CELEBRATE FREEDOM
Sponsored by: "We the People" - Bayou Community
As we come together as citizens of these United States of America, we stand as recipients of a struggle for the liberation and independence of a people under the tyranny and oppression of a monarchy and government, who deemed them as inferior as colonist, though common in language, race, Christian heritage. Among the colonies, disunity; mistrust; self-interest; egos, ambitions, pride, prejudices, theology, separated them. Economics, finance, family relationships brought some connection but remained aloof and suspicious of each other in spite of their interdependence with one another.
The sense and perception of oppression and injustice from its motherland sparked a fire of passion for representation and self-governing with justice and personal freedoms. How to unite and unify 13 colonies whose origins and peoples with such diversities and ambitions as wide as the chasm of the Grand Canyon could be bridged with a common interest of desires, ideals, and objectives into collaboration and design of a realization from vision to reality, if not for common cause and survival, rather than tolerance and enslavement.
The vision had to be more of a reality than their circumstances and its given situation. When negotiations for the recognition of such rights were rejected, words were in need of action. There were the needs of leadership to provide vision; structure and order, guidance and strategy, support and encouragement, stability and unwavering faith in the cause. In taverns and in churches, from government halls to farms, with politicians and clergy, with wealthy and impoverished, the intellectual to the simpleton, from sinner to saint; all knew the season of change was at hand and war was imminent.
Where would the circumstances set in motion take them? Intimidation and force was employed to discourage and demoralize the people. What would ignite the spark that would set aflame the destiny of these colonies, of these people. What sacrifice must be paid - what suffering the cost! Blood, sweat, tears, deprivations of comfort, the inhumane and cruelty of fellow man; families and communities torn apart by loyalties, neighbor against neighbor, hardships, sickness, starvation, confiscations of properties. Husbands and wives, sons and daughters, loved ones and enemies, suffer to either preserve the status quo or embrace change. The struggle is in the decision to fight, remain neutral and indifferent, or oppose the cause. Nevertheless, all is to be affected by the ravages of war. No one remains unscathed. The desire of this independence must be fueled with conviction and passion, prayer and bullets, soldier and citizen. The people must be united for the common cause.
Many will falter and grow weary and compromise to stop the fighting, dry the tears, alleviate the suffering. The desire for peace will result in surrender and abandonment of their dreams and negate their sacrifices and sufferings. Perseverance and endurance, faith in the cause drives the human spirit to overcome and pursue. You are looking beyond yourself to a future of hope, possibilities where independence can grant you liberties and freedoms apart from such oppressions and restrictions that enslave the souls of man. Your family, your children, your grandchildren, your posterity, your descendants will look to this present generation and celebrate your enduring dedication, commitment, faith, and love in God's providence.
This day we are in a battle, not against humanity but with the powers of darkness. A spiritual battle for the soul of this nation and every human soul upon this earth. This is to be fought not with bullets and by force, but faith experienced through love. Evil is conquered by Love and Force by Surrender. " For it is not by power nor by might but by my Spirit, thus says the Lord." There is a price to pay and a cost to incur. The battle belongs to the Lord but the victory is ours. You cannot attract what you dislike. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."
We must evangelize the pew warmer, the lukewarm, the moderate! To many Christians embrace ideologies and philosophies that are demented, diabolical, and evil. Good people with sincerity and honesty are misinformed, misled, deceived. Though propaganda and indoctrination, with aid from media and journalists in conjunction with human secularist with liberalism at its core; has attempted to undermine and eradicate the reality of God, the Bible, as a standard for justice and truth, guideline for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. From federal, state, and local.... executive, legislative, judicial.... administrative, bureaucratic, corporation, business, education, health care, insurance, etc. fall short. What is needed is conversion which is a radical re-orientation of your life, a turning to God, and a repugnance toward sin; repentance which is a redirection of the heart; salvation through Jesus Christ, restoration to God, Church, Society.
For every soldier of Christ Jesus on the front lines but have need of training and discipline. "Zeal without knowledge is a dangerous thing." Intercession is necessary but intervention is absolute. We cannot afford to remain silent and indifferent any longer. Revival must begin in the churches and within Christianity itself before proceeding in the world. You are either hot or cold but if lukewarm God will spew you forth. We must inform and challenge the lukewarm who acknowledge Christ but deny Him by their actions. Denominations, pastors and clergy, churches, congregations, all need to acknowledge differences and not ignore, deny, or neglect obstacles to unifying for the common mandate of evangelism and making disciples of all men! If we but see ourselves truly as servants and not be concerned with who get the credit, we can achieve almost anything and with Christ Jesus that which impossible for man is possible with God. We can, united in spirit and love, dispel the ignorance and darkness of the evil in our nation and in the world. It is God's Church not yours. Quit fighting each other for recognition and worldly accolades. Don't be judged by the size of your membership or splendor of your buildings. Far too many denominations, clergy, religious institutions have embraced liberalism to its determent in apostasy and heresy.
The Church is a sanctuary. A sanctuary is for criminals seeking refuge and safety. It is a hospital for sinners, educational institution, military training facility, a faith filled support group, a family of God in Christ Jesus as brothers and sisters, it is a lighthouse for the storms of life, a distribution center of God's graces. The family is the original cell of society with their parents their official teachers. The health of a nation is dependent upon the health and well being of the institution of family.
It is time to stop playing church and be church. You are the minute men of the Revolution using what is at your disposal and with your talents, treasure, and time in the midst of the battle you come as you are for whose you are. You are a child of God, your body is His temple and is holy, you have been prepared for such a moment as this to engage the enemy and reclaim that which was lost and regain this nation for God, His Word, His Wisdom. His love, His faithfulness still endures. But to whom shall He send...."The spirit of the Lord is upon you, therefore He has anointed us to proclaim the good news, the Gospel. To heal the brokenhearted, to set at liberty the captive, release to the prisoner, sight to the blind, and to announce a year of favor, Jubilee, restoration from the Lord."
Revival starts with you and one other person. You are here today because you have responded to his call. "The harvest is great but the laborers few." Start with your family, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, enemies, co-workers. You are called to inform and be a witness, a beacon of love and hope. It takes God to reform, transform, and conform. The war effort with Uncle Sam extending his hand is that Uncle Sam Needs You. I say God desires you and is in need of you. You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation God has called as his own. The revolutions in France, in Russia, in China, in Cuba embraced an anti-cleric, anti-Christian platform. We in these United States of America embraced a revolution with God's principles for life with mutual respect for the dignity of man. We, too, this day embrace a counter-revolution against socialism, tyranny, pro-death, abortion, corruption, 2-tier justice system, excessive taxation, perversion, and the death knoll of our children's innocence.
"You must put on the armor of God if you are to resist on the evil day; do all that your duty requires and hold your ground." God bless you and dare to make a difference.