Introduction to the Gospel of Mark

 

Mark’s message and mission is to reflect, Jesus Christ the Son of God, The Servant King.

Mark 10:45 says it best:  

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

True to that ministry of humility Mark doesn’t even provide his name.

But almost every Church father and historian agrees this gospel was written by Mark.

More precisely, John Mark.

It was common for first century Jews that had dealings with the Roman world to add a Roman name to their given Jewish name.

Perhaps we can think of it as, John, doing business as, Mark.  

Mark’s mom had a house in Jerusalem large enough to be used as a meeting place for prayer. Tradition says the Upper Room in that house was the location of the Last Supper. In Acts 12:12, Peter went there after an angel released him from prison, and there he found the Church in prayer, for him to be released from prison.

As a teenager in the house Mark was greatly influenced by the ministry of Jesus.

He may have even been tagging along on the night Jesus was betrayed... and perhaps became the first streaker. “Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, ⁵² and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.” (Mark 14:51-52).

As a young man Mark went on the first missionary journey with his cousin Barnabus, and the apostle Paul. For reasons we don’t know, young Mark left that journey early. Paul was upset with Mark and didn’t want him to go with them again. Barnabus, the encourager, was upset with Paul for being upset with Mark.

So much so that they parted ways. Mark went with Barnabus and Paul went with Silas. Acts 15:36–41.

Later, they reconciled and Paul complimented Mark as a fellow worker, comfort and useful in ministry. Colossians 4:10–11, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 24.   

Mark also ministered with Peter. Perhaps he was Peter’s protégé, because Peter calls him his “son”. 1 Peter 5:13.

It’s believed that under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Mark put to pen, Peter’s words regarding the life of Christ and thus we have the Gospel According to Mark.

Mark didn’t let any grass grow under his feet.

He not only served ministers like Barnabus and Paul and Peter but is considered one of the most influential figures in the spread of Christianity in Africa.

The last leg of Mark’s ministry journey was to Egypt settling in Alexandria, which was a major intellectual and pagan hub in the ancient world.

There Mark got busy about his Father’s business of soul winning and disciple making.

Same thing we’re called to do. Simply spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Mark stayed the course and before long the Church of Alexandria was born.  

As is often the case, the Good News about Jesus was bad news for the bad guys, the pagan religious system.

The Truth offends the lie.

How do we know we’re living in days of deception?

Everybody is so easily offended.

Getting offended is opposite the character of Godliness.

Mark spoke the Truth in a den of lies, and thus, like Christ, Mark became a marked man.

The demonic hatred grew until one Easter Sunday Service the mob stormed the Church and tied Mark with ropes and hooks and dragged him through the streets until his flesh was shredded and scattered up and down the rocky streets of the city.

But he was still breathing. So, they cast him in prison for the night.

Even then, Mark wouldn’t relent, wouldn’t plead for mercy, did not beg for his life. For he knew they couldn’t take his life, it was already given to Christ.

To live is Christ, to die is gain. Philippians 1:21.

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8.

So, the next day, the demonized mob drug him again, until Mark echoed the words of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, “Into Thy hands I commit my spirit.” And with that, Minister Mark, entered Eternal Life.

The mad mob was not satisfied, because sin never is. As they prepared to burn Mark’s body to ashes, a heavy storm poured down on their plans.  

Which allowed the Christians to retrieve and respectfully bury Mark’s body.  

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Indeed, Mark did that, lived that. Do we?

Today Mark is credited as the founder of the Church of Alexandria and is recognized as the first Pope of Alexandria by the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Archeological artifacts regarding Mark’s ministry are split between Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt and the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, Italy.

 

The Gospel of Mark reveals Jesus Christ the Son of God, The Servant King, busy about His Father’s business.

This fast paced Gospel, spotlights Jesus Christ as a Man on the move, leading by serving, sacrificially, continuously.

Mark is already running when he opens the gate of the Good News, looking back only once, just long enough to point to a couple prophets that predicted the forerunner, John the Baptist, who preached and baptized, “Repent” and pointed toward the One to come, whose shoe latchet he wasn’t fit to unloose.

