Freedom is the cornerstone of our life in America. We will fuss and fight if we don’t have it. People from all over the world come to America just to have freedom. But it seems that most people just don’t want it. It seems strange to say that but it is the truth of the matter. People trade freedom for security or health or for money. And all those things can’t give you the contentment of freedom. It was written into our constitution so that no one could change it. But our government has been changing our freedom to what they can control. So what is freedom? And why is it so precious to us? Our founding fathers began to define it. They wrote down what they thought was good for all the people. Lincoln said it this way, it is for the people, by the people and of the people. So what has changed? What I see is that people aren’t willing to live the life of freedom. I’ll tell you what it isn’t. It isn’t people rioting in the streets. It isn’t the killing of people to get what we want. It isn’t living a life of fear behind our doors. People came to this country and journeyed into the wilderness to secure a life for themselves and their families. They knew that they would probably be killed by whatever. But they went anyway. People who went to live their lives in a way of their choosing. They came to worship God in their own way. They saw an opportunity to live in the freedom that this country offered. So people came to this country with nothing. They didn’t care. They knew that hard work and faith would build a life. Freedom always has responsibilities. Responsibilities toward each other and this country. No one said that this country would be perfect. But with faith in God and hope for the future, you too can build a life of freedom.

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I have 4 sons. My wife and I have raised them to be good men. We have gone through many things with these boys, some good, and some bad. I love them and wouldn’t trade them for anything. Sometimes I wish them were little boys again. I look back at their lives and see that a most precious time was when they were little. When they were dependent upon my wife and I. And I could still shape their destiny. But I have to say they still come to me to talk about important events in their lives. I can remember when I thought my parents were clueless. It took time and hard knocks to convince me that they were really smart. The longer I live the more I believe that one of most grievous things in a parent’s life is bury one of their children. I buried my parents and my younger brother. That was hard enough to go through. All I want for my children is a good life. I don’t care what they do for a living, mostly. I want them to happy with their life. And not to get into trouble of their own making. It is my responsible for the lives of my children. They were given to me to raise and care for. I am accountable to God for my children. They are part of my inheritance from God. Did you know that children are given to you to teach you about life? You don’t become a whole person until you have children. That is why God says, train up a child in the way they should go and when they are older they will not depart from it.

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I have 2 dogs, Olivia and Marley. Olivia is Yorkshire mix. She is about 5 lbs. Marley is a Golden Retriever mix. She is about 50 lbs. And I have a cat named Calli. They all live in the house. Olivia is the mother of this crew. Whatever she says Marley and Calli do. I take the dogs outside between 5am and 6am. I do it just before I go to work. When I go outside it is absolutely silent. All that actually can be heard are the crickets. Olivia and Marley can hear better than I can. So when we are outside I watch them as they go about their business. They will stop and listen and look in the direction of the sound. But I can’t hear a thing. But if they start barking, I have to bring them inside. At that time of day, most people are asleep. It is still dark. But I walk outside and I can hear my own heartbeat. I usually don’t say anything. I can feel the darkness. It wraps me like a blanket. It is just me out there. I always can feel that I am not alone. There is no one out there that I can see. But there is an ever present being walking with me. The silence is so loud that everything is blocked out. I can think clearly. There is nothing to distract me. It is there that I come to myself and understand who I am. As my dogs go about their business, I cry out saying, O Lord, it is I standing here in need of prayer.

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Food, clothing and shelter, we strive all our lives to obtain these things. But is it enough? We would not survive very long if we didn’t have these things. But is it all there is? We know that there is more to life than this. But why do we settled for just this part of life. We are a materialistic society. We have more things than anyone else in the world. And the world wants what we have. This is strange and somehow wrong. The wealth of this nation is funding the rest of the world. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a ghost town. A million and a half people had lived there. It was strange to drive through there. Everything had collapsed. All the money that had flowed through that town was gone. It was the largest migration since the 19^th century. It has been 10 years since that hurricane and New Orleans is still not the same. More money has poured into the city than you would think. But it still hasn’t made the difference. But we are not just materialistic people. There is more too us than that. We are spiritual as well as physical. The life of people is translated into a city. And New Orleans has lost its heart. And no amount of money will bring it back. We need money but not at the expense of our lives. If you keep scratching for money and don’t see the other side of life, you have missed what life is about. All those intangible things that we ignore are the important things in life. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. By the way these are the fruit or manifestation of the Spirit of God. And everyone can have them for the asking.

