In God's Eyes

In God’s Eyes

Proverb 14:34

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

OPENING REMARKS:

A. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY:

1. Independence Day

Most just call it the Fourth of July

Never taking time to find out why.

They take for granted this summer holiday

Only looking forward to a fireworks display.

Our independence came at a great cost

Many a brave man and woman were lost.

The 56 signers of that document were assured

Of many a great hardship to soon be endured.

Most lost everything they had in this life

Including their land, jobs, children, and wife.

The strength of these people stands through the years

They gave to us great victory, overcoming all fears.

“When in the course of human events,” they agreed

“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” our creed.

“Endowed by their Creator with certain rights,” are we,

“These united colonies are, and are of right to be free.”

So let’s say thanks to our Founding Fathers today

Remember those brave patriots of an earlier day

Let’s celebrate our freedom and always pray

That Americans will forever honor Independence Day!

--- TUP, Independence Day, Pekin, IN: The Good News Monthly, July 2007, Issue 24, Sec. A, p. 1 ---

2. July 4, 2007 – this Wednesday – it will be 231 years ago that we as a nation sounded forth our 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 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, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. …

B. LOVE of COUNTRY

I love my country.

I am proud to be an American, and I make no apology for being this way.

I am of the opinion that this is one of the greatest nations that has ever been in existence.

I honor our country’s flag – I salute it – I am not ashamed to proclaim the Pledge of Allegiance.

I am extremely proud of those who willingly give of themselves to protect our nation.

-- All gave some – some gave all --

I am thankful of our Judeo-Christian heritage and I am convinced that due to its influence our Founding Fathers established and provided this nation with its many freedoms.

I enjoy these freedoms – especially the freedom of being able to worship the Lord without any fear or hindrance – a privilege many in the world do not share.

C. CONCERN for COUNTRY

1. As much as I love my country – I am concerned about the direction she is headed.

The United States has many enemies.

One such enemy today is that of terrorism.

I am of the opinion that terrorism is very real and that it threatens to destroy the United States of America – if we leave terrorism unchecked it will ultimately destroy this nation and our freedoms as we know them today. The attempted attacks over the last two days in London and at the Glasgow Airport in Scotland are testimonies to this fact.

2. However,

As dreadful of a threat that terrorism is today –

I am of the opinion that we as a nation | people are in a greater danger than what any harm a terrorist could ever impose upon us as a nation – I think this country’s greatest threat comes not from any outside enemy – but it comes from within and it seems that it comes from ourselves. We as a nation are our own enemy and I do not think that God is pleased with us as a nation.

3. We as a people in this nation are very independent.

We do not like it when anyone tells us what to do, how to do it, when to do it, or where to do it.

We are a stubborn lot of people.

We are like Israel of old – we do what is right in our own eyes.

Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

D. POST-MODERN AGE

This is the age where there is no absolute truth.

There is no set standard.

No guide by which to judge what is right and wrong.

Everyone is entitled to his own truth.