Then, it’s full steam ahead as Jesus steps onto the scene and into the water, is baptized by John, then, led by the Spirit into the wilderness with wild beasts to be tempted by the devil and then, ministered to by angels.

Then John goes to prison and Jesus goes to Galilee, picking up where John left off preaching, “Repent”.

Then Jesus calls fishermen to be fishers of men.

Then He casts out a demon in the middle of Church.

Then He heals Peter’s mom.  

Then, the sun goes down and the diseased and demonized show up. Without slowing down Jesus heals and delivers.

Then, Jesus is up before the sun and out and alone, and in prayer.

When they finally find Him, He’s says it’s time to go, and they’re off, from town to town preaching and teaching and casting out demons.

Then, along comes a leper, saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Jesus, moved with compassion, and, for the first time it seems, He causes time to stand still, as He reaches out, and touches the untouchable, saying, “I AM willing, be clean.”  

Then, in that moment, the leper, is a leper, no more.

And all of that was just the highlights of the first chapter of this Glorious Gospel.   

Now, before we enter the Holy Ground of this Sacred Scripture let’s prepare our hearts by going back in our imaginations to the first century.

You are about to hear this Gospel being read for the very first time.

You are not sitting safely, comfortably, but hiding under the city of Rome, in a damp, dark, catacomb, surrounded by bones and skulls and cadavers saturating the atmosphere with the stench of death.  

Why are we hiding?

Because Emperor Nero is nuts.

He hunts folks like us, Christians.

If he catches us, he’ll cover us in animal skins and feed us to wild dogs. Or he’ll dip us in tar oil, hang us from a post and ignite us like a torch to illuminate his garden. Or, for sport he’ll put us in the center of the crowded coliseum and turn the hungry lions loose.

We don’t want to die like that, so we take precautions when we gather to hear the Good News.

Yes, it’s dangerous.

Yes, we may get caught.

Yes, we may be fed to wild animals, or burned alive...

But we will never stop.

To stop would be like trying to go on living, but doing so, without breathing.

Gathering and Hearing His Word is our Daily Bread, our Breath of Life.

There.

Now that you’ve been introduced to Mark.

Now that you understand the perils of the preaching of this book.

We will open the door, and cross the threshold, and begin our journey together through this Glorious Gospel of Mark.

But first, we must pause and pray.  

Lord Jesus, how can we thank You for the price that was paid to prepare and preserve Your Holy Word for us to freely read? How should we live, how can we serve, what can we do, to honor You and carry on this legacy of Love You’ve left us? When our lives are said and done, we pray we’ll be known as soul winners and disciple makers, so that of all those You’ve given us, none are lost.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.   

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The Swan Song of Lion Kings, Ezekiel 19

“Moreover,

A conjunction saying, in addition to what was just said.

What was just said?

Judgement is coming. Repent. I take no pleasure in death, turn and live. Ezekiel 18:30-32.

Moreover, Ezekiel, since they won’t repent, turn and live...

 take up a lamentation

Prepare a dirge, a funeral march, a swan song, a lamentation...

for the princes of Israel,

Specifically, the last kings of Judah, who were evil sons, and one grandson, of Godly King Josiah.

609 BC. Jehoahaz (aka Shallum), king for three months.

609-597 BC. Jehoiakim, king for eleven years.

597 Jehoiachin: Jehoiakim’s son, Josiah’s grandson, king for three months.

597-586 BC Zedekiah, king for eleven years.

1 Chronicles 3:15.

² and say:

‘What is your mother? A lioness:

This refers to the kingdom of Judah.

It comes from Genesis 49:8-11, when Jacob was blessing each of his sons. When he got to Judah, he said this:

⁸ “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
⁹ Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
¹¹ Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

Remember verse ten. It is a Messianic prophecy. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, means a King’s reign from Judah shall have no end.

Remember verse eleven, it is a foreshadowing of when The Lion, returns with a roar.

