A few thoughts...

  We have so much to be grateful this 4th of July.  Current happenings in America are often discouraging, and to make matters worse, the church is asleep.  We seldom counter our discouragement with gratitude for the good things we still have.  We still have religious freedom.  We can still home-educate our children.   For the most part, we can still make our own health decisions.  We need to thank God for the liberties He has preserved for us.  We have many freedoms where we do not deserve even one!  This Independence Day, I want to encourage you to thank God for the many blessings and liberties we enjoy in America, and to pray for the repentance and restoration of the church as God's covenant people.

Most of you have seen bumper stickers that say "God bless America."  But how can we ask God to bless us if we are not living in obedience to His Word?  The Bible is clear:  "Wherefore it shall come to pass, if you hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD your God shall keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers." (Deuteronomy 7:12)  We cannot expect God to bless our nation until we submit ourselves to His law and obey His commands.  

"Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth."  (Deuteronomy 28:1)

Let us be grateful for the freedoms we possess, and plead with God to forgive our sins.  You and I may never have murdered a baby or lived in immorality, but as a nation we are responsible for gross sins in these and many other areas.  The state of the nation always reflects the state of the church, and the church in America today is not faithful to preach God's Word with boldness.  We are afraid to call sin sin, instead trying to "tolerate" everyone with whom we come in contact.  Instead, we must speak the truth in love and pray that the church will lead America in repentance.

"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  (2 Chronicles 7:14)

There is hope for our country, because our hope is in the LORD, not in government, and not in any president or politician (who, by the way, are all fallen men just like the rest of us).

"Blessed are the people who are so situated; how blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!" (Psalm 144:15)

Thank you for reading, and I would love to hear your thoughts on this.  Happy Independence Day!
-Elise

<photo credit goes to my fair sister, Libby>