For Our Freedom

Happy Fourth of July, Bring Me 70 readers!!

Once again, we celebrate our Independence... sort of.

We celebrate our independence from a nation that wanted to control who we were and what we believed, only to, somehow arrive at a place and time where culture and politics want to again control who we are and what believe. Thus, these celebrations continue in seeming conflict... recognizing what was achieved by the Founding Fathers of this great nation, while recognizing we have strayed far and away from their vision of what they fought to defend. Not to mention, what our military service people continue to defend.

I had a number of ideas over the past few days for today's #seniorPastorMonday prayer, in light of today being a National holiday; but it wasn't secured until yesterday morning church service. Our guest speaker, was Dr. Byron Klaus, newly-appointed Interim President at University of Valley Forge. He spoke on the passage from I Samuel 7 (then walked us through the back-story that begins in chapter 4). Over the course of a 20+ year history, Israel experiences great loss, as do the Philistines, for that matter, mostly because of how they treat the Ark of the Covenant. It's a great and powerful story; one that Dr. Klaus put a cap on with this closing perspective that applies to the church today.

"You live in the power and victory of the Cross. Why would you allow defeated foes to control your life?"

Isn't that a great question? And goes will with the opening thoughts. Why do some in this nation insist on returning to ways and policies that we've fought so hard to get away from; that the Founding Fathers took great care in differentiating themselves from. So, too, has the body of Christ been set-apart for the glory of God. Pastors and believers alike are to live in the power and victory of what Christ accomplished on the cross.

And yet, like Israel, rather than taking back what was stolen (the Ark of the Covenant) and allowing it to have the impact in the land that it was supposed to, they protected it... hid it, where God couldn't move in the midst. Such is life, for many Christians. We have the power of Christ, but the lies of the enemy and the memories of the past somehow gain footholds in our lives. We don't deal with them, reminding them of their defeat and so they continue to strengthen and fortify, until they have become strongholds. And what was defeated already now has control once again. Sad. Tragic. Avoidable.

On this Independence Day, pray this #seniorPastorMonday, that Pastors would indeed, experience again, independence in their lives. May defeated foes that have somehow gained control be reminded of the power and victory of the Cross. Pray for strongholds to be broken and footholds to be released, as the Holy Spirit moves and works in the lives of Pastors. Pray for freedom!! In their hearts and minds, in their souls and spirits... for their congregations and the communities they serve. Pray they would walk in that freedom in new and powerful ways; influencing and impacting those around them for the cause of Jesus Christ. May they not return to the days of hiding and protection, but moving foward with a boldness and a confidence in what God has accomplished. May today be a day of spiritual celebration as much as it a national day of celebration.

Freedom.
Thanks in part to those who have died in service to country.
Thanks in greater part to Him who died in service to God.

- PNC

---