She lay down among the lions;

The kingdom of Judah commits idolatry with surrounding pagan nations.

Among the young lions she nourished her cubs.

She raised her children in the ways of the world.

³ She brought up one of her cubs,

Jehoahaz, also known as Shallum (1 Chronicles 3:15, Jer. 22:11-12).

And he became a young lion;

He became strong. He became king at 23 when his Godly father Josiah died in battle. 2 Kings 23:29-31.

He learned to catch prey,

He was violent.

And he devoured men

He was ruthless. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. 2 Kings 23:32.

⁴ The nations also heard of him;

Even the evil nations thought he was evil.

He was trapped in their pit,

And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt.

This is how we know it is referring to Jehoahaz, because he is the king that was taken to Egypt.

2 Kings 23:31-34. Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. (NOTE: This in not Jeremiah the Prophet). ³² And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. (Fathers, not father, his father was Godly Josiah, this refers to ungodly ancestors like great grandfather Manasseh and grandfather, Amon). ³³ Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. ³⁴ Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Pharaoh took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he died there.

Now, there’s an eleven year gap between verses 4 and 5, while Jehoiakim reigned from 609 – 597 between Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin.

Jehoiakim is skipped in the dirge, perhaps because he was exceedingly wicked and cursed, perhaps because he’s the only one not taken captive, but probably because, he was an illegitimate king, he was installed as a puppet by Pharaoh.

Here’s a snapshot into the wicked life of Jehoiakim:

Jeremiah 22:19. He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 26:23, Jehoiakim had the Lord's Prophet Urijah, killed

Jeremiah 36:23–24, as the scroll of Jeremiah was read, declaring the invasion of Egypt and Babylon was God's judgement on Judah due to their wickedness. Jehoiakim, cut off the scroll and threw it into the fire. (Same evil as those trying to rewrite and erase the Godly history of America).

Jeremiah 36:30. He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night.

597 BC this prophecy was fulfilled when, in the eleventh year of Jehoiakim’s reign, he stopped paying tribute to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar responded by besieging Jerusalem. According to Josephus, Jehoiakim was killed during the siege, and his body was thrown over the city wall. LIKE GARBAGE

⁵ ‘When she saw that she waited, that her hope was lost,

She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

Judah made Jehoiakim’s eighteen year old son, Jehoiachin, their king. 2 Kings 24:8.

⁶ He roved among the lions,

And became a young lion;

He learned to catch prey;

He devoured men.

⁷ He knew their desolate places,

And laid waste their cities;

The land with its fullness was desolated

By the noise of his roaring.

Jehoiachin, the grandson of Godly Josiah, did evil in the sight of the sight of the Lord. 2 Kings 24:9.

Just one generation from the strong Godly national revival of Josiah to the corrupt, wretched, weakness of his sons and grandson.

“Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.” President Ronald Reagan.

⁸ Then the nations set against him from the provinces on every side,

And spread their net over him;

He was trapped in their pit.

⁹ They put him in a cage with chains,

And brought him to the king of Babylon;

They brought him in nets,

That his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.

597 BC. Jehoiachin, was king for only three months, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, again, and took him captive to Babylon, where he died. 2 Kings 24:11-12.

10 ‘Your mother was like a vine in your bloodline,

Planted by the waters,

Fruitful and full of branches

Because of many waters.

Oh, beautiful land of Judah, with purple mountain majesty above the fruited plain, where God shed His grace on thee, and crowned thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

11 She had strong branches for scepters of rulers.

She towered in stature above the thick branches,

And was seen in her height amid the dense foliage.

Oh, dear Judah, you have the blood of strong righteous rulers in your veins.

Your founding fathers Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, and David and Solomon... (and George Washington, and John Adams, and Abraham Lincoln...) rose and fought and stayed the course, and laid the foundation of a Godly, prosperous, blessed nation.

For you to tend and keep and enjoy, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  

 

12 But she was plucked up in fury,

She was cast down to the ground,

And the east wind dried her fruit.