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If you look around at man you will wonder why we were created. The world is such a jumbled mess and all thanks to man. If there isn’t a war, there is a famine and if not a famine, a disaster. And it is all due to man’s efforts. This imperfect species that has control of this earth, I wonder why the earth hasn’t burn down yet. I look around at the fear and hopelessness people are suffering through. And wonder why man hasn’t given up yet. I do understand it and know why it is like it is. Man wants to god over his own destiny. Man sees himself as the supreme leader of his life. He is large and in charge. This is the biggest lie in the world today. Man doesn’t have the power to change a thing. Man can’t even get out the mess he makes. So why would he believe that he can rule the world. It is more of a hope than a belief. But it is false hope. But we all know that there is no higher power than man who he will submit himself to. I not know whether to laugh or cry at that this megalomania. I thought this way for a long time. But when I came to myself I discovered that there was someone who was looking out for me. And He had to power to change my life. What was so surprising to me was that He loved me the way I was. For God so loved the world. This is the reason why we were made because of God’s love. Everyone knows this scripture which is man’s shame. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). It is time to believe what it says. There isn’t much time left to this world, so use your time wisely.

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There are so many versions of Jesus in this world. I have seen just recently that people tried to show Him as just human and not divine. Many other religions recognize Him as great man. Some even says He was a prophet. All of this is to discredit Him as the son of God. The bible says that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. It also says that in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus is the Lord of all. Why do you think that people wince at the name of Jesus? They get angry and curse when his name is said. Have you noticed all the TV programs that proclaim the devil is all powerful? It is an effort to replace Jesus. When I first became saved, I was angry at the devil for leading me around by the nose. So I went on seek and destroy missions. After a month, God stopped me and asked what I was doing. I said I was getting rid of the devil. God said no, I was still following the devil. He said follow me and when you encounter the devil, cast him out in my name. God knows what He is talking about. Follow Jesus and everything else will fall into place.

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Do you remember the first time you saw something and it was the most amazing thing that you ever saw? That is called wonder. We say that things are wonderful. Or we say it was amazing. What ever happened to that feeling we used to have? Has the world driven it out of us? Has so many bad things happened to us that we have lost the wonder of the world? We grow up and wanted to be sophisticated adults. Knowing everything and not being surprised by anything. But what we have lost is what we need in this world. The northern lights of Alaska are amazing. The color of a sparrow is wondrous. The beauty of a Lilly is spectacular. Every sunset is gorgeous and new every night. Jesus was preaching and people were crowding around him. The disciples were keeping the crowd at bay. There came some children to see Jesus. The disciples pushed them away. Jesus saw this and rebuked the disciples. Jesus had the children to come and told his disciples never to do this again. Jesus said for if you do not become as one of this children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. The life of God is a wonder.

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I look at what it took for me to understand. I know maybe I am as hard-headed as my dad said I was. It took me a while to see what people and the bible were talking about. Many times I wanted to understand but just couldn’t see it. I know God was very patient with me. I guess that is what love is about. Patiently waiting for someone to come around and do what is right. I have hit walls many times and couldn’t go through. Only with the intervention of God did I even make my way through. I have hopes and dreams that I want to come true. When you have to stand before God and surrender all of your dreams. It can be a crushing defeat. But God took defeat and turned it into victory. The starting place for me was surrendering all that I am. I had to die to myself to accept the promise of God, Jesus. I wondered why He would want me. I had become a real jerk, arrogant and combative. But He saw in me something worth saving.  God sacrifice His son to give the opportunity to be set free. I have people that love me. But I only have one person who loves me unconditionally. The bible says for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever shall believe will have everlasting life.

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What season is it? I watch TV and the weather has gone crazy. It is May and people are still shoveling snow. The weather in western part of the country is worse, hail and tornados. The record rainfall is unbelievable. There isn’t one part of the country that is not affected by the weather. No one can change it or stop it. There was a hurricane on the eastern seaboard, a month before hurricane season. We all know that there is only one person who can stop all of this. That is God Himself. There are stories throughout history where people have fought against God. None were ever, ever successful. The tower of Babel comes to mind. The people were in one accord and spoke one language. They were going to prove they were more powerful than God. The king was building a tower to shoot an arrow at God to prove he didn’t need Him. God scrambled their language after scattered them across the earth. They showed God alright. There is only one person who can help in the season of need and that is God Himself.

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All throughout the ages God has had a people. No matter what was going on in the world, there has been people faithful to God. Between Adam and Abraham, God has done spectacular things on earth to and in front of man. Still man, as a whole, didn’t respond to God. So God decided to choose a people who would trust and honor God. He chose the Hebrews. God chose Abraham and made him the father of many nations. He had 12 great grandsons, who became the nation of Israel. The Law didn’t come in until Moses. What the Law did was to separate the Hebrews from the rest of the world. Showing the world the way to God. The Hebrews didn’t always keep the Law. When this happen trouble came to Israel. They believed they were the chosen and nothing was going to happen to them because of it. But God’s word is the truth and will judged anyone who breaks the law. Pride came into Israel and nearly destroyed them. But God had made a covenant with Abraham and He is going to honor it. But God says many times in the bible, it is the Jew first and then to the Greek. Everything we have as a Christians came for the Hebrews. Most people think Jesus was a Christian. But He never was. Jesus was and is an orthodox Jewish Rabbi. God wanted to show that the Law cannot save you, because no one can keep it. Only with a change of heart can you keep the Law. And only God can change your heart to keep the Law and Commandments.

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