Reprint from May 26, 2008
In our lives there are many 'memorial days'. Today is a solemn memorial for those who have 'given their all' as it is termed, or at least they have been willing to give their all. It can be a vague holiday to those whose loved ones returned, or it can be a very real memorial to those who experienced the sacrifice close at hand.
Sacrifice. A strange concept. A simple definition: 'the act of giving up one thing for the sake of another'. We hear about freedom, we read about liberty, there isn't much said about sacrifice. John F. Kennedy in his famous speech said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; but what you can do for your country."
Much is said about our 'rights', as in, it is 'our right', to do what we want, or it is 'our right' to say what we want. A new slogan is 'it is our right to breathe smoke free air'. I'm not weighing in on that 'right' specifically, but just what is our 'right'? Can we claim any 'right' we want to claim then demand that we have it?
I have often told my children, "You never have the 'right' to do a wrong thing". You never have the 'right' to lie, cheat, steal, defraud someone else. You don't have the 'right' to use foul language, view garbage paraded under the guise of 'entertainment'. You don't have the 'right' to do evil of any kind, either privately or publicly.
This country has stood for the principles taught in scripture. That has been a deciding difference between us and many other nations. The foundation was built primarily upon the fact that we don't go to a priest to be absolved of our sins--we are the priests, and have the duty, the obligation that as far as within us lies, we MUST do our best not to sin in the first place.
1Peter 2:9 But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
The Puritans/Pilgrims didn't say they were perfect, or that they ever would be perfect in this life. However, they did understand that they needed to strive for that perfection; that holiness. They couldn't live a life of debauchery, then have some one absolve them of that sin. Willful sin is never without consequences. King David fell to the terrible sin of lust, which led to other sins. Yet when the prophet Nathan came to him and convicted him of his sin, he repented.
Yet in 2Samuel 12:7 "And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 10) Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
King David's sin was 'put away' from him, because he sincerely repented, but he still had consequences to face. Just because he was a 'king' God didn't grant him executive privilege: he was still held accountable to the same standard.
Memorial--we need to remember. We need to remember that freedom is not free. Some humans have paid a price for us to be here and for the blessings we enjoy. We are blessed, and have only to look around us to see our blessings. -- Someone else paid a dear price for our freedom.
Galatians 5:1 "For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage."
Luke 17:11-17 'And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God; and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine?'
Let us not despise the blessings of the Lord, but give thanks: and remember--Our freedom isn't free.
What a Saviour!
Sacrifice. A strange concept. A simple definition: 'the act of giving up one thing for the sake of another'. We hear about freedom, we read about liberty, there isn't much said about sacrifice. John F. Kennedy in his famous speech said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; but what you can do for your country."
Much is said about our 'rights', as in, it is 'our right', to do what we want, or it is 'our right' to say what we want. A new slogan is 'it is our right to breathe smoke free air'. I'm not weighing in on that 'right' specifically, but just what is our 'right'? Can we claim any 'right' we want to claim then demand that we have it?
I have often told my children, "You never have the 'right' to do a wrong thing". You never have the 'right' to lie, cheat, steal, defraud someone else. You don't have the 'right' to use foul language, view garbage paraded under the guise of 'entertainment'. You don't have the 'right' to do evil of any kind, either privately or publicly.
This country has stood for the principles taught in scripture. That has been a deciding difference between us and many other nations. The foundation was built primarily upon the fact that we don't go to a priest to be absolved of our sins--we are the priests, and have the duty, the obligation that as far as within us lies, we MUST do our best not to sin in the first place.
1Peter 2:9 But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
The Puritans/Pilgrims didn't say they were perfect, or that they ever would be perfect in this life. However, they did understand that they needed to strive for that perfection; that holiness. They couldn't live a life of debauchery, then have some one absolve them of that sin. Willful sin is never without consequences. King David fell to the terrible sin of lust, which led to other sins. Yet when the prophet Nathan came to him and convicted him of his sin, he repented.
Yet in 2Samuel 12:7 "And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 10) Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
King David's sin was 'put away' from him, because he sincerely repented, but he still had consequences to face. Just because he was a 'king' God didn't grant him executive privilege: he was still held accountable to the same standard.
Memorial--we need to remember. We need to remember that freedom is not free. Some humans have paid a price for us to be here and for the blessings we enjoy. We are blessed, and have only to look around us to see our blessings. -- Someone else paid a dear price for our freedom.
Galatians 5:1 "For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage."
Luke 17:11-17 'And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God; and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine?'
Let us not despise the blessings of the Lord, but give thanks: and remember--Our freedom isn't free.
What a Saviour!
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