Her strong branches were broken and withered;

       The fire consumed them.      

13 And now she is planted in the wilderness,

In a dry and thirsty land.

Instead of staying the course of your founding fathers, your founding documents, your constitution... you rejected the Source of your excellence and turned to false foreign gods.

Make no mistake. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7.

You’ve sown to the wind and are reaping the whirlwind.  

14 Fire has come out from a rod of her branches

And devoured her fruit,

So that she has no strong branch—a scepter for ruling.’ ”

This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.

THE END.

The swan song goes silent.

The lamentation breathes its last.

586 BC. Zedekiah deposed from the throne ended a lamentable, wicked, rule, but more alarming, ended the royal dynasty of David.

Your very own rulers burn you to the ground.

Corruption, waste, fraud and abuse, from within, devour you.

Godly leadership is replaced by godless foreign interests.

The trajectory of the nation is a death march to the grave.

But how could this happen?

They had promises from God.

2 Samuel 7:16
And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.

Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord will perform this.

But it was like the lights went out, all went black.

Psalm 11:3. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?

What do you do when all is lost, with no hope in sight?

The faith chapter opens answering that question:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1.

The solution is no mystery. The plan is already made. The path is clear to see. Follow the faith giants who through faith and patience received the Promise. Hebrews 6:12.

The Lord through Jeremiah told them plainly, but they refused:

Jeremiah 6:16
This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, Godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Nevertheless, His Truth marches on, and in the fullness of time, The Lion of Judah, came as a cub, but quickly grew to be known as, The King.

Just to be sure, Pilate asked:

Are You The King of the Jews? (Matthew 27:11).

Pilate did not ask, “Are you a king... he asked are You THE King. Definite article, “the”. Are You, The One and Only King?

Jesus said, “It is as you say.” In other Words: I AM.

In the beginning, in the first book, in Genesis, the precedent was set when Jacob prophesied about the scepter never departing from The Lion of Judah.  

In the middle the Lord told Ezekiel to write a lament for the lions of Judah who failed.

But in the end, in the last book, in Revelation, John is told, not to weep, not to lament, for the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed... Revelation 5:5.

The Lion King, is coming back to roar, as King of kings and Lord of lords, Revelation 19:11-16.

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

Previously we said to remember Genesis 49:11, it foreshadows when The Lion, returns with a roar.

Genesis 49:11... He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

Revelation 19: ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood... ¹⁵ ...He Himself treads the winepress

The lions of Judah died in their iniquity, but The Lion of Judah, died FOR our iniquity, and turned death itself backwards.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, those kings had it made, until they let their blessing become their god. The nation of Israel was blessed beyond measure, until they rejected You.

We are not so different.

Please forgive US and help US to return to You. Individually, and corporately. As a Church and nation, humbly honoring You. It’s a big ask. Our internal corruption is akin to what we’ve just read. But, Lord, You specialize in bringing Life from death. So, we Your people, humble ourselves, seek Your face, turn from our wicked ways, and trust, You, will do, what only You can do, and heal our land.

Now, this moment, and every moment from here through Eternity, keep us busy, about Your business of being soul winners and disciple makers.

Thank You.

We Love You, forever.

Amen.

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The Truth, James 5:19-20

 

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

For a Grand Finale, to the book of James, the Holy Spirit, through James, provides a colossal warning and a powerful promise.  

Notice, the “Brethren” are being addressed, and among them are those who wander and those who turn.

Wanderers and turners.

Brethren... Fifteen times we’ve read that familial word in this short letter. It’s like saying, “My dear family.”

If anyone among you... not anyone in the world, but anyone, among you, our dear family, dear Church family.

If anyone among you wanders...

It’s important to understand the meaning of the words the Holy Spirit used in the original text.  

Wanders: Greek word: planaó: from which we get our word planet, like a wandering planet. (Like some of your minds might be doing right now, wandering, yawning, wondering, “why do we need to talk about some other language?”

Why? Because you never want to planaó. You’ll know why in a moment—if you don’t wander.

