On July 4, 1776, thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England in the event which eventually led to the formation of the United States of America. Today it has become more of a holiday rather than a day when the final wording of the Declaration of Independence was decided.

In our history this remains one of the most significant times for our nation. To a lot of us it is a time to light fireworks and to enjoy a day off from work. It is much more than that. Many people died and gave up everything to see our nation freed from the tyranny of England. That is what I think we need to be reminded of.

We remember our history, and should be very thankful for such a great nation to live in. We should not allow a few to take away our rights that so many died to give us. This is the greatest nation in the world. So let’s take a moment and thank the Father of our Lord Jesus for allowing us to live here and to enjoy the freedom that only comes from Him.

Thank you, Lord, for the republic and for the freedom with which to enjoy it.

Just a thought,

PSS

If you are the type of person who gives up — quits when things get too difficult or hard — know that just because you quit doesn’t mean the issue goes away, or that you will not have any more problems in that area.

We need to understand that avoiding something doesn’t mean it goes away. So, dealing with learning to walk through issues is the only way to really get rid of problems. Solving them — not quitting on them —makes them go away. Everyone faces challenges; most, at times, want to throw in the towel. But there are those that never quit or throw in the towel. They look at their circumstance and believe there is a solution or a way to settle or deal with the issue.

People must stay committed to working through the issue or resolving the problem because, for the most part, problems don’t ever just go away. Some things resolve themselves, but not all do. So we must commit to dealing with the problem, resolving the problem — the hardship — until it is resolved. It takes the ability of courage, and commitment, to do it.

Be courageous; be of good cheer, for we know our heavenly Father will never leave us nor forsake us.

Just a thought,

PSS

We must look to the word of God to properly define what a Christian is and what a Christian is not. There are so many interested Christians and very few committed Christians.

An interest is something that is based on our convenience. If it is convenient, then we will do it. But when one is committed to something, they accept no excuses. Commitment is a willingness to do whatever it takes. It’s a promise to yourself, from which you refuse to back down. When you are truly committed, you accept only results.

Only you can decide whether the reward for being committed to God is worth the effort, the sacrifice. A committed Christian is one who believes in Jesus. In John 6:26-55, Jesus explains that so many come to Him, but as soon as something is required of them, they balk, they get mad, they get so disappointed that they will walk away from God to fulfill their own selfish desires. We believers who are committed purpose to do whatever God asks us to do in His word.

When people were following Him for what He could give them, Jesus began to talk about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Crazy, right? No, because what He was saying is to believe in Him enough to do what it takes. In Luke 14, He tells us what it would take to follow Him. It takes us being a committed believer — not just one who is only interested. It’s not about our convenience — it’s about obeying the Lord.

Just a thought,

PSS

Growth is a part of life — either you are growing or you are not. It’s your choice, and only your choice, if you want to change your life or some part of it.

We all need to work on some area of our lives. It can be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. We can always improve. The reason so many don’t is that it is hard work. People will say, It’s no fun — it is hard. Changing our thinking can be a tough process. In our culture today, it seems as if hard work is a disease, and we’ve built up an immunity to it. We want everything right now, and we expect achieving, growing and developing will be easy.

Anything worth having will take work. When we work for something, we tend to appreciate it more. When it’s just given, and requires no effort on our part, we tend to not appreciate or value it as much. Our investment in our own lives helps us to respect the process. I believe there is an area (or areas) in our lives that we need to work on.

Here is a thought: O.A. Battista said, An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it. Let’s do the Lord’s work and watch the good things that happen in our lives. Do better — be better — live better. You are worth the work!

Just a thought,

PSS

Maybe you have heard the saying: Opinions are like noses — everyone has one.

When is it just an opinion? When it is based on emotion or taking sides in a situation. We should be careful not to think that our opinion is right, and everyone else’s is wrong. When it comes to the word of God, that is not an opinion — it is the absolute truth.

I have learned recently that loyalty — right or wrong — only goes so far. As long as you say and do everything someone else thinks is right, people are with you. But once you don’t, then they think something is wrong with you.

What I find even more interesting is that people will give you their opinion even when you don’t ask for it. They feel as if it is their right to give you their opinion, and if you do not listen to it, then somehow they feel rejected. I personally do not offer my opinion unless specifically asked for it.

We live in a very sad day when someone’s opinion means more than God’s word. We will violate the word of God to be heard, to say what we feel, even if it is not accurate or based on fact. I do believe in the multitude of counsel there is safety, unless it does not agree with your opinion.

I believe we all ought to make sure that we are not moved by what others think more than by what God says.

Just a thought,

PSS