I look forward to seeing many of you with us at LOS ALAMOS park for our annual LFC Picnic and BBQ. Always a great time to enjoy a relaxing atmosphere with your LFC family, meet some new friends and connect with those which may attend a different service than the one you usually attend. As we approach the day of INDEPENDENCE, let us remember our need to be dependent upon God - and in our independence let us not forget our need to be interdependent upon those the Lord has placed in our lives.
Below I want to share some of my thoughts, some "cut and paste" insights I have found and above all my hopes that God blesses our land as those who live within her borders see the privilege of living here and the value of a relationship with God. 231 years ago, 56 men representing 13 colonies unanimously accepted the Declaration of Independence severing their relationship with Great Britain. John Adams in his letter to his wife Abigail wrote saying, “Posterity, you will never know what it cost my generation to preserve the freedoms that you now enjoy. I hope you shall make good use of it. And if you do not, I shall repent in heaven for even taken half the pains to preserve it”. We know today, far more than John Adams did of the great price of freedom. A friend in the military wrote and said: "...recent events in the UK remind us, we face a formidable foe who seeks nothing less than our, and our allies, complete destruction."
Why the need for INDEPENDENCE? If we step back to 1517. The Catholic Church in Germany began drifting from scripture. It eventually led Martin Luther, who was a priest to protest what was going on. He was "booted" from the church because of his protest. The church called him a protestor and anyone who followed him Protestants. They were also called Lutherans or Methodists and many were persecuted because of it. Later the king of England established a state church for his own selfish reasons, the Church of England. They called it the Anglican Church and it exists today - a part of the church underneath the Anglican banner is the Episcopal Church. Some who did not agree with the (then) power tactics of the Anglican church, left their ways and began to form a group called the Separatists sailing on the Mayflower to America to form the very first colony. Once in America, they put together a Mayflower Compact, which was like the first Declaration of Independence. It was their first attempt for a self-governing, self-determining rule. Then one event after another led to July 4, 1776. That day they, these colonists they decided to make a separate country from England. And pledging their lives they wrote the Declaration of Independence. Although they tried appealing to King George III, the king just wanted them to come back to the church and under his control. Which brings us to why after the Declaration of Independence; they wrote the first amendment to the constitution. It states, Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Free speech was for the people in order to hold the government accountable to be just in the eyes of God. We hear of separation of church and state. It was so that the state would not dictate how the people would worship God. At the same time it was so that the church wouldn’t use the political system to endorse their doctrines. However, we’ve drifted far from its original intention today.
Some people say that there is a church and state separation so they contend to keep the church and its influence out of the culture. But, we have never needed God more and to live by biblical truth more. Does the state need the church? YES, but they do not know it. If we all lived our lives as God would have us live - served others (as LFC is attempting to do) and allowed our care, grace and love to be evident, the world would realize our value and the hope of the message we proclaim. Sadly some in the church at large, have become judgmental and pious. Some have begun to misuse authority, families are falling apart, and there is a disconnect in what we say and how we live. On the other hand, God says, for those of you who have this bedrock faith the gates of hell won’t even prevail against you. Think how much of an influence we would be to our state if we lived what we believe. One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve studied history is that whenever the church was strong the nation was strong. Yet when the church started to drift, the government reflected the church. We have a huge responsibility as Christians.
Matthew 5:14 - 16"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
When we live for the Lord, our lives make a huge impact upon others. But the inconsistencies are not helping the cause of Christianity.
How can we expect the government to know what’s right and wrong if the church doesn’t? We cannot be upset at our leaders for not living with integrity and righteousness if we in the church are not doing so. We must look among ourselves.The church is more important to America than we will ever realize.
May we live what we believe - this is our freedom. May we let our light shine - this is our freedom. May we serve others - this is our freedom and may we worship God freely - this is our freedom. You are greatly needed - shine your light, let your heart ring out - we are free.
Enjoy your independence as you remain dependent upon God.
I am praying for you,
Happy 4th, Pastor Bernie
Below I want to share some of my thoughts, some "cut and paste" insights I have found and above all my hopes that God blesses our land as those who live within her borders see the privilege of living here and the value of a relationship with God. 231 years ago, 56 men representing 13 colonies unanimously accepted the Declaration of Independence severing their relationship with Great Britain. John Adams in his letter to his wife Abigail wrote saying, “Posterity, you will never know what it cost my generation to preserve the freedoms that you now enjoy. I hope you shall make good use of it. And if you do not, I shall repent in heaven for even taken half the pains to preserve it”. We know today, far more than John Adams did of the great price of freedom. A friend in the military wrote and said: "...recent events in the UK remind us, we face a formidable foe who seeks nothing less than our, and our allies, complete destruction."
Why the need for INDEPENDENCE? If we step back to 1517. The Catholic Church in Germany began drifting from scripture. It eventually led Martin Luther, who was a priest to protest what was going on. He was "booted" from the church because of his protest. The church called him a protestor and anyone who followed him Protestants. They were also called Lutherans or Methodists and many were persecuted because of it. Later the king of England established a state church for his own selfish reasons, the Church of England. They called it the Anglican Church and it exists today - a part of the church underneath the Anglican banner is the Episcopal Church. Some who did not agree with the (then) power tactics of the Anglican church, left their ways and began to form a group called the Separatists sailing on the Mayflower to America to form the very first colony. Once in America, they put together a Mayflower Compact, which was like the first Declaration of Independence. It was their first attempt for a self-governing, self-determining rule. Then one event after another led to July 4, 1776. That day they, these colonists they decided to make a separate country from England. And pledging their lives they wrote the Declaration of Independence. Although they tried appealing to King George III, the king just wanted them to come back to the church and under his control. Which brings us to why after the Declaration of Independence; they wrote the first amendment to the constitution. It states, Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Free speech was for the people in order to hold the government accountable to be just in the eyes of God. We hear of separation of church and state. It was so that the state would not dictate how the people would worship God. At the same time it was so that the church wouldn’t use the political system to endorse their doctrines. However, we’ve drifted far from its original intention today.
Some people say that there is a church and state separation so they contend to keep the church and its influence out of the culture. But, we have never needed God more and to live by biblical truth more. Does the state need the church? YES, but they do not know it. If we all lived our lives as God would have us live - served others (as LFC is attempting to do) and allowed our care, grace and love to be evident, the world would realize our value and the hope of the message we proclaim. Sadly some in the church at large, have become judgmental and pious. Some have begun to misuse authority, families are falling apart, and there is a disconnect in what we say and how we live. On the other hand, God says, for those of you who have this bedrock faith the gates of hell won’t even prevail against you. Think how much of an influence we would be to our state if we lived what we believe. One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve studied history is that whenever the church was strong the nation was strong. Yet when the church started to drift, the government reflected the church. We have a huge responsibility as Christians.
Matthew 5:14 - 16"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
When we live for the Lord, our lives make a huge impact upon others. But the inconsistencies are not helping the cause of Christianity.
How can we expect the government to know what’s right and wrong if the church doesn’t? We cannot be upset at our leaders for not living with integrity and righteousness if we in the church are not doing so. We must look among ourselves.The church is more important to America than we will ever realize.
May we live what we believe - this is our freedom. May we let our light shine - this is our freedom. May we serve others - this is our freedom and may we worship God freely - this is our freedom. You are greatly needed - shine your light, let your heart ring out - we are free.
Enjoy your independence as you remain dependent upon God.
I am praying for you,
Happy 4th, Pastor Bernie
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