Jesus used it in Matthew 18:12-13 when talking about the one sheep that had gone astray (planaó).

Hebrews 11:38 uses it speaking of our Faith heroes, “of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.”

However, the Greek word planaó is normally, not so harmless. It means to lead astray, to deceive, moral deception, to cause to wander. It almost always suggests the sin of wandering.

Isaiah 53:6. All like sheep have gone astray.

Anyone who denies The Truth in one area, is usually deceived in many.  

Planaó was used by Jesus of the hypocrites trying to trap Him. “You are mistaken, (planaó) not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29.

 Jesus repeats it multiple times when speaking of the end times. “Take heed that no one deceives (planaó) you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive (planaó) many.... ²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:4-5.

We are living in days of deception (planaó).

You do not want to wander, unless you want to swim in the lake of fire, forever:

Then the beast (antichrist) was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived (planaó) those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two (antichrist and false prophet) were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.... 20:10, the devil, who deceived (planaó) them, was cast into the lake of fire... 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 19:20, 20:10, 15.

Whoa!

Wandering (planaó) is serious!

DO NOT WANDER!

Wandering leads to the lake of fire!

If anyone among you wanders....

Do you see the gravity of these Words?

Wandering can happen to anyone. It can happen to anyone among us, Church attending, Bible believing Christians, anyone of us, Pastors, Teachers, Preachers, anyone of us can wander, can be deceived and deceive; can go astray, and lead astray, and away... From the Truth.

 

Dear family, if anyone among you wanders from The Truth.

Definite article, the.

Not a truth, your truth, my truth...

The One and Only Truth.

If anyone among you wanders from The Truth.

Wandering always leads away from The Truth.

Jesus is The Way, The Truth, The Life, no one gets to heaven except through Him. John 14:6.

No one wanders into heaven.

What a sobering warning for the Church.

This is not talking to the world, because the world doesn’t have The Truth, is not in The Truth, with The Truth, so they can’t wander from The Truth.

God is Love.

In Love is Freedom.     

So, the “Brethren” the Church, we the people of God have freedom to leave His Presence, to wander (planaó) from His Truth... to the world.

1 Corinthians 10:12
Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Anyone of us can willingly wander, be deceived, go astray.  

Jesus said if we abide (dwell, remain, stay, live) in His Word, we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make us free. John 8:31-32.

Truth and Freedom go hand in hand.

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back...

Notice: If anyone wanders and someone turns him... Anyone and someone are the exact same word in the original text. Greek: tis.

Therefore: anyone can wander... and anyone can be used by God to turn them around.

No one is too big to fall or too small to help someone rise.

You can be a soul winner and a disciple maker.

That is my prayer for you, every single day.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Okay, let's look again at the last verse in our text in James:

^{James 5:20} let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

So, the “anyone” who wanders from the Truth in verse 19, is called “a sinner” in verse 20. A sinner in error, with a soul headed toward death carrying a multitude of sins.

Notice it says, “save a soul from death” not “save a body from death.”

This is talking about soul saving Salvation from hell.

Notice the wanderer's spiral downward and the turner's trajectory upward.  

The wanderer, wanders from the truth, devolves into a sinner, in error, headed to hell covered in sin. You do NOT want to wander. It’s a lava slide into the lake of fire.

The turner, turns, reverts, converts, the sinner, saving a soul, covering a multitude of sins.

Remember, “anyone” referred to the wanderer, and “someone” referred to the turner, but in the original text it is the exact same word.

So, choose you this day, which will you be?

Turner?

Or wanderer?

My prayer, and God’s will, is that you will choose to be:

A SOUL WINNER AND A DISCIPLE MAKER.

‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ Ezekiel 33:11.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, oh how we need You. Our hearts are prone to wander. Please hold us and help us to stay the course and abide in Your Truth, with every breath. Thank You for teaching us to turn sinners to You. So that of all those You’ve given us, none are lost.

We look forward to seeing You soon. When we do, we pray You will find us faithful, busy, about Your business, being soul winners and disciple makers.

