Hello Church Family, This month we all come together as one in America to celebrate the birth of our Nation. Happy Fourth of July! We will enjoy the family and friend festivities and watching the fireworks light up the night sky in colorful brilliance. Many will fly the American flag proudly and have fun listening and singing patriotic songs. We will also remember with heartfelt gratitude our veterans who fought bravely and the current day soldiers who still fight to keep our land safe, peaceful, and free.
As Christians we know we are so blessed by the One, the I Am, our Creator, for the freedom that we have in America. All the glory goes to God! God who gave all humankind His love, His peace and freedom to live on His earth, and one day we will stand before our Maker hopefully to live eternally in Heaven made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. Therefore, we must, as our ancestors before us spread God’s truth so that we may bring love, peace, and freedom to all in the World! God tells us how to do this through His Word. Is it easy? NO! Was it easy for Christians of our past and is it easy for Christians today? NO!
Matthew 5:10-12 (NIV) tells us--“10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
We Believers of course do not want to be persecuted spreading God’s love to all humankind including our enemies (“44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:44, NIV), but we are commissioned (read the Great Commission in Matthew 28: 16-20) to put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), fight evil, and spread His Word with love. We are not alone in this mission. God, Immanuel, is with us always!
As Americans, one Nation under God, we realize we would not be enjoying the freedoms that we enjoy today if no one had fought so bravely for those rights. Let us as Christian soldiers stand up and fight for One World under God, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen!
Your Sister in Christ,
Gail Achilles, Call Committee Chair and Council Secretary
As Christians we know we are so blessed by the One, the I Am, our Creator, for the freedom that we have in America. All the glory goes to God! God who gave all humankind His love, His peace and freedom to live on His earth, and one day we will stand before our Maker hopefully to live eternally in Heaven made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. Therefore, we must, as our ancestors before us spread God’s truth so that we may bring love, peace, and freedom to all in the World! God tells us how to do this through His Word. Is it easy? NO! Was it easy for Christians of our past and is it easy for Christians today? NO!
Matthew 5:10-12 (NIV) tells us--“10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
We Believers of course do not want to be persecuted spreading God’s love to all humankind including our enemies (“44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:44, NIV), but we are commissioned (read the Great Commission in Matthew 28: 16-20) to put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), fight evil, and spread His Word with love. We are not alone in this mission. God, Immanuel, is with us always!
As Americans, one Nation under God, we realize we would not be enjoying the freedoms that we enjoy today if no one had fought so bravely for those rights. Let us as Christian soldiers stand up and fight for One World under God, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen!
Your Sister in Christ,
Gail Achilles, Call Committee Chair and Council Secretary
