom which the scripture points to is a different kind of freedom – spiritual freedom.  Notice these truths about spiritual freedom identified in the Bible.

1)      Christ gives us spiritual freedom. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). If there ever was a guarantee, this is it.  There is no question that God wants us to enjoy spiritual freedom and we can be confident that freedom is ours through God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  This verse notes that the spiritual freedom we obtain through Christ is a freedom that is assured.

2)      Spiritual freedom separates us from sin and death. “Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). We have been freed from sin.  That means that we do not have to sin because Jesus provides strength for us to live godly lives.  We also have been freed from spiritual death.  We can conquer death because God gives us eternal life through His son.  “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (I John 5:12)

The Bible reminds us that “The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a).  This death is spiritual separation from God.  Spiritual freedom is a gift that is ours when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). Spiritual freedom is fantastic!  It is sad that many people do not enjoy this kind of freedom.  What about you?  Do you enjoy the spiritual freedom about which the Bible speaks?  According to the Bible you can enjoy that freedom today.  John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  We become a part of God’s family (becoming children of God) when we believe in him and personally receive Him into our lives as Savior and Lord.

Change in the Works

Innovation is a process that discovers new and better ways of doing things, or just doing things differently. Many innovations take place quite regularly.  For example: TV programs change; Logos of companies receive upgrades; Long-standing food menus are revised; Styles of worship vary. When personal things become mundane or feel like they do not meet needs, we may want to innovate.  Consider personal innovation from the spiritual realm.  Are you satisfied with the direction your spiritual life is heading? Are you pleased with your devotional life?  Are you happy with your prayer life?  What about your Bible reading or Bible study regimen?  We need to have a willingness to change the way we do things if the innovation will provide personal improvement.  However, as we innovate, we need to make sure that the message of love, grace, and hope in Jesus Christ remains constant.

Scripture reminds us that each of us should conduct our lives in an excellent way.  Why?  Because God is aware of everything we do.  The text says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for me, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24). Notice four aspects of these verses.

(1)   “Whatever you do” suggests Activity.  We ought to be concerned about any and every activity in which we are involved.

(2)   “Work at it with all your heart” implies Action.  The things that we do ought to be carried out with a willingness to be fully engaged with all the effort we can exert.

(3)   “As working for the Lord” entails Method.  We need to realize that there should be a spiritual dimension to the actions or activities that we undertake.

(4)   “An inheritance from the Lord as a reward” points to Motive.  As we work for the Lord, we should do so because of our love for Him.  However, when the work is rewarded, that becomes an additional blessing.

Nothing but the best is required for any activity in which we participate.  The degree to which we put forth effort to do our work should be no less than one hundred percent.  So, innovate and make changes which will help you be your best for the Lord.