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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Thank you for sharing.

 

America, We Hold These Truths

Independence Day is  much, much, more than a birthday celebration, it is a Declaration of Freedom.

A sacred memorial for the day our forefathers took a stand against tyranny.

For over a dozen years our founding fathers tried to make a peaceful union with Great Britain’s ever increasing tyranny.

But the controlling spirit of a tyrant is never satisfied.

So, finally, they had to put pen to parchment and write a “Dear John” letter.

We call it our Declaration of Independence.

They prayed and labored for seventeen days. The history making, world changing document was only a little over 1,300 words.

 They gracefully echoed the sentiment of Patrick Henry a year earlier. “Give me liberty or give me death!”

They meant it, and proved it, by signing their names after these final words of the Declaration:  with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

We totally trust God and are totally committed to the cause of Freedom.

They meant it, and proved it, by giving their Lives, Fortunes and Sacred Honor.

Some died in battle, others in poverty, their houses burned, their businesses destroyed, their families shattered and scattered.

Like the disciples of Christ, not one, surrendered, turned back or gave up the fight for the Freedom, we celebrate today.

The fight for Freedom continues.

Yesterday, one of the baby doves in the nest outside our dining room window gained her independence, on Independence Day. Not long after she took the leap of faith from the nest, I found her on the ground hiding under a little evergreen tree.

As she sat there, a long black snake, an enemy of her freedom, was heading her way, for lunch.

Perhaps by Providence, I happened to be there to go between the little dove and the serpent and chase it away.   

There have always been enemies against Freedom.

The first enemy of Freedom was deception, in the garden, when the serpent (devil) hissed to Eve, “Has God said you cannot eat from any tree in the garden?” Genesis 3:1.

Eve: No, we can freely eat from every tree in the garden, except for one...” Genesis 3:2-3.

They (Adam and Eve) ignored the Word of God, listened to the word of the devil, lost freedom, gained bondage, to sin and death... for all mankind.

Today, we the people, stand at the marvelous milestone of 250 years of Freedom.

At 250 years we are a relatively young nation, yet we have the oldest active constitution. The average length of a nation’s constitution is 17 years.

As we look back over America’s HIStory the golden thread of Providence, is obvious.

By the grace of God, our rag-tag militia of farmers, businessmen, pastors, regular folks, stood against the world’s strongest military might.

George Washington’s coat had bullet holes, his hair had bullet fragments, yet he was untouched.

Our troops were trapped, surrounded by thousands of Britain’s best; but then, a deep fog dropped and hid them and they made their escape.

Battle after battle, little America against Giant Great Britain, David against Goliath. Some we won, some we lost. All, we prayed.

When the smoke cleared, America was standing, and Britain was waving a white flag.  

September 3, 1783, we signed the Treaty of Paris formally ending the American Revolutionary War. At the very top of the treaty, written large, are the words:

  In the Name of the Most Holy & undivided Trinity

What a powerful statement. In reference, of course, to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three in One.  

They knew where their Strength came from.

Today, our currency reads: In God We Trust.

By His Strength, we’re still standing.

By His Grace we’ve become among the most blessed of nations. In turn, we’ve blessed hundreds of millions around the world.

In that bloody battle with Britain, we left a blood trail in the snow from the bloody feet of our hungry soldiers in worn out boots, and clothes.

Today, we give $50-$80 billion a year, to help shelter and feed and clothe multiplied millions around the world. America is the largest provider of foreign aid in history. We give more than the next three donors combined (Germany, Japan, UK). We even helped rebuild nations that warred against us (Germany, Japan...)

Freedom is conducive to creativity and American creativity is unsurpassed.

With only 4% of the world’s population each year we produce more inventions and patents than the rest of the world. Our 4% have won more than 50% of the world’s Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences.

Additionally, our 4% produces 25% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP, total global market value of goods produced).

How does that translate to the kitchen table? Our bank account?

