If you’re an American today is the day
to celebrate the freedom of this country. It is the only country in the world
that was founded on the principles of God’s Word. Our rights and liberties were
earned by millions of people giving up their lives.
In real life, nothing is free. Someone always has to pay for the freedom
others enjoy. Today is a good day to ponder some of the freedom we enjoy.
In America, we have freedom of speech, equal rights, freedom of religion so on
and so forth. No other countries in the world enjoy freedom like we do in
America.
Like most countries in the world, there’s
plenty for us to pray about. But have you ever wonder what’s right with us? You
never hear about people wanting to immigrate to China but the whole world wants
to come to America. Why is that? The
blessings of God still remain upon this great country. We enjoy our freedom
because people before us made great sacrifices. If we want to ensure our
freedom to continue, we must also be equally committed to God and our country.
There’s a lot of talk about the moral
decay of our nation. Frankly, it concerns me too. I wonder what kind of world
my children will grow up in. However, you
cannot legislate morality. Washington is not responsible for the sins that
are so prevalent in our society today. What is lacking is personal
responsibility. We’d not have moral and social issues if they’re dealt with at
home. Our society is only a reflection of
our homes. What we permit in our home and in our private life will ultimate
permeate our society.
As we celebrate the freedom of our
nation it’s sad to think millions of Americans are still trapped in the bondage
of alcohol, drugs, debt, pornography and other harmful addictions. True measure of a nation’s freedom depends
on being free from these vices. When we allow God to work in our individual
lives our family will be impacted. When our family is touched, our community
will be impacted. When our communities are touched, we can influence a nation
and the world.
Today, I want talk about three simple
steps to overcome any bondage.
1. Admit
your weakness and faults. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, He is
faithful to forgive us. Don’t allow people to label you the rest of your life but
if we want to change, we must admit and take ownership of our internal
problems.
2. Get
help from someone else. Just like our founding Fathers had to band together
to drive out the opposition, we have to join forces together to overcome the
Goliath in our lives. The enemy would make us believe that we’re the only one
with this problem. Truth is more people struggle
with the same problem as you do. Asking for help shows you’re humble and ready
to change. When you ask for help, you’ll get help. What you’re facing is a
stronghold. You cannot win with small
efforts. Involve others who are an expert in this area. Talk to your
mentors.
3. Give
it some time. Most of us would love to stand in a prayer line and have the
spirit of debt cast out or sickness being healed. Many people give up because
it didn’t work out the first, second or the third time. Don’t be impatient.
Give God some time to work with. Solving
our problems is the easy part. Changing our character is what God is after.
It takes time not only to get rid of bad habits but also to replace them with
the good ones. If you diligently keep working at it, God has promised to reward
you. Learn to have bulldog tenacity. You can have what you’re willing to fight
for.
Happy Fourth of July! As you barbeque and
spend the day having fun remember, freedom is not free. Take
personal responsibility. Don’t point fingers at the society or the
government. Be pro-active and be the change. Our nation will change when we change!
Eat, pray and celebrate. Happy Birthday America!
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the
LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance” (Psalm 33:12 ESV).
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