The World Bank sets the global poverty level at $785 per year ($2.15 day). Adjusted for more prosperous countries at an annual income of $2,500 (6.58 day).

However, the poverty level in America is $15,960 per year ($44 per day).

Common health problems for the poor around the world are malnutrition, hunger, thinness, and stuntedness.

In America, the common health problem among the poor is obesity.

America is exceptional in racial equality. Even though many Marxists, Progressives, and race baiting left wing extremists, deliberately deceive like the serpent, rewriting history and then, deceiving naïve souls.

The Truth is that in the 400 years of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade from 1501 to 1875 only 3% went to American colonies. That’s 3% too much, and America went to war to stop it. The US is the only nation where whites went to war against whites on behalf of blacks. Resulting in over half a million white lives, given for the sake of ending slavery.

In America as early as 1641 blacks were elected to office and more than 1,000 were elected to local, state, and federal positions by the late 1800s.

By comparison, it wasn’t until 1987 that a black person was elected in Great Britain, 2006 in Italy, 2010 in Russia.

America’s colonies became the first major region in the world to abolish slavery, with all the northern states passing abolition laws by 1804, long before any other nation on earth.

America was the first nation in the world to sign a law banning slave trade (March 2, 1807). Today, of 193 nations on earth, 94 still have not outlawed slave trade.    

America purchases and distributes around the world more Bibles than any other nation.

America, more than any other nation, has been, an ally to Israel.

Today, America stands, at this marvelous milestone of 250 years of Freedom.

Yet we also stand at a threshold of deception. As in the garden, when Freedom was stolen by deception. 

Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”

Jesus said if we abide in His Word, we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make us free. John 8:31-32.

Truth and Freedom go hand in hand.

It is encouraging that, we the people, as a nation, have just celebrated five events focused on Truth. God’s Truth. Jesus said, I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life. John 14:6.

1.    April 19-25 America Reads the Bible (Initiated by Church)

2.    May 7 America's National Day of Prayer (Initiated by state (government).

3.    May 17 America Rededication to the Lord (state)

4.    May 24 Pentecost Sunday (Church)

5.    July 4th America's 250th Anniversary (state)

(How beautiful! Church and State, united honoring Christ. Our Founding Fathers would be so pleased).

2 Chronicles 7:14
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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Yeah, but Doug, the 4^th of July isn’t focused on Truth, on Jesus, it’s focused on hotdogs, apple pie and fireworks.

Glad you mentioned that.

What happened on the 4^th of July 1776?

Signing of the Declaration of Independence.

And what does it say?

Did you know the Bible is quoted and referred to, many times more, than any other resource in our founding documents? Our Declaration is saturated with the Word of God and prayer. In a Word: Truth.  

Speaking of Truth, let’s look at it.

Declaration of Independence

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,

Ephesians 5:11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them.

2 Corinthians 6:14. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them...

Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Matthew 18:15-17. Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal

Romans 1:20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

Genesis 1:27-28. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Galatians 5:1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

John 10:10. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.

Romans 13:1a. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.

Exodus 18:25-26. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

Our Declaration, our Constitution, our very Foundation, is built upon the Rock Solid Foundation of The Word of God. 

Next, twenty-seven grievances are listed, followed by a prayer in closing.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

They are all in. Fully committed.

Mark 8:34. If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

Colossians 3:17. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Since the beginning there’s always been enemies of Freedom.

Our Patriots proved Freedom is worth fighting for, and can be won.  

But each generation must follow in their footsteps, as they followed the footsteps of Christ. Pursuing peace, preprayered for war, “ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6).

 And when necessary... Fight. Fight. Fight.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for preserving the HIStory of our Faithful Forefathers, those in Your Bible, and those in our nation. As they did their part, help us do ours by building the wall set before us, like in Nehemiah 3.

Lord, we need Your help to tear down the wall of separation that has divided US. Please open our eyes to these Truths that unite US, so once again, we will be One Nation Under God, experiencing the smile of Heaven.

In You we trust.

Thank You. We love You, forever.

Amen.  

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